ARGH!!! No, I didn't do it. I did something maybe worse.

When I bought my '01 from a close relative back in 2018 (she had it since new), she told me she recently had the oil changed. So no reason to change it. Now, I don't drive around much (I'm retired) and I have my other vehicle (1988 Cherokee) that I switch between every week. So total mileage on my TL is under 2K/year (more like 1500). I do have a weepy rear main seal (at least I think that's what's leaking), so I regularly check the oil level and top off as needed (about 1 qt every 1000 miles). So usually months will pass before I have to add oil (I add at 1/2 qt low) and the oil is always nice and clear.

Well, about 3 years ago, I decide to change the oil (my first time on the TL). That's when I noticed some aluminum on the threads of the drain plug. Ruh-roh!! I was able to get the plug to tighten with a new gasket that didn't leak. OK, I'll worry about it next time.

So next time is coming up. I'm not sure how many times I can get the drain plug to tighten enough so I order one of those "quick drain" plugs. The kind that you push, turn 1/4 turn to open and don't have to actually remove it. This, of course, assumes I can get it to tighten enough.

Well the day comes I pull the plug and almost all of the remaining threads come out with it. I use a pick to pull any remaining chunks out of the drain hole. I can't even get the new drain plug to hand tighten. I know i can get a new oil pan easily enough, but I'd have to drop the entire exhaust. My CAT is welded in, so the whole thing has to drop. Anyway, not gonna happen for now. As a last resort I ordered an oversize dp, just in case. So in it goes. I ran it kind of like a tap. Turn a few times, back it out a bit, keep going until it's almost fully seated. Then take it out, clean it and look inside the drain for shavings. I even poured a qt of oil with the plug out to help wash out any chips. In goes the new plug with a new factory washer.

After filling with oil (yes I did change the filter) and going for a drive, I verified it wasn't leaking.

So I dislike using these things. I know others have had success with repeated changes but I feel they are one and done. However, given the rate I accumulate mileage (even less now), it would take years before I have to drop the oil again. I could even just vacuum it out from the dipstick.

So for now, that's the way it will roll. I've been nursing my trans to delay an AV6 swap. Rear main will get changed out at that time. So for now, I'll just add the pan to the list.

 

Placing the drain bolt part # 90009-R70-A00 in rockauto's 'part search' comes up with size M14-1.50.

Could something like Dorman's longer 090-164 M14-1.50 be used to catch the deeper non-stripped oil pan threads to get the bite needed?

versus the standard M14-1.50 that has shorter threads.

The 090-164 has a 13mm bolt size over the 17mm OEM drain bolt, though.

 

Thanks, I'll put one in my basket on my next RA order.

 

You can also use a self tapping replacement drain plug. Put one in a Toyota Tacoma that Walmart stripped out. Not sure what size you need but you can search on Amazon and see the concept.