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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
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Message started by djwhite on 11/24/09 at 19:27:07

Title: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by djwhite on 11/24/09 at 19:27:07

I haven't had my Savage long enough to quite need an oil change yet, but I was doing some work on it and thought I'd change the oil while I was at it. When I tried to loosen the drain plug, I couldn't loosen it to save my life. It's too restricted an area, it looks like, to get any kind of power tools in there, even though I don't like doing that. I used an open face wrench and even hit the wrench with a hammer to try an loosen it. All I accomplished was making marks on the drain plug that look like it would strip if I kept it up.

Any tips on loosening this? I can't believe it would be a reverse thread plug. I would take it to the mechanic who last changed the oil, and make him loosen it (and throw in a few choice words), but I bought this bike a good ways away from where I live, so that's not an option for me.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by verslagen1 on 11/24/09 at 19:55:54

It's either a 14mm or a 17mm wrench
Use a combo wrench, one open one closed, put the closed end on the plug open end towards the front wheel high up as you can go.
take another 16mm or 17mm or bigger.
put the closed end over the bottom leg of the open end wrench to double the length.

push down. best done with good tools. I haven't broke any but you never know.

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by djwhite on 11/24/09 at 20:27:41

Thanks for the reply. I used the longest 14mm that would fit under the bike, but to no avail. I'll see if I can do anything to increase clearance under the bike.

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by Routy on 11/24/09 at 21:22:41

Quote:
put the closed end over the bottom leg of the open end wrench to double the length.
push down. best done with good tools. I haven't broke any but you never know.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Is this safe ?? What if it broke, and you busted your knukles, or worse yet, a pc of the wrench went into your eyball, while you weren't wearing your saftey glasses ? etc etc etc :o

Just kidding, ;D its an old trick of the trade,....we called it a "cheeter"
Its one of the few times when you can love a "cheeter" :)

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 11/24/09 at 21:33:50

Be careful doing that. The cheater can easily slip to the side & seriously scrape some knuckles. I do it, but Ive given blood from it. Its easier to put the wrench, carefully & completely on the drain plug & smack down on it with something hard & heavy. Then, dont tighten it like its what holds the bike together.

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by Serowbot on 11/24/09 at 22:28:05

make grunty noises,... ;)

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by Oldfeller on 11/25/09 at 05:07:42

Sometimes the hex happens to line up so the cheeter trick won't work. Then you have to use the brass bump hammer trick.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos/42000-42099/42000.gif

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=42000

I'm glad I bought mine years and years ago before brass became a semi-precious metal !!!

The real solution is not to tighten the durn thing down so much next time. It has a crushable aluminum washer and just needs to be clinched down tight enough to give just a little bit on the first little grunt. Washer "lasts" longer that way.

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by serenity3743 on 11/25/09 at 05:18:40

I had this problem once and had to use visegrips and a hammer. You will likely have to replace the bolt. Then like Justin said, don't tighten it like it's holding the bike together. You also need to be sure there is a good soft metal washer on the bolt.

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by Routy on 11/25/09 at 13:36:28

There really should never be a need to use a vicegrips on any bolt, plug, etc,.....unless someone else beat you to it. I myself will never buy a nice MC that has been vice gripped. There is a tool for everything,.....and if there ain't, you can make one ! If a straight box wrench won't go on it, and offset one will. I have several sae combo box end wrenches that I had to heat and bend to get into tight places on automotive. And if I need one, I will not hesitate to heat up a perfectly good metric box wrench to work on my motorcycle. But I don't remember having trouble w/ the drain plug on the s40.

Now, being as I said it, I'm sure that someone will find a way for it to be unsafe to heat a wrench and bend it, but I really don't care.

617760777C7B666B21252621120 wrote:

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by serenity3743 on 11/25/09 at 13:45:40

The bolt head had already been boogered up and rounded off by somebody before me. So I just had to finish what they improperly started.

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by Skid Mark on 11/25/09 at 17:27:47

Use a closed wrench and tap it with a rubber mallet. This way you save your knuckles and save the kids in the daycare next door the joy of learning new words.

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by Rocco on 11/27/09 at 20:56:07

get a long pipe with a hole drilled through it and use it like was said with 2 wrenches.....a breaker bar!!

i taught my girl how to change oil on her 2 year old colbalt...the dealer tightens everything like crazy! i looked silly for a second as the bolt would NOT come loose! so i said "baby look over there" she did and i heel palmed the wrench and boom....that bolt was spinnin freely!!!

who knew training for a black belt helped with wrenching? ;)

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by Phelonius on 11/28/09 at 09:06:32

Lefty loosey, righty tighty. Wear a rubber glove, the hot oil will hurt less.
If you are not doing it with the oil hot, you are not doing it right.
The oil will pour across your hand, wear a glove and have a paper towel in the other hand.

Phelonius ;)

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 11/28/09 at 09:34:29

Oil doesnt run on my hands. Once it out far enough, I wrap a long string around it 2 times & pull. It spins the plug out for me. Gotta hold both ends & keep it tight.

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by Phelonius on 11/28/09 at 10:40:01

283731362B2C1D2D1D25373B70420 wrote:

Oil doesnt run on my hands. Once it out far enough, I wrap a long string around it 2 times & pull. It spins the plug out for me. Gotta hold both ends & keep it tight.

Just shows that you are a techy.

Phelonius ;D

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by Oldnewguy on 11/28/09 at 12:14:26

I put mine up on a wooden block that I made out of a 4x4 and a couple of 1x's. It's amazing what that extra 3 1/2 inches does for leverage! :)

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by djwhite on 11/28/09 at 12:21:36

Thanks for all of the replies. I've had to be away for Thanksgiving so I haven't tried to change the oil again, but I think I'm going to put the bike up on blocks and have a friend hold it while I tug on it with the longest 14mm box end wrench I can find (and lengthen it with a pipe if need be).

I would let you know how it goes, but the oil doesn't need to be changed quite yet. I was just going to do it while I was changing the oil in my truck and doing other work on the bike.

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by Oldnewguy on 11/28/09 at 12:47:12

When you finally get that muther out, throw the round shouldered bugger away and buy a new one! ;)

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 11/28/09 at 15:51:27

Get one with a magnet in it. & order some washers at the same time. Available online

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by JohnBoy on 11/28/09 at 16:55:31

2F3036312C2B1A2A1A22303C77450 wrote:

Oil doesnt run on my hands. Once it out far enough, I wrap a long string around it 2 times & pull. It spins the plug out for me. Gotta hold both ends & keep it tight.

Real Men have oily hands :)

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 11/28/09 at 17:53:00

Then dive right in. Petroleum products really arent all that healthy, but if you equate being slathered in it with manliness, then by all means, be a man & get nasty. I can get filthy to the elbow on a thumb nails worth of grease. I didnt used to mind it, but now, after years of exposure to heavy metals & pesticides & industrial chemicals, not the least of which was pipe dope on drilling rigs, I am disabled & I recommend to young people that they avoid as much exposure as possible. I recommend the same to you & I hope you listen.

Title: Re: tips for loosening the oil drain plug?
Post by kel30734 on 11/29/09 at 15:53:40

17mm stubby and my 3lb sledge does the trick every time.......

coupla whacks twards the rear of the bike

haven't ruined the bolt yet