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Massive Oil Leakage

So i'm driving on the highway last night when all the sudden i see smoke pouring from the car everywhere- i shut her down pull off and see oil oil oil everywhere!! I traced the leak back to the filter housing. Apparently, one of the plugs on the filter mounting bracket had somehow backed out... so my question is this. Do i have to get a whole new housing unit or can i re-plug that up with a regular bolt. Not sure on the size.. looks to be either a 12 or 13 mm. Or can ijust buy a single plug somewhere to repair it. i'm about ready to jam a bolt in there to plug it but i don't want to mess up the threading. What are my options here?
 

iceman69510

Turn Right Racing
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Do you mean one of the female hex-head plugs? Those are pipe thread sized, BSP thread.

What is the diameter of the hole? the housing has both 1/8 bsp and 3/8 BSP I think.
 

You'll want to find out the exact thread pitch and get a plug from your local fastener store. Get some teflon on it and plug it up. You don't want to strip the threads out or you will have more work ahead of you.
 

Wizardawd

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Isn't that where the oil pressure sensor for the warning light goes?

Never seen one back out before, but there is always a first.

Wiz
 

ktmrider

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Yup that's the oil pressure warning sensor hole.
Did the oil idiot light come on? If not it may explain how the sensor could have backed out...
 

mikus

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(edited to correct)
^ yea, IIRC #1 is pre filter (dirty), #2 is post filter (clean) often tapped for turbo feed, #3 is oil pressure switch

Might be tricky to find that size - almost easier to pull one (or all three why not) from a junker if you have one nearby
 
Last edited:

the damn dummy light did not come on... the smoke via the 4 quarts shooting all over the car did the job lol
 

steve

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#1 is the bottom hole, which I thought was the OP sender. #3, the top hole, is the one that is unplugged.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 

mikus

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EDIT: ^ my bad I thought was numbered #1-3 top to bottom... could have sworn the stock OP switch is up top though? looking for the feed line install pics now..

do you have an OP gauge, did you recently get the car Maybe the PO did, took it out, couldn't find the original OP switch or a proper size cap, and stuck some standard plumbing thread in there (the thread count is fairly close) just enough to close it. Thus, it backed out.

Good time to get an oil pressure gauge while you're in there maybe? more useful than the dummy light.
 
Last edited:

ktmrider

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Quoting steveVR4:
#1 is the bottom hole, which I thought was the OP sender. #3, the top hole, is the one that is unplugged.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Nope, as pictured the #3 hole is the OP sensor. Mikus listed the correct order the first time, #2 is the filter housing feed for BB turbos or those who hate the head tap.
Also note Mikus' mention of the thread differences, MMC uses a BPT ( British pipe thread ) which is ever so slightly different from the NPT ( National or US ). Main delta is the taper.
Maybe someone installed an OP gauge and tried to get the NPT sending unit in the BPT opening?
 

yea i just got the car- don't know much about it obviously. but there is no OP gauge at the time- thats on my list of things to go buy
 

Quoting RvlutionMtrsport:
You'll want to find out the exact thread pitch and get a plug from your local fastener store. Get some teflon on it and plug it up. You don't want to strip the threads out or you will have more work ahead of you.



can anybody tell me how to find the exact thread pitch ? i'm clueless
 

jnava

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a plug or a socket set screw will help...obviously i cant compare it to something....used to work with a fastener company....Im not familiar with the car but if i could compare it to something i could give you a close idea ...first, you have coarse and fine thread...
 

jnava

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disregard my previous post...sorry.
 

found a similar size that matches- looks to be either 9mm or 3/8"- now to find the thread pitch- is it BPT, or NPT
 

jnava

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3/8 16 is coarse thread
 

iceman69510

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Yes, in 1/8 pipe size.
 

mikus

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I highly doubt your local ACE (or local anything for that matter) will have a BPT fitting to match.

I'd order it somewhere and save the footwork/gas, maybe JNZ can help you out or point you in the right direction.
 
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