So apparently my oil pan bolt is stripped. I guess this happened last time i changed my oil but i really dont remember it happening? Mayb i have gremlins in my truck but anyways, any thing i can do to get it? i went to pepboys and they had a bolt remover set for like 30 bucks but if theres a single socket that i can buy that would be great? Im going for a jog and ill be bcak in about 30 min, lol help me by then

 

buy a socket that just barely does not fit over the rounded bolt head. pound it on there with a hammer. remove as normal. throw bolt and socket away.

 

you should be able to get a new drain plug from any parts store without a problem

 

they make special sockets for this, try sears. We have a set of them.

 

oh and try a pair of vice grips

 

Vice grips and hammer. Chisel and hammer.

Anything will work as long as you have a hammer lol

 

I bought a set of 4 bolt removers for about 7 dollars at O'Reilly's (sp) about 2 months ago.

 

your not going to want to do that for the oil pan, it could dent or destroy the threads if your hitting it hard...

sears has the bolt kit that as a bunch of spiral blades that dig in and let you unscrew it...

 

Now remember if your use the screw/bolt removers you will need to drill a hole in the center. Now as we all know what can happen if those chips get in the oil. Dip the drill in grease before drilling. The chips will stick to it. Wipe the chips and grease off and reapply as needed. Most drain plugs aren't thick enough to allow you to drill a deep enough blind hole to get a screw/bolt extractor to work properly plus a through hole weakens the bolt greatly.
But before you go this far try one thing. If you can get a pair of ViseGrips on the bolt try to tighten it first. Then try removing it. MANY times I have gotten stuck bolts out by tightening first then removing. Somehow it breaks them loose. I don't know how but an old timer taught me this many years ago and it has served me well many times.

 

there talking about the bolt removers not for a snapped off bolt, they fit over like a socket and have reversed threads on the inside so when you lossen them the teeth dig into the outter edges of bolt pulling and theres no drilling necassary ( how ever you spell it haha) just dont use an impact on them , vice grips work real good too

 

next time, use the correct size socket

 

I picked up this gizmo at walmart called a gator grip. It is a socket that is filled with a bunch of tiny, spring-loaded steel rods. When you put the socket onto the bolt head, the rods get pushed up by the head, leaving a collection of rods all around the bolt. It works pretty well for removing stripped bolts or anything with a sort of funky head and it only cost about 10 bucks.

 

i have had this problem before. its when you tighten the bolt tighter than hand tight or use an impact wrench. since most oil change places use impact wrenchs, it strips the bolt. so i am just continuing to do my own oil changes..

 

Ok, no one should EVER use an IMPACT wrench on a oil pan, or the drain bolt SINCE MOST PANS ARE ALUMINUM they will strip the threads WAY too easy on that. Wow..... the stupidity continues.....

 

I rounded the head completely off a oil drain plug on a pt cruiser, and I ended up having to weld a bolt to what was left of the head to get the plug out.

 

Hope there was no oil leakage when welding

 

like i said, reason why i do it myself now

 

it would be hard to catch plain old oil on fire...

 

Ask jason about welding on the derby car. its not that hard with very hot ambers.

 

that oil plug wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. lol

 

I would have to say ive never seen anyone use an impact, or any air tool for that matter to remove a drain plug.....use some vice grips and get it off, put a new one on...that simple...

Welding by the oil pan isnt going to do anything....

Rocky

 

in my case, it wasn't that simple....we tryed vise grips several times, all it did was screw the head up even more.