hi after an oil change my sump plug will not tighten up and is leaking oil. has anyone used a helicoil for this or an insert or any other repair ? any info ? thanks Richard

Believe you are supposed to replace the plug when doing an oil change? 2006 (56 Reg) 4.4 V8 Vogue In Bonatti Grey (Gorgeous!!)

only thing is plug threads look ok so I assume threads away in sump .have sent away for new plug to find correct insert

oh and washer should be replaced should be no need to replace plug

I had the same problem and I got mine helicoiled last week, it's all sorted but it's not a cheap job. The subframe had to
be dropped off to allow access. Total inc Engine oil and filter came to £650 ish.

what did they charge £650 for helicoil job can be done in place surely. a new sump cover can not be as dear as £650 .subframe consists of 4 bolts for diff protector easily removed

Having my sump replaced (Td6) due to garage over tightening the plug and cracking it. Two quotes so far are £1200 and £1500 all in. Sump is £493 + VAT plus other parts and 7-8 hours labour to fit.

I would do a botch job with liquid metal or sealing the plug if I was paying for it myself. Tom

Current Drive
2011 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography - Santorini Black - Ivory Leather

Previous Drives
2004 Model Vogue Td6 (Touchscreen) - Java Black - Parchment Leather
1994 RR Classic 3.9 V8 Soft dash - Niagara Grey - Grey Leather
1972 Series III SWB Safari - Green (Hand Painted) - Black Plastic

wow mines 4.4 mabe different but still seems a bit dear cant see a sump being so expensive

I think the issue is access and other parts linking through that part of the engine. Both the quotes were from LR independent specialists, not LR themselves. Tom

Current Drive
2011 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography - Santorini Black - Ivory Leather

Previous Drives
2004 Model Vogue Td6 (Touchscreen) - Java Black - Parchment Leather
1994 RR Classic 3.9 V8 Soft dash - Niagara Grey - Grey Leather
1972 Series III SWB Safari - Green (Hand Painted) - Black Plastic

with a little research I have came across an oversize sump plug for m12 plug which cuts its own thread . have a look on you tube seems the dogs easy cheap fix

What happens to the swarf when it's cut it's way in ?

rik wrote:

what did they charge £650 for helicoil job can be done in place surely. a new sump cover can not be as dear as £650 .subframe consists of 4 bolts for diff protector easily removed

I have the 4.4 V8 petrol and at some point my sump had been stripped and we got around it by using a left over bolt with a built in rubber washer left over from the transmission rebuild.
The standard plug is quite short so doesn't engage many threads.
When I did my vanos I removed the lower sump which is easy and no need to remove the sub frame just a lot of bolts and messy if you don't let the sump fully drain out first ...
I used a helicoil kit bought off eBay and drilled and helicoiled it, kit is about £10 I think.
You need to make sure the drilled hole and tapping operation is square to the sealing face.
I then switched back to standard plug and new copper washer.
I did get a very slight drip to start with but I undid it slightly and retightened it a couple of times and then sealed perfectly.
I can look up the kit when I'm home tomorrow if you like.
Failing that get a longer bolt with built in doughty washer.

Had a similar problem on an XJ40 Jaguar after someone previously over-torqued the sump plug and fractured the threads in the sump. I borrowed a Helicoil tap and insert but due to the restricted horizontal access in-situ I made a hash of tapping the hole so that it was not absolutely 'square' to the surface and consequently would leak slightly despite using the appropriate sealing washer and additional sealants.

Replacing the sump was going to be a major and costly proposition so I installed permanently the plug with JB Weld and bought a Pella 6000 vacuum pump -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pela-6000-Oil-Pum...B002EJ2GUC

After determining that it would extract all but a few milliliters of old oil from the sump before I finally sealed the drain plug, I used that successfully to drain the sump via the oil dipstick tube at every oil change for the next few years of Jag ownership. As a bonus, it saved me having to clamber under the car to reach the drain plug!

Could such a device be used on the RR?

I don't see why you couldn't use that, I think the oil feed pipe goes straight to the sump after a couple of bends.
I have seen a few second hand sumps for about £75 on eBay in the past but a helicoil kit and sump gasket is quite cheap and if you feck it up you can still replace it or go for the suction route