Stripped/destroyed Tranny Drain plug

Swenke · 12-01-2007, 01:59 PM

I was changing my transmision oil today and everything was fine until I tried to remove the 14mm drain plug. I strained really hard with my breaker bar and instead breaking the bolt loose, it rounded off the edges. At first I thought I'd be fine, just got some vise grips and wd-40 but ended up messing the bolt up more (and hurting my hand, ouch).

I don't really get why it stuck in there so well. I might just leave it and fill up transmission and wait till the next 30,000 miles comes up and let the dealership take care of it. You guys have any better ideas?

JD_STI · 12-01-2007, 02:01 PM

hammer a 13mm socket on there with an extension.

RdRacer301 · 12-01-2007, 02:02 PM

If you have access to a torch, you might try heating up the drain plug and trying to break it loose... or tapping on it with a hammer to try to shock it loose.. but I'm not seeing much for you grab onto...

Best bet might be just take it to a decent shop.. no need to take it to a dealer. Just pick up another drain plug from the dealership and take the car to a shop. It shouldn't cost you more than an oil change/fill up.

Swenke · 12-01-2007, 02:10 PM

Wow, that was fast. Thanks guys!

La Mer · 12-01-2007, 02:16 PM

Damn! Did you use the right size socket the first try?!

Good luck with that.

Keiro · 12-01-2007, 03:52 PM

looks like that bolt got its butt handed to it with a hammer lolz, good luck man,

***wdb*** · 12-01-2007, 05:01 PM

Yeesh! You need some 6-point sockets pronto.

Phil 05 · 12-01-2007, 05:24 PM

Don't heat the plug, it will only swell and be harder to remove. Instead, try to heat the surrounding area to swell the threaded hole. I think you had the right idea with vise grips. Try to wiggle the plug in either direction, just so it moves to break the seal. My guess is that it was over-torqued when inserted. Who last changed the tranny fluid? They're the culprits.
Good luck. Also, no harm in bringing it to the dealer or other reputable shop.

ESSTEAEYE · 12-01-2007, 05:25 PM

Is it just me or does it look like the head of the bolt is deformed in the clockwise direction (i.e. tighten)

houdni · 12-16-2007, 10:07 AM

make sure you smash in a smaller 6pt socket and not a 12

boozy04 · 12-16-2007, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ESSTEAEYE

Is it just me or does it look like the head of the bolt is deformed in the clockwise direction (i.e. tighten)

yeah that's what i was thinking too.

also, don't use WD40, it sucks. get some PB blaster

vandersti · 12-16-2007, 12:03 PM

you can take off the pan and try to easyout the bolt, new bolt costs about 8.99 from dealer. OR just order a whole new pan with bolt and washer, for about 45.00bucks. And some liquid gasket. This same thing happen to me, it was a good thing to i took off the pan. Thats where are huge magnet is. So i got to clean it too.

Van

***Szumita*** · 12-16-2007, 12:07 PM

talk about deformed.. haha

Brettnrs423 · 01-03-2008, 11:31 AM

Hehe. Thats exactly what happend to me when I went to change my transmission fluid the first time. The funny thing is that I was using good tools and the bolt simply would not budge. I ended up just dropping the pan, which is actually better because you get to clean off the magnet at the bottom of the tranny. I tried torching the bolt and using a pipe wrench with the pan off, and the bolt still would not turn! In the future im just going to drop the pan because the bolt is not leaking or anything. Im sure you already fixed the problem, but if not good luck with everything.

4banger · 01-03-2008, 01:02 PM

Along the lines of what others have been saying, Craftsman makes "sockets" with helical grooves along the inside of the socket that you can hammer into what is left of the plug. They sell them at Sears.

12-01-2007, 01:59 PM	#1
Swenke Lurker Car: 05 STi WR Blue Fav Mod: Coming Soon Posts: 7 Join Date: Sep 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Stripped/destroyed Tranny Drain plug I was changing my transmision oil today and everything was fine until I tried to remove the 14mm drain plug. I strained really hard with my breaker bar and instead breaking the bolt loose, it rounded off the edges. At first I thought I'd be fine, just got some vise grips and wd-40 but ended up messing the bolt up more (and hurting my hand, ouch). I don't really get why it stuck in there so well. I might just leave it and fill up transmission and wait till the next 30,000 miles comes up and let the dealership take care of it. You guys have any better ideas? This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

12-01-2007, 02:01 PM	#2
JD_STI Spec C Club Car: 07 STI Fav Mod: Zzyzx Coilovers Location: SoCal Posts: 1,194 Join Date: Jul 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Stripped/destroyed Tranny Drain plug hammer a 13mm socket on there with an extension.

