Mechanics' Advice? - Stuck Oil Drain Plug

"SaabStutz" (stutz) 11/15/2015 at 15:03 • Filed to: Goddamit HP Oil Co, Stuck Oil Drain Plug, Mechanics Help, HELP

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So Hoosier Penn Oil Co., who were the last people to change the oil on my 1999 Saab 9-3 before I had it, tightened the drain plug WAY too tight. I tried to get it off a week ago with my brute strength, but to no avail. Today, at the advice of my tech theater teacher, I tried to tap the end of my wrench with a hammer and get the bolt moving that way. After that failed, I went against my better judgement and put the jack underneath the wrench, which lifted the entire car. Nothing worked. I’m about to take it to a service center to have them get this frickin bolt unstuck.

Picture above isn’t mine, just an illustration of what I’m up against. I’m using a Craftsman 3/8” socket wrench, along with a 12” extension, a 3/8” to 1/4” adapter, and the actual socket itself (which is about 2 inches long).

Does anyone have anything else I should try?

Leon711 > SaabStutz 11/15/2015 at 15:07

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You got a longer wrench or something. I had issue on my miata before, I found my extendable tyre iron was the right size to fit and the additional length allowed me to apply more torque.

SaabStutz > Leon711 11/15/2015 at 15:11

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Just edited the post to make it more clear. I’m using a socket and I put a 12” extension on it, plus an adapter (3/8” to 1/4”) and the actual 13mm socket itself. That should be long enough right?

Brickman > SaabStutz 11/15/2015 at 15:13

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Try running the engine for a minute to warm the area?

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Leon711 11/15/2015 at 15:15

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(Sorry old chap, I replied to the wrong comment)

Things that have happened to me when letting quicky lube places change my oil:

- stripped my wife’s drain plug

- crushed the new filter somehow and my work truck bled out 3 quarts as a result within 30 minutes

- put the wrong filter on my wife’s sable... like, 1” in diameter too small

- got charged for synthetic, they didn’t put in synthetic

SaabStutz > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 11/15/2015 at 15:17

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Okay so clearly that’s out...

SaabStutz > Brickman 11/15/2015 at 15:17

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That’s definitely something I’ll try. Wouldn’t that make it expand and make it even harder though?

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > SaabStutz 11/15/2015 at 15:20

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You know I wonder if they didn’t lubricate the threads or something when they put the plug back on, and then overtorqued it. Worst case scenario is that they stripped the damn thing too. Ugh.

Brickman > SaabStutz 11/15/2015 at 15:25

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You use heat to loosen stuck bolts, so it should apply here. Wouldn’t hurt unless you touch that catalytic converter :)

Urambo Tauro > SaabStutz 11/15/2015 at 15:26

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Last time I had a tricky plug like that, I laid underneath the car sideways. I positioned myself so the wrench was near my waist, then pulled on the wrench while my feet were braced up against the frame.

The more length you can add to the handle, the better leverage you’ll have for maximum torque. A pipe over the ratchet handle or a strategically-placed second wrench might help. Be very careful if you try the double-wrench technique; it can slip easily.

SaabStutz > Urambo Tauro 11/15/2015 at 15:27

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It sounds like probably been too timid trying to not strip the drain plug. Should I just use a shit ton of force?

Urambo Tauro > SaabStutz 11/15/2015 at 15:33

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I think so. It HAS to break free. Just don’t get turned around when you’re under there and accidentally apply tightening force.

deekster_caddy > SaabStutz 11/15/2015 at 15:46

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Heat is good, but tough in an engine because you can’t just put a torch on it. Drive it until the engine is really hot, then try.

Tapping it with a hammer, or whacking it hard? Using a closed box wrench and hitting it directly with the hammer puts more shock into the bolt itself (as opposed to on the end of a breaker bar or ratchet where the joint absorbs some of the hit). It’s the shocking motion you want to break it free, not the overall force. i.e. don’t just mangle it with a sledgehammer... but be forceful. Boy does that sound hard to do.

Once you do get it out, replace the drain plug as the threads are probably ruined. Get a new one with a magnet, it’s always nice to be able to see find metal shavings down the road, a new gasket and don’t overtighten it!

Here’s a stutz for good luck!

deekster_caddy > SaabStutz 11/15/2015 at 15:47

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General heat works towards breaking the threads loose. Take it for a good long drive, then get it up on ramps right away while the engine is too hot to get near and try again.

