I need to pull the oil pan, but have a heavily rusted oil pan bolt that I rounded off. Well more like rounded and tapered. Before I cut and drill it out, does anyone have any tricks/tools that I could try. I have tried undersized sockets and every vise grip known to man. It is near the back of the pan driver side, so there is some working room. Its on a 93 F-150 302 M/T.

 

there are a couple of things you can do depending on you skills, amount of room and equipment. You could weld a nut to the head of the bolt. Use a 12 point socket undersized and pound it on. Cut the head of the bolt off and grab at the rest when the pan is off. Use a set of torches and heat the area of the block around the bolt than try to remove. I personally like the welding of a Nut to the bolt. I grind the head of the bolt or stud till some nice shiny metal is showing then take a clean nut making sure the inner diameter fits over the head or stud and then weld.The heat from the weld will work it's way down the bolt or stud and help with the removal. What ever you do make sure you use hand tools. Impacts and air rachets tend to be to agressive when dealing with rounded bolts, studs or nuts..

 

^^^^^
Very good advice.

 

If you don't have access to a welder, You can center punch the head, drill (not enough to take the head off) & use an easy out. You'll have more "meat" for it to grab hold to than if it was broken off.

 

Another good way is to grind two sides flat and put a wrench on there if you can.

Also, if you're taking any more off, specifically use a six-point socket, I rounded off lots of bolts until I started using 6-points whenever possible.

 

you might try one of these on it

 

I've used all three suggested so far......they all work pretty good....