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[Assimilator Profile]

Friends. I just did my first car oil change ever. I'm very happy because not only had I never done any work on a car before but I also had to overcome adversity. The oil drain plug was rounded off so I had to buy a special tool to get it off. I bought special sockets for a socket wrench that gradually tighten onto the rounded off bolt the more you turn it. Well it worked great and the socket sure is on the bolt extremely tight but now I can't figure out how to get the bolt off of the socket. I have a feeling there are some handymen around here. I'd appreciate some help. Thanks.

[YOOPER]

Put the draing plug back in the hole and tighten just enough to break loose the socket. Now remove the plug by hand.

Buy a new drain plug!

When tightening the new one, try to find out the specifications on how tight it should be (commonly in a service manual and sometimes can be found online). A torque wrench would be required to tighten it exactly to the manufacturer's specs, but I'm assuming you don't have a torque wrench (that's ok). Most people waaay overtighten oil drain plugs, and just snug with a standard socket wrench is usually sufficient (really just 20-30 ft-pounds of torque would be typical). Remember - it's holding back oil, not bolting together part of your frame or something.

Cars are my passion. I love workin' on them almost as much as I love collecting them.

[B]

Put the draing plug back in the hole and tighten just enough to break loose the socket. Now remove the plug by hand.

Buy a new drain plug!

When tightening the new one, try to find out the specifications on how tight it should be (commonly in a service manual and sometimes can be found online). A torque wrench would be required to tighten it exactly to the manufacturer's specs, but I'm assuming you don't have a torque wrench (that's ok). Most people waaay overtighten oil drain plugs, and just snug with a standard socket wrench is usually sufficient (really just 20-30 ft-pounds of torque would be typical). Remember - it's holding back oil, not bolting together part of your frame or something.

Cars are my passion. I love workin' on them almost as much as I love collecting them.

You can come work on me Dr. Yooper.

[Assimilator Profile]

Thanks a lot for the info YOOPER. I already replaced the plug with a new one and made it a point not to overtighten it. So now I have no hole to put the old plug into. It's just sitting there in my garage stuck to the socket lol.

[likethat]

Put a screw driver in the back of the socket so it is touching the bolt and hit the screw driver with a hammer why keeping the socket from moving. You can also put the threaded end of the bolt in a vise, clamp it down and reverse the ratchet. If you have a nut that is the same thread type and size of the bolt tighten the nut on the bolt and make sure the ratchet with the socket will not turn when you use another wrench to tighten the nut down.

[Assimilator Profile]

The vice method worked like a charm. Thanks a lot guys.

[B]

All this talk about nuts is exciting.

[Blaster Profile]

Use a hammer and (droner? center sleeve? dont know name see link)
http://www.google.se/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/Centre_punch.JPG/250px-Centre_punch.JPG&imgrefurl=http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%25C3%25B6rnare&h=188&w=250&sz=5&tbnid=G_2mgutvFhJBAM:&tbnh=83&tbnw=111&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dk%25C3%25B6rnare&zoom=1&q=k%C3%B6rnare&usg=__ulwQYpDVcD8OKe6GU-Fgb-imeBA=&sa=X&ei=03OpTI-TMcWAOt-Aid0M&ved=0CC8Q9QEwBA

Make an mark on plugg at edge and start hammering they way it´s opening way.
Then after a few hammer you can use a http://www.sulco.co.nz/products/598/127/311/330/medium/6768701250.jpg

For the rest to get it away.

The plug we are using in Eu will the bolt head break, before you will break screw in the hole.

[SuPer PuZZy]

nie name ,tittie!

[Unsobering Profile]

The thing about oil drain plugs is that there is a lot of oil pressure and if you don't have it tight enough it will leak. Just snug isn't gonna get it done.

Actually the oil pan is not pressurized. It's just gravity working on the oil that would make it leak around the drain plug.

[BladeRunner Profile]

If the oil pan isn't pressurized, how does the oil get moved around the engine from the oil pan itself? Does an imaginary hand grab it and move it?

Nope not an "imaginary hand" just an oil pump.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_pump_(internal_combustion_engine)

[Unsobering Profile]

If the oil pan isn't pressurized, how does the oil get moved around the engine from the oil pan itself? Does an imaginary hand grab it and move it?

you're serious aren't you?

They use an oil pump to pump the oil from the pan up. Engine blocks have oil passages in them. The oil pump forces oil through these passages through the main and rod bearing. Other passages lubricate the top side of the engine. The oil then bleeds back down to the oil pan (gravity) where the oil pump can once again pump that oil back through the motor.

[Assimilator Profile]

nie name ,tittie!

lol thanks. It's been my real alias since the beginning of my RtCW career.

[YOOPER]

The thing about oil drain plugs is that there is a lot of oil pressure and if you don't have it tight enough it will leak. Just snug isn't gonna get it done.

Like the other guys said - there shouldn't be pressure in the sump. Yes, there's a pump that literally sucks up the oil just as previously explained.

My bimmer calls for 22 ft-lbs for its drain plug. That's not much at all, and really is "just snug". Been using a torque wrench to spec every time and I've never had a leak (on ANY of my cars for that matter).

[B]

The oil pump doesn't create pressure. It produces flow and the resistance to that flow produces pressure.