Timesert to fix stripped aluminum Oil pan thread Can I use a shorter drainplug?

[Erick Estrada]

Hi all, so I stripped the thread on the aluminum oil pan on my 2016 BMW 328i xdrive 2.0L 60k miles.

I want to try to fix it with a timesert because I can’t drop the subframe myself and change the oil pan and I’d rather not pay +$1.5K to get it replaced at a shop.

I know the oil drain plug is a size M12x1.5 and 16.2mm and I have a timesert kit for that size.

My question is if anyone sees any draw backs to using a M12x1.5 and 9.2mm timesert? This would be a shorter drain plug size than the OEM drain plug. My logic is that if I use a timesert shorter that 16.2mm I wont be going through the whole 16.2mm drain hole in the oil pan when installing the 9.2mm timesert and therefore minimizing the metal shavings inside the oil pan. It might be a stretch in logic, I know, but I want to minimize the chance of metal shavings in my oil pan while still doing the timesert repair. I also know to flush oil through the pan after doing the repair will help drain some excess oil shavings but I want to be very cautious

So what do you guys think? Would a 9.2mm length drain plug be “weaker” and risk falling out/leaking while driving or are there other draw backs like maybe the next guy who changes the oil (not me) uses a 16.2mm plug and damages the threads because they didn’t know the bolt length changed to 9.2mm?

Or should I just stick to the 16.2mm length drain plug like OEM because that’s how the engineers designed it and why change that?

Please let me know your thoughts!

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