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So, went to change the oil on my 1990 e150 (351w) and the plugs thread were all kinds of jacked up, as well as the pans threads. I don’t have the capabilities to change the pan and just need a quick fix. I was wondering if this Eco plug will fit since I can’t find the metric size of the pans hole. Thanks for any answers!
I have a friend who had her oil changed at a quick oil change shop and they stripped her oil plug. They installed a rubber plug which cam out on her way home. By the time she got out of traffic and over to the shoulder of the road, she needed a new engine.
In my opinion, I would not trust anything other then a steel threaded in plug.
According to Dorman parts, the original plug in your pan is:
090-053 Oil Drain Plug Pilot Point M14-1.50, Head Size 16Mm
According to my Ford parts manual:
FORD E5AZ-6730A PLUG OIL PAN DRAIN W/GASKET M14 X 1.5THRD.
If the threads in the pan are stripped beyond repair then I would find the very next thread size larger (wither it be metric or standard) and re-tap the pan drain hole threads and install a new bolt with a flange head and sealing washer.
To keep from getting metal shavings down in the oil pan when tapping out the threads, fill the flutes in the tap with grease. Only tap the threads about one turn at a time and remove it. Clean the grease and repeat until you have re-threaded the hole. If you are still concerned about any metal shavings in the oil pan then you can install the plug and using the dip stick tube, try to get a 1/2 gallon or so of kerosene down the tube then pull the plug uot and that hopefully should flush out any remaining shavings. The reason you pour it down the dip stick is it will go directly into the oil pan. If you add it at the oil filler tube then it will run all down through your valve train and you are not trying to flush that.
You should be able to do this job in less time then it would take you to have next day delivery from Amazon and have a permanent reliable fix.
Also check your parts stores like NAPA. Sometimes they have a oversized plug but they give mixed results
I tried rethreading but I guess I got the wrong kit (aluminum and soft steel) and I’m not very knowledgeable in that area so I didn’t want to push knowing that I could screw it up worse and need to get the whole pan changed out. I did read something about getting a bolt size that’s one size up and slowly screwing it in to rethread but that sounded super iffy... if that is the way to do it then I can manage that or would I need to get a steel rethread kit?
Re-tapping as I mentioned above is the best method that I am aware of. Here is another solution that will work for a while.
Go to the parts store and find an oversized self threading oil pan plug. You may need to go to several different parts stores to find the one just one size over as no one seems to stock parts these days.
They typically look like this
They will cut their own threads but often the threads are often not deep enough to hold up long term because the threads are shallow.
You would need a sealing washer that will fit the bolt also. Be very careful and get the plug started straight and apply pressure inward while you get it started. The problem with several different attempts with several different methods is that you may eventually get the hole too large to fit a bolt with a head that will seal depending on how your oil pan is made.
Take your old one with you and try to match the threads as close as possible but being one size over. According to my information your plug thread size is metric
M14 X 1.5 THRD
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