Bought some drain plug seals (here is part #)

[CapitalTruck]

If anybody with a GMT-900 is interested, I was able to get replacement oil drain plug gaskets for my 2013 4.8L (I'm guessing it will fit the 5.3 also).

 

12616850 is the part number. I like to change them when I change my oil. No reason to change the whole plug.

 

I got mine from Group 1 Auto Parts. (www.group1autoparts.com)

 

 

[Cowpie]

You could also have gotten a Fumoto drain valve to replace the plug and then that would have solved the problem for the life of your vehicle. And made oil changes less messy also! I put a Fumoto on my 2013 5.3L at the first oil change. Have them on every other vehicle, tractor, etc I have owned for the last decade. Even on a Jeep that got some serious off road use.

 

http://www.qwikvalve.com

[CapitalTruck]

I've seen those. My worry is one: that I will somehow hit a branch or something and be unlucky enough to have the thing open, two: that having the drain plug size reduced will allow some trash to remain in the oil pan during oil changes. Do you think that's unwarranted?

[Cowpie]

Probably. I have used the drain valves on Jeeps that did serious off road, a couple of semi trucks, a couple of farm pickups, and a couple of ag tractors. I have one on a compact tractor loader also, and that thing get some serious workouts mowing road ditches (including small trees), pushing up trees that we have cut down, etc. Have never had an issue with the valve. As for "catching" the lever and causing it to open, not going to happen. It is spring loaded into a notch in the valve. It takes lifting it out of the notch and rotating it. They even offer a spring clip to secure it even further. If you get into something that would open the valve, you probably have other damage that would take your mind off of the valve.