OIL LEVEL ADJUSTER

Abstract

An oil level adjuster is basically provided with a plug seat, a tubular member and a drain plug. The plug seat has a lower end and an upper end with a drain bore extending between the lower and upper ends for draining oil from an oil pan. The plug seat also has a drainage passageway spaced from the upper end towards the lower end. The tubular member is removably installed in the drain bore and projects beyond the upper end of the plug seat, with the tubular member covering the drainage passageway when fully installed and exposing the drainage passageway to the drain bore when at least partially removed. The drain plug is removably installed in the drain bore of the plug seat to plug the drain bore.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the attached drawings which form a part of this original disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of an oil pan in its installed state with an oil level adjuster in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, partial cross sectional view of a portion of the oil pan in FIG. 1 with the oil level adjuster in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of a portion of the oil pan in FIG. 1 with an oil level adjuster in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An oil level adjuster comprising: a plug seat including a lower end and an upper end with a drain bore extending between the lower and upper ends for draining oil from an oil pan, the plug seat further including a drainage passageway spaced from the upper end towards the lower end;a tubular member removably installed in the drain bore and projecting beyond the upper end of the plug seat, with the tubular member covering the drainage passageway when fully installed and exposing the drainage passageway to the drain bore when at least partially removed; anda drain plug removably installed in the drain bore of the plug seat to plug the drain bore.

2. The oil level adjuster as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tubular member and the drain plug are in threaded into the drain bore to be selectively installed and removed.

3. The oil level adjuster as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plug seat includes at least one additional drainage passageway that is covered by the tubular member when the tubular member is fully installed into the drain bore and exposed by the tubular member to fluidly communicate with the drain bore when the tubular member is at least partially removed from the drain bore.

4. The oil level adjuster as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plug seat includes an exterior oil pan portion and an interior oil pan portion with the drainage passageway being disposed in the exterior oil pan portion so that the drainage passageway is disposed below a casing mounting surface of the oil pan.

5. The oil level adjuster as set forth in claim 1, wherein the plug seat includes an exterior oil pan portion and an interior oil pan portion with the drainage passageway being disposed in the interior oil pan portion so that the drainage passageway is disposed above a bottom wall of the oil pan.

6. The oil level adjuster as set forth in claim 2, wherein the plug seat includes at least one additional drainage passageway that is covered by the tubular member when the tubular member is fully installed into the drain bore and exposed by the tubular member to fluidly communicate with the drain bore when the tubular member is at least partially removed from the drain bore.

7. The oil level adjuster as set forth in claim 2, wherein the plug seat includes an exterior oil pan portion and an interior oil pan portion with the drainage passageway being disposed in the exterior oil pan portion so that the drainage passageway is disposed below a casing mounting surface of the oil pan.

8. The oil level adjuster as set forth in claim 2, wherein the plug seat includes an exterior oil pan portion and an interior oil pan portion with the drainage passageway being disposed in the interior oil pan portion so that the drainage passageway is disposed above a bottom wall of the oil pan.

9. The oil level adjuster as set forth in claim 3, wherein the plug seat includes an exterior oil pan portion and an interior oil pan portion with the drainage passageway being disposed in the exterior oil pan portion so that the drainage passageway is disposed below a casing mounting surface of the oil pan.

10. The oil level adjuster as set forth in claim 3, wherein the plug seat includes an exterior oil pan portion and an interior oil pan portion with the drainage passageway being disposed in the interior oil pan portion so that the drainage passageway is disposed above a bottom wall of the oil pan.

11. The oil level adjuster as set forth in claim 6, wherein the plug seat includes an exterior oil pan portion and an interior oil pan portion with the drainage passageway being disposed in the exterior oil pan portion so that the drainage passageway is disposed below a casing mounting surface of the oil pan.

12. The oil level adjuster as set forth in claim 6, wherein the plug seat includes an exterior oil pan portion and an interior oil pan portion with the drainage passageway being disposed in the interior oil pan portion so that the drainage passageway is disposed above a bottom wall of the oil pan.