Best Oil Pan Thread Repair Kit

A Quick Guide to Help you Select the Best Oil Pan Thread Repair Kit for your Vehicle!

Have you recently noticed an oil leak on your driveway or garage floor where you park your vehicle? Chances are your vehicle’s oil pan is leaking around the drain plug because someone stripped the threads. If you take your vehicle to a Quick Lube place for an oil change you stand a very good chance of having your out oil pan sump drain threads stripped or cross-threaded. Fortunately, in most cases those threads can be repaired using an Oil Pan Thread Repair Kit.

Quick Oil change places typically hire employees that have little to no mechanical skills. Add to that the use of pneumatic or electric powered drivers to remove and replace oil pan drain plugs and you have a recipe for disaster. The damage is most common with aluminum oil pans because the metal is soft. However, it can also frequently occur in steel oil pans as well.

What are the Best Repair Options?

Removing an oil pan is a labor-intensive job that could cost hundreds of dollars plus the cost of a new pan. The best solution is to repair the threads in the existing pan while the oil pan is still attached to the engine.

Certain vehicle’s have oil pans that are somewhat easy to access, even while lying on your back. However, if your vehicle is one of those with various obstructions near the drain hole, taking your vehicle to a qualified mechanic may be your best option.

If you happen be a gearhead and confident with your mechanical skills the DIY option may be the right right option for you.  In any case, its not an easy task but with an appropriate Oil Pan Thread Repair Kit and by carefully following instructions you can do a professional repair job.

Oil Pan Drain Plug Repair Kit RECOMMENDATIONS

The Kits recommended below are the best ones available and will accommodate most makes and models.  These kits contain the necessary tools to repair the damaged female thread in the pan plus a replacement plug.

#1   TIME-SERT #‎1415A-WI, M14 X 1.50 Metric Drain Plug Kit

Features:

• Application:  Replace damaged ALUMINUM oil pan drain hole threads
• Thread Size:  M14 X 1.50
• No. of Inserts:  Five (5) inserts of 9.4mm length
• Tools:  Drill, Counterbore, Tap, Tap Guide, and Driver

Overview

The TIME-SERT Kit #1415C is one of the best Drain Plug Kits for repairing damage threads in aluminum oil pans.  Manufactured in the USA, each kit contains all the tools and parts necessary to do a professional repair job on drain pans with M14 X 1.50 threads.

This kit is designed to replace the damaged original threads with a Carbon Steel insert that will be much stronger than the original aluminum threads. Additionally, once the repair job is complete you can use the original plug if the threads are intact.

Check Out this Cool Instructional Video!

The drill bit, tap, counterbore, and driver have square-headed shanks that can be turned with a Tap Handle (not included) or a 12 point socket.

The TIME-SERT M14 X 1.50 Metric Drain Plug Kit #1415A-WI is the choice of many professional mechanics and skilled DIYers.  Part # 14155 REPLACEMENT Inserts are also available.

#2   TIME-SERT #1212C, M12 X 1.25 Metric Drain Plug Repair Kit

Features:

• Application:  Replace damaged ALUMINUM oil pan drain hole threads
• Thread Size:  M12 X 1.25
• No. of Inserts:  Five (5)
• Tools:  Drill, Counterbore, Tap, Tap Guide, and Driver

Overview

This kit works exactly the same as the TIME-SERT #1415C kit listed above except it is for repairing aluminum M12 X 1.25 threads.

 

 

#3   Lisle 58850 Oil Pan Plug Rethread Kit

Features:

• Application : Repair oil pan sump drain threads
• Thread Size: Use to repair 1/2 inch, 12mm, and 14mm threads
• No. of Inserts:  (5) Magnetic Plugs with Washers
• Tools: Piloted Drill Bit, Spring-Loaded Tap, and Storage Case

Overview

If the sump plug threads of your oil pan have been damaged the Lisle 58850 Oil Pan Plug Rethread Kit will enable you to repair it with the pan on the vehicle.

The reason I recommend this kit is because it provides all the tools and components necessary to do a professional job. Drilling out the damaged threads of an oil pan and keeping the drill bit square to the oil pan is challenging even for an experienced mechanic-especially while lying on your back with the vehicle jacked up. You basically only get one opportunity to repair a damaged oil pan.

The LISLE 58850 Oil Pan Plug Rethread Kit includes a step drill with a built-in guide to keep the bit 90 degrees to the pan. Once the hole has been opened up a plug tap with a guide lets you rethread the hole. Then, it’s just a matter of screwing in a new oversized drain plug included in the kit. No inserts are necessary to do a professional rethreading job.

This Kit can be used for repairing oil pan sump drain threads on soft steel or aluminum. When there is adequate room it will repair 1/2 inch, 12mm, and 14mm threads.

