Worst Cruze oil change.

Many have complained about rounding out that 10 mm hex on the drain plug, and I one one of them that accused the last guy for way over tightening it.

This opinion as sure changed yesterday. Threads are 14mm-1.5, O'ring suface contact area is 24 mm diameter, hex head is 10 mm. I just about any drain plug I can recall, the size of the hex head was much larger than these other two parameters. That little 10 mm head is seeing 2.4 times the torque as the surface area that gives the seal and the durometer of that O'ring is on the very soft side.

Whatever the material of that 10 mm hex is, certainly not case hardened steel, a pair of vise grips leaves deep teeth marks in it, more like the consistency of lead.

Here I have been blaming the wrench used or that last guy that way over tightened this plug. Well I apologized, not you, its the plug that is the problem, like it was designed to be destroyed.

Dealer in town wants over 20 bucks for this plug, kind of pricey for a 75 cent plug.

Has to be a plug with a 14mm-1.5 that is made the good old fashion was, very close to a 9/16" X 18 thread, Pan could be tapped for a 5/8" X18 thread with a 15/16" head bolt size, they you wouldn't have any problems.

Motorhomeis 30 years older than my Cruze, never had problems with that drain plug, actually never had problems before with any drain plug, until with this one.

Ha, five times for me, maybe there is some truth in that biblical number 6 being an evil number.

Yeah not the end of the world, just a minor inconvenience, have close friends that lost everything, even loved ones. Son's father-in-law had an antique HO engine he trusted with me to get it working again, do this for family. Was so happy to see it running again, but left for a couple of days and his home was struck with lightning last year. Not only the end of that precious locomotive, but everything.

Ha, thought about making my own drain plug, lathe is too old, only cuts English threads, not metric.

Another minor inconvenience was dropping the under engine shield, was sure easy four years ago. Ten sheet metal screws are all rusty, could replace those with stainless for a couple of bucks. Both my major concern was with 9 push pin rivets, became very brittle over the last four years, so had to ease them out very carefully.

But what the heck, my dealer only charges $4.68 for each new rivet, and its only money. Would think for $4.68 would get a pack of a hundred.

Again, my only reason for posting this is not to blame the user for stripping out the drain plug, is the drain plug, and for twenty bucks that dealers charge, way way overpriced. These can be turned out for less than a dime a piece on an automatic screwing machine. Ha, that automatic screwing machine also has different meanings to different people.

You don't want to tell your wife you have an automatic screwing machine at work.

[h=1]This looks the like the best bet for the Cruze oil drain plug replacement, 16 mm head bolt size, same threads, and only $2.99. Can still torque it at 10 Ft-lbs.

Dorman Products 090-161.1 - Dorman Oil Pan Drain Plugs[/h]
Dorman Products 090-161.1 - Dorman Oil Pan Drain Plugs

Talk about screwing around with Cruze oil pan drain plugs, need to get a life.

View attachment 191458 View attachment 191466

What's in there now is a Made in China drain plug from Advanced Auto, only thing I could find in town. Objection to it, uses a T-47 Torx bit with a flat head. Torx and road salt do not get along very well.

One on the left is the one that came with the car with a rounded off head, threaded that for a 3/8"-18 nut, tried to tack weld that nut to the base, wouldn't take weld. Epoxied it in, drilled and tapped for a 10-24" screw, but don't trust it, headed for the trash can.

One on the right in a panic, ordered another OE off ebay for 13 bucks, but was kind of dumb, just as bad as the OE one, whatever that head is made of drills like butter in my lathe, must be some kind of pot metal, but the pack did say made in Germany. Thought they made good stuff.

Like the one in the center, a Dorman, intended for a 2008 Lincoln Navigator, but was concerned about extend tip on it, 3/16" longer than OE, and for all I know a connecting rod could hit it. So took that tip off in my lathe, same depth as OE, but made a note to check this next oil change. Can tell this one is good metal like they use to make them.

Sure a lot of fooling around for a stupid drain plug, but after some odd 68 years history, was never a problem before. Should take a 16 mm 6 point socket, but a 5/8" fits much better. That O'Ring looks a lot tougher than that skinny one OE is using. Not bad for $2.99.