oil drain plug - stuck !

[Enceladus]

any tips on how to get the oil drain plug out ?
mine is really stuck in fast !
got a magnetic one to replace it with but need to change the oil and filter first !

[mcyoungy]

they're not normally *that* tight.

are you sure it's the drain plug you're attacking?


you are trying to undo it? it's easy to go the wrong direction working upside down.

[Enceladus]

it's the 17mm nut right by the side stand
just behind part of the frame where you can't get a socket in
hope thats the right one.
tried "cracking" it (tighten to loosen) and just undoing it but no joy so far.
might try and get the engine nice and warm, then spraying a small amount of water on the plug to shrink it fractionally.
any suggestions ?

[born to be mild]

Thats the one, personally Im always dubious about tightening to un-tighten, especially in alloy. Arm yourself with a four pound lump hammer and give it a clout with that, you wont need to really belt it. Thats how I do mine. Oh and have a bloody big drip tray, the stupid location of the plug means the old oil doesnt go where you  want it to go.
PS: that a clever idea about the cold water, it hadnt occurred to me but then a lot of things dont :lol

[JZS 600]

couple of sharp taps with a mallet on the spanner normally does it but I won't be responsible for stripped thread!

[Enceladus]

thanks guys
just to confirm.......
looking at the nut, i need to turn it anti-clockwise to undo.
right ?
(half asleep at the mo for some reason!)

[mcyoungy]

that's correct. righty tighty, lefty loosey.

[Enceladus]

that's correct. righty tighty, lefty loosey.

thanks
thats a good way to remember it !
i'll try and remember that one!

[His Dudeness]

you might want to quit while yer ahead and let a mechanic do it

[Enceladus]

you might want to quit while yer ahead and let a mechanic do it

nah
done an engine change on a combine harvester before with pallets, pallet truck, scaffolding pole and lots of swearing so i'm sure i can make this work

[CRH]

think most of us on here!...would have used...spanners and sockets??? :rolleyes :rolleyes :rolleyes .....

[Enceladus]

think most of us on here!...would have used...spanners and sockets??? :rolleyes :rolleyes :rolleyes .....

that was the easy bit!

[CRH]

just hope the last person who had it didnt cross thread the bstd when they tightened  it up??????????? :'(

[CRH]

the best way imo to change your oil (if you ever get plug out)... :rolleyes ....woul be to stand your bike on side stand (inside a old wash bowl) and after oil drained just wipe off stand and you away?? no oil on floor!!! job a gud un??

[Enceladus]

just hope the last person who had it didnt cross thread the bstd when they tightened  it up??????????? :'(

i'm hoping that as well
got my tap set on standby just in case !  :eek :'(

[Dead Eye]

Oh and have a bloody big drip tray, the stupid location of the plug means the old oil doesnt go where you  want it to go.

I found this out the hard way, the tray I had wasn't quite in the right position (damn stand was in the way) and it overflowed the sides and went bloody everywhere. Pretty sure only half the engine oil was caught in the tray... I spent the next 20 mins using sawdust to clean up the oil that was all over the driveway. Next time - BIG ASS BUCKET!

[Dave48]

More people mistakenly overtighten fasteners "just to be on the safe side" than undertighten. Best to beg/borrow/steal a torque wrench particularly tightening steel into alloy. Mistakes can prove expensive. Please dont use agricultural techniques! :eek :lol

[darrsi]

Crikey, a whole discussion on how to undo one bolt...........you lot are making me feel like a mechanical genius  :rollin :rollin :rollin


You could always oil it.......oh, wait a minute.......  :lol

[Enceladus]

Crikey, a whole discussion on how to undo one bolt...........you lot are making me feel like a mechanical genius  :rollin :rollin :rollin


You could always oil it.......oh, wait a minute.......  :lol

lmao !
just a thought.....
would putting a bit of copper grease on the threads of the new bolt help for next time ?

[born to be mild]

Dont bother mate, copper grease is really best for threads that are likely to seize through corrosion, if you use copper greas on the plug some will find its way into the new oil and that means that youve got particles of copper floating around in there, will probably have zero effect but wont help either. You shouldnt have any trouble at future oil changes if you use a good quality ring spanner.