No oil change - non-stock drain plugs!!

[Deke]

So Mo went in for an oil change/lube and wash today. I've been going to this place for four years with four different cars and I trust them.

Tech comes in and says he can't get the drain plugs off! Told me they're some aftermarket type he hadn't seen - almost flush with the pan, nothing he can get a grip on even with vise grips.

Does anyone know of anything like this? I have no pics, and I'm not quite thin enough to comfortably get under the car and take a pic; besides, it's parked in the street and I'm afraid some one will run over my legs!

I'm assuming this is one that needs a special socket or tool to remove? I didn't see anything in the trunk other than the tool to remove the nut for the locking wire wheel covers.

I was going to ask if they could suck out the old oil through the dipstick tube, or just let it run out of the filter opening after removal...


Deke

[marquisman]

i dont know what to sugest. you cant get the oil out through the tube due to the double section pan and the filter is higher than the pan, so it wond drain through the filter fitting, you gadda get that plug out.

[Brandon]

Or you could take the oil pan off but that's the hard way. Is the plug big enough where you can try and tap it with a flat head screw driver? Just make sure your hitting it in the right direction

[86VickyLX]

I've never heard of such a thing. Maybe someone overtightened the plugs and they were pulled in closer to the pan?

[marquisman]

the best thing i can suggest is to put a groove in the middle with a little die grinder and use an impact driver on it.

[Deke]

Thing is, I"m not doing the job myself and I don't know how far the shop will go.... He said it appears to be some sort of aftermarket thing!

I don't have the contact information for the previous owner to ask about this....

On top of this, the pan gasket leaks!

[gadget73]

I'd take it to a regular shop and consider having the oil pan replaced. That will fix the funky drain plug issue and your leak all at the same time. Its not a particularly cheap job, doing a pan on a motor in the car is a pain in the ass.

[86VickyLX]

I'd take it to a regular shop and consider having the oil pan replaced. That will fix the funky drain plug issue and your leak all at the same time. Its not a particularly cheap job, doing a pan on a motor in the car is a pain in the ass.

A man to that. I made a post on how to do it. It's not fun. It takes a little while, and you're on your back the whole time. I hated doing it too.

[Deke]

I'd take it to a regular shop and consider having the oil pan replaced. That will fix the funky drain plug issue and your leak all at the same time. Its not a particularly cheap job, doing a pan on a motor in the car is a pain in the ass.

I'm not flush with cash and can't work on the car in my driveway (deed restrictions), so I need a cheap fix here.....

Who know to look at such a small detail when buying a car? I'm sure there's some way to get these things off; the previous owner had a way....

[87gtVIC]

if they were tightened on there i can't imagine they cant be removed

[86VickyLX]

Well um cheap? You could possibly drill new plug holes. And throw in replacement plugs. If you could get pictures somehow, that would be nice. Got a skinny brother or something? You could have him take pictures.

[cld783]

buy a couple new plugs and take it somewhere else, tell them about the situation and tell them to do whatever they can to get them out. It really shouldn't be that difficult for any good shop to remove a couple rounded off/special drain plugs.

that or crawl your ass under there and take pics so we can help you better. parking it with two wheels on the curb will make it easier for you.

[Enigma]

1. Go to an empty parking lot. That way you won't have to worry about someone driving over you.
2. You don't have to climb under to take a picture. Your arm is plenty long enough. Stick the camera under there and aim and shoot. On digital cameras, film is free. Keep taking pics till you get a good one. Might take a few, but it is possible. I've done plenty of remote pics that way.

[Deke]

Here's pics

1. Go to an empty parking lot. That way you won't have to worry about someone driving over you.
2. You don't have to climb under to take a picture. Your arm is plenty long enough. Stick the camera under there and aim and shoot. On digital cameras, film is free. Keep taking pics till you get a good one. Might take a few, but it is possible. I've done plenty of remote pics that way.

Laid out the sheet I keep in the trunk for laying on under the car. Here's a couple of pics of the front plug. Looks like a Phillip's will fit!






Found this in the trunk - I assume it's the tool for removing the wire wheel covers...

[Lincolnmania]

thats just a regular drain plug, and the nylon gasket is worn out and the plug dont have much for a wrench to grab......i could easilly get that plug out.........take the car somewhere else for an oil change.......pick up two new drain plugs (like 6 bucks for two) and have them install them