Sump Repair and Fitting

While I was cleaning my sump up in July - the sump plug fell out! The thread on the sump was almost completely stripped and the plug was a loose fit.

I have a second sump - from the engine pulled from the car. I wasn't keen to use that as it had lots of stress and fatigue marks on it and I didn't want to use it in case it cracked and leaked. Anyway, my 'loose' sump plug was too tight a fit on that sump - which explains why it stripped the threads on the other sump when it was fitted. It wasn't the right plug for a DS sump.

At least, with two sumps, I had a second, proper, DS sump plug. I could use the other plug, but first I would need to repair the threads on the sump. But how best to proceed.....Sharing my woes on the CCC website forum there seemed to be two options - a heli-coil or a Time Sert. No - I didn't know what one of those was either!

The simplest way to describe a Time Sert is that the principle is like a helicoil - essentially a replacement thread -  except that a 'Time Sert' insert (bush) is a tubular threaded sleeve (threaded on both the inner and outer faces). It is threaded into a over-sized re-tapped hole and pressed into place - (re)creating a tapped hole of the original and desired size.Then I got an offer I couldn't refuse: a kind soul (who wishes to remain anonymous) offered to lend me an appropriate 'Time Sert' kit suitable for a DS sump plug.

The kit arrived in the post a few days later. Excellent service! After familiarising myself with the equipment and process I gave it a go.

Clamping the sump to my work bench to stop it moving about, the process was very straightforward - other than that it had to be done by hand.

• The errant hole was drilled out (no going back now!)
• A seat cutter was used to cut a recessed seat

Preparing For The Time Sert - 12 August 2017

• Next the hole was tapped over-sized
• Fitting the 'Time Sert' bush on to the lubricated insertion tool, the bush was screwed into the hole until it was sitting flush on the recessed seat.
• The Time Sert insert (bush) has part-formed threads on it's inner face. Continuing to rotate the insertion tool did two things: it finished creating the thread in the bush and, as it did so, it expanded the Time Sert bush so that it fitted the tapped hole tightly.
• The insertion tool was then withdrawn - leaving the bush in place.

I used a file to dress the sump/ bush surface to make sure the insert was flush to the sump face - so that I could be confident I could obtain an oil-tight seal when fitting the sump plug. 

Done!