Drain plug trick

[inspekor]

Here's a trick I recently came up with to save my fingers from the hot drain plug and hot oil. I tear a 1/4" strip of cardboard from the filter box and fold it over the edge of a deep-well socket and push it onto the plug. After breaking the plug loose, remove the ratchet, and remove the plug and socket
together by hand. This will hold the plug in the socket while removing, protecting your fingers and hopefully keep you from dropping it into pan.

 

[Donald]

Also many drain pans have a screen on the top thus you can drop the plug and it will not go far.

 

[wavinwayne]

Good idea; I wonder if any company makes magnetic sockets? A magnetic socket would work very well for the same purpose.

 

[brianl703]

Next time you have a hard drive fail (or, more likely, go obsolete) on you, rip it apart to get the very strong magnets out of it (you can't miss 'em). They're very good for magnetizing screwdrivers, and, I would guess, sockets.

 

[eljefino]

I use a flap of the oil filter cardboard as a sponge/wick that I dip in oil for smearing on the new filter's gasket. Keeps the fingers cleaner.

 

[97f150]

quote:

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Originally posted by wavinwayne:
Good idea; I wonder if any company makes magnetic sockets? A magnetic socket would work very well for the same purpose.

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I dont have no magnetic socket but I do have a magnetic drain plug, if I dont finish unthreading the plug by hand, it will stick to the socket preventing it from falling into the drain pan. Used to be a time when I wouldnt worry about the plug falling into the oil, thats cause I used to use a ditch to drain the oil.

 

[Dark Jedi]

I just screw it off. its not that hot. Maybe taking off oil caps on the B-52 bombers. after a 14 hour mission. has harden my skin over the years. so the oil plug doenst seem hot to me.


you could after loosen it. use an extention on the end of the socket. and twist it off.

 

[Laminar Lou]

quote:

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Originally posted by wavinwayne:
Good idea; I wonder if any company makes magnetic sockets? A magnetic socket would work very well for the same purpose.

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Funny, I saw this last night in the Griot's catalog and put it on my wish list. I figure it will be good for my spark plug removal on the Tundra:

http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?&SKU=92317

 

[wavinwayne]

Neato