Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi,

I changed my oil today and found that there was no washer on the sump plug. Presumably it fell off last time and I didn't notice. Anyway, since I didn't have a spare one and had to refill the oil, I put the plug back in without the washer. Do you think it will be okay just to keep an eye on for leaks and fit a new washer next time or do I need to drain the oil back out and fit one now?

Thanks,
James

The question is to you really. Was it leaking without the washer? Put some newspaper under the car with a hot engine and you will soon find out. If it's the tiniest of drips leave it until the next oil change.

In an ideal world, you would replace that washer at each oil change. But many don't and I suspect there are a lot of cars running around without one. Nothing to worry about, especially if its not leaking, or barely leaking......

There does indeed need to be a copper washer there, which is malleable. This allows for expansion and contraction of the drain plug against the sump when the oil heats up. It also acts a sandwich piece to protect the drain hole. Without a washer, you may not only get leakage but the worst case scenario is the plug works loose.