hi sages- would like to know crankcase oil drain plug size. about to do first oil change in first volvo. i have sae size sockets and a basic set of sockets of metric size. drain bolt is on tight and i dont want to round the points with a wrong size or a 12 point socket. figure proper socket is a 23 or 24 mm shallow six point socket. told that 25 mm is same as one inch socket but the one inch seems a little loose.is the exact size a 23 or 24 mm. these sizes are 1/2 inch drive. guessing proper method is to use a breaker bar or a 1/2 inch drive ratchet on the socket. would appreciate your best advice . thanks tons oldduke ps- using 5 qts quaker state 10- 30 oil and a mann filter when i can get the oil plug out.

I buy 6 filters at a time and washers as well.

I put a washer under the plastic protector on each filter and tape the protector on with a couple of small pieces of duct tape - I never have to look for a washer.

I keep a filter in each car in case I am stuck getting an oil change away from home.
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'96 855R,'64 PV544 driver, '67 P1800 basket case, '72 Yamaha Rd400, '68 Honda 350-4, '12 XC70, the first 5 are mine, heh, heh, 525,000 miles put on 10 bricks James A Sousa

1", yes. Probably a metric equivalent. 25 or 26mm. But 1" will work.

Crescent wrenches are okay, but if it's tight, you'll likely damage the bolt head.

Re: replacing the copper washer seal.. good to do. Make sure the old one isn't stuck the the sump.

Re: filling the filter in advance... sure, but sounds messy to me. I just pull the coil wire and crank it with the starter until the oil light goes off (Takes 15-20 seconds). Then re-connect the coil wire, start, check for leaks. Turn off, double check oil level.

Re: 5 quarts. Perfect. Fill an empty 1qt bottle and put that one in the trunk as a spare. Dump the other four quarts in the engine.

Make sure the rubber gasket is attached to the old filter upon removal.

Don't use a wrench to tighten the new filter. Just have clean hands and a clean filter, tighten as much as you can by hand.

Damn there's a lot of details that go into a simple oil change.. and here we've only covered a few...

No mention of collapsed motor mounts, the thin layer of oil on the new filter seal, keeping an eye on alternator and oil pressure wires, how not to spill all over the exhaust manifold... :)





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-Matt I ♥ my ♂

Like tmannian, I've had no trouble removing the drain plug with a 1-inch wrench, in my case, a 12-point, 1-inch socket on a normal 1/2-in drive ratchet handle. If it has been overtightened you may need a 6-point. He's right about the 4 qts and also about the new crush washer. It's a real downer to do an oil change, button everything up and then see that oily spot under the car from a leaking old washer.

I always fill up the new filter with fresh oil before installing it, to minimize the time the engine runs with zero oil pressure. If you are quick, you can get it spun onto the engine's threaded stub without any spill. Then pour the rest of the 4 qts into the engine, run for a minute and check for leaks and the dipstick level.
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Bob: son's XC70, dtr's '94-940, my 81GL, 83-DL, 89-745(V8) and 98-S90. Also 77-MGB and some old motorcycles.

Has anyone other than me begun to find that METAL (copper) crush washers are getting scarce at the auto parts stores?

For the fun of Volvos,
Mike
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'92 245DL, '90 760 GLT

Yes. Re-use your old washer almost indefinitely by heating it red with a propane torch (or over a small fire/candle/etc.). This will anneal the metal, allowing it to deform a bit to seal better, like when it was new. If the scale (black oxide) from heating worries you (it shouldn't), soak it in vinegar.

Pure copper is a joy to work with because of this; hammer or bend it and the metal hardens quickly, heat it up and it is as soft as can be. You should be able to get years out of a single washer.

Since I always get my filters at a local Volvo specialist shop (or IPD, last time), they always stock the washers.

Easy enough to just stock up next time you find them... they're cheap. An independent oil change shop might have them or be able to get them for you in bulk...

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-Matt I ♥ my ♂

I always use my 1" box wrench. works quite well

A couple of notes:

5 quarts is too much oil, you should only use about four. Always easier to add a little more than take some out.

It is likely you'll struggle with the plug, as most places seem to just impact wrench it on so it won't leak. Make sure you have a new crush washer when you tighten it back on. The washer is supposed to deform to fill any voids so it doesn't leak, AFAIK, you only tighten to 43 ft-lbs.
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If you're not driving it "like its stolen," are you really driving?

I personally never use a torque wrench on any drain plug. Too afraid of stripping. That is pretty soft metal.
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Post Back. That's whats makes this forum work.

well, I haven't used one on it ever myself. I've looked at the values to get a rough idea on how tight it is supposed to be.

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If you're not driving it "like its stolen," are you really driving?