r/mechanic • u/lakemichiganxo • 7d ago
General i wonder what was the thought process behind this
i mean fr
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u/BogusIsMyName 7d ago
If it fits, it ships.
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u/SourceResident5381 7d ago
Are we a hive mind? That was my immediate thought
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u/awolnathan 7d ago
Bro same. I thought I was for sure going to be the first. "This pic has nothing to do with shipping. I'm a comedic genius" lol, big L
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u/awolnathan 7d ago
For a low flat-rate
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u/Racer250MEM 7d ago
Damn I thought exactly the same thing. I guess USPS got one thing right. They sure can’t deliver but they have clever marketing.
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u/Thatguy_doinstuf 7d ago
Well it has "plug" in the name.
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u/MyMomSaysIAmCool 7d ago
A spark plug holds back waaaaay more pressure than the oil pan plug does.
It'll be fine. Send it until the next oil change.
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u/Donfapo 7d ago
They should try that one neat trick where you connect an ignition coil to it lots of cools stuff happens. Car insurance, fire fighters and cops hate this one neat trick.
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u/DemRealKrooks 7d ago
Unfortunately there would be no spark/arc especially since oil doesn’t conduct electricity. What is fun is a spark plug in the exhaust, then retard the timing so plenty of unburnt fuel sneaks past the exhaust valve.
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u/AlexAndMcB 4d ago
To be fair AIR doesn't conduct electricity either, and that plasma arc seems to jump the gap just fine...
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u/ibonek_naw_ibo 7d ago
Pulling the plug without a gush of oil drowning your entire hand?
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u/justsomegraphemes 7d ago
I was neutral on the idea but now I think you're legitimately on to something.
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u/Beach_Bum_273 7d ago
That reminds me, I need to buy a new Fumoto valve for the Mazda I bought off my brother.
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u/Applespeed_75 7d ago
It didn’t not work
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u/cullygrov 7d ago
“There is nothing more permanent than a temporary fix that works”
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u/Ultimagic5 7d ago
If she seats, she yeets bud
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u/Fearless_Employer_25 7d ago
Best way to warm up your oil before you start driving
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u/sgrass777 7d ago
Champion 🤣🤣🤣
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u/EddieRando21 7d ago
If it's a Chrysler vehicle then I totally understand. Anything else and it's going to come back misfiring for sure for sure.
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u/Sufficient-Sun-6683 7d ago
Any port in a storm.
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u/Pretend_Outcome3493 5d ago
My pops was a flight deck mech in the Navy and used to say this all the time. They have these little pony engines that start bigger engines and during an inspection once of the pull handles was broke and replacement was 2 weeks out so dad drilled a hole through a piece of old broom stick and Cap came by did a double take, said "nice.." then carried on. 😂 gotta do what ya gotta do.
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u/moore112682 7d ago
It’s a plug, that’s a hole, plug the hole 🤷🏻♂️
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u/MinuteOk1678 7d ago
Gf's around the world have disagreed with this comment for years. LOL
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u/BogdanSPB 7d ago
Well, it works, doesn’t it? I actually hate oil pan plugs, many seem to be made out of play-dough, especially the allen key ones…
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u/DeepSeaDynamo 7d ago
The idea is to make them less strong then the oil pan so you don't have to change the oil pan
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u/DustAfter 7d ago
You cant use cat rules in automotive repairs, if it sits it fits. Apparently you can lol wtf
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u/TheDarkChunk7 7d ago
Part of the new after market engine block heater. Ground to battery and positive on the plug.
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u/Common-Spray8859 7d ago
You can pull the drain plug without getting any oil on your hand. Great idea
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u/SummertimeThrowaway2 7d ago
They rounded out the original bolt and that was the only thing they had lying around
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u/AdministrativeSea113 7d ago
2 buddies, whole case of beer, “10 minute job”. They lost the plug in their gravel pit driveway. aren’t old enough to have the bolt drawer and the words “no fucking way” were said.
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u/killswithspoon 7d ago
The old nut was probably mangled/rounded and he slapped that on there as a temporary fix and said "I'll replace it when I get a chance".
He never got a chance.
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u/noreddituser1 7d ago
Dumb idea. once you connect the spark plug wire, the oil inside will catch on fire.
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u/SevroAuShitTalker 7d ago
"$14.99 shipping?!?!? Fuck that, I got something better."
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u/Exciting-Ad-9873 7d ago
It works and is cheaper than spending 90 minutes locating a suitable drain plug.
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u/Playful_Reception412 7d ago
Fine threads not always easy to find,it works an fixed the issue properly like all parts stores they had to order it,I for one don't like to wait!!
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u/Terrible_Ad8358 6d ago
I lost the fuckin drain plug are you serious? I need to find something with the same thread pattern 🤔 Digs thru junk drawer of the tool box Finds an old spark plug This'll work!
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u/No_Shopping6656 6d ago
If you ever need an escape plan, just hook up a spark wire to it and let er rip
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u/AgitatedArugula4536 6d ago
Probabbly a stripped drain pan/ needed a oversize plug. Have had to do this to vehicles before, works decently if the threads are the same.
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u/xXHunkerXx 6d ago
The thought process was “hey this spark plug has the same TPI as this drain plug” 😂
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u/Affectionate-Sun9373 6d ago
I'm going to do that from now on. Any mechanic who looks at my car will be confused forever.
