Sump Plug Key
 

Hi All,

Going to give my old 440 (L) an oil change this weekend, does anyone know if the sump plug needs a 'special' key? If I remember correctly my old Rovers just needed a 12mm socket set. The Haynes I got with the car says something about a 'special' key... Is it an just an Allen Key of sorts? I don't want to get the bugger up on the axle stands just to look!

Cheers,

Alex

the sump plug is a square female fitting. cant remember the size. it is fairly large 8-10mm sq. ish. i made a tool up just a bar bent into a L shape and ground a square end on it. but you can get the tools for socket sets or a sump plug tool which has a number of sizes on it. have fun bob.

Easiest way is to look underneath the Car.. Jack one front corner up and without climbing underneath have a look

Mine stated a special key for my 740, when I looked, it was just a 1" AF socket required. Someone had changed it for an easier solution.

Cool,

I'll have a look in Halfords and see if they have anything that looks like what you described. Failing that I'll just bodge one up.

On an aside note, anyone had any bad experience with Halfords own brand oil? I can't see it would make a blind bit of difference putting a no-name brand in over the likes of Duckams or GTX on an old motor like mine....

Hi,

I would say have a read of the following post:
Linky....

So, oil quality could well make a difference.
However, if considering a synthetic oil, the Halfods branded one would, I assume be Ok..

Des. . . ;)

I am a firm believer in a good oil. Can't say about the quility of the halfords stuff but you get what you pay for. I would however stay away from any fully synthetic oil, most are to thin for old worn engines. The gaps in bearings etc are to big for the oil to give maximum protection and you will get a noisey engine. A semi synthetic oil is prob best as it is thicker and can work at the higher temps. Or just a good quality mineral oil GTX etc.

I did hear somwhere that GTX Magnatec is a waste of money on old engines as the cardon build up on surfaces stops it from sticking well, as magnatec is supposed to stay stuck. So stick with the normal.

Well, I got a 5 Liters of Semi Synthetic stuff for £18 (and a multi key tool thingie). The Magnatic stuff was about £6 more, but they way I see it using cheaper stuff and changing it more often is the same (or better even) than using expensive stuff and leaving it in for that little bit longer.

I expect one of the keys in the set you got will be the right size. My S40 is like your old Rover (like all Rovers) just need a hex spanner.

The only thing about Halfords oil is it is a rip off, like all the other bits in there. However sometimes nowhere else is open, and it is convenient... which is how come they charge more money I guess. It is possible to get 5L 10w/40 semi-synth for as little as £6 or £7. And that's the sort of oil I'd put in your motor.

Pete

Sump drain plug
 

My (newly acquired) 760 GLE has an 8mm square female socket in the drain plug. Recently I improvised successfully with a large Stilson type wrench on the circular body of the plug, which extends about 2 or 3 mm down from the sump tray. As a precaution, I tightened it momentarily before undoing it. Thinks: must buy one of those diddy sets with the cast multi-sized sump plug keys and a tommy bar.

Yes, they really aren't very expensive I can't believe the effort some of you guys have gone to in order to avoid buying one!

And if you really can't find one, just buy a suction pump and suck all the oil out of the dipstick hole!!

Pete