oil change

[etlsport]

i wa sjust out trying to change my oil.. and cant for the life of me get the oil pan plug loose... anyone else have trouble with it/ what tools did you use to get it loose? looks like i might be headed up to home depot to get a new socket for the air ratchet

[Ruflyf]

Hmm, cant remember what I used, but I dont recall having any major problems, an air ratchet sounds a lil extreme though. Maybe a good breaker bar?

[etlsport]

i thought an air ratchet was a little much too... but using a 10" adjustable wrench with all the strength i could muster didnt budge it... then my roommate tried too with no luck and hes no stranger to the weight room.. so im not sure... i also sprayed a little WD40 on it jsut to see if that would do anything, but it didnt

hmmm i wonder if im going after the right plug!? i dont see any other plugs down there that are on a corner

[kpaske]

It should be fairly obvious what plug to remove. If there is any doubt, you should d/l the shop manual online from Tone Monday's web site.

If you buy anything, I would agree with Ruflyf. A good quality breaker bar is not very expensive and will come in handy time and time again. I would get a 1/2" drive and a socket to fit your oil pan plug (I think it's 22 mm). You'd be surprised what another 4-6" of leverage will do for getting a tough bolt out. BIG difference!

[Tone]

Leftie loosie, rightie tightie....

[Joe_Black]

Put a little heat to it with a hand-held propane torch for about a minute or so, then let it cool and try again. Heating and cooling fasteners is a great way to get them to release as they'll expand and contract at different rates.

Then you need to replace it with a Fumoto Valve so you won't have to use tools anymore for oil changes.

[VehiGAZ]

Put a blow torch to your oil pan!?!?!? That's a bit of a radical solution, isn't it?

Put that adjustable wrench away before it does any harm! They suck for most applications, in my book. I prefer to use a box-end hand wrench for sticky nuts and bolts...



I think that's the most secure and reliable wrench for high-torque applications. I've split sockets on stuck bolts before, and broken adjustable wrenches, too. Even a cheapo box wrench will not open up or turn out the corners on a bolt.

Good luck!

[MZ-N10]

Leftie loosie, rightie tightie....

wat he siad....

[etlsport]

thanks for all the replies.. im definately turning it to the left.. not sure why it would be so stuck... oh well, the oil filter was a pita to remove too.. guess the boys at the shop i got it changed at last were worried about leaks
ill try the suggestions when i get home tonight and hopefully will be full synthetic before bedtime! definately will be installing a fumoto valve as soon as i get the chance

[Joe_Black]

A propane torch (not oxy-acetylene!) for about a minute isn't going to harm anything, especially if you apply the end of the flame directly end-on to the drain plug. Be sure to allow it to cool for about five minutes before removing. The heating/cooling cycle is what makes it break free.

A small piezo ignition propane torch is one of the most handy things you can have around the shop!



Oh, if you have a six-point box end wrench or socket use that as it'll grip the bolt face the best and resist rounding of the corners.

[Tone]

Put the closed end wrench on there and pop it with a hammer. Adjustables are bad for anything tight.

[volume311]

I doubt he has a 22mm box end. Just go buy a socket and a ratchet + breaker bar = win. Get a long bar while you're at it and apply pressure slowly. Hopefully you won't shear the bolt.

[jacobus]

take the wrench and tap the wrench with a rubber hammer lightly, if that does not work, use a metal hammer and tap it, the fibration should be able to loosen the plug.
good luck