5 Magnetic Drain Plugs with heavy duty gaskets ensure that your restored oil pan won’t leak.

There are cheaper oil pan sump thread repair kits available but they don’t include the special tools you will need like the LISLE 58850 kit. In you have priced a new oil pan and the time and effort it would take to change it out you will agree that repairing your existing one is the best way to go.

#4   Highking Tool 114pcs Oil Pan Drain Sump Plug Thread Repair Kit

Features:

• Application: Repairing damaged oil pan drain threads in Audi, VW, BMW, Citroen, Fiat, Ford, Seat, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Opel, Peugeot, Renault, Toyota and Volvo
• Thread Size: (6) each Replacement Plugs M13 x 1.25, M13 x 1.5, M15 x 1.5, M17 x 1.5, M20 x 1.5, and M22 x 1.5
• Tools: (6) each TAPS sizes M13 x 1.25P / M13 x 1.5P / M15 x 1.5P / M17 x 1.5P / M20 x 1.5P / M22 x 1.5P. (72) Copper Washer sizes 24 x M13, 12 x M15, 12 x M17, 12 x M20, 12 x M22

Overview

The Highking Tool 114pcs Oil Pan Drain Sump Plug Thread Repair Kit is used to enlarge the damaged drain hole in your oil pan and re-thread it.

If the oil pan drain port threads are stripped or cross-threaded this repair kit may be the right solution for you. It contains the necessary parts to repair damaged oil pan threads along with the appropriate sized taps. You will need to provide the correct size tap drill.

The repair procedure is pretty simple and can be accomplished by a DIYer with moderate mechanical skills. To repair a damaged oil pan drain port thread you would need to choose an Insert the next larger size than the original. For example to repair a M14 thread you would choose the M15 tap, drill out the hole with the appropriate Tap Drill Size, tap the hole, and install the M15 Drain Plug and washer included with the set.

The Highking Tool 114pcs Oil Pan Drain Sump Plug Thread Repair Kit will work for both Aluminum and Steel oil pans.

This oil pan thread repair kit will enable you to do a professional repair job however, keep in mind that changing the size of the original threads could diminish the value of your vehicle.

Which Type of Oil Pan Thread Repair Kit is Best for My Vehicle?

There are basically TWO types of oil pan thread repair kits available.  Both have advantages and disadvantages.  It’s a good idea to determine the accessibility of the drain hole on your oil pan before deciding which type of kit is best for your vehicle.

Insert Thread Replacement – Pros and Cons

A very effective way to repair a damaged oil pan sump drain hole thread is by opening it up and installing an insert.

Pros

This option is generally considered the best way to restore the oil pan drain hole threads. And, in the case of aluminum oil pans, this type of repair will restore the drain hole threads to better-than-new condition. The reason for this is, that the inserts are made from Carbon Steel and once installed; the new threads are much stronger than the original aluminum threads.

Another plus is that once installed you can use the original drain plug if it’s threads haven’t been damaged. Or, you can purchase an OEM replacement.

Cons

The down side to using an insert type repair is they can be somewhat difficult to install and require additional tools making the repair kits more expensive.

Enlarge Original Drain Hole – Pros and Cons

Another option to repair a damaged oil pan drain is to open up the original diameter, tap it with new and larger threads and install a new plug to fit the new threads.

Pros

This type of repair is much easier than installing an insert and requires a slightly lower skill level to do the job correctly. A repair kit will typically contain the correct size drill bit and tap plus an assortment of oversized drain plugs to fit the new threads. This type of repair can be used on steel or aluminum drain pans.

Cons

By enlarging the original diameter drain hole it could conceivably diminish the value of the vehicle. Also, if the repair is applied to an aluminum pan it will be just as vulnerable to stripping as the original.

How to Remove Metal Chips From the Oil Pan After the Repair?

No matter which repair option you choose metal chips will end up inside the oil pan. Needless to say they must be removed to prevent damage to the engine. There are several effective ways to remove the chips once you have repaired the damaged drain threads.

1. Apply wheel bearing grease to the drill bit, reamer, and tap.  This hack causes most of the chips to become imbedded in the grease instead of falling off into the pan.  Make sure you load up the flutes of the cutting tools and DON’T run your drill motor at a fast RPM.  A few chips may fall off into the pan and require removal by the methods suggested below.
2. Flush out the chips with used oil. This method is very effective but it may be necessary to do it several times to remove all the chips.
3. Use a Magnetic Telescoping Pick-Up Tool to reach in the drain hole and pick up chips. This method works OK but the magnetized tool tip will also stick to the pan making it difficult to remove the chips.
4. Another effective method is to rig a Shop Vac with a small enough diameter hose. This will allow you to reach in the drain hole and vacuum out any chips.

Also SEE:
Best Thread Repair Kits

and..

Best Spark Plug Thread Repair Kits