ok i've only had the car for 3 weeks now and i decided to change the oil. i hav'nt driven it much but wanted to start with clean oil and filter and to know exactly how many miles in between changes.
so i jack up the car and crawl under and man a big old ape must have put that thing on. i've tried but it won't turn. i can't get a socket on it because whoever did it last time messed up the head so now i have to use vise grips or a pipe wrench. i was afraid of using to much force so maybe someone has an idea that would help.
thanks
robert

 

i would say use a big pair of vice grips and get them on there as tight as u possible can. If you cant turn it by hand, try hitting the handle wwith a hammer. Vice grips have gotten many locked up bolts off for me.

 

If you still cant get it, I would take it to a local oil changing facility and just pay them to change your oil. Dont say anything about it being locked up, just let them deal with it.

 

if you can't get if off a shop can. they will just weld a nut onto the bottom of you plug and stick there socket onto that.

 

Did you try while it was hot, the heat tends to help a lot. Warm the engine up.

Smacking it with a hammer a few times can help.

As always remember the persuader! (any long length of pipe) for better mechanical advantage.

 

Just be sure to get a new drain plug to put back in when you are finished.

Todd

 

i had that same problem... what i did was get a socket that was one-two sizes smaller depending on how bad the end of the plug is. and beating the socket onto the plug(make sure you have it on straight) then take it off with a braker bar. oh and youll need a new plug.

good luck
billy

 

grease monkey stories...

 

Ok, I seem to not beable to get my drain plug off (again) either. I did it last time, but with help ... I have no help right now. Should I just save my aggravation (sp) and get Wal-mart to do it?

 

if you get wal-mart to do your oil, the only advice is to CHECK THE OIL AFTERWARDS. make sure that they actually put oil in the damn car. story from a friend:

moms camry goes in to get an oil change at wal-mart. they dont put oil in. she doest check. she drives to LA (from san diego) and boom, her engine blew. wal-mart wouldnt pay for it, but on a positive note, it now has a j-spec in it....funny, a j-spec in a camry, it just sounds weird.

 

When finished buy a Fram SD-2 drain. See http://www.fram.com/

Or buy online this little jewel: http://www.fumotovalve.com/

 

Oh wow, thanks for the information. That's kinda irresponsible... for them to have done that. Damn.

 

Find someone with a Metrinch socket set. I have removed plenty of stripped bolts with mine, even after being stripped by large visegrips. Metrinch works!

Those valves don't let 100% of the oil out since they sit a little higher in the pan vs. normal plug removal.

I tried using one of those magnetic drain plugs but it would not screw in all the way. Something was blocking it. So, just buy a new cheapo drain plug/washer from the dealer or carparts superstore and have some quick lube place do your oil change. Tell them to use a torque wrench.

http://www.metrinch-tools.com/
http://www.mitools.com/

 

Hell yeah, those are brilliant!

 

OK GUYS THANKS
got it off, went and bought a bigger pair of vice grips and locked them on as tight as i could and then hit them with a hammer.
since i've never worked on a rotory i did'nt want to screw up the oil pan or whatever until i knew it was ok to bang on the plug. i've seen a lot of crappy work from quick change oil places but this is the worst . the drain plug was acually mushroomed at the oil pan and the head was round.
thanks again
robert