Time for a routine oil change, and I just got home from work so I decided it's nice out, time to do it.

Well, I'm ******* stupid and had teh wrench on tighten instead, cranked on it, and stripped the threads in a split second. ****. Now the plug just spins freely in the pan, and I can't back it out. I tried prying and wrenching it, but I can't get anything between the bolt and the pan.

What can I do? I have to work tomarrow and don't have another car. It looks like amybe the deal that the plug screws into on the pan is removable, but I tried a vicegrips on it and it wouldn't budge.

Please don't tell me I need a new oil pan, I'd almost have to pull the engine to replace it.

Is there anything I can do to pull it and still retain the use of my fucked up pan?

-uRizen

 

Would it help if I mentioned that I'm desperate and very angry at myself for doing something so retarded?

 

No, Id say you gotta pull the pan. No big deal...just unbolt the motor mounts, lift/jack it up a few inches away from the subframe, and do your thing. No need to pul the motor...

 

How much do you think a new pan and gasket is going to run me? Oh, and how many bolts are on the front end under the fron subframe piece? I'm just trying to get a good look at what I'm messing with.

 

it's ok dude. just calm down.... take it to the nearest quik lube or something and tell them to fix it, uh somehow... if you don't wanna do that, then oil pans are pretty cheap if you get it used(on the forums) and they are not hard to change at ALL.

maybe the shop can drill out the bolt...

 

Theres probably about 20 oil pan bolts altogether. Then there are the motor mounts you need to remove as well as the oil level sender on the DS of the pan.

 

Hmmm, unless I call in sick the next couple of days (really don't want to), I really can't replace the pan in that time. I think I'm going to pull the level sensor and drain through that for this change, and work on the pan later. I have lots of high-temp RTV to seal up the current plug. Does that sleeve that the plug screws into come off, or is it just an illusion that it's a seperate peice?

 

you should be able to get it out try prying on it whyle you unscrew it it may take a whyle but it it doable. then get a drain plug repair kit

 

With an engine hoist or a jack under the tranny this is probably a 1 hour job. There are about 20 or so bolts, and you'll need a socket, extension or 2, a ujoint, and ratchet for the job.

I have spare oilpans and gaskets if you need.

Plan on replacing your passenger motor mount if it hasnt already been done, it's probably broken.

 

you could try breaking the bolt from hitting the head on the side with a hammer.

 

It does not come apart. IT is welded from the factory.

 

Hold it with vise grips, get a 1/4 drill bit, drill through the bolt about 1/8 in, get rid of the vise grips, turn the drill to extract, pull down and hit the trigger. It'll come out.

 

Thanks for the suggestions so far guys. I tried the drill method and it didn't work. It turned a little, but broke free.

I'm about to just pull the sensor and drain from there. I can fix the oil pan when I lay 'er up for injector and OMP line replacemement.

 

your plug isn't going to seal and it will leak oil. It's also not high enough to get it all out.

Do kinna like BlackTurbo said...put a hole in it then sink a screw or something into the bolt. After you get a bolt or screw sunk in there real good, use pliers to pull it down while turning it with an open end wrench.

I can't see that drill method really working. What keeps the drill bit caught in the bolt's steel?

 

Also, after you get it out, you can use a rubber compressable freeze plug as a temp fix...but you gotta replace the pan soon.

I have a pan for sale...

 

craftsman bolt-outs = godsend.

 

ok. just put some tape over the bolt and jbweld that bitch shut...

then you just have to buy a new pan. or just wait till your engine burns it all out like i do. i use thinner oil and it alwase burns it hella fast.

 

Mine doesn't have a working OMP right now, the lines are clogged (replacing them when I do my injectors and now my oil pan in a few weeks), so I don't burn nearly as much as I should be. I was almost tempted to pull the filter and turn it over just because I was pissed off (did that on my old crappy truck once, was pretty cool, lol).

I did manage to get ~3-3.5qts out using the level sensor, which isn't too bad considering I normally get 4.5qts.

I talked to Mr. Landers and he's setting me up with an oil pan that a poor moron like myself can afford, lol.

The biggest problem was the nice puddle I walked out to this morning. It looks like the old plug didn't quite seal right, even with the rtv on there (I guess it doesn't adhere to surfaces as well as I thought), so after 5 minutes of warming it up this morning in the garage, I came out at there was a big *** puddle under the car. It still has enough to register on the dipstick, and the low oil light didn't pop on, but scared the **** out of me anyways.

I'll still have to rip that plug out and find something temporary. I'm going to use one of those rubber drain plugs (the ones that have the washers on both size with a bolt going through the middle). I've had great results with those before, just a matter of walking a good hour or so to the hardware store to get one.

 

Leave the plug in and JBweld it.

 

That's a good idea too. I have alot of love for JBweld.

I don't ahve any, so I'll have to hit up the H/w store anyways. Might as well pick up both things while I'm at it.

 

Nothing will stick to it if it has oil on it. You will have to get it super clean, and JB weld takes a long time to cure. I would drill a hole in the bolt, stick an EZ out (bolt extractor) in the hole, put the drill in reverse, chuck the EZ out into the drill and spin the **** out of it. You can get an EZ out at any hardware store. You may have to lean it sideways to make it grab while you're trying to back it out.

 

Kevin Landers has helped out so many poor FC owners stuck in a bind, lol. Good guy

 

**** it...you got this far, simply drive the car for another 8K till it blows up. Then swap the whole engine...lol. Basically I would do what is stated above. Just pull the whole pan. It''s gonna be messy.

 

^^ 10+yr old oil pan sediment

 

Or take off your oil filter and just spray it out. Make sure to have a bucket to catch as much that sprays out. Just kidding don't do that. Only works on neons. My bolt was stripped and for a while I just burned all my oil the refilled. Of course this was only temporary.