Unpopular opinion: using an impact driver on oil drain plugs is fine

I used to crack every drain plug with a torque wrench like the manual said, 30 ft-lbs religiously. But after 8 years in a shop in Phoenix, I switched to a low-torque impact gun set to 1 click. Never had a leak or stripped thread since, and it saves me 20 minutes a day. Am I wrong for ditching the torque wrench here?

2 comments

2 Comments

veraj538d ago

Been doing this 15 years, and a torque wrench on an oil drain plug is overkill for 90% of cars. The crush washer does the sealing, not the force you put on the plug. One click on a low impact is plenty, you just have to pay attention to the material you're threading into. Cast iron oil pans like on older trucks can take a firm hit, but aluminum pans on modern stuff need a lighter touch. Had a guy come into my shop last month with a cracked pan from a 3/8 impact on full blast, that's where the problem starts. Your method works fine as long as you're not lazy about it.

bennett.nora8d agoMost Upvoted

Started doing my own oil changes a few years back and a torque wrench saved me from a panic. First time on my Civic I got the plug way too tight by feel alone and ended up stripping the first few threads on the pan. Had to use a tap and die set to fix it, which was way more work than just using the torque wrench from the start. Now I just set it to the spec in the manual and it clicks when it's done. No guessing, no cracking pans, no stripped threads. Feels more reliable than trusting my wrist strength when I'm tired after work.