[Roadsters] What is the torque for the oil pan drain plug?

[Gary and Cindy Ault]

Dave,

Oil drain plug:  I don't think you can hurt this thing unless you apply 
enough torque to strip the threads, but there's no need to tighten it more 
than is necessary to flatten the copper gasket.  (I have had to remove them 
when they had been really cranked down, but I have never seen one leak if 
the gasket was intact.)

The sensitivity regarding over-tightening the oil pan is with respect to the 
6mm (10mm hex head) cap screws which secure the oil pan to the block.  Look 
at an oil pan with the gasket removed:  There is a raised area down the 
center of the mating surface with the block.  If one over-tightens those cap 
screws, he can crush and damage the cork gasket near the bolt holes, 
creating a leak path.

I haven't seen a torque value for the oil pan bolts/cap screws.  There are 
standards for torque which can be used when one doesn't have an OEM value. 
Unfortunately, I cannot find my list right now, but there are a couple of 
active or former mechanics on the List.  Maybe someone has and will publish 
the generic torque standards to which I referred.

Gary

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "D Riedel" <stamuki at gmail.com>
To: <datsun-roadsters at autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 4:19 PM
Subject: [Roadsters] What is the torque for the oil pan drain plug?


>I know the oil pan can be a little sensitive to over-tightening.  Does
> anyone have the torque setting for the drain plug?  I'm long delayed
> in getting my car back out on the road (I've missed some great weather
> over the last month).
>
> thanks
>
> -- 
> Dave Riedel
> '69 2000
> Victoria, BC
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