Just wondering on the size socket needed for the sump plug?

Cheers

Brendan

Edit: And should it be Torque'd up at all?

15/16ths. Usually the largest socket in the imperial 1/2 inch socket set.

I do it up till it can't go any further than add about a sixth of a turn (roughly) or thereabouts till tight. If your copper washer is in good shape you won't have any leaks from the plug

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Just whatever you do don't overtighten it. The gearbox is alloy and a lot softer than the plug, it will strip easily if you put too many beans on it.

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

When I do oil changes I like to put oil resistant sealer on the thread and do it up finger tight + 1/8 - 1/6 of a turn more. I like to let the oil resistant goo stuff seal the plug, not how tight it's done up.

Next oil change clean the residue off the plug and go again. Only put enough on to seal - not so that it goes everywhere when it's squeezed down.

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"In two years time your car will be like a lady's clothes, out of date, my car will still be in fashion when I am dead" - Sir Alec speaking to Pininfarina

wat is this sealer you speak of?

_________________
Here am I sitting in my tin can far above the Moon
Planet Earth is blue and there's nothing I can do...



“A turbo: exhaust gasses go into the turbocharger and spin it, witchcraft happens and you go faster.” - Jeremy Clarkson

If you are needing to use sealer, you will find that the copper washer needs to be replaced, or you need to look at the face the washer sits up against for damage.
It's relatively soft copper so that it will take up the small gaps and seal against leaks.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

It's just some stuff of the rack from super crap. I use it on my rocker cover gasket too to seal that. It's just a oil resistant gasket goo. I CBF'd replacing the copper washer (don't run one at all) and my car doesn't leak oil from the sump plug.....the timing cover OTOH.....

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"In two years time your car will be like a lady's clothes, out of date, my car will still be in fashion when I am dead" - Sir Alec speaking to Pininfarina

Copper Washer .....50c

Permatex sealant from supercrap.....8.00 ?ish..

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Look on Nicks face..... Priceless

_________________
Here am I sitting in my tin can far above the Moon
Planet Earth is blue and there's nothing I can do...



“A turbo: exhaust gasses go into the turbocharger and spin it, witchcraft happens and you go faster.” - Jeremy Clarkson

cheers for replies fellas.

Even though i got lotsa "beans" behind me I shall remain vigilant as to how many I transfer to the sump plug.

Sorry about that Im at work and bored

cheers

But I already have the sealer there from doing other stuff. It's always handy to have, plus, with the amount you stick on a sump plug, I'm hardly that hard up for cash that I couldn't go out and buy another tube when that tube eventually runs out

But....each to their own

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"In two years time your car will be like a lady's clothes, out of date, my car will still be in fashion when I am dead" - Sir Alec speaking to Pininfarina

Did an oil change at the weekend and got a surprise - The sump plug was covered in orange goo-sealer stuff.

Figured it was some sort of sealer but it really confused me as last time I did an oil change, I had a magnetic sump plug, and this one was not!

Took me a while to figure out:

The only time it could have been replaced is:
1) Pink Slip inspection??? October last year - unlikely
2) Clutch replacement Jan 2007 @ MIni Classic

...therefore...It's probably been almost 2 years (Maybe Nov/Dec 06) since I did my last oil change , even though obviously it was replaced when Greig had it 20 months ago.

In my defence, the car only drove on mini runs and occassional weekend trips, then we were in the UK for 3 months last year, then back to even less occassional runs until March when it would commute 1 day per week, then mid-June, since when it's been my daily driver. I've been trying to get around to doing it since Feb, but in that time we bought a house, moved, got married, honeymoon and had a baby.

I feel guilty, I think the irony is that the change i did in Nov/Dec 06 was my second in 4 months, as I had decided I was going to be proactively keen and do it every 2-3 months regardless...didn't last long did it?

Now how much does a magnetic sump plug cost...?

http://classicmotoring.net.au/cmos/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=110

_________________
Here am I sitting in my tin can far above the Moon
Planet Earth is blue and there's nothing I can do...



“A turbo: exhaust gasses go into the turbocharger and spin it, witchcraft happens and you go faster.” - Jeremy Clarkson

Yeah, cheers matt, just did some googling myself, got the same link

Might order one in time for next oil change (which will not be in 2 years time )

According to the workshop manual the correct tension for the sump plug is 40 to 50lb.ft. (I would only go about half that.)

When I got my 1100 ten years ago there was a slight leak from the sump plug. I did an oil change and found the sump plug was only finger tight and the treads in the gearbox were shagged. I also discovered 3 fibre washers, one copper washer and lots of thread tape.
I removed the thread tape and the 3 fibre washers and found that the sump plug now went into the gearbox far enough to engage on the good threads, but only just!

So I got a new copper washer and picked trough my sump plug collection (not as impressive as Simon's collection) and found the plug that had the longest thread (every little bit helps).
I drilled the sump plug to lock wire it as added security.

It still has always leaked a tiny little bit so on the last oil change I used the Loctite thread sealant goo and the leaks are now cured.