Oil pan plug

[Redog]

OK the shop that did my LIMG put the oil plug back on super tight and rounded the plug head a little too much to get a wrench with a good grip.

Now this is an Alero Racing type question, with not being able to get this plug off am I turning it the right way to remove it. I am turning it counter-clockwise while looking from the front of the car to the back. I'm turning it towards the passager side. Is this right?

EDIT: I was just looking at the new plug, put my fingernails in the threads and a 15 mm socket on the head and turned it counter-clockwise and the threads unthreaded on my nails

[Nate's Alero]

you were correct, you were LOOSING twards the passenger side compartment and Tightening twards the drivers side compartment

if you cant get it out, get a pair of vice grips and lock it in place, and hammer

[Blktrax]

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/OBJECTS/57300/57274.JPG

Try that...

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?tool=all&item_ID=64896&group_ID=16597&store=snapon-store

If that doesn't work gonna have to drill it or take the pan off.

[Redog]

you were correct, you were LOOSING twards the passenger side compartment and Tightening twards the drivers side compartment

if you cant get it out, get a pair of vice grips and lock it in place, and hammer

I thought so. It's just the entire thing of not getting it off messes with my mind :ninja:

If I get out of work tomorrow morning at 8am, I'm swinging by the mech's shop ;) He said $10 to change the oil with my oil and filter

[Blktrax]

I love when people do that at my dealership;

Why no, I dont race my car.... Really? Well you have one bald tire and won't pass state inspection, and no its not under warranty. Have a nice day.

[Psyfox]

Go back and explain to those dumbasses what 3 quarter turns past tight means.

[Redog]

I know why they did it.

I bought them the oil and filter when I got the mani changed and they knew from that that I change my own oil. So in order to drum up business for themselves they put it on super tight.

Joke's on them, my old mech helper just opened his own shop, guess where I'm going ;)

[Nate's Alero]

i change it myself, always, why didint you do the LIMG yourself? its not hard at all

[Blktrax]

Well, its good you got somone to help you.

That tool I listed above gets use almost on a weekly basis, its amazing how many of the Jiffy Lube guys do that.

[natedawg9640]

+1 for vise grips or a pipe wrench.

[cherrington17]

my stock bolt did that. (after a shop did it) really super tight vice grips and a hammer. keep tapping the farthest end, and it'll knock free. then go get yourself a new one, with a magnet on the end...

[meadus101]

I don't bother changing my own oil. I have it done at a shop fairly cheap, and they run an engine flush too. they do it as cheap as it would cost me to buy the oil and filter.

no change in price from me doing it myself, and i don't have to get my hands dirty?

And I trust em.

[Nate's Alero]

hell, if i could get someone to change it for me for free, i would do it gladly.... i HATE changing my oil, its either raining for weeks on end when its time, or im super busy and i need to get it done fast, which makes a mess

[CactusWill]

I thought so. It's just the entire thing of not getting it off messes with my mind :ninja:


Don't worry, on this particular oil pan I have never seen anyone tighten the oil plug so tight that it is hard to get out, without breaking off a piece of the oil pan.

Unlike a steel plug vs a steel oil pan, you have a steel plug vs some kind of alloy oil pan, and you will break or strip the pan before you are able to tighten the plug so much that it becomes impossible to get out.

[Redog]

^^ Well that's good to know.

Cherry, I have a new plug. I bought it when I started changing my own oil 5 years ago, just in case something like this happened, and this one has the magnet on the tip. I got it at a GM Dealership.


Nate, I didn't trust myself with the lower mani, Not so much the mani, but the removal of the push rods. The upper I was all set to do myself