Rounded Oil Drain Plug
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 384
Likes: 0
From: Hauppauge New York
Rounded Oil Drain Plug
The last person to tighten up my oil drain plug on my 91 partially rounded it off. After a few tries with a wrench yesterday, and then an old set of vice grips, its really rounded off.
Any tips ... keeping in mind the amount of clearance there.
Thanx much in advance...
Any tips ... keeping in mind the amount of clearance there.
Thanx much in advance...
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 13,960
Likes: 707
From: WI
Couple ideas, weld a nut on to the plug and use that to turn it off. Use a file on the plug to square it up and try with a socket. Don't use an open end wrench. Another idea, grind a slot in the plug and use a screw driver to pound it loose.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 35,065
Likes: 0
From: Bergen County, NJ Democrats, doing for the country what they did for Michigan
One of those faucet wrenches that are used to get up under sinks to take off the feed to the faucet.
I'll look for a picture.
Called a basin wrench:
$10 home depot:
I'll look for a picture.
Called a basin wrench:
$10 home depot:
Last edited by jsup; Mar 31, 2008 at 10:44 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 130
Likes: 0
From: Naples FL
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 4,290
Likes: 140
From: Salem NH
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,700
Likes: 298
From: Ft. Lauderdale Fl
Get the front wheel off the ground to give you some room to work. Make sure you use a jack stand or something.(I use a ramp)
Take a pipe wrench (large) and put some leverage on it. That should do it.
Go to an auto parts store and get a new oil plug and you are done.
Take a pipe wrench (large) and put some leverage on it. That should do it.
Go to an auto parts store and get a new oil plug and you are done.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 384
Likes: 0
From: Hauppauge New York
I don't have access to air or welding tools, and there's definitely no room to get a pipe wrench on it (there's really not even room to get a socket on it with the wrench attached). I'm gonna pick up a nice sharp set of vice grips, warm up the car, and give it one more shot.
Thanx for all the help gents.
Thanx for all the help gents.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 7,625
Likes: 4
From: Director of Bands
St. Jude Donor '08
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 117
Likes: 0
From: San Luis Obispo California
I'm surprised nobody covered this, but any number of tool companies make sockets that are specifically designed to get a rounded bolt off. They kinda cut into the bolt as they turn to the left.
Craftsman makes the most widely available set, you can get them at an OSH or Sears. They're not too expensive, and they're a good tool to have around. Keep in mind that the Chevy drain plugs are 15mm. If you feel like spending more, try Snap-On, Mac, or Matco.
You should be able to get a 3/8" ratchet on it.
Lastly...I worked at a Jiffy Lube for four months as a second job while in high school, and used that money to pay for my corvette
But after working there, I'd NEVER take even my Ford there...
EDIT: Looks like the the gentleman above me linked to you the tool I'm talking about while I was writing!!
Craftsman makes the most widely available set, you can get them at an OSH or Sears. They're not too expensive, and they're a good tool to have around. Keep in mind that the Chevy drain plugs are 15mm. If you feel like spending more, try Snap-On, Mac, or Matco.
You should be able to get a 3/8" ratchet on it.
Lastly...I worked at a Jiffy Lube for four months as a second job while in high school, and used that money to pay for my corvette
But after working there, I'd NEVER take even my Ford there...EDIT: Looks like the the gentleman above me linked to you the tool I'm talking about while I was writing!!
Last edited by big_how; Mar 31, 2008 at 07:45 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,753
Likes: 15
From: backwoods upstate ny
old school repair
cutting chisel aimed at tangent of remaining nub...tap with hammer till chisel "bites", then switch to a "dull" chisel or kill the cutting edge of the chisel that you started with on your grind stone.
get a new drain plug at any auto parts house, "magnetic" one is worth the small extra $.
get a new drain plug at any auto parts house, "magnetic" one is worth the small extra $.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 384
Likes: 0
From: Hauppauge New York
I have off Friday afternoon, so I'm going to give it a go with a small pipe wrench. If that doesn't work, I'll run over to sears for that low-profile bolt removal set. Thanx for all the suggestions.
C...
C...