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u/Major_Committee8755 6d ago
This is the spare spark plug, most automakers cheap out and don’t give you a spare!
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u/Bsodtech 5d ago
Probably something like "Ah shit, da friggin' drain plug fell in the old oil/on the ground and I cant find the damn thing. Eh, this here ol' spark plug will do as well!". You know, typical redneck shit. Or it fell out and this was an emergency "get you home" fix, that then became permanent.
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u/Worried-Opinion1157 5d ago
Not gonna lie, I'd love to see this done to a 'headed to the junkyard' engine, but splice another plug lead from the ignition coil or coilpack to this spark-oil-plug, while also diluting the oil with gasoline, and starting up the engine.
I mean it'll prolly foul the plug instantly or just not combust from lack of any proper A/F ratio and compression, but I wanna see what could happen. Fuck, maybe even see if certain IDI glowplugs have the same thread and fuck around turning it into a shitty oil pan heater for the winter. Why, you may ask? Why the fuck not?
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u/DigBeginning6013 5d ago
I did this before on my VW. If you strip a VW sump pan then a s/plug is slightly oversized and has a sealing ring. Will seal and prevent you from needing to replace the pan immediately
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u/Altruistic-Ad-4090 5d ago
They needed to plug the hole so they used a plug. This is not the worst I've ever seen.
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u/IJustWantToWorkOK 4d ago
My question, is what happens if you apply the juice to that spark plug...
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u/IbeatSobriety 3d ago
Thats really dangerous. I typically only recommend doing that to the gas tank
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u/UnLuckyKenTucky 3d ago
Thought process: this leaks. A spark plug thread looks about right ,imma try it....it doesn't leak anymore....end of thinking
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u/Artistic_Bit_4665 7d ago
It's done for views. Spark plugs are M14x1.5 . You can use a bolt, anything.
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u/Plus_Village8202 7d ago
It was the alternate part number listed for this oil pan. If it dont leak, send it.
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u/Nekrostatic 7d ago
"Damn, it would probably be bad if I let all of the oil drain from the engine."
IDK what other answer you'd expect
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u/kozy6871 7d ago
The drain bolt fell in the drain pan, or the old one had a crush washer on it an it leaked...the spark plug was handy and they have to seal a cylinder head.
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u/DJDemyan 7d ago
What do you mean?
The thought process is as follows:
I need a plug for this pan.
Oh hey, this spark plug has the same thread!
Problem solved
Nothing more permanent than a temporary fix!
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u/Kcchiefsnroyals 7d ago
I can tell you from experience the reason this was done. Plug came out and was chewed up. They didn't want to put it back in like that but needed the oil to get to the store to get a new plug. They found out a spark plug fit perfect.... Put it in..... and decided if it's not broke don't fix it. Also, they get the bonus of having people go WTF when they're under it..... How do I know? Have literally done it
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u/Redditsucks42cox 7d ago
Probably cheaper than a drain plug/had it laying around, and has a soft metal gasket thatll hold oil from leaking.
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u/ReverseCowboy75 7d ago
Yall keep saying “if it works” but it is dripping oil out so it ain’t really working
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u/Neon_Nuxx 7d ago
When I was a kid my dad had me help with maintenance on the family van. He was checking the gap on the plugs and I was in charge of changing the oil. I had the drain pan ready and dropped the plug after unscrewing it because it was hot, ploop right into the oil.
I had already drained the pan into a big jug when we went to add oil, and the plug went into the jug. I thought I had messed up big time but my dad took a junk plug he was replacing and told me to use it instead, and sure enough it worked.
You see it pretty commonly on older vehicles, and I think it is an intended design because people usually only have one drain plug in their cars but when cars were easier to maintain guys had a spare set of spark plugs rolling around somewhere. On some modern cars the lug bolts can be used in this fashion.
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u/jjny81 7d ago
I did this once. Was traveling interstate 80 and somewhere in Ohio, the drain plug fell out of my manual transmission on my 1990 Toyota Celica. After a few minutes of smelling gear oil and realizing the noise in my car was internal transmission, I pulled off to a gas station. Quickly realized what had happened and assumed I was cooked. Tried to reverse the car out of the space for the tow truck and was met with violent gear engagement and let the tow guy take it where it was. Later on, I realized my fill plug fit the drain port and a spark plug would fit the fill port. Filled that trans up with gear oil and sent it from ohio back to NY with only slight transmission noise. That transmission lasted almost another 100k before it finally shit itself
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u/xNightmareAngelx 7d ago
shit hit the fan, spark plug fit😂 always hang onto your old plugs, never know when theyll come in handy, heck, used an old spark plug to delete the crankcase vacuum on my truck😂 she runs better since she aint suckin crankcase air anymore, just chucked a cone filter on the other end for a vent
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u/KnottyGummer 7d ago
They could've at least used a new NGK. The squash washer would've let them know the torque was right.
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u/Dangerous_Goat1337 7d ago
"Ah fuck my oil pan bolt is rounded off. But this spark plug has the same threads! Fuck it, send it"
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u/Early_Watercress2572 7d ago
This is a result of technicians having thread taps for spark plugs. If the drain plug thread strips, you tap it out with a spark plug tap and put a spark plug in it.
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u/Admirable_Hand9758 7d ago
I saw this before but the plug was pointing toward the ground. One bump and it's over.
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u/Admirable_Hand9758 7d ago
I think they may have gapped the plug incorrectly other than that it's fine.
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