Plastic sump plug leaking after oil change

[IansMusical]

Hi All,

So yesterday I changed the oil in my 2013 1.8 Leon and replaced the plastic sump plug with a Febi one from RSC Automotive (ebay). Note I usually suck the oil out so this is the first time I've replaced the plug. I used the correct tool, it's not cross threaded and it's fully in the lock position. Today I find a small patch of oil on the drive. The original sump plug and new one both use an O-ring and look the same to me.

Has anyone else experienced this? I'm thinking to quickly swap the plug for the original one and top up the lost oil as a solution!?

Thanks in advance,

Ian

 

[RUM4MO]

That is annoying, my older daughter has a 2019 Leon Cupra, so when it ran out of warranty and pre-paid service plan, I bought a proper tool for working with these plastic drain plugs - okay lots of people use large "flat" screwdrivers, but I wanted to try to minimise risk as it was not my car, that tool came with one or two new drain plugs, but again I chose to buy the genuine VW Group part and did not have a problem at oil filter and oil change last year, for this year I've bought another genuine drain plug and oil filter. Not much to go wrong as you know, the tightening torque figure is irrelevant if it exists as the design of the fitting means that you know when you have completed the "tightening" - or fitting, a strange one that, Febi should be good enough.

 

[SuperV8]

I would swap out with a new genuine plug and oring. The genuine ones are cheap.
I would want to inspect the condition of the bore in the sump where the oring seal against so would drain/catch all the oil in a clean container - and carefully check the bore is perfectly smooth. Then re-use the oil.
I would also double check the surface of the new plug to check for any flash where the oring need to seal.

 

[Mo_86]

Is it worth changing to a magnetic one?

 

[IansMusical]

Thanks @RUM4MO and @SuperV8 for your input. Did you go direct to Seat for the plug? I wouldn't be surprised if Febi wasn't the OEM for the plugs anyhow, so the one I used should be genuine "enough", as opposed to a Chinese copy etc. I must admit I didn't check the bore nor wipe it so yes it's possible that some dirt has fouled the o-ring. I always thought it was a no no to re-use the oil even if it is brand new and only been circulated (to check the level), something to do with sediment?

 

[RUM4MO]

Originally, I could not find any VW Group type idents on the original drain plug or the new one that I bought from a Skoda dealership(I pass it every Wednesday), this year's one is a revision of the first version - well going by its part number which has been revised, and moulded into the body of the drain plug.

 

[SuperV8]

Thanks @RUM4MO and @SuperV8 for your input. Did you go direct to Seat for the plug? I wouldn't be surprised if Febi wasn't the OEM for the plugs anyhow, so the one I used should be genuine "enough", as opposed to a Chinese copy etc. I must admit I didn't check the bore nor wipe it so yes it's possible that some dirt has fouled the o-ring. I always thought it was a no no to re-use the oil even if it is brand new and only been circulated (to check the level), something to do with sediment?

If the oil is only a few days old it wouldn't concern me be re-using it.
Maybe VAG used some silly proprietary o-ring like Citroen did for their sump plug o-ring - and Febi just used an of the shelf o-ring? or maybe there is some dirt in there - or maybe so plastic flash from the moulding process.
I wouldn't think the febi part is a re boxed OE part - just an aftermarket part.

 

[DEAN0]

I am tempted to do a steel sump pan swap at my next oil change.
The old school threaded sump plug with copper or aluminium sealing washer has never let me down over many cars/bikes.

 

[IansMusical]

Quick update: It looks like the issue was caused by me! I inadvertently over tightened the plastic sump plug which I noticed when taking it out, the plastic was bent.

In order to get back some credibility I did originally feel the plug easily click to the stop position but while it wasn't loose it didn't feel like it was home (kind of a hand tight bolt in a metal sump).

So, for anyone doing this as soon as it clicks into place at the stop, just leave it In my case I actually put the old sump plug back in and not a drop has leaked out since!

Thanks all for the input