How to Check the Oil Plug Pan in a Toyota Camry

Stripped oil drain plugs cause costly oil leaks.

A stripped oil drain plug or oil pan hole on your Camry may cost you several quarts of oil. The oil drain plug screws into the oil pan hole on the bottom of your car and keeps the oil from leaking out of your engine. During routine oil changes, the oil drain plug is removed to allow the dirty oil to drain. Because it is removed and replaced so often, damage to the threads may occur. If you are leaking oil from the bottom of your car, check the oil drain plug to assess the problem.

Things You'll Need

• Rag
• Ratchet set
• Plastic pan
• Flashlight

Instructions

1. Place the plastic pan beneath the oil pan to catch oil leaks.

2. Shine the flashlight on the oil drain plug. Wipe any excess oil from the plug and see if any new oil droplets form. This may indicate that the oil drain plug is loose or not seated properly in the oil pan hole.

3. Wipe the oil drain plug again and inspect it to see if the bolt appears crooked in the hole. A crooked oil drain plug may indicate that the threads on the bolt or inside the oil pan hole are stripped.

4. Apply light, counterclockwise pressure to the bolt with the ratchet to see how easily it turns. If it is difficult to loosen, even after turning it two times, the threads could be stripped.

Tips & Warnings

• A stripped oil drain plug or oil pan hole requires special tools to fix. If you damage the oil pan hole threads beyond repair, you'll have to replace the oil pan. Take your Camry to a professional if you are not sure. Do not remove a stripped oil drain plug, as the oil will drain from the car, making it undriveable.

References

• Virginia Wind: Stripped Threads
• AutoInc. Online: The Art of Extraction