1st Gen R53 Cooper S Help! Danged Oil drain plug won't come off

Gotta use the visegrips really tight and bang with a hammer. I know you said you tried but keep at it.
It really sucks when they put the damn thing on so freakin tight. The stealer only did two oil changes on mine, they were free, the last one they did the cromag-man put the filter housing soooo tight I had to put another ratchet, remove the tire to get the angle to break it loose.

Good luck.

 

Let's hope that Carmax truly did change the oil when you bought it and didn't encounter the same issue opting to say they changed it when they really didn't. I agree with Jim on this....vise grips and keep at it. Good Luck!

 

How about soaking it in penetrating oil (PB Blaster, for example) for a few hours.

Available at most auto parts stores (and Amazon, aparently) [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Blaster-16-PB-Penetrating-Catalyst-oz/dp/B000I2079E"]Amazon.com: Blaster 16-PB Penetrating Catalyst - 11 oz.: Automotive@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21Ils5oDhNL.@@AMEPARAM@@21Ils5oDhNL[/ame]

There is something in the structure of this oil that causes it to be wicked into tiny cracks and crevices, helping the bolt to break free.

 

You need one of these from Sears:

10 pc. Damaged Bolt/Nut Remover Set, Low Profile Bolt-Out- Craftsman-Tools-Mechanics & Auto Tools-Taps & Dies


I had to do this to my drain plugs once when a dealership put the drain plug back in with an effing air gun.

REALLY ? and Air Gun! Who does that?

 

If push comes to shove.... And you still can't get it off.

Pick a hex bolt that will slip over the old rounded head. Get your local welder to weld the new nut on. Then use the appropriate socket to remove it. The heat from the welding should help loosen the threads some.

 

This may be the only way. I would certainly try a large vice grip clamped so tight it bites into the bolt. I don't remove drain plugs to change oil, I use an oil vac and suck it out from the dipstick tube. Much easier.

 

Vice grips aren't going to do it, they'll just chew it up worse. Also, don't bother with the rust penetrant, there's not going to be any rust on an aluminum pan.

I've removed many of these, and there are only a couple of ways to get it out.

One way is to do what Metalman said, when they get so rounded off like this, welding a big ol nut onto the stub and using the appropriate socket and breaker bar will do it - I've done a few this way.

Another way is to take a zip gun and catch the edge of the round, flat washer part of the nut and drive it from there. The vibrations will usually move it, then you can use whatever you have to turn it out.

There's a third possibility although I haven't done this yet, that's to take a big ol pipe wrench to it, just make sure you're square on the stub.

One last thing, it's easy for folks to get confused when working upside down or on their backs, and they wind up trying to turn the bolt the wrong way, so remember....righty tighty, lefty loosey.

The Fumoto valve will ensure you don't have this problem again, but really, I've never had this problem on any of my cars, and I can only conclude that those who do are using the wrong tool/sized socket/wrench, turing it the wrong way or overtightening it. I think the torque spec on this is 22 ft lbs, that's not very much!

 

Lots of good info here. Vice grips come in different sizes. Put a big pair on there & tighten it so much that it hurts to put on the drain plug. Then give them a firm whack with a dead blow hammer.

Good luck...

 

Check this out. It might be just the thing.

GO2SOCKET - TrustyMAX


Harbor Freight has something that might work as well.

http://www.harborfreight.com/9-piece-38-drive-metric-bolt-extractor-sockets-67894.html

 

The below from Metalman will absolutly do the trick. Or you could have them weld on a crap socket.

If push comes to shove.... And you still can't get it off.

Pick a hex bolt that will slip over the old rounded head. Get your local welder to weld the new nut on. Then use the appropriate socket to remove it. The heat from the welding should help loosen the threads some.

 

I too was thinking a combination of a small to mid sized pipe wrench (good one) with a pipe or something extra on the handle for leverage & some heat, propane torch would be fine.

Plus, everyone don't forget, 6pt socket only, on the drain plug, just to be safe. I actually use a 1/2 inch drive, 6pt & my torque wrench for removal also.

 

I said it before, don't use vice grips - why doesn't anyone listen to me?

If you have a hammer and a small chisel (not a sharp one tho) make a small cut in the edge of the round part of the plug - looks kinda like a flat washer- then use a drift (aka - a punch) and tap on that notch you made in the direction of rotation (counter clockwise - remember the righty-tighty rule?) and see if that will get it out. If you have a zip gun (air hammer), that would work even better.

If you don't have the tools, take it to your dealer and have them get it out for you.

BTW, do not use your torque wrench to remove tight bolts like wheel bolts and drain plugs, that's NOT what it's for, and by overstressing it you completely screw up the calibration. Use the correct tool for the job - use a breaker bar to remove tight bolts, use a hammer to hit things not pliers or crescent wrenches, use a wrench to loosen and tighten bolts and nuts, not pliers and so on.

The drain plug does not need to be that tight - 22 ft lbs is about a good twist with a short 3/8" ratchet. Likewise the filter cannister does not need to be that tight either, the seal is made by the o-ring, not by how tight it is. The goal with the filter cannister is simply tight enough to not have it work loose again under vibration or whatever.

 

I think you need a high quality pipe wrench with good teeth on it and get it tight before you put pressure on it. Ive gotten wheel lugs off that way so I know it will work on a drain plug.

 

Listen to Minidave, the chiseled notch and a punch or drift will get it out.

Get the car up high enough that you can swing a hammer at the drift.

A pipe wrench will just round off the plug, just like a Vicegrip.

Dave