Oil-Tite sells an over size drain plug with the correct thread pitch.  In
fact, you can get a single and a double oversize.  They have an 18 mm head
and the gasket does not fit in the Vanagon engines recess. I just get a
fiber gasket that fits and a thin wall socket goes over the head with no
problem.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael A. Radtke <m.radtke@ELM.AZ05.BULL.COM>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Wednesday, February 10, 1999 4:25 PM
Subject: Re: oil drain screw striped

>Jonathon,
>
>What I did was get the correct size and thread pitch fake Helicoil.  This
>cost about $70 with the drill.  A real Helicoil was about $25 more.
> However, the size is the same as for a spark plug, but the pitch isn't.
> So, what I would do next time is use a spark plug fake helicoil kit for
>about $25 (including drill) and modify an old spark plug into a new drain
>plug.
>
>I found that with the narrow shoulder on the drain plug (or spark plug for
>that matter) a soft gasket was a good plan.  I first used aluminum, but I
>found that I sometimes had to go back and re-tighten the drain plug, so I
>switched to throw away cardboard gaskets.
>
>Another solution is a rubber expanding plug for about $5.  These probably
>don't last forever, but also probably don't fail slowly, so when they start
>to leak, you just spend another $5.  I didn't go this route because I saw
>the plug as the lowest part of the engine and thus likely to scrape on
>something.  But in reading this list, I've never heard a person complain
>that they used the rubber plug and had it scrape off.
>
>Either solution should be available at FLAPS.
>
>Mike   '84 GL   '58 Isetta