I have terrible luck with oil drain plugs. Of the last 4 oil changes I’ve done, only one has been successfully completed in a single day, because I can never get the drain plug loose.
The culprits in these comedies of errors are a 1999 Saab 9-3 and a 2006 Honda Pilot. The first time I came across the stuck plugs, the Saab was a recent acquisition, and the Pilot had had its last oil change done at a local mechanic’s shop down the road. Therefore, I assumed that an overzealous shop jock who got trigger happy with an air gun was to blame. In the process of getting the plugs out, I managed to mangle the Saab’s bad enough to require the purchase of a new one, and should have also bought a new plug for the Pilot, too (but didn’t). When I reinstalled them, I put them in fairly snugly, but with the mindset that I didn’t want to get myself into this mess again. injector pipe seal
Fast forward to the next oil change, and the Saab’s plug came out easily. Too easily. In fact, the wrench wasn’t even necessary, which makes me think that I was too cautious when I installed it. The Pilot, on the other hand, is stuck solid and won’t budge.
Like anyone who’s had a few failed relationships, I’m starting to think that “it’s not them, it’s me.” So, what’s the secret to getting the plugs snug enough that they don’t work loose, but so that I can still get them off when the time for the next oil change comes?
A few bits of info you might find useful:
-I was recently defeated by an oxygen senor in the Pilot that I also couldn’t budge. After a month of wrenching on it with then engine hot, cold, and everywhere in between, as well as dousing it with multiple varieties of chemicals, I caved and had a shop change it. Therefore, the possibility exists that I’m just a weakling when it comes to these things.
Is the oil change guy using air tools on your pan a valid concern? Granted they do have uber-leverage with the car in the air/underground work area and aren’t necessarily concerned about the next guy who might do the job on their back. The real concern is the condition of the threads on both the pan and the bolt. (And the condition of bolt’s washer/gasket thingie…)
For starters, new oil pan bolts are cheap insurance and readily available online or at a parts store. But–and I did this last night on a T-5 shift knob’s fussy threads–reconditioning threads is a great idea and free…once you buy the tools.
Using a thread chaser set (less aggressive cutting, more like cleaning) or a tap and die set (more aggressive cutting, be careful!) ensures your threads stay healthy and unstripped. Again, while that new oil pan bolt is cheap insurance, running a thread chaser on the pan can’t hurt.
My cars are old enough to need a tap and die set from your local Chinese tool import house. It’s paid for itself after 3 months, fixing radiator mounts, throttle body threads and two shift knobs. I also used it (gently!) like a thread chaser on a recently painted body part, freeing the metal threads of paint. I recommend these tools, practicing on a few throwaway parts before workin’ on your ride.
And no, I wouldn’t try this on seriously loaded/stressed parts like engine internals…research and listen to experts before you go crazy with a tap and die set.
BONUS! A Piston Slap Nugget of Wisdom:
Oh, about your oxygen sensor defeat: get a metal pipe (6+ inches long) from the hardware store and slide it over your wrench. This provides much of the leverage found in a breaker bar without paying for one. Wear gloves so the unfinished metal pipe won’t slice up your pretty hands: break the stuck bolt free, slide off the pipe and resume your normal wrenching to fully remove it.
Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry…but be realistic, and use your make/model specific forums instead of TTAC for more timely advice.
This is why NO ONE is allowed to change my oil, unless they do it when: I am too sick or tied up to do it myself - or as a part of other maintenance. The 'professionals' at the now closed Ford dealer who changed my oil as part of the buyers 'special deal' special, stripped the bolt threads out up to the head of the bolt-it was holding on by a circumferance-and-a-half of thread. Not sure when they did it, but when I got a deal on some Mobil 1, I decided to do the next one myself. And no, I didn't have a new bolt as back up. So, borrow wifes' car, go back to parts store, complete job ..
Personal rules: Never use a breaker bar or cheater or an oversized tool to remove anything, unless you can live with breaking the damn thing off. I have a history of breaking stuff in ways that are bad. This started with my first plumbing adventure. In that case, I broke every single connection, starting with the washer, all the way back to the wall. The philosophy of simply getting a bigger hammer (tool, wrench, etc) is all good. If you can deal with breaking what you are removing. Or stripping threads. One man's experience of using big stuff to remove little stuff.
True story. One sunny Saturday WAYYYYY back in '91, I had the opportunity, Nay! The priviledge of buying for $800 a fire engine red '77 Pontiac Catalina with over 280K miles on the odo. Lovely little small block V8, 3 spd auto on the column and lovely blue mouse-fur velour bench seating that comfortably sat eight people (yes, there were seat belts (lap belts) for all). The car felt sluggish on the kick down and was giving worse MPG than I would expect from such a Malaise era classic, so a friend and I were persuaded to give the old girl a tune up. Everything was going swimmingly. The rotted air filter was removed and the pieces of its demise were sucked out, oil and filter changed, whateverthehell that sensor was that lived on the side of the carb cover with its vacuum tube was replaced, and seven spark plugs, all Auotlites, were reomved and replaced. The eighth spark was hiding, nestled sweetly behind the hulking A/C compressor in a location only the escaped Nazi's residing at the GM engineering division could design. Neither of us could get to it via regular methods and from the look of it from a bendy mirror, it was rusted in there good and tight. Time to spray and pray. With the help of two elbow joints, a breaker bar, WD-40, and a f-ton of swearing, we popped that A/C Delco plug out of its rabbit hole. Upon inspection found nothing left of the spark arc; just a nubbin where the electrode used to be. Took a look again into the hole and found no evidence of anything, so according shoved a new plug into it. rehooked the wiring and she started right up. Purrrrrrrrred like a dream. To this day don't know if that was the original A/C Delco plug from the factory, but my guess was that eight plug was suchapaininthearse to get, mechanics never bothered.
exhaust gasket @dolorean Oh yes ~ there were quite a few GM products that you're supposed to unbolt the motor mounts & raise the engine to access those rear spark plugs , Dealer ' mechanics ' usually just skipped it and no one ever noticed until a few years were gone by . Don't they still make those spark plug sockets with the 3/4" hex on the top so you can get a box wrench in at a 90° angle ? those are real life savers for Line Mechanics . -Nate