12 mm allen for oil change? | FerrariChat

12 mm allen for oil change?

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by rickjaffe, Mar 26, 2005.

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  1. rickjaffe

    rickjaffe Formula Junior

    Mar 6, 2005
    363
    houston
    Full Name:
    richard jaffe
    I want to confirm that the oil drain plug requires a 12mm allen wrench. I've got a complete allen standard/mm set and it only goes up to 10mm. my local mechanic also didn't have a 12 and my local o'reilly auto parts store also only had them up to 10. Is it really 12mm or did I misremember the size? if my memory hasn't failed me, where do you get a 12 mm?
     
  2. Dr_ferrari

    Dr_ferrari Formula 3
    Consultant Professional Ferrari Technician

    Nov 2, 2003
    1,067
    Pocono Sportscar
    Full Name:
    Jim McGee
    yes it is a 12mm... your memory is intact..

    best regards, jim
     
  3. Vito

    Vito Formula Junior
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 29, 2004
    451
    Dutchess County, NY
    You might try your local NAPA auto parts store and Sears. I have NAPA and Craftsman allen sockets, for use on a 3/8" ratchet wrench, up to 14 mm. The larger sizes were used on Fiats as well.
     
  4. jon s

    jon s Formula Junior

    Mar 9, 2005
    509
    pocasset ma
    Full Name:
    jon shoukimas MD
    a bolt with 12 mm across the head flats and a vise grip works fine. just make sure your fully in the plug before applying torque. good luck - jon s.
     
  5. TOM B

    TOM B Formula 3

    Jul 24, 2003
    1,038
    Orange County, NY
    Full Name:
    Thomas Buckley
    I got tired of the vise grips-on-the-allen-wrench-thing. I bought a 12mm allen key, cut off a length, and welded it into a 12mm socket. I could never find a 12mm allen socket either.

    Tom
     
  6. TOM B

    TOM B Formula 3

    Jul 24, 2003
    1,038
    Orange County, NY
    Full Name:
    Thomas Buckley

    Hey Jim.

    Do you and the boys miss me and the dirty Mondial yet? :)

    Tom
     
  7. Dr_ferrari

    Dr_ferrari Formula 3
    Consultant Professional Ferrari Technician

    Nov 2, 2003
    1,067
    Pocono Sportscar
    Full Name:
    Jim McGee

    Tom,

    we are actually waiting for the clean mini.........

    best regards, jim
     
  8. dgrperformance

    dgrperformance Formula Junior

    Feb 28, 2005
    311
    Oceanside, CA
    go to BMW or Mercedes and buy the factory tool, there not that much money. Or buy one directly from Hazet.
     
  9. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
    6,687
    North shore, MA
    Full Name:
    THE Birdman
    I bought a set containing an 11 mm and a 12 mm made by SK online. Just do a search. Sears didn't have anything larger than 10 mm.

    I don't know what kind of mega-visegrips you guys use, but I want a set of those. My drain plugs were so tight from the previous owners that it took a 1/2" drive breaker bar to get them loose. A vise-grip on a 12 mm bolt would have been an exercise in futility!

    Be sure to replace the crush washer. They are cheap as dirt. Order about 10 at a time and you'll never run out. Re-using crush washers is why they leak and people overtighten them. Remember if you overtighten this thing you can strip the threads pretty easily. It's only aluminum.

    Birdman
     
  10. rickjaffe

    rickjaffe Formula Junior

    Mar 6, 2005
    363
    houston
    Full Name:
    richard jaffe
    "Be sure to replace the crush washer. They are cheap as dirt."

    give me a hint here. what are they exactly and where do you get them?
     
  11. Glassman

    Glassman F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed Silver Subscribed

    Any decent hardware store will have jumbo metric allen wrenches. Then get a two foot piece of steel pipe that just fits over it for a breaker bar.
    Mine was on so tight the first time I drained the oil that I thought I was going to rip the plug right out of the pan.
     
  12. DGS

    DGS Six Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    May 27, 2003
    60,049
    MidTN
    Full Name:
    DGS
    I got a set of three hex keys (12,14,17mm) for 1/2inch drive from Auto Zone.
     
  13. Ricambi America

    Ricambi America F1 World Champ
    Sponsor Owner

    Sears, baby. It really is the brighter side of life.
     
  14. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
    6,687
    North shore, MA
    Full Name:
    THE Birdman
    Rick-
    The crush washer is just a copper washer between the oil pan and the plug. It is soft and "squishes" ever so slightly when you tighten down the plug, and forms a nice tight seal without having to resort to gorilla tactics. If you re-use the old one, it is already squished and may not work well. Some people say you can re-use them if you heat them red hot with a torch, but they cost less than a buck, so why bother?

    There is nothing fancy about them. If you can find them locally, there is nothing magical about the Ferrari ones. My local Napa didn't have them large enough, so I just bought them from Dennis McCann (www.allferrariparts.com) along with my order for some other stuff. They are like $.50 each, so buy a dozen at a time. On a 308/Mondial, the same one is used in the engine oil drain, transaxle drain, transaxle fill hole, transfer gear case drain and transfer gear case fill, so it never hurts to have a stash of them.

    Birdman
     
  15. dbcooper

    dbcooper Formula Junior

    Feb 7, 2005
    281
    Costa Mesa,Ca.
    Full Name:
    Tim Romero
    Are you working on a 360?If I remember correctly in addition to a 12mm allen wrench you also need a 14mm allen wrench.this is 360 only I believe.
     
  16. pma1010

    pma1010 F1 Rookie

    Jul 21, 2002
    2,559
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    Philip
    Snap On has them. 3/8ths drive.
     

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