2nd Jun 2014, 14:20
Is the mechanic that told you that you needed a new oil cap for your oil pan the same one that told you that the 454 in your Suburban had a timing belt?
15th Mar 2017, 23:24
I am a life long Chevy gear head at 65 and never changed a timing belt on a 454. Maybe a timing chain and gears, but never a belt. I also never wore out an oil cap and drove a 1947 Chevy coupe and now drive a 2006 Chevy Silverado. And neither have any problems nor had leaky oil caps if properly installed; I did once cross thread a pan plug, causing issues that were corrected by chasing the threads with a proper thread cutting tap to correct my mistake. I guess old greybeards do know a little more than computer mechanics sometimes.
16th Mar 2017, 09:49
I take my oil plugs off with only a box wrench. Catches all the flats on the hex nut. Even a combination open end can potentially slip and round them off. And don't use vise grips or an impact tool. Some overtighten them. That's why I do my own oil changes, even though I can well afford not to. You can buy plugs that cut new threads if you get the damaged one off. I buy magnetic ones. I changed the oil with one with a 16 quart car oil pan. Needed 2 oil pans. I have one car with 2 oil pan plugs - one for the dry sump and one for the oil pan. Has to be done properly. I let the dealer do that one. A neat story since you brought up an old car. I had a vintage car that had a ladies stocking in the oil filter you took apart. That's really improvising on the cheap.
1st Jun 2014, 14:30
Since the "OIL CAP" is not in the oil pan, presumably you meant the drain plug, which is.
What most likely happened is that someone changing the oil wasn't paying attention when they replaced the plug, and cross-threaded it.
Probably too late to make a claim for it now though.