Oil Drain Plug-- Is Magnetic Important?

[Carimbo]

Just did the 3,000 mile oil/filter change today. Tested the oil drain plug for magnetic strength, after cleaning it up. It is no longer magnetic. How important is it? My favorite non-chain FLAPS had a new nylon washer for me but no replacement magnetic plug.

This is the 3rd oilchange after switching to Castrol Tection 15w40; car leaked measurably less oil this interval, 2 quarts max. as opposed to 3 quarts before. I don't know what oil the previous owner used.

[asavage]

I'm surprised you were able to find a 16.33mm drain plug washer, they're not common. Though you had to settle for nylon. The OEM one is copper -- I bought several at the dealer years ago. I need to buy some more. I like fibre or copper over nylon.

The 720 PUs with the SD engines have two drain plugs, like some Ford 302/5.0l engines did.

Don't trust the nylon gaskets for more than one use, they get brittle and crack out.

I don't think much of the magnetic drain plug for engine lube oil. They are very nice for transmission and diff gearcases but those don't have filters -- or very effective filters -- and their oil is retained a lot longer than the engine oil.

[asavage]

This is the 3rd oilchange after switching to Castrol Tection 15w40; car leaked measurably less oil this interval, 2 quarts max. as opposed to 3 quarts before.

Leak? LD28s don't leak!

You still think you have a leak from the alternator oil feed line at the block?

My '83 Wagon's valve cover gasket leaks badly (the '82 Wagon's has never leaked, as long as I've owned it). I'm thinking that's tomorrow's project, since I do have a new VC gasket sitting here. Now all I have to do is find the feeler gauge set -- it's been rather a while since I used it.

[Carimbo]

You still think you have a leak from the alternator oil feed line at the block?

Yes but it appears to be less. Seems like it leaves smaller drips when parked. I need to clean the area well again and inspect it. Now I have a telescoping mirror to help identify where it is leaking from. That and a strong flashlight.

I suspect the car burns more oil when pushed over 60 MPH. Too bad, that is when when it starts to roar, at 65MPH, much funner. When the rear muffler rots out, I want to replace it w/ a straight pipe. But on my weekly 150 mile round trips to Olympia, I have noticed the oil level drops more when running at 65 vs. 60MPH.

[philip]

I'm surprised you were able to find a 16.33mm drain plug washer, they're not common. Though you had to settle for nylon. The OEM one is copper -- I bought several at the dealer years ago. I need to buy some more. I like fibre or copper over nylon.

The 720 PUs with the SD engines have two drain plugs, like some Ford 302/5.0l engines did.

Don't trust the nylon gaskets for more than one use, they get brittle and crack out.
SNIP

SOLID aluminum drain plug washers. NAPA has them ... they work well ... they seal ... they do not split ... reuseable about 3-5 times depending on how much you torque them.

The ones I use on my SD22 are 16.40mm ID.

The box was labeled 16mm but the actual ID is 16.4mm ... makes a difference.

[asavage]

The ones I use on my SD22 are 16mm ID.

You file the ID?

The ID is 16.33mm -- I'm pretty sure I went through this before. The 16mm ones don't quite fit without modification.

If NAPA has one that fits well, can you provide their part No.?

[philip]

The ones I use on my SD22 are 16mm ID.

You file the ID?

The ID is 16.33mm -- I'm pretty sure I went through this before. The 16mm ones don't quite fit without modification.

If NAPA has one that fits well, can you provide their part No.?

I double checked with a vernier the two "example" aluminum washers in my ashtray. In fact they measure 16.40mm. No filing required.

The NAPA man just pulled out a compartmented box of solid aluminum drain plug washers and allowed me to select what I wanted.

[glenlloyd]

Great news, I'll be stopping by the NAPA on my way into town next time, it's time to change the oil again.

steve a

[Carimbo]

When the rear muffler rots out, I want to replace it w/ a straight pipe.

