Changing Oil....

[AdrianR]

I will be doing the first oil change soon.  Reading through the owner's manual it says to replace the 'sealing washer' on the drain plug...  Is this really necessary??  My old Honda had a metal washer that never leaked...and I used over and over again for 12 years...

[mrtappan]

I never change mine either.  Same results, perfectly fine. 

It's one of those questions where the responses are going to be "Always" or "Never."

I'm in the never category, no issues. 

[Jess from VA]

They call them crush washers.  I always inspect mine, and it is never crushed.  Of course the drain plug is not torqued to 99lbs (it is just snugged up).  Passing inspection repeatedly, mine get reused repeatedly.  It is important that you use one though.  Mine have a habit of staying up in the engine drain hole cutout at changes, which is not good if you add a second to the bolt, or it later falls in the bottom of the oil catch pan and you throw it away. 

[Bighead]

They call them crush washers.  I always inspect mine, and it is never crushed.  Of course the drain plug is not torqued to 99lbs (it is just snugged up).  Passing inspection repeatedly, mine get reused repeatedly.  It is important that you use one though.  Mine have a habit of staying up in the engine drain hole cutout at changes, which is not good if you add a second to the bolt, or it later falls in the bottom of the oil catch pan and you throw it away. 

Jess If it stays up on the block when you remove the plug it IS crushed.