Oil pan bolt stuck, now stripped by impact driver

[Sweetbriar]

RockAuto - $47.89 for the pan and $17.23 for the gasket. Amazon also has both with Prime delivery around the same price. He's already tried himself to remove the plug by drilling, 4 different impact drivers, a socket wrench and a $350 Milwaukee snub nose impact. Dropping the pan isn't much harder with more than adequate room under the front end of a 2010 Thor Hurricane 33T.

[noserider]

Originally Posted by Sweetbriar

RockAuto - $47.89 for the pan and $17.23 for the gasket. Amazon also has both with Prime delivery around the same price. He's already tried himself to remove the plug by drilling, 4 different impact drivers, a socket wrench and a $350 Milwaukee snub nose impact. Dropping the pan isn't much harder with more than adequate room under the front end of a 2010 Thor Hurricane 33T.

Wow that's cheap.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by Sweetbriar

RockAuto - $47.89 for the pan and $17.23 for the gasket. Amazon also has both with Prime delivery around the same price. He's already tried himself to remove the plug by drilling, 4 different impact drivers, a socket wrench and a $350 Milwaukee snub nose impact. Dropping the pan isn't much harder with more than adequate room under the front end of a 2010 Thor Hurricane 33T.

Does that come with a new drain plug [emoji4]

[Randy125]

I would go buy some dry ice and butane torch, apply heat to the area around the plug and the dry ice to the plug. Then try removing, good luck.

[Rob_M]

I love reading the responses by amateurs ignoring what the experts have to say about a problem. lol They are not all bad ideas, but I know what works every time and what doesn’t.

Short of welding a nut to it...you can try heating The plug with a torch and then spray it with water a couple times after a couple of thermal cycles it will shrink some and you might just get it out with vice grips or a hammer and a chisel.

Of course it’s also possible the threads are gaulded and if you do get the plug out the threads will be ruined anyway so… A $500 oil pan change might be in your future anyway.

[Trapper2022]

Look at replacing the oil pan. Just getting the plug out is only half your problem. Using impact on oil plug is never a good idea. If pan is not removable then I would drill out old plug like already stated. Good luck

Enjoy the journey

[twinboat]

I would change the oil with a pump, drive it home whenever, the get under there and grind down the plug, careful not to hit the pan, until its so thin that it turns out with the tap of a chisel.

Does it have 7500 miles on the oil ? If not just leave it until it does, if that will get you back home.

[GypsyR]

From the initial post I got the idea that the plug was overtightened and now just doesn't want to break losse. And rather than being "stripped" the problem is actually the the bolt is now rounded. Right? Maybe?

If so then the issue is how to get a grip on the bolt. The suggestions of welding don't seem to be taken up so far. So I'm supposing no welders are at hand. Well, they make a socket for such situations. Here is one brand that I have personally used and like. https://www.hudsonbearings.com/products/turbosocket/
Another is Blue Point by SnapOn and the first ones I ever had were (and still are) fro,m Craftsman. Of the bunch the Craftsman was the smaller investment. I've found I like the bigger sets with more sizes as I run into this fairly regularly and being able to drop down to an ever so slightly smaller size has proven invaluable.

Key to using these sockets is you have to hammer them on but good. I even have an air hammer attachment that is gold for this. Under a coach with the limited swing room you just have to do what you can and understand it might take a few tries. Once the socket is set I've had pretty good success with an impact IF the socket was beat on nice and tight. If not sometimes a long breaker bar will loosen a fastener before the socket slips. Either way.

These sockets are essentially a more convenient version of hitting things sideways with a hammer and chisel as has already been mentioned. And works very well in many situations.

Now if it's an issue with galled threads, then I would just figure on a replacement pan. The parts stores sell "oversized" drain plugs just for this problem but I find them a little iffy. They tend to work only for a few oil changes and then get loose and leaky. One might get you out of a tight spot though.

[mackwrench]

Originally Posted by vito.a

56safari gave some very good advice. The penetrating oil and heat will do the trick.
I will add that using a quality 6 point socket (Snap On) with a long breaker bar will also help.

You will never be able to suck all the oil out through the dipstick. The dipstick tube is at least 2" above the bottom.

You don't use the dipstick tube to pull the oil out, You take a hose and push it down dipstick tube until it reachs bottom of pan. I've done many marine and stationary/generator engines like this using a vacum pump, have it all out in a few minutes.

Before I botch up the pan, I'd try to get a small propane torch, heat the pan around the plug.....if the plug is already rounded, weld a nut on it.....

how hard to replace oil pan? The $$ I see posted I take it this a gas engine?

[LETMGROW]

Having recently retired from almost 58 years in the auto repair business and still owning an automotive machine shop I have been a little reluctant to offer advice to get this drain plug out. Obviously it's really stuck. Maybe from over tightening or maybe from cross threading the plug and forcing it in tight enough so the plug didn't leak. I would be leery of trying to remove this plug unless I had immediate access to a new oil pan and gasket. You will find in most cases the nut inside the oil pan is either spot welded to the pan or is captured in a couple narrow pieces of strap steel all spot welded together. If you can get a good grip on the plug you may snap the nut loose inside the pan then end up with a plug which will never come out and probably have a leak. If the pan is excessively rusted you may end up with a chunk of steel attached to your wrench.
At that point you can pump the oil out of the pan and replace the pan and gasket.
This is another case of preparing for the worse and hoping for the best.
I do remember one drain plug which was not wanting to come out which was in the front of the oil pan sump area. Very difficult to get to with anything other than a socket and extension. Problem was the hex on the plug was badly stripped. I ended up using a Plumber's Basin wrench which gripped the stripped hex enough to remove the drain plug.
Lynn

[153stars]

If you are real good with a die grinder you may be able to take a little off all hex to reduce next size down in metric. I have hammered a socket with very thin shim stock like a soda can to fill space on rusted heads. Also ground the taper on front of socket off most of my 1/4 and 5/16 drivers and have done the same on bigger sockets to get every bit of bite when I had to. Most bolt and screw heads are already tapered anyway.
They make repair oil pan plugs/bushings with smaller plug in them if internal threads are buggered.
X-ergon actually makes rods especially for welding nuts to bolt heads through the hole.

[HarryStone]

If you are determined to get the bolt out, I would recommend https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/VG_3...UaAiS6EALw_wcB
You place it on the bolt, then wack it with a hammer to seat it, then use the proper size socket and ratchet to remove. They will grip, even if the bolt head is rounded.

[Isaac-1]

You run a tube town the dipstick hole and pump it out with a extraction pump like https://smile.amazon.com/SUPERFASTRA.../dp/B07SG4FQX2

[Mudfrog]

As mentioned, try heating and cooling the plug/bolt before causing more damage. If there is room, have a pipe wrench or locking pliers ready to grab hold of what's left of the bolt head afterwards.

A bit late now but I would never use an impact wrench to loosen an oil pan drain plug. Imo, a slow steady force, breaker bar and 6pt socket, if possible,, would be better for reducing the chance of goofing up something.