New Sump Plug, Do we really need one.

Like many others I've never replaced a sump plug on any vehicle. I used to make sure the plug and surrounds were clean and the o-ring or gasket in good nick. However, on the D4 I use a vac. pump for the cleanest oil change ever....... apart from the last one when I knocked over the jug with a couple of litres of new oil in. :(
AlanH.

PS. Saying I've never replaced a sump plug is not quite correct..... I dropped a stinking hot plug from a D10 down the rip I was also dropping the hot engine oil into. And I wasn't putting my hand down there to find it. :)

D3 had a steel bottom sump. D4 went to an alloy bottom sump ( sump it two piece - top and bottom). The D3 metal sumps were known to corrode in the mother country. Not sure about in Aus. Yes common practice to replace the sump plug but I have no idea why. A new copper washer etc seems logical at most. Another way to gouge you at service presumably. I’ve never replaced one and never had one strip or leak 🤷*♂️

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Originally Posted by hpal

Digging up an old one here, but what is the reference to an alloy sump? Mine's got a steel one... Why can't they just supply a new o-ring with the oil filter and chuck that one the old drain plug, I wonder if there's anywhere you can buy just the special o-ring?

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If it’s the same as the 2.7D sump plug the Ford dealer sells them.

I replace the oring not the plug which is very expensive for some reason.

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Originally Posted by Grappler

The gasket in the plug is a specialised o ring. It has a winged profile.
Ive reused them a few times on RRS and Puma (plugs are the same) without leaking

I was thinking about machining a substitute plug to take std o rings
Another thought was fumoto sump plug. Good on the RRS with underbody protection plate but is probably too exposed on the puma. You fit the fumoto once and then operate the locked valve

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I assume the plug is metric something x 1.5 pitch. You can get new ones for a pittance from places like Tony Powell's or IFS complete wit o-ring. What do LR dealers charge for one?

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Originally Posted by garrycol

What a load of nonsense - I have never replaced the plug and and just did an oil change this morning and did not change it. I inspect the O ring and do not not tighten the plug all that much.

I have used the same plug 5 times and there have been no issues - no leaks nuffin. I can see that it might be wise to replace it if it has been over torqued but other than that no.

Garry

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I posted the above in Feb 2014 and am still using the same plug and O ring.

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Originally Posted by garrycol

I posted the above in Feb 2014 and am still using the same plug and O ring.

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I’ve never undone mine. Always gone the suction route. Saying that, mine leaks oil from so many other places, not sure why I change the oil and don’t simply just top it up to refill it lol [emoji6]

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Originally Posted by mike123

Seems strange to replace a sump plug every oil change. I replaced the sump plug on our Disco 1 with one of the Fumoto oil valves (fumoto.com.au). It made the oil changes a lot easier and cleaner. Not sure if they have one to suit you car but probably they do. We don't do too much off-roading so it won't get knocked about but if we were doing serious off-roading then I'd stick with the sump plug.

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Replaced my sump plug with a Stalhbus valve. Cut a 40mm hole in the bash plate. Quick and easy now. Well easy if you are old school and like crawling around under the vehicle. No fancy oil extraction pumps for me.

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Originally Posted by DiscoJeffster

I’ve never undone mine. Always gone the suction route. Saying that, mine leaks oil from so many other places, not sure why I change the oil and don’t simply just top it up to refill it lol [emoji6]

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As the indy said to me when I bought ours "It's not leaking, it's just marking its territory".

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Originally Posted by BradC

As the indy said to me when I bought ours "It's not leaking, it's just marking its territory".

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“It’s not leaking. It’s sweating power”

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Originally Posted by DiscoJeffster

The D3 metal sumps were known to corrode in the mother country.

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Funny you mention it, mine had a few small scaly rust spots, nothing bad, i just rubbed them back and coated with primer and matte black before it became an issue. Glad we don't have rust like they do.