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From the ‘no question too dumb’ file... I’m changing the oil on my wife’s Kia and the new drain plug washer is odd: one side is different than the other.
Which side goes against the oil pan? Although this simpleton question isn’t specific to my 951, I always seek to learn, esp when I do come across something that isn’t in the procedure.
Suspect that's a manufacturing process artifact rather than anything intentional. For what it's worth, I've never paid any attention and have never had a leak (knock on wood). On a quasi-related not re your comment about the factory seals, I recently had a very difficult time getting a copper seal/washer not to leak fuel on an old Mercedes. I tried every trick I could without luck. In desperation, I went to the dealer and got a genuine factory part and it sealed perfectly on the first try. Not all aftermarket parts are made the same...
I have been getting all the little washers, seals, paper/rubber gaskets etc from the dealer. A pain, since I drive 30km for a $1.90 part.
So far, every one seems to be fine. I’ve also been using a torque wrench on everything. I have three t-wrenches now!
I must look like an idiot looking up torque values for drain plugs & torque-wrenching banjo bolts.. but... nobody’s watching... and since I don’t wrench daily like a real mechanic, I might not get the feel down right
The only times I feel let down by the use of the torque wrench is
1. That camshaft tower end-cap 3-bolt cover; the specified torque squishes the cork gasket out like squeezing peanut butter between crackers
2. Cat to muffler exhaust flange (4-bolt). Nothing specific there so I went with 30 ft lbs assuming those are M10 which pretty much mated the flanges and I suspect crushed the seal (some evidence of small leak there)
08-10-2018 | 07:38 PM
Drain Plug washer