Well that jinxed it for sure. Picked my daughter up from school this afternoon, got 4 blocks, then::::::::::::::: Skoruchhhhhhchweeeeaaalllll:::::::: sound of muffler/tailpipe dragging on the pavement. Pulled off the road, saw the muffler/tailpipe hanging from the rearmost rubber donuts, weld clean broke at the center pipe entrance to the muffler. Unhooked the mess, wrapped it in an old blanket and threw it in the trunk.

First shop I find, they looked at the muffler, pointed out the whole area is full of holes, they cannot locate a replacement in a timely fashion, ended up cutting out the tailpipe, flipping it over (for the proper angle) and welding it to the end of the center pipe. Looks normal from the outside.

Idle is OK. Overrun is OK. Cruise is even OK. Acceleration is NOT OK. WOT is just waiting for a ticket. Actually it is probably not as loud as the majority of rice burner coffee cans running around here but I don't want to contribute so much noise pollution to the mix. Thought that there was another muffler under the driver's floorboard?

What are some good options, if the orig. style is so hard to obtain? Glasspack?

[glenlloyd]

The unit under the drivers floor is a small resonator, which contributes little. On the sedan the muffler is way at the back, an odd design, especially with the curving tailpipe coming off and doing that U-turn thing.

I don't know what's left of your original, but this vender is selling what looks to be the complete rear muffler, with tailpipe, that attaches at the flange behind the resonator. It's listed in the BIN with free shipping.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... 8061227221

I had a custom exhaust installed, from the resonator back, to maintain the size of the exhaust pipe. On the wagons the pipe gets smaller behind the muffler (under rear seat) and I didn't like it so much. Now it's the same size as the pipe exiting the resonator. The installer said it was two sizes larger than the original..whatever that really means.

Good luck
Steve A

[kassim503]

The original exhaust on my car was in much worse shape than yours now, I remember having several giant holes in it covered by pieces of sheetmetal and coffee cans welded and bailing wired on. I would of kept on driving on it but the catalytic converter ate itself and I failed emmissions, so I went for a better than stock exhaust, (2.5"). Truthfully you really dont need to squeeze the freest flowing system and spend a fortune on it, but I did.

If you want to do it cheap and if the pipe to the muffler is still good, and get good sound get a flowmaster, or a dynamax/walker muffler, they give good sound and it makes a nice quiet muscle car burble. try jegs.com for somethign the same size and get a shop to bend up something, and the total should be 100-150ish, depending on how its done, what you get and who does it.


Also, nothing is louder than a ricer, even open pipe is quiet compared to that actually I think thats true

[asavage]

What are some good options, if the orig. style is so hard to obtain? Glasspack?

See the Exhaust thread, which has part nos. for aftermarket exhaust part. For the Sedan, it's all still available, or was when I wrote it.

On my '82 Wagon, I had the front resonator develop a quarter-sized hole shortly after I bought it, and after exploring the options, I ordered the whole headpipe from Nissan for about $130 (I think) and bolted it on in about 20 minutes. This was several years ago, but it sure fitted better than most aftermarket pipes do.

[asavage]

The ones I use on my SD22 are 16mm ID.

If NAPA has one that fits well, can you provide their part No.?

[philip]

SNIP- SOLID aluminum drain plug washers. NAPA has them ... they work well ... they seal ... they do not split ... reuseable about 3-5 times depending on how much you torque them.

The ones I use on my SD22 are 16.40mm ID.

The box was labeled 16mm but the actual ID is 16.4mm ... makes a difference.

Well ... my oil plugs needed more gaskets. The nearby NAPA had only solid copper gaskets for 16.40mm ID ... not my traditional aluminum. So this time I used the solid copper ... for $1 each!

Today I searched high and low on internet for solid aluminums again, which are typically $0.25 each.

Finally found them.

http://www.cgenterprises.com/gaskets_aluminum.htm

I ordered a dozen ... hoping the right thing arrives.