SnowmanFD
Proven Member
- 142
- 8
- Dec 11, 2021
-
North Seattle,
Washington
I Stripped the drain plug to my transmission like an idiot. Any ideas on how to get it out?
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Happened to me. I put a 6 point socket on and braced the socket/wrench with a block of wood and crow bar forcing it (a lot of force) to stay on while turning (filler plug has same problem: https://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/transmission-help.488183/#post-153482868). After this happened to me multiple times I finally put a normal bolt in with a normal head on it (no taper or shallow the bolt heads like the original plug has). {Plug specs: https://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/n...in-and-fill-plug-sizes.532142/#post-153785818}.
Or try this (my favorite works really well - note Harbor Freight has a cheaper Pittsburg Pro one) :You must be logged in to view this image or video.
Or last resort (although I wouldn't heat up the aluminum tranny case method):You must be logged in to view this image or video.
This is the methods and order in which I use them. I’ve never really had any problems, but I use only one socket in particular for these drain plugs. It’s is both uniquely low profile and 1/2” drive, allowing me to provide good pressure and good alignment when breaking free. I’m not sure if it matters but it is standard size, which may be slightly tighter fitting.Some very good ideas here. Some more to think about, in the order I'd try them:
1. Smack the face of the plug a time or two with a hammer -- not hard enough to damage the transmission case. Get a 6 point socket, grind the face square so you don't have a bevel eating up your working surface and grind the outside diameter slightly if necessary to fit all the way down on that plug.
(As a rule of thumb don't use 12 point tools except on Mitsubishi head bolts which are designed for them or in the few situations where a 12 point box is your only choice. 12 point are fast but they damage fasteners that are now sometimes almost unobtainium.)
2. Use about a 1/4" drift and a ball peen hammer whacking the plug 'in' near the edge. You don't want to flatten it any, just break the stiction of the threads/flange all the way around. Move the place you hit CCW so that you encourage it to unscrew. Do maybe 6 places around the edge, go around a couple of times. Then try your 6 point socket again.
This is a more pursuasive version of #1 and will almost always work for a plug in aluminum but not so reliable in cast iron.
3. Use a cold chisel at an angle and hit hard enough to raise a chip a half dozen or more places around the edge, driving in the 'unscrew' direction. This too is a pretty powerful technique but you'll likely need to replace the plug afterward.
4. Get a left hand twist drill and drill the center of the plug. Drill a small pilot hole mostly through then go with one that's maybe 3/4 the diameter of the plug threads -- you don't want to hit those threads. Left hand drills because often the drill winds up just backing the screw/plug out and you are done.
If the drill didn't take the plug out, go at it with the 'easy out' Use one of the square ones that cut into the plug, not the spiral kind that wedge -- I have never been able to make the spiral ones work.
If the eazy out doesn't do it, take a hacksaw blade that'll fit the hole (grind the back if necessary), wrap one end with tape to protect your hand, then cut slots from the inside out, but not deep enough to damage the threads in the case. Cut 4-5 of them along one half of the circumference. Use your drift or a cold chisel from the side at the middle of your cuts to collapse the remainder of the plug out of the hole. Once it starts to loosen you can unscrew it with needlenose pliers.
There are self-tapping oversize drain plugs for many applications. Also I think there are heli-coil type inserts where you use a special tap, screw in an insert, and you have new threads fitting the original plug.
I'll bet these near flush drain plugs are a defense against a road hazard smacking your drain plug out and spilling transmission fluid or oil back on your cat/exhaust pipe.
Ding-ding-ding! Low profile is good because it's not so easy to tip it off the plug.This is the methods and order in which I use them. I’ve never really had any problems, but I use only one socket in particular for these drain plugs. It’s is both uniquely low profile and 1/2” drive, allowing me to provide good pressure and good alignment when breaking free. I’m not sure if it matters but it is standard size, which may be slightly tighter fitting.
This is excellent with three footnotes:Tack weld a 17mm nut on it. You're welcome!