2010 Silverado 5.3 Oil Drain Plug

BIGREDCHEVY · January 21, 2011

I am going to change the oil on my 2010 Silverado Z71 Saturday for the 1st time.

It has the aluminum 5.3 engine. I have a couple of questions.

1.Does anyone have any pictures showing the oil plug location ?

2. What is the torque spec on the oil plug ? Since it's an aluminum oil pan, I would rather use a torque wrench to make sure that I don't overtighten the plug.

3. Is necessary to use anti-seize on the oil drain plug ?

Thanks for any help and suggestions !

kdixer · January 21, 2011

I am going to change the oil on my 2010 Silverado Z71 Saturday for the 1st time.
It has the aluminum 5.3 engine. I have a couple of questions.

1.Does anyone have any pictures showing the oil plug location ?

2. What is the torque spec on the oil plug ? Since it's an aluminum oil pan, I would rather use a torque wrench to make sure that I don't overtighten the plug.

3. Is necessary to use anti-seize on the oil drain plug ?

Thanks for any help and suggestions !

1. bottom passenger side of oil pan. 15mm wrench

2. just tighten with a wrench. you will feel the rubber seal bottom out, then just give it a fraction more. It is not likely to loosen so no need to get carried away.

3. no anti sieze necessary. there will be enough oil left in the valley of the threads.

LeoS41280 · January 21, 2011

I am going to change the oil on my 2010 Silverado Z71 Saturday for the 1st time.
It has the aluminum 5.3 engine. I have a couple of questions.

1.Does anyone have any pictures showing the oil plug location ?

2. What is the torque spec on the oil plug ? Since it's an aluminum oil pan, I would rather use a torque wrench to make sure that I don't overtighten the plug.

3. Is necessary to use anti-seize on the oil drain plug ?

Thanks for any help and suggestions !

1. bottom passenger side of oil pan. 15mm wrench

2. just tighten with a wrench. you will feel the rubber seal bottom out, then just give it a fraction more. It is not likely to loosen so no need to get carried away.

3. no anti sieze necessary. there will be enough oil left in the valley of the threads.

I would also add when you take the plug out, be ready for the oil to shoot out a long ways.

AGT · January 21, 2011

Amen to this...It shoots almost over to the tire and then slowly gets back to the plug hole

I am going to change the oil on my 2010 Silverado Z71 Saturday for the 1st time.
It has the aluminum 5.3 engine. I have a couple of questions.

1.Does anyone have any pictures showing the oil plug location ?

2. What is the torque spec on the oil plug ? Since it's an aluminum oil pan, I would rather use a torque wrench to make sure that I don't overtighten the plug.

3. Is necessary to use anti-seize on the oil drain plug ?

Thanks for any help and suggestions !

1. bottom passenger side of oil pan. 15mm wrench

2. just tighten with a wrench. you will feel the rubber seal bottom out, then just give it a fraction more. It is not likely to loosen so no need to get carried away.

3. no anti sieze necessary. there will be enough oil left in the valley of the threads.

I would also add when you take the plug out, be ready for the oil to shoot out a long ways.

Austin83 · January 21, 2011

I am going to change the oil on my 2010 Silverado Z71 Saturday for the 1st time.
It has the aluminum 5.3 engine. I have a couple of questions.

1.Does anyone have any pictures showing the oil plug location ?

2. What is the torque spec on the oil plug ? Since it's an aluminum oil pan, I would rather use a torque wrench to make sure that I don't overtighten the plug.

3. Is necessary to use anti-seize on the oil drain plug ?

Thanks for any help and suggestions !

1. bottom passenger side of oil pan. 15mm wrench

2. just tighten with a wrench. you will feel the rubber seal bottom out, then just give it a fraction more. It is not likely to loosen so no need to get carried away.

3. no anti sieze necessary. there will be enough oil left in the valley of the threads.

I would also add when you take the plug out, be ready for the oil to shoot out a long ways.