12-01-2007, 02:02 PM	#3
RdRacer301 Spec C Club Car: 05 OBP STi Fav Mod: My Right Foot Location: Rockville, MD Posts: 2,492 Join Date: Oct 2004 Trader Rating: (1)	Re: Stripped/destroyed Tranny Drain plug If you have access to a torch, you might try heating up the drain plug and trying to break it loose... or tapping on it with a hammer to try to shock it loose.. but I'm not seeing much for you grab onto... Best bet might be just take it to a decent shop.. no need to take it to a dealer. Just pick up another drain plug from the dealership and take the car to a shop. It shouldn't cost you more than an oil change/fill up.

12-01-2007, 02:10 PM	#4
Swenke Lurker Car: 05 STi WR Blue Fav Mod: Coming Soon Posts: 7 Join Date: Sep 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Stripped/destroyed Tranny Drain plug Wow, that was fast. Thanks guys!

12-01-2007, 02:16 PM	#5
La Mer NIИja Car: 2006 STI (SGM) Location: US - Southern California Posts: 38,192 Join Date: Jan 2006 Trader Rating: (5)	Re: Stripped/destroyed Tranny Drain plug Damn! Did you use the right size socket the first try?! Good luck with that.

12-01-2007, 03:52 PM	#6
Keiro Junior STI Driver Car: 03 Subaru Impreza WR Fav Mod: Turbo Upgrades Location: Reidsville North Carolina Posts: 95 Join Date: Jun 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Stripped/destroyed Tranny Drain plug looks like that bolt got its butt handed to it with a hammer lolz, good luck man,

12-01-2007, 05:01 PM	#7
*wdb* dances with roads Posts: 5,021 Join Date: Apr 2005 Trader Rating: (8)	Re: Stripped/destroyed Tranny Drain plug Yeesh! You need some 6-point sockets pronto.

12-01-2007, 05:24 PM	#8
Phil 05 STI Driver Car: Silver 05 WRX STi Fav Mod: POWER Location: Western Massachusetts Posts: 207 Join Date: Nov 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Stripped/destroyed Tranny Drain plug Don't heat the plug, it will only swell and be harder to remove. Instead, try to heat the surrounding area to swell the threaded hole. I think you had the right idea with vise grips. Try to wiggle the plug in either direction, just so it moves to break the seal. My guess is that it was over-torqued when inserted. Who last changed the tranny fluid? They're the culprits. Good luck. Also, no harm in bringing it to the dealer or other reputable shop.

12-01-2007, 05:25 PM	#9
ESSTEAEYE Junior STI Driver Car: '06 Aspen White STI Fav Mod: Recaro SPG3,Ohlins & RA-R's Location: socal Posts: 176 Join Date: Oct 2003 Trader Rating: (4)	Re: Stripped/destroyed Tranny Drain plug Is it just me or does it look like the head of the bolt is deformed in the clockwise direction (i.e. tighten)

12-16-2007, 10:07 AM	#10
houdni Junior STI Driver Car: 06 Subaru WRX STi Fav Mod: leaving it stock Location: H@w@ii Posts: 54 Join Date: Apr 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Stripped/destroyed Tranny Drain plug make sure you smash in a smaller 6pt socket and not a 12

12-16-2007, 12:03 PM	#12
vandersti Junior STI Driver Car: 05 STi OBP Fav Mod: KW Variant 3's Location: South Dakota Posts: 191 Join Date: Jan 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Stripped/destroyed Tranny Drain plug you can take off the pan and try to easyout the bolt, new bolt costs about 8.99 from dealer. OR just order a whole new pan with bolt and washer, for about 45.00bucks. And some liquid gasket. This same thing happen to me, it was a good thing to i took off the pan. Thats where are huge magnet is. So i got to clean it too. Van

12-16-2007, 12:07 PM	#13
*Szumita* i eat cones Car: 08.5 GTI MKv Fav Mod: 18x8 Location: ma & ri Posts: 6,524 Join Date: Oct 2006 Trader Rating: (18)	Re: Stripped/destroyed Tranny Drain plug talk about deformed.. haha

01-03-2008, 11:31 AM	#14
Brettnrs423 STI Driver Car: 04 Subaru WRX STi Fav Mod: SR55 Location: Connecticut Posts: 275 Join Date: Dec 2003 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Stripped/destroyed Tranny Drain plug Hehe. Thats exactly what happend to me when I went to change my transmission fluid the first time. The funny thing is that I was using good tools and the bolt simply would not budge. I ended up just dropping the pan, which is actually better because you get to clean off the magnet at the bottom of the tranny. I tried torching the bolt and using a pipe wrench with the pan off, and the bolt still would not turn! In the future im just going to drop the pan because the bolt is not leaking or anything. Im sure you already fixed the problem, but if not good luck with everything.

01-03-2008, 01:02 PM	#15
4banger Professional STI Racer Car: 05 WRB STi Fav Mod: TiC AST's - 7/6K Location: Chesapeake, VA Posts: 622 Join Date: Feb 2005 Trader Rating: (3)	Re: Stripped/destroyed Tranny Drain plug Along the lines of what others have been saying, Craftsman makes "sockets" with helical grooves along the inside of the socket that you can hammer into what is left of the plug. They sell them at Sears. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.