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Tue Oct 29, 2013 7:47 pm

What are the torque specs for the oil drain plug and strainer plate bolts? I needed my damn breaker bar to get the drain plug bolt off when changing the oil today, is it supposed to be on there that tight?? Then while replacing the strainer plate bolt washers I was only hand tightening the acorn nuts back on and one of them apparently stripped, will not stay on tight anymore. (Not sure if it was the threads in the nut or on the bolt which stripped, and not sure how I'm going to be able to fix it.) Are those supposed to be just hand tight or ratchet tight or what?

Tue Oct 29, 2013 7:52 pm

Those nuts around the strainer should only be about 5 ft/lbs.

- Jay

Tue Oct 29, 2013 7:56 pm

JayO wrote: Those nuts around the strainer should only be about 5 ft/lbs.

- Jay

Thanks- I don't actually have a torque wrench, would you say that equates to hand tight or not even that? As I said I was only hand tightening them with a straight ratchet. The others seem OK.

Tue Oct 29, 2013 8:02 pm

5-7 ft-lb how strong is your hand????

before torque specs they used to say what length of wrench to use to tighten stuff :D
If your hand is 20 LB then use a 3-4 inch wrench :wink:

Tue Oct 29, 2013 8:03 pm

sb001 wrote: JayO wrote: Those nuts around the strainer should only be about 5 ft/lbs.

- Jay

Thanks- I don't actually have a torque wrench, would you say that equates to hand tight or not even that? As I said I was only hand tightening them with a straight ratchet. The others seem OK.

I've never used a torque wrench on those myself, but you kind of get a feel for it.

After they are finger tight maybe a 1/4 to 1/3 turn with the wrench, but no more, those strip out real easy.
If yours were that tight and they are not stripped you are extremely lucky, were they just rusted or did someone actually crank them that tight ?

EDIT : Oh yeah, when I say wrench I'm talking about a standard 6" (or so) combo wrench not a 1/2 drive ratchet or anything heavy duty. :D
Also if you coat the 2 paper gaskets with a very thin coating of grease, you don't have to really crank the nuts to keep the plate from leaking, that's why most of the plates you find are cranked so tight in the first place.

Most people just keep tightening the nuts until the leaks stop, or they strip them. :shock:
Also tighten the nuts in a star pattern to pull the plate on evenly.

Hopefully this helps.

- Jay

Tue Oct 29, 2013 8:31 pm

A neighbor of mine changed the oil a couple years ago, that's the last time I remember it being done. He couldn't get the drain plug bolt off, it was on so tight- I wouldn't have been able to today either if it wasn't for the fact that I had a breaker bar. So he took the 6 strainer plate bolts out and removed the whole plate and strainer and cleaned it out. I didn't really watch him when he was putting it back on but I assume he probably used a ratchet. I figured they didn't have to be on that tight so I hand tightened them and then was giving them a little extra turn with the straight handle ratchet when that one stripped. If it turns out its the stud and not the nut, are those replaceable? And what about the tightness of the drain plug bolt? I used the socket wrench on it-- is that OK or should I actually use the breaker bar on it? Thanks very much

Tue Oct 29, 2013 8:51 pm

25 ft. pounds is for the drain plug.

On the acorn nuts, I use a rachet, but don't use the handle of the rachet.

Confused? I just put my fingers over the top (business end) of the rachet, and snug the acorn nuts until it's nice and snug--star pattern, as already mentioned. My fingers are only, say, two inches from the center of the pachet--and nowhere near the handle.

Tim

Tue Oct 29, 2013 9:02 pm

Bentley manual shows the oil drain plug torque at 25 ft/lb. That is tight but no breaker bar should be necessary. After you change the oil, start the engine and check for leaks. Use new gaskets and go real easy on the six strainer nuts. 5 ft/lbs is not very much.

The problem of a stripped threads is very common. There is a "stepped stud" that is available. Do a search and you will find lots of threads about this repair process.

Tue Oct 29, 2013 9:14 pm

Thanks all-
I did start it up and looked for leaks didn't really see anything-- but I ran to the store then came back and there seemed to be some oil on the sump plate, so I don't know. It could be that I don't have the drain bolt tight enough. I temporarily fixed the stripped nut/bolt by wrapping a thin strip of masking tape around the bolt, then when you twist the nut back on the tape gets chewed up and takes up the additional space where the threads are stripped. Not ideal but it seems to work, I don't know about for stopping oil leaking out though.

Tue Oct 29, 2013 9:33 pm

Don't use a ratchet on them...

WATCH THIS VIDEO.....

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=AuOCQ.aprPOXoV...=yfp-t-901

If you're going to change the oil and clean the strainer...just take off the plate and forget about the drain plug..

I used brake cleaner to clean out the strainer...I see no reason the strainer shouldn't last 100 years...

Tue Oct 29, 2013 9:42 pm

A good quality complete gasket set is part of the "no leak" process.
http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/cart/DetailsList.cfm?ID=113198031

Wed Oct 30, 2013 6:50 am

I purchased a inch lb torque wench to be safe.

Set it to 60 inch lbs then in a star pattern tighten each of the acorn nuts.

8)

Wed Oct 30, 2013 6:52 am

Use a nut driver....breaking studs isn't worth it..

Wed Oct 30, 2013 7:03 am

I am probably using the wrong vocabulary- I didn't use an actual ratchet on any of the strainer plate bolts, I used the straight handle driver that you attach a socket to the end of, had no ratcheting capability. But I wonder if even that was too much.
I didn't break any of the bolts but they may be on there tighter than they should be since even that stripped one of them.

Wed Oct 30, 2013 7:05 am

Be super careful. A stripped or pulled stud on the plate cover is a major pita - especially if it's the stud that holds the oil pickup tube - mother of all VW nightmares!

Wed Oct 30, 2013 7:15 am

If you have a stud beyond repair can't you just replace the whole sump?

Wed Oct 30, 2013 7:19 am

sb001 wrote: If you have a stud beyond repair can't you just replace the whole sump?

If its a stud on the engine case that is somehow "beyond repair"
You would have to replace the engine case... Sump is part of the case.

BUT, you most likely in ALL cases have a work around or a way to repair it.

Unless, are you talking about a stripped stud in a Extra add on sump?

Yeah you could just replace that.

Wed Oct 30, 2013 7:26 am

The copper washers are used so they compress....hand tighten....nut driver screw driver handle thing.

Wed Oct 30, 2013 7:29 am

1970VWGUY wrote: The copper washers are used so they compress....hand tighten....nut driver screw driver handle thing.

Or if you have a torque wrench that reads properly you can torque them to the factory specs of 5 ft lbs. Like I do every oil change...

Wed Oct 30, 2013 7:51 am

I go by the description in the Muir book. Hand tighten the nuts, then with a wrench tighten it till the tendon in your wrist pops out (very slight pressure), has been workin out for me....