I changed my oil yesterday and over-tightened the drain plug, it now just turns in either direction. Luckily, no oil leaks. I'm guessing I stripped the threads in the oil pan. Any suggestions on removal? I'm hoping I don't have to replace the whole pan.

To get the plug out you could try levering under the head of the plug while turning it in an anti-CW direction.

Hopefully the threads will re-engage and the plug will start unscrewing.

Once you get the plug out, and all of your fresh oil, you can then determine which threads are damaged, plug or sump.

If it is the sump, you may be able to clean up the threads with a tap.

If it is the plug, bin it and get a new one.

thanks! a shop quoted me $80 to re-thread the pan, I'll give it a try before the next oil change.

It might be as simple as not having put the seal washer on the plug or over-compressing it, and now you threaded the plug past the threads on the bottom of the pan and that's why it's rotating in both directions.

Like Nissanman said, lever it and unscrew it and see the condition of the threads. It may be that or simply an over-crushed washer.

FWIW

E

someone is selling an oil pan in good shape from a 260Z. Will this be work in a 77 Z ??

Same oil pan from 5/71 up to and inlcuding the 78 model year.