Re: Drain Plugs in the Round AD #798

["C.M. Smith" <cmsmith@domain.elided>]

Ouch.  My guess is the rounded plug was a result of the guy who last put
the plug in before the last jiffy lube gorilla changed your oil. My vote is
you find a real mechanic to fix this and promise never to let the amateurs
touch your baby again.

The plug is brass so you don't ruin the very expensive aluminum or
(aluminium for our British friends) and esthetically pleasing sump casting,
which really would make your laziness look expensive when you strip out the
threads by overtightening the nice steel plug you're planning to use (
that's what happens the next time somebody tries to get an overtightened
sump plug out, rounding the plug was probably due to some idyut's idea that
tighter is better, no leaks, that's what the new sump plug washer is for!
and yes they should be using a metric socket not an "inch" that's "close
enough".)

What baffles me is how much pressure do these grease monkeys think a pool
of oil 15 cm deep can generate? Or are they so incompetent they are afraid
that little old brass plug is going to fall out if it isn't torqued to the
same spec as an iron cylinder head?

Sorry, going on again, but I once had the pleasure of spending the better
part of a day under my Brother in Law's Volvo, attacking the remains of a
"spin on " oil filter some idiot torqued on (probably also without lubing
the rubber seal first), my guess was the "mechanic" thought hand tight had
to be wrong. We eventually maneuvered a 21 inch pipe wrench under the car
and got the filter off!

 Moral of the story is: use real mechanics for good cars or do it yourself,
never use the run of the mill guys for Alfas unless you know they love
cars. As in the windshield story, give me an honest service guy who
concedes up front he'd rather not try than the so called expert (as in "we
specialize in imports and domestics") who blithely insists he can handle it
when he really hasn't a foggy clue.
Michael Smith
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
91 Alfa 164L, White, original owner 

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