ClubCJ - The CJ Lancer Club

What a lot of crap!!!! change sump plug with every oil change. Washer OK if needed.

Didn't need doing on any of my previous cars. So are the sump covers or plugs so inferior.
To need this much attention? They are both steel!

Example had an Australian (parts Jap:, Aus: assembled) Skyline, for sixteen years from new
covered 200,000+Ks, can only remember changing the sump plug once,
Washer, yes on occasion if it looked to need it. No problems!!

Engine still mint condition when I decided to change over.

You only need to change the crush washer each time,not the plug.

Not done my own oil change in the CJ but I did a few in the old CC and yes I changed the crush washer each time, couple of dollars from the dealer.

are you over torquing it? many sump plugs these days are made of a fairly soft steel. mainly so they don't strip out alloy sumps or damage the thread in a steel sump.

they dont need to be super tight, pretty much just a quarter turn past first contact. as for washer, all you need is a plain flat copper washer that's been annealed (heated red hot and cooled to soften) and they rarely need replacing.

lancerdarryl wrote:You only need to change the crush washer each time,not the plug.

Agreed! Though owners hand book, says change plug and washer every time! willing to bet dealer don't.

Probably better off getting the genuine mitsy one at the dealer, then they can't say a fault was caused (leaking oil) because you used the wrong part.

Confident a simple task like this can be carried out quite easily without mishap, providing your not ham fiisted and cross thread it!
Not a problem for me as I still enjoy 5 free services under warranty period Three to go. Thread created because of handbook requirement.

I was recently told some cars are now fitted with plastic sumps and sump plugs.
Thank goodness ours are steel!!!!! Wish they where still magnetic,pick up any ferrous foreign mater in the bottom of sump.

PS will mark plug before next service and see if was changed.

Plastic? that's up there with Holden deciding to use plastic fuel lids on some of its cars, so many you see missing, nice security!

Lancer1993 wrote:Plastic? that's up there with Holden deciding to use plastic fuel lids on some of its cars, so many you see missing, nice security!

lol And you even changed your steel one!! Ha Ha

And I painted it flat black so it blends in better with my CJ, just don't tell anyone they are a pain to use, harder to get the fuel lid off and one

fearfulmaster1 wrote:When I first started doing my oil change, I thought the dealer didn't use a washer. On the second oil change, I looked at the plug again and looks like the washer has become part of the sump plug. Doesn't worry me as long as it is not leaking.

I also changed the diff oil on another car and the washer has become part of the diff. Once again, not going to worry unless it is leaking.

Sounds strange, the sump washer is a separate item lol.

If that's a washer it's wrong, appears to be a ferrous metal or maybe aluminum, definitely not copper!

Buy anew one its cheap enough, cheaper still go to dealer ask for one, look at it and compare them.