After 75,000 milesmy oil plug theads have been "worked" and I stripped mine with little effort. I read this has happened to the Intrepid's also. New pan and gasket from Mopar $165. Be appraised the newer redesigned pan will have a different number than the OEM one. I'm not sure how many years they used that pan on the 2.0 L engine.

 

similar thing happened to me, why dont you have a helicoil fitted

 

Thanks for response. I think Dodge should step up on this issue. Helicoil would be more economical, however I have no experience in that and I'm not trusting myself in that area of the motor. I most certainly am not trusting my dealership to do that. I can just see my wife calling me from along side a road somewhere saying the car blew up and the dealer will sell me a new motor for $3000.
Also at 40,000 miles I had to have the o-rings in the valve cover replaced. (spark plug tubes) Dealer at that time wanted to put a rear main seal and head gasket on the motor due to an oil leak ($1800)
Here the $5 oil filter was breached.

 

They used an aluminum pan witha steel drain plug. I would just go get a tapping set and a larger plug. Flush a little oil to get the shavings out of the pan. If you take it to the dealership, they will tell you to get a new pan.

 

OK. I want to take the pan off anyhow to judge the state of the motor. I might find I need to trade it in NOW.

 

do you need to remove the motor to replace the oil pan

 

No, remove a tranny bracket and it should come straight down. After some thought drilling itand putting a bigger plug in it is not an option. Your screwing with the cars "blood". Also you're putting a bigger plug in a thinner metal. Be ok if I was the only one driving it, but I don't need a catastrophic failure and a wife being severely upset about it. $165 anda couple hours on my shop floor is a pitance for a week of her crying.