Tips for loosening a stuck drain plug?

[agpatel]

i had a stuck plug on my sister car, i took a ratchet put a 4 ft lead pipe on it and just used it as a HUGE breaker car, poped it right out

dont know if hitting it w/ liquid CO2 would help, but it may make the brittle and snap the bolt...

 

[Dr_No]

Or get a drill, drill a hole across the middle of the plug stick in an allen key and turn it.

 

[Mr_Incredible]

I vote for a six point socket and a breaker bar or pipe over the socket handle.

Or a pipe wrench with a replacement plug standing by.

 

[JustinH]

I just use a big breaker bar.

Never had an issue doing this.

 

[Kestas]

Make sure the socket is tight on the plug, use a breaker bar, and your foot. Something will give!

 

[KieferS]

I've never seen any shop, even walmart EVER use impacts on a drain plug..there not idiots. You waste more time using an impact than you would tightening by hand.

what you need to do is spray PB blaster, soak it in that stuff, let it sit for a little bit.
Go inside, have a beer, hammer a 13mm socket onto the drain plug, and get a piece of pipe, or jack handle or something, and put it on the end of the ratchet as leverage, and TURN!

This is the only way possible to do it, short of welding another bolt on to it.
If it's that hard to turn, nothing else will give you leverage like a ratchet.

 

[Drew99GT]

Either put a cheater pipe in your ratchet or box wrench, OR, even better, break out the BFH (big ---- hammer). Actually, a softer plastic or rubber type mallet with a big end for just this type of thing. Use a 6 point socket, hold the ratchet in place in a good position so you can smack the ratchet handle. Should pop right off!

My Dad has taken his truck to a place he likes to get the oil changed a few times and every time, I can't get the drain plug out any other way. Tried pulling with all my might with a cheater pipe............nope. Two good smacks with the BFH and it loosens right up.

 

[Drew99GT]

Many bolts get tight over time; my drain and fill plugs for my transaxle seem to tighten overtime (I never overtighten the bejesus out of them); I don't even mess with it, one smack with the BFH and I'm on to the next step.

 

[Gary Allan]

I agree, Drew. I've never put too much torque on my drain plugs. Just enough so that I'm confident that they won't leak or vibrate loose. Every time I remove it ...it's hernia time. That is, the "breaking torque" is always way up there. I don't know whether its the temp difference between removal/replacement or what ...but I can't ignore the effects

 

[unDummy]

Use the oil extractor AFTER you remove the drainplug. Some vehicles drain more when siphon vs. the drainplug. So, your extractor vs. drainplug fear isn't something to lose sleep over.

Use quality tools. I find that name brand sockets will always grab better then cheap tools. They also won't break when you use leverage. Leverage should take off ANY drainplug. If the bolt-head is stripped, clean it up with a file for a smaller hammered on socket, use a pipe wrench or vise grip, or invest in sockets that grab better. I have some Metrinch and SK Suregrips that NEVER fail me. They'll take off bolts/nuts that are completely rounded.

If your pan is stripped, you'll have to repair the threads or use an oversized drainplug kit.

 

[glxpassat]

I take the handle off of my jack and slide it over the ratchet and use it as a breaker bar.

 

[Throckmorton]

I used a breaker bar on my socket wrench in lieu of the small ratchet I was using before. Got it loose easily with the breaker bar even though there wasn't a lot of room for the breaker bar down there.

 

[steveh]

Take it to the quick lube and make them get it out.

 

[andyd]

how many BITOGers does it take to change a drain plug???????? LOL

 

[Black_Thunder]

well i don't know if you got it out and i'm not gonna read through all the comments to see if this has already been posted,

but i've had good luck with a small pipe wrench, gets a good bite and gives good leverage, also a chisel and hammer can work good as well if you can get a good bite if the drain plug has enough area around the seal surface.

if the plug isn't completely round you could always tap on a six point socket a little smaller then the spec'ed size and put a big ratchet on it.


good luck.

 

[Mr Nice]

I notice that drain plugs come off alot easier when the oil pan is stone cold.

 

[alreadygone]

Quote:

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I notice that drain plugs come off alot easier when the oil pan is stone cold.

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In a commercial environment, where everybody wants to "git 'er done"! (including me) I've never had oportunity to try that technique.

When faced with nontypical situation stuck/rounded off plug, solutions also become rather nontypical. Notice regular mention of hammers, chisels, undersize sockets being driven on,pipe wrenches,vicegrips,heat,cold, and on and on. ALL of these work sometimes, one or the other will work EVERYTIME, the trick is figuring out wich for each individual application. Forget the magic elixirs, seafoam, PB, etc. this isn't a case of rusted/corroded/seized from lack of oil, for wich they are great tools.

Bob

Bob

 

[tsmay51]

how was the threads upon finally getting the plug out?

 

[65cuda]

1st choice is 6 point socket. If that doesn't work then I have used a pipe wrench. If you can't get the pipe wrench on it then a hammer and chisel. If that doesn't work, beer.

 

[Throckmorton]

Quote:

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how was the threads upon finally getting the plug out?

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The threads were fine. Getting the plug to break loose was the tough part. Apparently I wasn't able to exert enough torque with the small ratchet. I had to use the breaker bar and brace myself by grabbing hold of a suspension arm with my other hand. Considering that I am a fairly strong person [bench press > 315 lbs] I was surprised that it needed that much torque. I would say it required well over 100 ft-lbs. to loosen the bolt.