"Crush Washer"

[saga]

Is anybody aware of this. I found it on Honda Website:

As a Honda owner, the crush washer you should be most concerned with is the one that must be replaced every time you change your motor oil. This crush washer fits between your oil pan and the drain plug. It is a one-time-use washer. Discard the old washer at each oil change and replace with a new one. If you have your oil changed at any service outlet other than a Honda dealer, remind them of the importance to use a new crush washer.


When a new washer is installed and the drain plug is tightened, this washer "crushes" to form a very tight seal, thereby preventing motor oil leaks without overstressing the oil pan threads.


Oil changers who are not aware of its importance may think it's OK to re-use this washer. Since it has already been crushed, it will not collapse further. As a result, the installer may overtighten the drain plug to get a tight fit. This can eventually lead to stripped threads in the oil pan -- a very expensive repair.



Any Comments....

[jay]

Back when I was buying oil and taking it to my local mechanic to do the work, I'd always get the crush washers, too. Do a search on crush washer, and like every other topic on this board, you'll see a lot of opinions. We even have a thread dedicated to drain plugs and crush washers, with pictures.

[thomasj2]

Buy and install a $20 Fumoto drain valve. This replaces the OEM drain plug and makes oil changes a breeze. Open the valve to drain the oil, no more crush washers or potential to strip the threads in the oil drain by over tightening the drain plug.