Oil pan drain plug
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Drifting
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From: Iowa
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Oil pan drain plug
What do you suppose the engineer was thinking when he decided to put the oil pan drain plug in the front of the pan.....and then made it so it's nearly impossible to get a socket on it?
Was this guy having the male equivilent of a "bad hair day" then, or what?
Was this guy having the male equivilent of a "bad hair day" then, or what?
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St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'10
I see, changing your oil recently weren't you? 
It's amazing how great the design of an individual component seems....right up until you assemble it with some of the other components (with great designs too of course) and then you go...Oh S***!
Paul
It's amazing how great the design of an individual component seems....right up until you assemble it with some of the other components (with great designs too of course) and then you go...Oh S***!Paul
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St. Jude Donor '09
Well ... how 'bout another mod? Move the drain to the bottom rear of the oil pan so it can be drained while the front is on ramps. Might be doable, and reasonably simple.
Melting Slicks
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From: GA
This is what I think the Germans are so good about. Look at the components in a BMW or Mercedes. They usually appear to be well thought out. They are firm believers in "concurrent" engineering, the design of components and systems as they relate to the whole...
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From: King George VA
I've never been able to get a socket on it. I use a 15mm wrench... and since I'm normally looking at it backwards, I have to think very carefully about which way to turn it. 
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From: King George VA
Originally Posted by ErnieN85
screw in the plug. Then put a 15mm socket on the plug,insert a short extension then a 3/8 torque wrench. it does work! 
Course you have to be careful with those as well... set them for tighten but then put it on backwards which is the easier angle for the oil pan bolt and then it ratches the wrong way.
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From: Pine Brook NJ
Know what you mean.
I remember having a few choice words for GM the first time I did an oil change - I couldn't believe they put the drain plug somewhere where you couln't get a socket on it. Put a wrench on it and the bolt was really on there good. Put some pressure on the wrench and the bolt finally broke loose. Of course I cut my fingers up pretty good when my hand slammed into one of the really sharp crossmembers. Yeah, I was not a big fan of GM at that moment in time.
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Drifting
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From: Iowa
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Originally Posted by BW1
What makes you think the design engineer was male? 
` 
I just know, I'm probably gonna catch it for that one.
Has anyone successfully attempted to drill and tap a hole in the rear of the pan?
Lepus-temperamentalus
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From: Roswell Ga
Originally Posted by TOOGECKO
This is what I think the Germans are so good about. Look at the components in a BMW or Mercedes. They usually appear to be well thought out. They are firm believers in "concurrent" engineering, the design of components and systems as they relate to the whole...
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Yeah! Right!
Now THERE'S a point!
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I bought one of those little valve deals where you install it once and from then on just flip it open...drains a little slower but its damn easy to change the oil
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From: Hot Springs AR
Originally Posted by ZX-11
I remember having a few choice words for GM the first time I did an oil change - I couldn't believe they put the drain plug somewhere where you couln't get a socket on it. Put a wrench on it and the bolt was really on there good. Put some pressure on the wrench and the bolt finally broke loose. Of course I cut my fingers up pretty good when my hand slammed into one of the really sharp crossmembers. Yeah, I was not a big fan of GM at that moment in time.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
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From: Jacksonville Florida
Originally Posted by MagikDraggin
What do you suppose the engineer was thinking when he decided to put the oil pan drain plug in the front of the pan.....and then made it so it's nearly impossible to get a socket on it?
Was this guy having the male equivilent of a "bad hair day" then, or what?
Was this guy having the male equivilent of a "bad hair day" then, or what?
The engineer had just finished designing the steering column lock before doing the oil drain plug location.
Melting Slicks
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From: Newark, DE
St. Jude Donor '06
Originally Posted by TOOGECKO
This is what I think the Germans are so good about. Look at the components in a BMW or Mercedes. They usually appear to be well thought out. They are firm believers in "concurrent" engineering, the design of components and systems as they relate to the whole...
If you look at the other car forums, there are lots of complaints about percieved cheapness and crazy ergonomics (until you get into something like a Mercedes SL or AMG). BMW seems intent on alienating their (formerly) loyal performance-oriented owner/drivers. When it came time to replace my 5-Series in 2004, I found that they had eliminated the M-coupe and M5, and were shoving the infernal iDrive down consumer's throats of the remaining models (except the 3-Series, which I wasn't interested in). That's why I'm driving a C5 now.
