Rounded off drain plug

[downslope]

Gave it another go with a decent pipe wrench, got a good hold on the threads and thought I had managed to get it. Just started stripping down the threads.

As it starts slipping/stripping on the plug you may have to make minute adjustments closing the wrench down to maintain a grip.

All pipe plugs are not the same, some are all solid, some are hollow in the threaded portion and others hollow all the way thru. If you knew for sure it was hollow you could cut the head off and then collapse the threads with a chisel.

If all fails you could try to get a hold of one of the bolt extractor tools mentioned earlier, and if not enough room to get a proper wrench on it, then turn it with a pipe wrench.

 

[Jstpssng]

At some point you are probably going to have to take that crosspiece off, or bring it to somebody with more experience/the proper tools. The worse you make it, the more time/money it's going to take to fix it.
If you opt for the former, once the crossmember is out of the way you will probably be able to drive a smaller socket over it and spin it out.
Having said that, if you want to keep trying I would dispense with the pipe wrench and get a good set of curved jaw vise grips, and fix up a cheater bar on that.

 

[TimberHole]

When things are stuck I revert to using one of two techniques, and both if possible. Heat and impact. In my experience a steady pull, regardless of wrench type is generally not the solution. You could try putting a good pressure on it with a pipe wrench and simultaneously beating on the wrench with s big hammer. In your case I would beat close to the plug to transfer as much impact to the plug as possible.

A better solution would have a welder run by and weld on a nut. Then use heat and an impact to rock the plug back and forth until it gives. If I go with brute force I usually break something and my problem gets a whole bunch worse.

 

[bcp]

Try a centerpunch and heavy hammer. Hit it GOOD from 4 directions, about 30-45 degrees upward, several times.

(I'd use my air hammer and a blunt chisel. Don't want to cut it off, just jar it loose.)

Bruce

 

[goeduck]

Are you certain you are turning it in the correct direction? :confused2:

For some reason I always get disoriented when it comes to lefty loosey - righty tightly when I am laying on my back under an engine. So I have to mimic the hand motions of opening an upside down pickle jar before I know that I am correct. Crazy but true, I have done it hundreds of times.
:cuckooclock: :hypnodisk: :hypnodisk: :cuckooclock:

 

[sixdogs]

For some reason I always get disoriented when it comes to lefty loosey - righty tightly when I am laying on my back under an engine. So I have to mimic the hand motions of opening an upside down pickle jar before I know that I am correct. Crazy but true, I have done it hundreds of times.
:cuckooclock: :hypnodisk: :hypnodisk: :cuckooclock:

Many years ago, but when I was still old enough to know better, I had my rightey-tightey, lefty-loosey thing down pat and muscled all I had to get off the front lug nut off on an F600 Ford Farm truck. Only when I finally got it off did I wonder what the "L" was on the face of the lug nut. It retrospect, it should have stood for "loser" because I sure felt like one. Took all day to replace the stud on the truck and money I didn't have.

 

[Egon]

As it starts slipping/stripping on the plug you may have to make minute adjustments closing the wrench down to maintain a grip.

Agreed; the jaws need to be closer together and the plug farther on the wrench jaws.

 

[JRobyn]

107 posts. This has GOT to be the most stubborn drain plug in the history of machinery!

 

[Ford850]

It's the transmission drain plug, pretty sure I would have to split the tractor.

Now were talking!
I hope this thread doesn't end up like the one about adding a block heater which resulted in a split and a rebuild.

 

[Peter 315]

Or maybe a trip to the dealer for a new tractor ....

 

[TimberHole]

Or maybe a trip to the dealer for a new tractor ....

I was going to suggest keep pouring the heat to it.......either it will break loose or the tractor will eventually burn to the ground. Either way way the plug will no longer be a problem!

 

[Kando]

I was going to suggest keep pouring the heat to it.......either it will break loose or the tractor will eventually burn to the ground. Either way way the plug will no longer be a problem!

Kind of need to tractor

Currently working on getting the tire tube replaced, and my truck decided to be problematic, cylinder misfire again. Problems pile on.

Once i get that situated, get the tube replaced, then I'll run the tractor up to a weld shop and see about getting a nut welded on and see how that goes.

 

[Peter 315]

:drink::cool2:.....

 

[TimberHole]

Please start seperate threads on the misfire and the tube! A few hundred posts and we'll get those solved for you also!!!! :laughing:

 

[fried1765]

Please start seperate threads on the misfire and the tube! A few hundred posts and we'll get those solved for you also!!!! :laughing:

Hope the OP does not bail out on this thread though...... NOW I NEED to know what finally happens to that plug!

 

[Peter 315]

Don't let go of this thread though...... I NEED to know what finally happens to that plug!

TBN 6,000,000th post I got the plug out, Now what ...

 

[bcp]

If you weld a nut on the plug, you still have the tight space to get a wrench into, and the wrench may slip.

Instead, weld on a bar that can serve as a handle, or for a hammer to hit, where access is better. Drill a hole in the bar that the rounded plug fits into, then weld.

Bruce

 

[Ford850]

If you weld a nut on the plug, you still have the tight space to get a wrench into, and the wrench may slip.

Instead, weld on a bar that can serve as a handle, or for a hammer to hit, where access is better. Drill a hole in the bar that the rounded plug fits into, then weld.

Bruce

Or use a larger nut that fits over/around the plug completely and just weld the inside of the nut to the plug. Then it isn't hanging down any more than the plug is now, and will allow a larger wrench.

 

[Ford850]

Kind of need to tractor

Currently working on getting the tire tube replaced, and my truck decided to be problematic, cylinder misfire again. Problems pile on.

Once i get that situated, get the tube replaced, then I'll run the tractor up to a weld shop and see about getting a nut welded on and see how that goes.

You're making this more difficult by having to drive the tractor over to a weld shop to weld a nut onto the plug. Just remove the plug and run that over to the weld shop. :thumbsup:

 

[newbury]

I know a lot of people use mityvacs for engine oil and transmission oil change. Could that work here to get the old fluid out?

I've used my little HF $5 hand pump to take a half quart out of my VW when they vastly overfilled it.