Yes, it almost shoots all of the way to the tire! I learned my lesson.

spankrz · January 21, 2011

yes, it is defanitally a surprise the first time you pull the plug. have fun with that haha. by the way, this is my first post on this forum

tanked_darren · January 21, 2011

I have a small foot-pounds torque wrench, I use it to put my plug back on, it wastes no extra time to use, and that way I know its done right.

NO to the never-sieze

old-chevy-dude · January 21, 2011

anyone know the thread pitch on the drain plug so when I change mine for the first time I can install one of these:

http://www.quickoildrainvalve.com/

tanked_darren · January 21, 2011

anyone know the thread pitch on the drain plug so when I change mine for the first time I can install one of these:

http://www.quickoildrainvalve.com/

I like that idea, its something I see on the D-10 Caterpillars at my work, but that being said they have pipe plugs on the end as well incase it fails, where these it does not look like they do. If they are not capped off as well, my advice would be to pass.

Jay69 · January 21, 2011

anyone know the thread pitch on the drain plug so when I change mine for the first time I can install one of these:

http://www.quickoildrainvalve.com/

Not a bad idea, wonder how well it really works. After changing my own oil for the past 20 years I wish I had one of these.

dsr611 · January 21, 2011

anyone know the thread pitch on the drain plug so when I change mine for the first time I can install one of these:

http://www.quickoildrainvalve.com/

M12-1.75

texasblueline · January 21, 2011

Here's a pic of where it's located:

anyone know the thread pitch on the drain plug so when I change mine for the first time I can install one of these:

http://www.quickoildrainvalve.com/

I've also been thinking of getting one of those Fumoto drain valves (was leaning towards the one with the nipple for a drain hose to be attached to it). The F-107 and the F-107N (has the nipple) should be the correct part number for our engines. If you're worried about it the Fumoto site suggests getting a hose clip to secure around the release lever for added security. You could even maybe use a small hose clamp that'd require you to unscrew it first before activating the lever. But since, on these 5.3L engines at least, the plug exits to the side like that I wouldn't think there's much of a risk.

I'd also like to try one of these oil filter drain tools as well to puncture and drain most of the oil from the filter before removing it.

I figure if both those products work as advertised they could take most of the mess out of my oil changes.

MikeNH · January 22, 2011

Never liked any of those things that supposedly make the oil changes "easier". Every one of those easy drain valves flow much less so the drain takes longer and with a vertical oil filter the mess is minimal. Then again I spent like 3 years in a dealership so I probably did more oil changes in a month back then than most folks do in their entire life.

SouthCo · January 22, 2011

Glad I stumbled accross this thread. I would have made a mess. Maybe I'll get a bigger oil catch container. I'm used to the distance of the gmt800's that squirt rearward but sounds like these go quite a bit further.

kdixer · January 22, 2011

Here's a pic of where it's located:

anyone know the thread pitch on the drain plug so when I change mine for the first time I can install one of these:

http://www.quickoildrainvalve.com/

I've also been thinking of getting one of those Fumoto drain valves (was leaning towards the one with the nipple for a drain hose to be attached to it). The F-107 and the F-107N (has the nipple) should be the correct part number for our engines. If you're worried about it the Fumoto site suggests getting a hose clip to secure around the release lever for added security. You could even maybe use a small hose clamp that'd require you to unscrew it first before activating the lever. But since, on these 5.3L engines at least, the plug exits to the side like that I wouldn't think there's much of a risk.

I'd also like to try one of these oil filter drain tools as well to puncture and drain most of the oil from the filter before removing it.

I figure if both those products work as advertised they could take most of the mess out of my oil changes.

Access is very limited to the oil filter. Not sure there is enough room to use the filter drain on these trucks.

Glad I stumbled accross this thread. I would have made a mess. Maybe I'll get a bigger oil catch container. I'm used to the distance of the gmt800's that squirt rearward but sounds like these go quite a bit further.

They squirt out the same as the gmt800's. It is just to the side now v/s to the rear. I used to let it squirt into a funnel over my drain pan until I mastered the art of proper pan location. I usually put the pan where I think it will hit and slide it about 8" farther. Works every time.