Everytime I go to do an oil change the nut does not budge. I use wrneches and all but still nothing that is why I do not do them myself. Any esuggestions on making the nut easy 2 come off?
Oil nut does not come off
- Thread starter Hpisavage21
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This is easy if you're careful. First use a perfectly-fitting socket to remove the old plug, using a breaker bar if necessary. Then buy a new plug and a torque wrench at the auto supply. Torque the plug to the value given for your engine and your problems are over. Just be sure to torque to spec every time, and lose the grease monkeys.
Hondas and maybe others, require a new crush washer every time. Tightening it up tight enough to keep the old one from leaking will make it too hard to get loose. I have always had trouble with the steel plug in the aluminum housing of my truck transmission. Somebody suggested anti seize. I haven't tried it, but it could help.
The threads on the pan are probably already ruined because some less than knowledgeable mechanic "made sure" that the plug would not fall out. The Fram "Sure Drain" or the even better "Fumoto" valve would be the best solution once the original plug is removed. In any case , there is no reason to overtighten the plug..
Without a torque wrench the rule of thumb is to tighten it with no more force than you want to use when you want to loosen it.
If the threads are ruined, there are available universal rubber repair inserts that do not involve dropping the pan or drilling and tapping.
These are ok but you have to keep an eye on them to check for loosening or deterioration.
Without a torque wrench the rule of thumb is to tighten it with no more force than you want to use when you want to loosen it.
If the threads are ruined, there are available universal rubber repair inserts that do not involve dropping the pan or drilling and tapping.
These are ok but you have to keep an eye on them to check for loosening or deterioration.
Eat more spinach!! Geritol is also a good source of iron.
Figure out why it is diffacult to remove. It is due to some knuckle head lube shop that is easy fix. If the plug is tapered self tapping that would explain it as well.
If it is an import most are easy to install until the last turn or two. This is true with removal as well. The first turn or two is the hardest. A lot of Domestics use masively tapered self tapping bolts that are hard to get out and in from the first turn until just before the last turn.
You are not going to hurt anything by useing a lot of very quick force to break it loose. You do not want to over tighten when re-installing it. Make sure it is not cross threaded and that you are pulling in the right direction!
Figure out why it is diffacult to remove. It is due to some knuckle head lube shop that is easy fix. If the plug is tapered self tapping that would explain it as well.
If it is an import most are easy to install until the last turn or two. This is true with removal as well. The first turn or two is the hardest. A lot of Domestics use masively tapered self tapping bolts that are hard to get out and in from the first turn until just before the last turn.
You are not going to hurt anything by useing a lot of very quick force to break it loose. You do not want to over tighten when re-installing it. Make sure it is not cross threaded and that you are pulling in the right direction!
Get that plug off and put in a sure drain. Its the only way to make changing oil less messy and no drain plug to deal with.
I'm with Ed in preferring the Fumoto.
www.fumotovalve.com
I have had them on all my vehicles for the last 5 years.
To remove the drain plug, put pressure on it with the wrench or breaker bar, and tap the end of the bar with a hammer. The vibrations from the hammer blows will loosen the plug. Hopefully.......
www.fumotovalve.com
I have had them on all my vehicles for the last 5 years.
To remove the drain plug, put pressure on it with the wrench or breaker bar, and tap the end of the bar with a hammer. The vibrations from the hammer blows will loosen the plug. Hopefully.......
No engine comes with a self tapping plug. Aforementioned knucklehead is probably responsible.
All plugs should come out by hand once loosened. If not there is damage to the plug or pan. Usually a new plug does the trick, and they are made softer than the pan. If the pan is damaged, you best bet is to replace it or use one of the plug substitutes listed above.
-T
Well all of my Domestic vechiles have been used. That would explain why they all had self taping tapered drain plugs. They all looked to nice to be a universal replacment though. The one on my wifes Lasaber has an excellent seal built into it. The seal is almost like an airbag. I assumed it had to be OEM.
Now I am going to have to go into work and look at a blue print of the oil plug on my car! I often woundered if the previous owner of most of my used cars had gone to oil change places! I too thought that it was odd that a company would use a tapered self taping plug!! I saw them on a Ford,Buick,Chevy and many other Domestic makes so I "assumed" that must be a norm for domestic brands!Live and learn!!
Now I am going to have to go into work and look at a blue print of the oil plug on my car! I often woundered if the previous owner of most of my used cars had gone to oil change places! I too thought that it was odd that a company would use a tapered self taping plug!! I saw them on a Ford,Buick,Chevy and many other Domestic makes so I "assumed" that must be a norm for domestic brands!Live and learn!!
GM uses either a 1/2-20 plug with 9\16 hex(older models) or a a M12-1.75 plug with 15mm hex(newer models). This covers about 90% of all GMs. Both plugs are self centering and have a built in washer. M12 plugs have a small rubber O-ring built in. 3.8s used the 1/2 plug until 94, 95+ models used the M12.
-T
-T
If your drain pulg is stuck, smack your ratchet with a rubber mallet. Works everytime for me. The place my Dad goes to puts it on so tight that I can not even get it off with a 2 foot breaker bar by hand. Well, I take that back. It DID break free once while using the breaker bar, but my hand quickly came up and sliced a nice large bloody gash on an exhaust heatshield, so I learned my lesson to just smack it loose with a mallet and conserve my blood
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