STUCK FILL PLUGS... ANY IDEAS ?

[JAYCEE]

I have 2 4X4 trucks, a 92 Toyota and a 89 Mazda. The fill plug on both transfers are stuck. I have tried an air wrench, socket with a long pipe, hitting a wrench with a hammer, and on the Mazda a heating torch. The plug won't budge.

Any ideas?

 

[keval85]

Heat up area around plug,insert 1/2" drive ratchet and tap with hammer ,should come out easily,,,,,,,good luck JAYCEE

 

[cousincletus]

You could drill the plug out or weld an old or cheapie extension to it if you rounded out the square hole.

 

[Kestas]

Next time you heat it, melt some candle wax at the threads. I've only tried this once, but it worked like a charm.

Is this a steel plug in an aluminm case?

 

[michael harris]

are these the square 1/2" drive type plugs.? if so, I suggest a breaker bar/extension setup and steady constant pressure over air ratchet type load. once out obviously anti-seize and less torque is to be used. but heat around the plug and do it with the bar in place as it will act as a heat tranfer to help keep the plug from expanding.
44H

 

[H2GURU]

Get some PB BLASTER, heat it up again, let it cool for about 5 mins. and spray on the solvent. Drink 2 beers to give it(SOLVENT)time to work its way into threads. It will come out and when it does apply CANT SEIZE to ease next P.M.

 

[Donald]

I agree with heating and spraying the PB Blaster. But if your not in too much of a hurry, I would spray some PB Blaster on a heated surface but wait a day or two.

I have also heard but never tried candle wax.

What about a 1/2" "L" bar with a 4' pipe attached. You will have a whole lot of force. When you bend the "L" bar you can return it to Sears for a new one.

3/4" impact wrench?

You could try to tighten it slightly then loosen, it may break the rust.

 

[Curious Kid]

I remember the guys at the engine shop would heat the galley plugs cherry read with a torch and then place a block of paraffin wax on it momentarily. They then applied a wrench and to my amazement they would come out seemingly without effort.

I'm not sure you would want to use so much heat on the diff cover with oil at it's backside (granted you're changing it)...not to mention the fuel tank near by. I know a full fuel tank is better than one that's nearly empty due to less vapors, but it's just a fear of mine.

If like another questioned you have steel against aluminum, I have found this maiting to be a pain (Aluminum rims with tappered steel bolts in my case). Aluminum to aluminum is a nightmare! I guess one could say the aluminum spalls, causes jaming and in the case of the small bolt assemblies I've delt with where both pieces were aluminum, the bolt would shear/break.

Good luck, and consider anti-sieze and light torquing for next time.

 

[simple_gifts]

http://www.kanolabs.com/

aerokroil? I seem to recall this being one of the best penetrating oils out there.

 

[Kestas]

Instead of anti-sieze I sometimes use teflon tape.

(aluminum galls, not spalls)

 

[pastmaster]

Real Bee's Wax! Heat the plug as before and place the Bee's Wax against it and let it melt into the threads, just like Kestas says!

There is something in the Bee's Wax, that makes this better than anything else. A friend of mine who was a real engine engineer at Ford Motor Company, in Dearborn, told me this works when everything else fails! REAL BEE'S WAX!

 

[muddawgs]

second the pb blaster. never tried the wax deal.. and be careful on the torque when you tighten them backup. i've heard of guys cracking and stripping threads on them and having to jb weld or boat plug it. good luck...

..mudd

 

[Kestas]

quote:

---

There is something in the Bee's Wax, that makes this better than anything else. A friend of mine who was a real engine engineer at Ford Motor Company, in Dearborn, told me this works when everything else fails! REAL BEE'S WAX!

---

Well, now you know TWO people who were real engine engineers at Ford Motor Co, in Dearborn, who recommend using wax!

 

[JAYCEE]

The fill plug is a square bolt(!). It reminds me of a plug on old lawn mowers. The square is a male, not a female (you cannot insert a bare ratchet into it). I think it is steel against aluminum. I will try the beeswax.

Thanks!

 

[1sttruck]

"Instead of anti-sieze I sometimes use teflon tape."

I used some plumber's teflon goop on a couple of fill plugs, as it looked very much like some high temp thread sealant at the auto parts store.

 

[Kestas]

Get it hot, but not red-hot, or else you'll melt the aluminum. I've melted aluminum-silicon alloys before in a laboratory/prototype shop. When the aluminum gets too hot it starts sweating beads of molten metal.

They make 8-pt sockets that'll fit square fill plugs.

 

[porcupine73]

I've had some hard to remove plugs but beating on them with an impact wrench always go mine out but they weren't really to stuck. I'd say you definitely want the right type of socket for the male or pipe plug socket (impact). Then I would go to Harbor Freight and get the big 1" impact wrench they have on sale, 1600 ft-lbs and beat that baby out. Don't know if it would work but I think it would be fun and a good excuse to buy a big tool.

Or maybe try the beeswax.
-Louis

 

[pastmaster]

JAYCEE, Did you ever get the plug out?

 

[JAYCEE]

No.

We are under a strict burn ban in TX because of the drought. No outside welding or torch use allowed.

I did buy the bees wax though. I'll be ready to go as soon as it rains.

 

[rpn453]

Better impact wrench!