so im tryin to change my oil and stripped my drain plug with the slightest of pressure. the bolt crumpled like a tin can. not to mention all the trouble i had to go thru before that tryin to borrow my neighbors ramps..

im so mad right now. the plug will need to be drilled out to get it out. and i will need to get a new one.

do i take it to a mazda dealer to fix it? or will just any shop do it? how much are drain plugs?

 

Cheap metal? I've changed oil on 300,000km N/As and never ran into that problem. UN-qualified previous owners perhaps.

Weld another nut onto the drainplug and undo it from the pan - purchase new one, fixed. They're not expensive.

 

it takes quite a bit of strength to ruin one of those or just alot of cross threading... worst comes to worst you'd just change your oil pan if you cant pull off the old one and re tap it.

 

The stock bolt is pretty strong. It sounds like you have a cheapie aftermarket plug.

Any shop can do it.

I like the Fumoto F106 regular valve for $22.95.
https://www.rx7club.com/showpost.php...7&postcount=17

 

Good size VISE GRIP.......and a big GRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!

 

where can i buy an aluminum oil pan?

 

OH MY GOD NO!!!!!!! not unless you have some experience using a welder, otherwise you are going to burn right through the pan and BOOM exploding, flaming oil all over you!

 

Oil will not explode from welding near it, and if you burn through the pan trying to weld a nut to the plug you might need glasses.

Welding a nut on is by far the easiest way to remove a stripped drain plug.

 

I disagree. All you need is a pair of vice grips and a rubber mallet.

 

he speaks the truth, it could be done in less than 30 seconds, i wouldnt even by a new one, the one you took out is perfect, just a little different.

 

I agree that welding NEAR oil won't cause it to burn, but busting through the 1/16" or 1/8" pan and exposing the oil with enough heat to melt steel will cause combustion. All it takes is one miss.....

 

Have you ever welded? One miss isn't going to do anything, unless you have a 1/4" stick electrode at 300 amps or something crazy.

I personally hate vice grips.

 

Seriously? What do you have against vice grips? They have saved me more times than I can count.

 

That thing looks cool but at the same time seems like a waste of $26...

 

I messed my hand up once pinching it in a vice grip, ever since then I'm very leary when using them.

 

yes, I have welded before, and I have missed my mark, thinking I was on, and I have burned through 1/8" STEEL in a second.

 

What were you welding with? A second is also a long time when it come to welding.

 

I dunno what the rig was.... I work for an design build studio in dallas and was constructing a steel window frame, yea I was just learning how to do it at the time, so like I said originally, don't do it unless you know how.... especially around combustible materials!

 

Well i geuss I will agree that a drain plug is not the place to learn, but it isn't that hard to do either.

 

agreed

 

Ive had one of those valves on all of my RX-7s. I've never paid full price for them since I usually find them at the junkyard. These things make changing the oil very easy. The valve locks in place when closed and it cant work itself open because theres some resistance when opening it. If you can get one for cheap or dont mind spending that much for one, I highly recommend it.

 

Yeah, never had an issue removing any RX-7 drain plug. I just replaced my 20 year old one because it made me feel better havaing a shiny new one to go with the new motor. $3 at Mazdatrix.

Given the location of the drain plug either the vice grip or welding method should do nicely.

 

That valve is sweet, and $26 nothing for the convenience...I mean drink more that $26 of beer on a Saturday night and fel like **** sunday so why not spend $26 on the FC and make changing the oil a complete breeze?

I'm getting one. And it's not that I'm mechanically inept, I just want that valve....

 

Great product, terrible customer service. Sometime after I ordered one they decided to stop shipping "worldwide", and only allow international sales to Canada, Singapore and Malaysia. (WTF?) It took two months and three e-mails before they shared this info with me.

Yeah, and everyone has a welder in their garage...

 

Vice grips, hammer, problem solved.