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The oil pan has oil drain plugs that hold the engine oil inside them for automotive maintenance. For changing engine oil, it must pass through the oil drain plug. It could be locked up because you did this for a long time before changing the engine oil or due to over tightening that stuck oil drain plug over the last time.
If the engine oil break due to a faulty oil plug, the engine will not be lubricated. The oil plug holds car oil and helps it do its job. But sometimes, you will have noticed the socket plugged too tightly and not bulging as you turn it.
Now the question arises how to remove a stuck oil drain plug?
But before that, let’s explore the various reasons for an over tightened drain plug:
Possible reasons for Stuck Oil Drain Plug
Here are the possible reasons for Struck Oil Drain Plug:
Sticky Sludge
The reason for the stuck oil drain plug is sludge. The sludge formed around the oil drain plug was produced because the oil in the motor did exceed the oil change time. In high temperatures, oil oxidizes more easily.
Over-tightening
The second reason it could cause an over tightening of the pipe is a lack of compression to the socket. It occurs when an underskilled person conducts essential automotive maintenance.
You may also do machining for this screw hole to lubricate the damaged surface and replace the oil drain plug with a new one.
If the plug is stretched too tightly, you will need to rotate all the oil tanks. It can damage the plugs also if too tight.
When the oil plug is overtightened, it can be challenging to remove it. The easiest way to do this is by using an extractor tool. It helps you extract the broken extractor from the hole in your plug.
You can also try a strap wrench or a pipe wrench instead of a socket wrench with a good amount of force on it. If you do not have any of the above equipment, you have to try removing it manually by using a flathead screwdriver.
To get a better grip on your oil plug, apply some petroleum jelly around the base of the plug.
How to remove the plug?
A slug-gripped oil plug or over-tightened plug can be resolved with the following solutions:
Steps to fix the over-tightened plug:
Warm up the car engine by turning on the vehicle. Once you are assured that the car is warmed up, park it on the stable ground to park it. Ensure that the vehicle should not be hot to ensure extended safety.
Locate the struck drain plug towards the lowest part of the oil pan and take it out. Now turn the plug anti-clockwise and then clockwise. It will gradually loosen up.
Lubrication
Once you are through with the first step, the next step will be to care for rust accumulated over the tightened plug. Apply the lubricant at the rusted places to dissolve the sludge.
- Spray the lubricating oil on the rusted area
- Leave if for a few minutes to let the oil work perfectly
- Remove car’s oil drain plug
- Clean the carburetors and fuel injectors to increase the life of the plug and enhance gasoline mileage.
Apply rust remover to prevent sludge formation. It ensures smooth idling on the car’s upper cylinder. It also contributes to power, compression, and MPG.
Use Socket Wrench
Remove the drain plug using a socket wrench. Use a long-handle torque wrench instead of a simple socket wrench to get extra torque while removing the stuck drain plug.
Take help of HammerF
If all the remedies mentioned above are not able to help you, this one can! Tapping hammer on the stubborn drain plug helps it to loosen. Keep it gentle, though, as a hard tapping could break down the drain plug teeth.
Remember, using a hammer should be the last avail when other options are not working for you.
Consider Gator Grip
It is a universal wrench socket that is useful to dismantle all kinds of bolts, plugs, and sockets with ease. It offers a firm grip which can help in loosening the socket plug.
Call a Mechanic
If nothing has worked out till now, it’s time to seek expert advice. Call a professional car mechanic to get some help. You can share all your efforts by now with him that have not yielded any results.
A mechanic can solve your problem by locating the correct cause of the issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the drain plug located?
Oil Drain plug refers to the large nut located at the lowest oil pan of the bottom of the engine.
How can you know it is over tightened?
One of the obvious signs that show that your oil plug is over-tightened is that you cannot remove it quickly. In extreme cases, you will have to use a wrench or hammer to loosen it up.
What are its symptoms when the oil drug plug is too tight?
It is pretty dangerous if the oil drain plug is too tight. It can cause severe engine damage. If the drain screw is tightened up, it will break down the oil pan and make a hole in your vehicle’s crucial areas.
What are its consequences when it is overtightened?
Overtightening of oil plug has several consequences, which are listed below:
- It may break down the oil pan or break off the screw.
- If the oil plug is tightly fastened, it will snatch out the plug, resulting in loss of oil.
- During the turning of the bolt, threads strip off, and thus scratches form on the bolt’s head and around its circumference, which initiates rusting.
What are its solutions for one who has no idea about its remedy?
One of the most reliable and best ways to avoid such issues is by hiring a professional mechanic. He will be able to help you out with this problem efficiently.
What is stripped oil drain plug?
The stripped oil drain plug results from using the wrong tools or force while removing it. It gets stuck, due to which you will not be able to take it out quickly.
How can you know that your oil drain plug is stripped?
It is pretty simple to find out if your oil drain plug is stripped or not. One of the most reliable ways is by simply trying to remove it with your bare hands.
If you are unable to do so, or it slips in and out without resistance or is too tight in the beginning and loose at the end, then most probably you have a stripped oil drain plug.
How do I remove a stripped oil drain plug?
A wrench or other socket should take out a stripped bolt containing oil pan nuts. A vice-grip attached to the nut is pulled down from the grip and rotated when necessary and tapped through a hammer may be able to remove.
If the bolt does not release and still strips and remains stuck, or if the bolt did remove but damaged, the oil pan drain plug should be replaced. Drilling in reverse with a tiny bit can remove the bolt, or they may also have to prepare another slightly bigger hole to remove it with a bolt extractor.
You may have to lightly hammer the socket to seal it and then turn it.
Conclusion
If the oil pan drain plug gets repeatedly over tightened, it can be damaging the oil pan, and a large sum of money will be spent replacing it. If you follow everything mentioned above, you can fix an over-tightened oil plug. Keep in mind that this issue won’t happen.
My Name is Christopher Angels, and I am a postgraduate in mechanical engineering. Cars have always excited me as a child, and soon I decided to dive into the world of cars by pursuing mechanical engineering. I also worked as a Mechanic for over 3 years to understand Cars’ anatomy and how each part contributes to its working.
My Name is Christopher Angels, and I am a postgraduate in mechanical engineering. Cars have always excited me as a child, and soon I decided to dive into the world of cars by pursuing mechanical engineering. I also worked as a Mechanic for over 3 years to understand Cars' anatomy and how each part contributes to its working.
