So would a Mr. Lube/Jiffy lube type place knowingly realize to replace this part for an oil change? Sorry if is a stupid question

 

ummm, our dealer doesnt even change them.. they laughed at me when I asked for them. That said, I change them every 4 changes. At 30 ft-lbs of torque, I've not had a problem. I'm a total advocate of using them.. but just noting that alot of dealers do not replace them, I know I've asked for them. Nissan used to provide one with the filter. When they stopped that, so did alot of dealers. There have been reports of small leaks, but no complete loss of oil. sorry for your luck.

Using a torque wrench (under $20), even on the plug, is a good idea.

 

yup we dont change them.. they're copper gaskets.. so they pretty much wont go bad until +50k if not more.. i change mine when i get bored only cause i took a handfull from the infiniti dealer..

how did you get up to $130??

it costs
$6 for a 10mm
$6 for a 14mm
$20 rachet?
or get a cheap tool set from autozone or something
oil pan $less then 5
wrench for oil filter $10
oil $20
filter $5
???? im assuming u bought some safety jacks or osmething?

at infiniti they do not change your gasket or torque down your drian plug

 

I think I know what happened here. this is your 3rd change right? From the factory, these bolts (and filter) are really torqued on there. Way more than the spec'd 30ft-lbs. If you crush the crap out of that washer, I think it could be deformed and possibly not positively engage (like squish out on one side) or even leave a gap. It may have just been overtightened the first time (and perhaps the last time it was changed too).

 

Can these drain plug washers really be reused? Honda uses a flat crush washer that I've reused over and over - no problem, but the Nissan ones are cup shaped. Any DIYer have any personal experience with this?

 

to answer ur question

 

I want to hear from others. One member had a leak when he didn't change the washer.
https://g35driver.com/forums/g35-coupe-v35-2003-07/68513-leak-after-oil-change.html

 

I've never changed the washer, and I've never had any leaks. I've done about 5 oil changes so far.

On our other acura, I changed the oil maybe 10-15 times, and never had any leaks either.

I actually bought some crush washers when I flushed the tranny, but the tranny plug is much bigger than the oil plug. I was too lazy to go buy more crush washers, considering I never had a problem.

I'm guessing that when you removed the drain plug, you left it on the pavement, and reinstalled it later without realizing you had some grit on the washers, causing a poor seal.. I always wipe mine down, and make sure it has a coating of clean oil before I re-install.

Tho I have been inspecting the washer, and using that to determine if I need to replace it. That's why I bought washers when I did a tranny flush on our other car.
You said your washer is cup-shaped? Mine was perfectly flat. When it becomes cup shaped, it's prob time to replace, because that means the bolt was overtightened (or overused I suppose), causing the washer to deform. That's what the tranny plug washer looked like, that's why I replaced it.

 

The cup shaped washer is what I got brand new from the dealer. It looks like a ribbed accordian. This is the "crush" part. Are you saying that yours is like a flat cut washer similar to the ones Honda uses? I have yet to change the oil, so I don't know what kind I have from the factory.

 

The crush washer should look like a flat washer made of copper. The ribbed accordian type is normally used as more a lock washer not as the only seal for the drain plug.

 

Here's what mine looks like from the dealer:
http://www.courtesyparts.com/Merchan...e=11026-VQ35DE
It's listed as an Oil Pan Drain Plug Washer.

 

I've not know a dealer to "laugh" at changing an oil drain plug gasket. It's such a small item, but such an important one too, as some here have found out (the hard way).

If my dealer were to laugh at that, he'd lose business big time including mine.
And you can bet Nissan/Infiniti wouldn't be laughing about it when I told them..

For those who do their own o/changes: get a supply of them with the filters you buy.
For those who take the ride elsewhere, make sure you have a supply for the lube shop to put on for you. You can bet they won't have any.

Any reputable dealer's parts department will have them and may even give them to you. My dealer does.
Thye're only a $.10 item anyway.....any more than that and it's an outright rip-off.

C.

 

That's what it should cost anyway - good luck trying to get a dealer to sell it to you for that. Courtesy Parts per the link above lists it at $0.79. If you by a bag if 10, it's $0.59. That's online too - I'm sure if you were to waltz into your local dealer, it would be a buck or so. You may be lucky if you got a cool parts guy to just give them to you, but that's not likely.

Not to start a flame war over being cheap just like the flames on regular vs. premium unleaded, but I'm sure a little RTV on the bolt surface will work just as well. Imagine how long a tube will last. When I was growing up, we used to do this when the plug stripped and you had to use a slighty larger bolt. Never had a leak problem.