Rounded My Sump Plug!

[Mean_R34]

Last night I decided to service my car. In the process of undoing the sump plug, I rounded it to the point I can't.

Tried plumber's stilsons, hoping the teeth would grip it but to no avail.

Filed back the head to square. Had a thought of hacksawing the head and using a large blade screwdriver but the bolt seems to be a fairly soft metal.

Anyone got any ideas from here?

[THR34T]

Last night I decided to service my car. In the process of undoing the sump plug, I rounded it to the point I can't.

Tried plumber's stilsons, hoping the teeth would grip it but to no avail.

Filed back the head to square. Had a thought of hacksawing the head and using a large blade screwdriver but the bolt seems to be a fairly soft metal.

Anyone got any ideas from here?

drill through the plug n get a new bolt? lol

[ashneel]

get a smaller size socket that you dont need to buy a cheapo one and bash it onto the sump plug and undo it. did the same wheni had my R33. was the only way to get it out. or as mentioned above drillit out but just be carefull you dont f**k the threads up ont he sump

[R31Nismoid]

^ Yep smaller socket

or

Easy out - one of those mobile people that get manifold studs out of the head (Thread Doctor), should be able to do it.

They are quite reasonable priced if thats what it comes too (couple hundred or less)

[lachlanw]

get someone to tack weld a bit of bar or somethign to it .

[ONE-VIA]

thread doctor

[krzysztof]

get a better pair of vice grips.. if there is still a head on the nut, regardless if its rounded, jam some vice grips on there but do them up soo tight that its almost hard to get them to clamp, after this your better of knocking the vice clamps with a hammer (leftie loosie rightie tightie), than trying to undo them with your hands as the impact will have a better effect..

if you can't undo them with this, which i find hard to believe then get someone to weld a bar on there, if your doing it right it'll either come out or your'll snap the head off the bolt, if this happens i wouldn't bother with an easy out as its well and properly stuck all you'll end up doing is snapping the easy then its just a bigger pain in ass..

next step work out what size its meant to be and drill and re-tap the thread..

good luck

[CrispyFries]

Once it's out, replace it with a spark plug

[Astro Bear]

Once it's out, replace it with a spark plug

Then, connect the spark plug up to your existing ignition system. Then BANG farking.

[Munkyb0y]

i remember that sparkplug thread. some guy got work done at a workshop, and came home to find that. shocker!!

oh yeah. vice grips would be my first step. super tight. you may even need multigrips to close the vice grips

Edited May 17, 2010 by Munkyb0y

[Birds]

Amen to vicegrips. These suckers are so great with bolts and no sump plug on any engine should be too tight for vice grips. If it is, then the person who put the sump plug back in did an awful job of it!

Don't think I have to tell you to use a new sump plug and washer afterwards lol.

[iseekool]

If you find the vice grips slipping - put a rubber band (those thick red ones) around the head of the bolt.

[West]

....or get a file and file the nut to a smaller socket size, at least this way no drilling, no bashing, no vicegrip.....involve and you could actually use it again.

[_Ryan_]

you could actually use it again.

crazy.

go to a wrecker, just replace the sump lol

[Mean_R34]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I did think of the tack weld, but looked around and no welder.

I might go with the smaller cheapo socket + hammer.

The spark plug is a great idea, but might drop my road clearance belong 100mm.

^ Yep smaller socket

or

Easy out - one of those mobile people that get manifold studs out of the head (Thread Doctor), should be able to do it.

They are quite reasonable priced if thats what it comes too (couple hundred or less)

A COUPLE OF HUNDRED??!! How is that reasonable Ash?

[Birds]

Ash just has too much money to burn

High society bastard living out of his city apartment, with water and electricty and other fancy things.

[_Ryan_]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I did think of the tack weld, but looked around and no welder.

I might go with the smaller cheapo socket + hammer.

The spark plug is a great idea, but might drop my road clearance belong 100mm.

A COUPLE OF HUNDRED??!! How is that reasonable Ash?

sif a sump wouldnt be cheaper?

[West]

crazy.

go to a wrecker, just replace the sump lol

why not? it'd then still is a nut, doing the same job .......... ..........until you purchase a new one, still better than the sparkplug.

[paulR32gtr]

....or get a file and file the nut to a smaller socket size, at least this way no drilling, no bashing, no vicegrip.....involve and you could actually use it again.

Yeah just file it flat on opposite sides and use a big shifter spanner ... don't know about using it again though!

[RBPOWA-(TJ)]

when i snapped my Flywheels of the Crank.

my Mech at the time drilled holes in each bolt, put a screw or bolt in, along with lock tight over night.

next day, a heap of torque and out they popped.