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Oil Drain Plug leaking 2000 Outback


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It appears to be coming right from the drain plug. Do drain plugs go bad? I'm using the crush washer from Subaru. I use Valoline 10W30 Max Life-good for engines over 75k miles. I titten the nut to snug.

 

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

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Hi pdxsuby! Maybe you didn't tighten it enough, you have a bad crush washer, you have gouges on one of the mating surfaces. I've seen it leak a little from the engine oil drain plug on my '00OBW too when I didn't have a sealing washer on it. Started using 20mm crush washers from parts america and it doesn't leak anymore.

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The best advise I can give you is to buy a Fumoto drain valve. I had one on my last Suby for seven years without even one drip. And a Fumoto drain valve was the first thing I installed in my new Forester. Without a Fumoto, you either have tighten the drain plug by "feel" or use a torque wrench.

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It appears to be coming right from the drain plug. Do drain plugs go bad? I'm using the crush washer from Subaru. I use Valoline 10W30 Max Life-good for engines over 75k miles. I titten the nut to snug.

 

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

BUY THE FUMOTO OIL DRAIN VALVE. NO MORE CRUSH WASHER TO DAEL WITH. MAKES OIL CHANGES EASY AND NEAT.

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BUY THE FUMOTO OIL DRAIN VALVE. NO MORE CRUSH WASHER TO DAEL WITH. MAKES OIL CHANGES EASY AND NEAT.

 

Unless you clip it on a rock or something and lose all the oil and destroy your engine. It happened to a member here fairly recently. It's pretty easy to not make a mess taking out the drain plug that isn't worth the risk to me. Now if there were a way to avoid getting oil all over my [gloved] hand when I take off the filter I might be interested.

 

ALSO THERE IS A BUTTON NEXT TO THE 'A' KEY YOU SHOULD TRY OUT

 

 

As far as tightness goes, I have a torque wrench but I don't bother using it most of the time. It gets to that point where you can tell the washer is crushed and you should only go a little farther.

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Unless you clip it on a rock or something and lose all the oil and destroy your engine. It happened to a member here fairly recently. It's pretty easy to not make a mess taking out the drain plug that isn't worth the risk to me. Now if there were a way to avoid getting oil all over my [gloved] hand when I take off the filter I might be interested.

 

ALSO THERE IS A BUTTON NEXT TO THE 'A' KEY YOU SHOULD TRY OUT

 

 

As far as tightness goes, I have a torque wrench but I don't bother using it most of the time. It gets to that point where you can tell the washer is crushed and you should only go a little farther.

 

I say one thing about the guy who clipped his Fumoto drain valve on a rock, he's honest. His post says "A sad day....due to my own stupidity". I wouldn't suggest the Fumoto valve for rugged off road use. For normal use, it's great. I figure the likelyhood of stripping the drain plug or having it leak, or fall out, from undertightening is much greater than the slight chance of the Fumoto valve getting whacked while driving on an actual road.

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It appears to be coming right from the drain plug. Do drain plugs go bad? I'm using the crush washer from Subaru. I use Valoline 10W30 Max Life-good for engines over 75k miles. I titten the nut to snug.

 

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

Make sure the factory gasket is removed - it is painted the same color as the plug and looks like part of the plug. If that was still on, then you are stacking two gaskets together - one good one bad.

 

And torque it properly - 30 ft-lbs is spec for most of these engines. But even 15-20 will hold up fine.

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Make sure the factory gasket is removed - it is painted the same color as the plug and looks like part of the plug. If that was still on, then you are stacking two gaskets together - one good one bad.

 

 

The factory part isnt a gasket its a crush washer. Its shiny and brass looking. It shouldnt be painted.

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