5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003) Learn more about the 5th Generation Maxima, including the VQ30DE-K and VQ35DE engines.

Oil pan with a rubber plug in the middle?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 11-11-2018, 05:05 PM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
maxinout93's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Columbia SC
Posts: 2,284
Oil pan with a rubber plug in the middle?

I have an 02 I35, I was recently told by the people that installed my water pump that they had to change the oil also, and in the process they saw a rubber plug on the oil pan and said there was a hole in the rubber plug. I find it hard to believe because my other oil pan didnt have the rubber plug in the center in addition to the oil pan 14mm bolt. Does anyone else have this rubber plug on the oil pan along with the normal oil pan 14mm bolt?? Could it possibly leak or be loose?
maxinout93 is offline  
Old 11-12-2018, 05:42 AM
  #2  
Newbie - Just Registered
iTrader: (11)
 
Slamrod's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 1,167
Originally Posted by maxinout93
I have an 02 I35, I was recently told by the people that installed my water pump that they had to change the oil also, and in the process they saw a rubber plug on the oil pan and said there was a hole in the rubber plug. I find it hard to believe because my other oil pan didnt have the rubber plug in the center in addition to the oil pan 14mm bolt. Does anyone else have this rubber plug on the oil pan along with the normal oil pan 14mm bolt?? Could it possibly leak or be loose?
Definitely not from the factory, either its an aftermarket pan or someone drilled into the oem one, id imagine its the later. The drain bolt isnt the best since you can never get all of the oil out due to it being on the side rather than the bottom, the previous owner must have added the rubber plug to get that tiny bit thats left over.

as far as whether or not it leaks? Of course its possible lol. Id either replace the pan since its cheap and easy, or glob some black rtv (oil resistant) on the plug and seal the sucker for good.
Slamrod is offline  
Old 11-13-2018, 05:29 AM
  #3  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
maxinout93's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Columbia SC
Posts: 2,284
[QUOTE=Slamrod;9187470]


Definitely not from the factory, either its an aftermarket pan or someone drilled into the oem one, id imagine its the later. The drain bolt isnt the best since you can never get all of the oil out due to it being on the side rather than the bottom, the previous owner must have added the rubber plug to get that tiny bit thats left over.

as far as whether or not it leaks? Of course its possible lol. Id either replace the pan since its cheap and easy, or glob some black rtv (oil resistant) on the plug and seal the sucker for good.


Well thanks for your response man, i guess for a peace of mind ill replace it since it not really expensive, because i thought they came like that from the factory.
[/QUOTE
maxinout93 is offline  
Old 11-13-2018, 11:13 AM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
Donkeypunch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,215
take a picture just curious
Donkeypunch is offline  
Old 11-13-2018, 09:01 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
maxinout93's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Columbia SC
Posts: 2,284
Originally Posted by Donkeypunch
take a picture just curious

I dont have recent pic, but i do have a pic of the oil pan in another thread i made, (Coolant leaking near bottom of oil pan) There is a pic there, If you look right at the bottom of the oil pan you will see somthing black sticking out from it, that is the plug im talking about.
maxinout93 is offline  
Old 11-14-2018, 09:44 AM
  #6  
Newbie - Just Registered
iTrader: (11)
 
Slamrod's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 1,167
Took a look, if i were you id replace the lower oil pan completely. If you were to go over a large speedbump or something similar you could potential scrape the oil pan; it wouldnt normally be a big deal but in your case it would probably pull the rubber plug out - you wouldnt know that all your oil drained as you drove until it was probably too late.

if the plug didnt protrude so much id say just rtv it up but since its sticking out a solid inch id say play it safe and replace the whole thing.

Last edited by Slamrod; 11-14-2018 at 11:18 AM.
Slamrod is offline  
Old 11-14-2018, 10:18 AM
  #7  
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
 
DennisMik's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Plano, TX
Posts: 10,649
I totally agree with Slamrod.
DennisMik is offline  
Old 11-14-2018, 07:52 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
maxinout93's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Columbia SC
Posts: 2,284
Well im gonna take you guys advice, better safe than sorry lol, only reason i didnt bother it was because i thought that they came from the factory that way.
maxinout93 is offline  
Old 11-18-2018, 06:43 AM
  #9  
Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Derrick2k2SE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Pensacola, FL
Posts: 2,499
Just looked at the picture and, yeah, that's crazy. I can't imagine anyone thinking that was a good idea.
One of my cars has a big scrape on the bottom of the pan that would have torn that thing off. I don't even remember what caused the scrape but having one of those would have made it very memorable.

There's no gasket used on the oil pan so make sure you use a high quality RTV on it. Don't go cheap here.
Derrick2k2SE is offline  
Old 11-19-2018, 06:25 PM
  #10  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
maxinout93's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Columbia SC
Posts: 2,284
ok will do about the rtv
maxinout93 is offline  
Old 11-24-2018, 09:45 PM
  #11  
Junior Member
 
NC5thGen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 30
Junkyards punch a small hole inside the oil pans to drain into the collection tank..then they plug it with rubber to keep the small amount left over from dripping.
NC5thGen is offline  
Old 11-25-2018, 05:18 AM
  #12  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
maxinout93's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Columbia SC
Posts: 2,284
oh ok that explains it all then, because i got the pan from the junkyard.
maxinout93 is offline  
Old 11-25-2018, 09:14 PM
  #13  
Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
 
CMax03's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Houston, Tx
Posts: 9,538
That's how sorry a$$ shops repair punctured oil pans...I see this on many junkyard cars...both engine and tranny oil pans! These shops suck!!! Just replaced a 2008 Titan starter they were quoted $1300 parts/Labor!
CMax03 is offline  
Old 12-03-2018, 05:54 PM
  #14  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
maxinout93's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Columbia SC
Posts: 2,284
Originally Posted by CMax03
That's how sorry a$$ shops repair punctured oil pans...I see this on many junkyard cars...both engine and tranny oil pans! These shops suck!!! Just replaced a 2008 Titan starter they were quoted $1300 parts/Labor!
I can only wonder if that's what caused my engine to die last week? I mean it was still full of oil , just had smoke coming out the oil cap like I've never seen like sumthing burned up. Now it will fire right up but knocks.
maxinout93 is offline  
Old 12-05-2018, 05:30 PM
  #15  
Junior Member
 
DougR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Phoenix
Posts: 97
Originally Posted by maxinout93
... just had smoke coming out the oil cap like I've never seen like some thing burned up. Now it will fire right up but knocks.
Smoke coming out from the oil cap usually suggests bad valve guides and seals or bad rings. You have a knock, so I'm wondering if you have a spun or bad rod bearing.
DougR is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Rydicule
5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003)
14
11-20-2006 02:48 PM
shobuddy
5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003)
14
04-07-2006 07:54 PM
jjj
5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003)
5
10-06-2005 10:51 AM
96blkonblkse
4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999)
3
06-28-2004 09:49 PM
T-One
4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999)
11
05-28-2003 05:11 AM



Quick Reply: Oil pan with a rubber plug in the middle?



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:30 PM.