I have never experience a drain bolt so tight that you need a breaker bar to loosen in my 20years of doing my own oil change. However, I always torque it to spec thou. The toyota oil canister is a different story.
Drain bolt impossible to remove?
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LOl, not at you. I hear ya. around 2010 they started getting locked on by some Gorilla (without insult). Using the wrong socket can easily strip the head, thank you for the laughs. again not at you.
Hope the OP was successful in getting their drain plug sorted out. I've never had issues getting the plug out, but have had a hell of a time getting oil filters off that were tightened to gorilla-strength by some tech. Always irksome. I should be able to remove the oil filter by hand.
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Why not have the dealer change the oil?
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Wow, most of you really don't like your tools to treat them that way! Tools like wrenches and ratchets are made to the length they are good for. Any kind of extension is treating it just as bad as the gorilla that tightened it. An impact driver is your best bet. The sharp hammer like blows the possibly corroded threads apart with much less chance of stripping it. If you don't have an impact, can't borrow one, then buy a much longer wrench. A ratchet is without a doubt the wrong tool for a stuck bolt. It's one of the most basic things in physics. If you don't understand that, then you shouldn't be working on any motor vehicle. They make them short because the ratchet part is not strong enough to take any more force.
Totally baffled at so many people suggesting different ways to extend a tool. That's not even up to the quality of a shade tree mechanic.
Assuming you don't have a real torch, even a MAP gas torch can do wonders, even with the oil inside to try and keep it cool. Heat it as hot as you can and quench it with a thick soaking wet rag, repeat 3 more times then try to loosen it. If you can't afford a little MAP torch (propane won't work), then it's going to be cheaper in the long run to pay the dealer to do the job so you don't screw anything up.
Totally baffled at so many people suggesting different ways to extend a tool. That's not even up to the quality of a shade tree mechanic.
Assuming you don't have a real torch, even a MAP gas torch can do wonders, even with the oil inside to try and keep it cool. Heat it as hot as you can and quench it with a thick soaking wet rag, repeat 3 more times then try to loosen it. If you can't afford a little MAP torch (propane won't work), then it's going to be cheaper in the long run to pay the dealer to do the job so you don't screw anything up.
Does not sound good at all. Whatever you use can possibly destroy the threads taking it out. Be prepared to tap & install another (larger?) plug. Hopefully you will be able to remove it without any damage, but always be mindful of the worst case senario.
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They often get increasingly overtightened because the crush washer has not been replaced in an age (instead of every time).
Well, I use the words Unconventional. the bolt is old and stripped. however which way you All get it off, may not be the way others do it, but yet we all argue/talk about right and wrong. there is no wrong way of doing it. just you have a different look or different tool for the job and you give that a shot , and that no one can figure out why its taking so long.
I can not wait to say why are you using a Pittsburgh tool where it should be snap on, or sears.
Shop talk, gotta love it
I can not wait to say why are you using a Pittsburgh tool where it should be snap on, or sears.
Shop talk, gotta love it
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Just 2 weeks ago I found that my transmission on my mower deck actually had the gear oil fill plug missing! It was time for it's first lube change so it was never tightened from the factory and fell out. Anyway the point is that while looking for a replacement plug I saw that they have self tapping oversized plugs. Nice idea, but hate to think of the metal shavings that may end up in the pan.
And yes, a new copper crush washer each time. Or if in a bind, you can heat the old one up with a simple propane torch until it's red hot and let it cool SLOWLY. That will take the temper out of it and make it soft enough to seal again.
Stories I can tell: Yes I had a stripped oil plug. I used a Monkeywrench because it did the job for me, it gripped the stripped bolt.
I had a drain bolt loose on a brand new first oil change, never fell off, but what you do not want to do is leave a loose lug nut they will spin right off as well an Oil filter if asked. If we want to be cheap we reuse parts, and what can be the outcome. never know, it can work, or fail. to strip a bolt is to done, something wrong, not paying attention to the tools used, and not caring. If the shop did it, back right away, then talk about it. if a DIYER, you have a spare with washers always at hand. For me what I do have a spare at hand. they are the same my 2002 fits the newer cars.
SMILES FISH
I've changed my oil for over thirty years, and I never had a drain bolt so tight I couldn't get it off. I always use the aluminum washer, tighten it till it touches, and then a little more. I never used a torque wrench except once on a Frontier, but I could get enough leverage to even get it to specs. That's when I knew the wrench wasn't necessary. However, I couldn't get the oil filter off of my CR-V the first time I tried, so I had to take it in and get the oil changed. That's when I learned to make sure I could get the filter off BEFORE I drained the oil from the hole!
Never used a torque wrench either, foot lbs, or inch, big difference, been by feel for most my life andmostly spot on when doing.
I bet a lot of you would be surprised what 100 ft-lbs feels like. I have a pretty decent digital torque wrench and 100# on wheel lug nuts is not little. And this is a 2' wrench and I lift.
To the OP, if you can't break 35 ft-lb with a big wrench, there are issues. Good luck.
To the OP, if you can't break 35 ft-lb with a big wrench, there are issues. Good luck.
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With some experience in this, I’ve had the drain bolt in another car so tight the head was stripped, the dealer had to replace the oil pan at $700. The quick oil change place who did it wrong did it quick alright, no washer.
On my ‘14 CR-V the dealer put a 20mm washer under the rear diff drain plug where it’s supposed to be 18mm, and used an impact wrench which deformed the washer to fit. It took all my strength using my foot on the wrench to get it free.
Getting it back in, I used the correct 18mm washer with the bolt and tightened to 36 ft-lbs with a torque wrench as the manual directs.
Whoever put your plug back in probably used an impact wrench or didn’t use a crush washer, or both.
Try some penetrating fluid, let it soak and try again. Or a foot!
On my ‘14 CR-V the dealer put a 20mm washer under the rear diff drain plug where it’s supposed to be 18mm, and used an impact wrench which deformed the washer to fit. It took all my strength using my foot on the wrench to get it free.
Getting it back in, I used the correct 18mm washer with the bolt and tightened to 36 ft-lbs with a torque wrench as the manual directs.
Whoever put your plug back in probably used an impact wrench or didn’t use a crush washer, or both.
Try some penetrating fluid, let it soak and try again. Or a foot!
Actually the spec for the engine oil drain plug is 29 ft-lbs. with a new crush washer. ALWAYS use a new crush washer every time it's removed. I suspect that whoever changed the oil last re-used the old already crushed washer so they had to over-tighten it in order to make sure it didn't leak oil. That's a nice way to strip the threads on the aluminum oil pan. A new crush washer is cheap insurance against oil leaking and stripping the threads.
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On all of our various model Hondas, we install a Fumoto or Valvomax (or Stahlbus). Our hybrids will get this installed at 1st oil changeGarfy said:
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