[ChevyGuy]

Gen 1: 10 ft-lbs for the plug, 18 ft-lbs for the filter. I use a torque wrench so I don't overtighten it.

The plug should have a gasket. It may be time to replace it and make sure the bottom of the oil pan is smooth and flat.

 

[Mo Cruze]

It is a new plug and washer from autozone..but aftermarket. Still dripping.
The OEM from chevy has an o-ring kind of built into the head of the plug. I read somewhere that aftermarket plugs don't work well on cruises. Maybe I need to use the OEM with the built in o-ring.

I've also seen people using Teflon tape or RTV near the head of the drain bolt for plugs that won't seal properly. Are these techniques safe?

 

[Johnny B]

I used an aftermarket magnetic drain plug for a couple years. It would leak unless it was very tight. So I went back to the OEM plug. I would try lightly sanding the oil pan seating area with some 400/600 wet dry sandpaper. There might be a surface defect.

 

[Valpo Cruze]

My stock plug in both Cruze's never leaked. My old 12 I stripped the bolt head and replaced it with a plug from Autozone and no issues with it leaking. Now on my daughters 11 Cruze I usually use an extractor to suck the oil out since I needed it for our Audi. I no longer need to get under the car for an oil change. First couple changes I would crawl under to drain it but then I tried the extractor then pulled the plug to see how much was left and I had no drips as all from the plug.

If your replacement plug has a leak then its an issue with the pan or you pinched the gasket.

 

[snowwy66]

Autozone plugs are hit and miss. More miss if they're not oem style.

I buy a few from the dealer and swap em out every few changes.

They're not that expensive and it beats dealing with what your dealing with.

Nothing lasts forever. Neither do them bolt gaskets. Or if the bolt head gets rounded out.

I snug em down. Never worried about torquing. They seem to get tighter on their own.

 

[mozga628]

my money would be on the drain plug was cross threaded at some point.
so either buy a new oil pan and replace the old one...
or remove the existing oil pan and drill and retap the hole.
i would recommend buying a new pan.

 

[Valpo Cruze]

Not saying it’s not the pan but that has the potential to be an expensive maybe. Start with a new plug and see what happens

 

[Mo Cruze]

I used an aftermarket magnetic drain plug for a couple years. It would leak unless it was very tight. So I went back to the OEM plug. I would try lightly sanding the oil pan seating area with some 400/600 wet dry sandpaper. There might be a surface defect.

The bottom of my drain plan was definitely not smooth. Had a bump that my nail could catch easily. I sanded it down with some 400 grit.(Before and after pics attatched) I thought that would solve it for sure. I think it's still dripping a little SMH. Even went back to a new OEM plug and put thread sealer permatex. I guess my pan has been cross threaded and plug is not laying flat against the pan. So frustrating. 3 oil changes and still not right.

 

[Valpo Cruze]

Post up a pic of the plug in the pan please

 

[Mo Cruze]

Finally got it to stop dripping I used the black permatex 90 min gasket maker. Hopefully it's not too hard to clean off the drain bolt and the bottom of the drain pan surface on the next oil change. Might replace the pan anyway next time..clearly the bolt isn't going in correctly to give a proper seal.

 

[6speedTi]

The mating surface looks good from the photos. If it leaks with a new seal and a new drain plug then the distortion is most likely on the pan area near or on the threaded boss. Have you tried a tap or thread chaser to clean up the threads? Last resort before replacing the oil pan.