Q: Thread Repairs, Greater Sydney

Citroënbender · 28-03-2025, 03:40 PM

Timesert kits are poisonously expensive, especially as a one-off.

Need an M14x1,5mm sump plug thread inserted, off the car - no callout required. These inserts are only about 3/8” long.

Any recommendations for someone I can take the job to? I think a wire coil type will at least weep, if not back out. And a Keensert type will probably also weep - not confident that bedding it in either Threebond or JB-Weld will stop this.

foxtrot3 · 28-03-2025, 04:18 PM

Hi. Any thread will leak as they all have clearance, the sealing area is the face of the sump and the back of the head of the sump plug which is where the washer goes. If you are going to tap it out to fit an insert can you not just tap it out to take a larger plug. Cheers MD

Citroënbender · 28-03-2025, 04:35 PM

The sump plug is one of those with an under head o-ring or maybe a Dowty seal (can’t remember), either way its sealing margin is fairly close to the major diameter. A timesert should be close to oil-tight due to how it is pushed out. Factory tension is only 14Nm, which I think is why it stripped.

I did think of tapping to M16 and using a copper donut crush washer like older Peugeots, but felt concern the in-sump boss wall thickness could be too marginal for repeated stresses vs a once-off installation (whereafter it’s only in shear, really).