Oil drain plug won't move? [Archive] - SmokinVette.com Forums

: Oil drain plug won't move?


Raven
10-15-2010, 10:31 AM
I was trying to give my car a oil change and the oil drain plug won't move? I have tried just about everything and it won't move?

Please, if you have any suggestions on how I can break this to move, I would really appreciate it!

drivinfast
10-15-2010, 03:14 PM
Sounds like the previous oil change used an impact to tighten the plug. do you have an impact wrench or a cheater bar? Or better yet take it to chevy for the oil change, if they have to mess the plug up there are plenty more there

2 Fast Jim
10-16-2010, 09:21 AM
Man can you get vice grips on it?

powerlabs
10-17-2010, 04:18 PM
Slip a pipe over your wrench's handle for more leverage. Or use two wrenches together for more leverage. Or use a breaker bar for more leverage. Or use a breaker bar and a pipe over the breaker bar...
I was able to remove the inch diameter bolt on my crankshaft with a 4 foot breaker bar and a pipe; that bolt is installed with Red Locktite under about 300 foot pounds of torque. There is absolutely no such thing as a "stuck" fastner. There are only broken fastners. Every bolt in the world can be made to move easily if you apply enough leverage to it; the only issue is that some times they "move" by shearing. This is basic mechanics 101: If you put 50 pounds of force on the end of a foot long wrench, you will produce 50 foot-pounds of torque at the head. Make that wrench 4 feet long, and now the head will turn with 200 foot pounds and be able to snap the head off a 1/2" bolt.

Your oil pan is too thin to shear a bolt though. I'd put a breaker bar in there without a second thought.

Here is what a breaker bar looks like:
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/images/library/product/large/04/040210077.jpg

Those things are as common as they are cheap. The one that I used to get my crank pulley off was a 23 dollar breaker bar from Wallmart :lol:

powerlabs
10-17-2010, 04:21 PM
Man can you get vice grips on it?

Great way to round off a bolt head so nothing else can grip it. Vice grips are the absolute last resort and they usually don't work.

dbradley
10-27-2010, 07:27 AM
A 6 point socket and impact set on LOW will knock it loose.