Oil leak from drain plug

[gregg4president]

I am having a pretty good drip from my drainplug, i dont know if the gasket might have been paper and got wet when the oil got changed and is no longer holding, but it is a 1973. Which gasket would be best replacement CORK, PAPER, METAL?

[racer122]

I have only ever seen the gaskets in paper. Of course, your "drainplug" should have a copper crush washer on it too.

Unless you have a late '73, which might not have the removable center bolt "drainplug" which needs the copper crush washer. It's hard to say by your question, but rest assured, the only gaskets are paper.
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Past: '73 SB, '73 Type II, '76 Rabbit, '77 Sciroco, '86 GTI
Now: '73 SB -- the past returns!

[gregg4president]

yes it has the center drain plug and i think it has the copper crusher and paper, although i think only the paper gasket is on....i found the copper one in my glovebox. I must have forgot to put it on. So i should put the copper ring on the plug then the paper and then i should put it in?

[racer122]

OK, first, there is a plate, which the center bolt screws into. This is held in place by six or so small bolts...

The paper gasket goes under that plate, between the plate and the oil screen, which also has a paper gasket between it and the oil sump. This stuff is all bolted down (gently) with the six or so small bolts.

Then the center bolt screws into the plate, with a copper crush washer between it and the plate. This is the "gasket" for the bolt. There is no other paper gasket for the bolt.

If this is not clear or complete enough, please see...
http://www.vw-resource.com/oil-chng.html
_________________
Past: '73 SB, '73 Type II, '76 Rabbit, '77 Sciroco, '86 GTI
Now: '73 SB -- the past returns!

[nc68bugman]

Also copper crush washers for those little nuts on sump plate. Never re-use them, use new ones with oil change kit! Scott

[buggyrider]

I found this old thread because I too was having a bad oil leak from the oil drain plug after changing the oil. My contribution is that not all copper washers are created equal. First, I replaced the copper washer with a new one from a Harbor Freight kit, and that leaked. It was looser and thicker than what was there before, but it seemed to fit well enough to do the job. Then I replaced it with a copper washer that had been on a magnetic drain plug I'd had in there previously, and that also leaked. Finally, I re-installed the copper washer that had been present prior to changing the oil. I first sanded the grooves out of it with 220-grit sandpaper. Now it no longer leaks.

[glutamodo]

The original oil drain plug crush seal is a "one-time-only" sort of a seal. In other words, once it gets crushed, you don't re-use it.

Lots of people call these copper, they might be, but might just be copper plated, or you might see them without any copper plating at all. but still they are one-shot gaskets. The last time I bought new crush M14 crush seals they were silver toned, not copper. Flat seals are just a solid disc of metal. Crush seals are tubular, (hollow). And some companies make them beefier than others

Oh, and Harbor Freight probably sold you a flat gasket, not a crush seal. Again, these are two different types of drain plug seals.
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Andy T.

"What is Glutamodo, Horror of Toyko, besides total, fiendish, quality-a-you brain!"

[whobba]

Also, try the silicone gasket for the oil drain plate, they work great. Keep a little hoard of new copper crush gaskets for the drain plate screws and drain bolt, you'll need 'em.
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[ashman40]

The last drain plate I purchased came with a magnetic drain plug. The seal for that plug was rubber (nitrile?) and I never had a problem with leaks from the drain plug. The seal/gasket was reusable which is one thing I liked over the stock copper seal. Do not reuse copper/crush washers.

Make sure the sealing surfaces on the drain plug and the plate are clean and smooth to allow the best seal. If the sealing surface is 40yrs old and pitted from corrosion... consider a new drain plate.

See if your FLAPS can find you a square nitrile gasket or o-ring of the proper size to fit the drain plug. Drain plug seals used to be a commonly used part and the FLAPS would have a box with common size drain plug washers/seals. Hopefully your FLAPS has them.
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AshMan40
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'67 Beetle #1 {project car that never made it to the road }
'75 Beetle 1200LS (RHD Japan model) {junked due to frame rot}
'67 Beetle #2 {2019 project car - Wish me luck!}

[Cusser]

[baldessariclan]