Help! Trouble removing oil drain plug!

Who would have known?



http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/article.html?My_lovely_goat&in_article_id=384762&in_page_id=2

 

Rather sheepish looking animal!

Was your photo taken in "Ram"stein?

 

Just an FYI tip for anyone in this situation,

You can dip the tip of the allen socket in some valve grinding compound and tap it in. the compound being abrasive binds the socket into the plug and you can put quite a bit of force on it to remove.

works well on those stubborn phillips screws and small allens that strip out easily.

would still replace it after in any case....

lot of good tips on here...

Regards, Jim

 

This is one of those things that might be "less is more". While you certainly don't want to make it so loose to have the plug unscrew itself, I've also been told that told that putting it at full torque can be risky to the case. Well, I'm talking about a 360 case, so YMMV with a 3X8.
I did a good snug job on mine, but did not fully torque it as the threads looked far too delicate.



And a general tip - if you are in a bind and your allen wrench is rounded off, I've used a correct sized bolt (perhaps having to take it down a little in size if need be). Take the bolt, press it into a sacrificial socket of the appropriate size to firmly grip the bolt and voila.... you've just made an allen driver.
If you get just the right bolt and socket, this can be quite strong. I have one in my toolset that I've made and can post a pic if any interest.

 

Pics!

 

Good to hear.

 

Ok, here she blows -
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Notice I used a 5/16" socket. Just picked a nice snug fit for the shaft of the bolt; just wanted slightly smaller than the bolt so only the threads of the bolt get mashed, yet the socket doesn't have to become overly stretched.


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Simply took the two peices to my bench vice and cranked down until the end of the bolt bottomed out inside the socket.


Not how the bolt head is extra thick... this seems to work a little better inside the drain plug.

 

Sweet!

 

Interesting solution. My original thought was that as you tighten the bolt into the socket, the walls of the socket would simply split.

 

I have used bolts in the past, but not like this. I get the bolt I need and I wind a nut on the bolt and then weld the nut on. I then stick the head of the bolt in the allen head bolt and put a spanner or socket on the welded nut end. That has worked for me many times too.

 

When I have mechanical trouble like this I simply bend way over the car til my cleavage shows and then a strong guy helps me.... no, wait...that's what my wife does.

 

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Advice in this thread helped me get my plug out. Anyone know part number for the replacement plug?

 

I don't know but it comes with the oil change kit from Ricambi.

 

Here's a new product that may be helpful. I've yet to try it myself, but it looks very cool. (no pun intended)

http://www.loctitefreezeandrelease.com/

 

I've used it, and it does work.