Oil Drain Plugs

2007_Crown_Vic

Active Member
Aug 19, 2016
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So I just did the first oil change on my 1990 Mustang that I bought late last year, I should be taking it out next weekend after a long winter. From doing that I have a question about the drain plugs - is there anything out of the usual on these? Every other car I have ever changed the oil on was metal bolt going into metal threads with a washer. You could basically wind the plug in by hand until it makes contact, then snug it up. But this time, on both bolts, after breaking them loose (didn't take much, they were not over tightened) I could wind them out by hand but if felt different, almost snug the whole way out, but not too hard to turn by hand. I checked the bolt after it was out and the threads looked fine. No washer though which seemed suspicious.

I really noticed something different when putting them back in. It really felt like threading the bolt into rubber threads. It threaded back in straight and smoothly by hand and then torqued up properly too. It just didn't feel like expected where you know it is metal to metal, sort of spin the bolt backwards until the threads line up and then wind it in. But if this is some sort of rubber thread setup, it would make sense that there wasn't the typical washer where it is metal to metal as the whole thing would act as a seal.

I don't know, just figured I would ask out of curiosity. It is nothing I am worried about, it has been and still is leak free just felt different is all. I was wondering if this is stock or if maybe someone stripped these out at some point and this is some sort of repair kit that was installed, or I am just nuts and no one will know what the hell I am talking about, lol.

Thanks!
 
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