ShelbyRacer78-Fusion Modifier > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 11/15/2015 at 15:54

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Motorcraft FL-820S oil filter and IIRC its a 13mm for the drain plug.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > SaabStutz 11/15/2015 at 15:55

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As others have said, you want the longest handle possible. As others haven’t said: you want that long handle connected to the bolt as close as you can get it. I’d recommend getting rid of as many of those extensions as you can; each joint takes away torque from the socket.

Heat the bolt if you can (or drive until it's hot) and hit the bolt with some ice or a upside down can of compressed air to get it cold quick.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > ShelbyRacer78-Fusion Modifier 11/15/2015 at 15:58

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I believe you are correct on the 13mm. The Contour had something obscure, like 15mm.

S62B50daily > SaabStutz 11/15/2015 at 16:04

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Just to be sure I understand correctly, your long extension and adapter are on the same axis as the drain plug, I.e. between the ratchet and the plug? In order to get the best leverage, keep the number of extensions to a minimum as they all add a little bit of wiggle to your range of motion. Where you want added length is on the wrench’s handle as it will multiply the force you are applying to it. A breaker bar or a metal pipe should work

Kofi > SaabStutz 11/15/2015 at 16:04

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Break it off. If the oil pan ends up being too expensive you can buy a oil fluid extractor and say good bye to oil drain plugs. :)

red_ > SaabStutz 11/15/2015 at 16:15

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Righty tighty, lefty loosey. Have you tried a breaker bar with a 3lb dead blow hammer? A couple of good wacks should do the trick

SAABateur > SaabStutz 11/15/2015 at 16:46

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While you wait for a breaker bar , if you have another box end wrench like the one in the photo, you can hook the closed end over the appropriate side of the open end hanging down, and use it as a leverage multiplier. Also, CRC freeze-off may help here...

SAABateur > SAABateur 11/15/2015 at 16:48

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Ignore my post, urambo tauro already hit that topic, and even better with an illustrative photo...

samssun > SaabStutz 11/15/2015 at 18:39

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Make sure it’s a 6 point (vs 12), and smack the end of the wrench directly with a hammer while you’re holding torque on the bolt, that way the impact directly jerks the bolt instead of just taking up slack on the wrench, or from an extension, from a rubber mallet, etc.

Only other recommendation would be an impact wrench, if you can fit it. Even an electric one might help — less torque but you can sit there just cranking on it and after 50 or so little impacts it should work free.

traitor joe > SaabStutz 11/15/2015 at 19:17

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I would buy a 3/8 socket and ditch the extension. The further the socket is from the ratchet itself, the less torque you will be able to apply effectively. Same goes for when you step it down from 3/8 to 1/4. Sounds like it wouldn’t make a difference, but it does.

Other than that, maybe find someone who has an impact wrench? You can also buy manual impact drivers which are very cheap and able to apply a lot of force.

Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey > SaabStutz 11/15/2015 at 20:31

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What shoe size do you wear? I would say your first step is to go and find the heaviest and largest possible boot you can in that size, the more steel pieces the better, and promptly go and shove it up the guy’s ass that over tightened and/or cross threaded the plug.

Adonai > SaabStutz 11/15/2015 at 21:11

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Here in Europe we have cans of spray that are used for this occasions, they cool down or freeze the bolts in order for them to contract and become loose. Very easy very helpful, but I’m not sure you guys across the pond have a similar thing, here they are simply called un-tighten spray (a roughly translation).

pip bip - choose Corrour > SaabStutz 11/16/2015 at 01:58

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have you tried any penetrants?

subaru upper engine cleaner is worth a shot.

orcim > samssun 11/16/2015 at 02:24

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This, times 6 (as it were.) If you’re gonna torque something, give the faces on the bolt the max area.

orcim > SaabStutz 11/16/2015 at 02:33

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Grim. As others have said, 6 sided socket, impact grade socket if you have, repeated impacts is good or massive cranking.

I’ll offer this only because it’s saved my bacon 2 or 3 times in the past. I was at my granddad’s shop as a kid and he was trying to get a bolt off a major appliance (everyone brought stuff to him to fix - these are the days when things were actually fixable. Imagine - it was cheaper in parts/labor to rewind an electric motor than buy a new one.) He looked at it and said, “Sometimes, if you can get it to move any which way, then you win.” and then proceeded to reef on it *tightening* it. Then he went to loosen it and it broke free.

I do no guarantee results, I simply offer it as a story. Ymmv. I’d spend 30 minutes with an electric impact wrench through a good quality 90 degree angle transmission (assuming space is tight) before I’d take it in or use tactical nukes.