Oil pan drain plug
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Oil pan drain plug
I know this is a silly question but at least it will provide for laughs. The drain plug on the oil pan is unbelievably tight...too tight. I always do it myself but last time my wife took it to Jiffy Lube. I cannot get that sucker off and now Jiffy Lube won't touch it due to being stripped(stripped when I got under it..HMMM)..any suggestions? It's a 97' Explorer 5.0L..and I have tried everything. Anything more powerful than your average socket/w breaker bar literally just eats up the bolt. I even considered I was turing the wrong way!!! Help..Going crazy here!!! Thanks in advance...Jim
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Joined: Dec 2003
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From: S/C Texas
Drill it out with one of those handy little bolt extracters, and retap the hole and put in a new plug. Also, you can get self tapping oversized plugs, fix with the same effect. They make little rubber plugs, but they dont screw in. So I dont like em.
Jiffy lube should remove it, but you have to tell them its okay to trash the plug and resize it. They've done it before.
Jiffy lube should remove it, but you have to tell them its okay to trash the plug and resize it. They've done it before.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 383
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From: Mililani, Hawaii
same issue on my moms windstar...the morons (aka j-team) put an impact wrench on it a rounded the bolt off... I had to use vise grips to get it off.
are the threads stripped...or did the bolt round off? try to stick some vise grips on it...those things are amazing...plus you can get kits to get them off. its like a cap that you tap onto the bolt head with a hammer then put a socket on that cap. I think craftsman just started making a set.
are the threads stripped...or did the bolt round off? try to stick some vise grips on it...those things are amazing...plus you can get kits to get them off. its like a cap that you tap onto the bolt head with a hammer then put a socket on that cap. I think craftsman just started making a set.
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From: Metro Detroit (Redford)
Maybe you can file two new flats on the nut. Put a thin sheet metal against the pan so you don't file into it.
If the threads in the pan are partly messed up, you may want to go with a Fram Sure Drain or similar device. Install once and never mess with the threads again.
If the threads in the pan are partly messed up, you may want to go with a Fram Sure Drain or similar device. Install once and never mess with the threads again.
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Joined: Aug 2003
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Lots of good suggestions above.
If its stripped and just spinning, perhaps a pair of vice grips would get it out.
You can pick up an oversize plug at most auto parts stores. My last used truck had the drain plug put back in crossthreaded. The sad thing was it had to have been the Ford dealer where we bought it because they had an oil change sticker on it...
I keep looking at that Sure Drain setup...
If its stripped and just spinning, perhaps a pair of vice grips would get it out.
You can pick up an oversize plug at most auto parts stores. My last used truck had the drain plug put back in crossthreaded. The sad thing was it had to have been the Ford dealer where we bought it because they had an oil change sticker on it...
I keep looking at that Sure Drain setup...
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From: Mililani, Hawaii
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Post Fiend
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From: Iowa
I've found out that vice grips + hammer = bolt / plug out. Every time. If the threads are messed up, go buy the appropriately sized tap and tap new threads in. I tend not to like self tapping anything, since if you get it slightly crooked to begin with you'll end up with weak threads.
Edit: There should be plenty of oil down there for the tap.
Edit: There should be plenty of oil down there for the tap.
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Joined: Feb 2004
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From: St. Louis region
I'd use a dremel tool and grind out a slot and use a big flat head screw driver, unless the head's not rounded off and it's the threads that you're talking about. Then I'd just have it retapped.
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