so i have a huge problem. i went to change my oil and the bolt and or pan is stripped. the bolt spins freely but is in tight and doesnt leak oil. my only problem is the mechanic said the oil pan needs to be replaced and to do that they need to take out the engine and they want 550$ labor just to do it. is there a simpler solution to this? has anyone had this problem? any advice would be really helpful im looking for the cheapest yet best solution

 

Something doesn't seem right, Did you try pliers and pulling it out if it were stripped i would imagine it would slide out, unless you mean the head of the plug??

I would try using pliers and pulling and turning at the same time maybe you will get lucky and it will catch

or....


If you got ***** you could drill it out but i would use this as a last resort

oh ya a new drain plug will cost you 6 bucks at napa i just replaced mine lol

 

the proper way of fixing it is getting a new oil pan, but.

a) BS on having to pull the engine. i've done it, you just cant do it if you have the RCD or SL brackets.

b) you can get a bolt that kinda goes in, then you can make it expand, its more of a universal hole plugger. i think they have them at AZ
c) i've heard of people putting a slightly bigger bolt in and just making new threads but i wouldn't recommend that.

 

my only problem on taking the bolt out is that if the pan is stripped then the truck becomes undrivable. and its a daily driver and i cant be without it for more than a day or two... can you really replace the pan with the engine still in the car. because i have a friend with a huge lift and we could get under it easy

 

on my 99 4x4 4.0 manual trans. i did it in my driveway.

I had to pull the front diff out, and twist and turn the pan a little to get it around the oil pick up tube but i got it.

with the RCD and SL lift you have a cross member between the rear mounts of the lower control arms that keep you from being able to get the pan out all the way.


orrr you could SAS it.. then the oil pan job gets real easy

I'll look at work tomorrow, but i think they have universal plugs you can stick in there.

 

ok i may sound like a noob but what does SAS mean. and thanks thatd be good to know about

 

Solid axle Swap

 

look at the pic of my truck
then go look at yours, you'll see a huge difference in the way the front suspension and driveline is designed.

 

No offense to ya bud but if you are worried about an oil pan dont worry about what a SAS is, its way more than you would want to even think of trying

 

i was in no way serious

 

You can get a self tapping over size drain plug. it should work just fine.