Help! I can't get the tranny drain plug out of my '93. It's a 6 speed manual. I'm starting to round edges.

Use a single hex socket

I'd also shoot it with some pb blaster and if the 6 point socket case suggested doesn't work you can get special sockets at sears for getting out rounded bolts.

Matthew

Steel tends to sieze up a bit in aluminum. Try a torch. The 17mm allens from the parts stores aren't the best fit, they're low quality but I don't know who else would carry it.

make sure you can get the fill bolt out first... otherwise, your car is immobile.

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Amen, Brother! I can't count the number of times I've been asked to have a look at a gearbox problem where someone had managed to drain the box, but couldn't get the fill plug out. ALWAYS remove the fill plug first!

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I got a good one at Sears.

I used a MAP gas torch, heat the case around the plug, not the plug. Try tightening the plug first silghtly to break it loose.
Use antisieze when reinstalling the plug.

Thanks all. The hex socket I have is from Sears so it should be good quality. I've soaked it with PB Blaster, and I've tried heating the area around the plug. ALthough I'm leary that I'll do more damage with too much heat and I'm not sure how much heat is too much. BTW, the fill plug was easy to loosen.

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

How about some impact? Sometimes I'll hold the breakerbar tight and hit it with a hammer to try and break it loose. Once you get past that tiny bit of surface corrosion it comes out easy.

I gave up on mine several times and sucked fluid from the fill hole.

Then on one occasion, after a long drive, I put it on jackstands immediately and got under there and was able to break it loose.

You've got the 17mm allen plug on there right?

Yeah the 17 mm allen plug. I could use a long ride soon. I'll try that. At least I'll enjoy the ride.

A mechanic friend reccomened putting a 17 mm nut on a larger bolt and if you use a large box end wrench you can get better leverage. The long hex head would tend to slip off when I would pull the ratchet. The larger bolt would keep the 17 mm snug within the hex fitting and make it less likely to slip out.

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Joe, what are you heating it with? If you're using one of the small propane torches, they probably won't get hot enough.
MAP gas torches are better, hotter. You can get one at Home D for under $30. They won't get hot enough to mess anything up as long as you keep the flame moving. It takes a while since you're heating the oil too. What you need to do is expand the aluminum around the nut. Keep the flame an inch away from the nut.
Mine was really tight, even with heating, I had to put a 2 1/2 foot pipe on the 17mm allen wrench. And I had someone put pressure on the wrench to keep it from slipping out.

if you are fitting a 17mm allen inside......you can buy an 18mm and grind it down enough to fit really snug...so snug that it requires a tap of a hammer to fit inside.

Now the chances of it slipping are lessoned. the 17mm is made to go in out out easily and in tight situations that slop will kill you.

Shade tree suggestion at best...

Cut the allen wrench and stick it into a 17 mm socket. You get better leverage, have more options, etc.

Put a 2x4 (standing on it's end) under the ratchet (with the socket in the plug), wedge it up tight so it can't slip out downward when you pull. Put a breaker bar on the ratchet driver handle, and yank. Works like a charm...

Hmm. You could use a floor jack to plant the 17mm securely into the plug.

Also, they tend to be rounded on the top edges, this isn't helping you. maybe cut the end off your driver so you've got something more flush, this will give you more bite on the corners.

My 17mm hex is from Autozone and comes in a 1/2 socket, so I use a torque wrench on it.

I used a breaker bar and a 6 foot pipe to undo mine. I couldn't believe how frozen it was.

-- Joe

Jesus, snap on makes a nice little 17mm socket in 3/8 and also 1/2 inch # SAM17A or CPT110A. No need to go around and rig up a solution that may screw it up even worse.

And the heat from a nice long drive should be enough to loosen the plug.

Thanks for all of the advice. I have tried everything. I've even tried using a chisel to drive the plug around - no luck.

I guess I have 2 options; 1) take it to the dealer, or 2) drill a hole in the plug and use an easy-out. Anyone have a clue how far up into the tranny casing I can go with an easy-out?

The easy out method has been done before. I have a feeling though it'll take a big easy out. Now, if you break off the extractor in there, you're even more screwed. Sorry, I can't help you on clearance. Maybe try drilling just through the plug carefully with a 1/8" bit, then shoving something in there as a depth finder to see how much room for error you have on the big bit. You can always put some rubber hose over the bit to keep it from pulling in too far. Worst case, those gear surfaces are insanely hard, a little nick isn't going to hurt.

Or just shove the tube through the fill opening and pump the fluid out and refill, and put it off that drain plug til another day.

Another option is to drill out the drain plug and tap some 3/8" NPT threads into it or something then screw a pipe plug in there and just use that for future fluid changes. Make sure it's a flush type plug similar to stock, because that part of the car doesn't have much ground clearance.

Good ideas. I'm buying a pump tomorrow.

And if all else fails you can always do it the old fashion way and drill the hell out of it until you can break the plug apart with a hammer and chisel. Sometimes we have to do that to remove threaded pipe connections that have been in service for 40 years.

Problem solved. I bought a cheap siphon pump. I came with an attachment for a small diameter hose for pumping oil out of your crankcase through your dipstick tube. I carefully pushed this hose into the tranny fill hole. Pumped out almost exactly 2.2 quarts and pumped the new back in.

That sounded like a much better solution. Probably a lot less messy too.

Mike :thumbright:

I wouldn't call that a permanent solution. It won't get all the copper flakes out of the very bottom of the trans.