Ok, so about a month ago, I went to get an oil change for my car. I just hit 118,000 so it was due. When the car was in the air, the tech came to talk to me saying that the oil pan threads had been stripped from being overtightened. He said they would attempt to tap the threads. They were able to do that ok, then he said, I will be sure to make a note no your file saying that the hole was tapped, because now the threads are delicate. Be sure you mention this to the tech at each oil change too.


How did this happen? I asked. The tech said, someone must have overtighted it at some point. When your car is this old, and it's been through so many oil changes, the threads are bound to get stripped. I said, I've had more than one 10 year old car before, and this has never happened. Also I have only been to this Honda dealer for oil changes, so I never touched those threads. Why should I have to pay for this when it fails?

He said to come back during the week to talk with the service manager to see what could be done.

So.. How many people here have had their oil pan threads stripped because of "old age". If that is the reason, then everyone with a 4th gen should have experienced that.

I talked with the parts guy at another dealer, and he said that the pan should not strip unless someone messed up and really overtighted it. So he thinks that the whole age excuse is just to pass on the cost of replacement to me.

What do you guys think? I am not too keen on replacing an oil pan to the tune of $200 or so if I didn't cause this problem!

 

I've seen plenty of drain plugs stripped because of time. An occasional stripped plug put BACK in and in turn stripping the pan. But I don't see how time can just strip it. I guess it sort of makes sense.

 

I don't know how 'age' can do that. What happens is somebody puts the plug in cross-threaded, gets it in part way before realizing it. Then takes it out, puts it back in properly; but some damage is done each time it happens.

 

oh... i thought you meant the bolts on the outside not the drain plug.... i've seen it happen a lot.... but never happened to me.... i take my time when it comes to my car....

 

188,000 miles and still on original drain plug/bolt. just giving you a hard time, erik.

 

I have the same problem....and was told the same thing..that I had to purchase a new oil pan...