How NOT to change your oil (plug stuck).

[RarlyL8]

Well it was time to get intimate with the P car. I got all my goodies together and set out on a joy ride to heat 'er up. Had a real blast getting in the boost and fryin' the tires. Pulled back into the garage and let her sit for a half hour to drain down and cool a bit. Put down the cardboard and positioned the monster drain pan.

That's when the fun stopped. The drain plug for the oil tank would not budge. I leaned on it as much as I dared. Finally a wave of stupidity overcame me that I could not contain. "Just pull the bottom hose. It'll drain just the same".
Oh it drained all right. I damn near drown in a scalding hot gusher of Jed Clampits Texas tea. The damned hose wouldn't go back on and I couldn't let go for fear of an even bigger mess.
A couple dozen shop towels later the oil pan was repositioned for the sump drain plug. It came out just fine. a new filter and 11 quarts of oil later all was well.

SO HOW THE HELL DO I GET THIS PLUG OUT?

I tried it again this morning while the car was cold. No luck. I know the tank is delicate and the mounting points can flex. I also know I cannot be the first goof on the planet to have this problem. SO FESS UP. How'd you get it outtathere?

[tab tanner]

Drain the oil the way you drained it the first time, and heat the plug with a propane torch. Not to hot you dont want to crack the braze, it should give up and come out. Good luck with this

[911pcars]

You have tried a 10mm external hex socket with a long 1/2" or 3/4" drive flex handle? Have you tried it with a 4' length of 3/4" galvanized pipe slipped over the end of the flex handle?

Are you sure you're rotating it the right way? (lefty-loosey or counter-clockwise).

This tight plug situation is quite common. The solution is to replace the oil tank plug with a Fumoto drain valve, then use the drain plug as a paper weight or refrig. magnet.

Sherwood

[RarlyL8]

Damn Sherwood, you wanna put the gorilla balls to that delicate tank?
I did try a 1/2" flax andle drive with no luck. The drain bolt is 15mm on this tank. Not sure what you mean by a 10mm external hex.

Tab, I got the torch out and then thought better of it. Some of the early tanks were copper, don't know about the '78 930 unit. Yes, I'm very nervous about this one. A replacement tank is minimum $300 used.

[Jgordon]

So let's take this a step further. Let's say that someone (not me, don't even think it's me, it's my friend) managed to get themselves in the same situation with the drain plug on the sump, and then rounded the hex pattern on the drain plug trying to get it off. This person was planning on going in with a pair of locking pliers to try again. Any other ideas?

Rarly, I have no idea how you could be this amateurish. I would never be caught dead in your situation.

[vash]

jgordon, there is a bolt extractor at sears with your name all over it. ahem.....i mean for your friend!

[Adam]

LOL! The oil tank drain plug on my '76 is cross-threaded (I blame some hamfisted hack who worked on it prior to me getting the car), so I always drain the oil by removing the bottom hose.

I always end up getting covered in oil, too. But I'm getting better at it!

[bigchillcar]

autozone sells two kinds of big oil drain pans...one standard looking and one that has a 'lid' built into it with a little filler hole in the center...keeps it from spilling over the side...

one problem...oil comes out of car faster than oil go into little hole...oil spill over sides...big mess...

little hole...big hole now
ryan

[911pcars]

I forgot the later 911s use an external hex plug. The early engines used a 10mm internal hex plug, thus the reason for my tool choice. This might be a classic case of dissimilar metals becoming intimate and a good place to use antiseize lube (before the plug went in, that is).

Assuming the plug is really stuck in there, I wouldn't blame you in going to plan B (removing hose to drain oil). You can buy a lot of kitty litter to clean up the pools of oil for the price of a new oil tank. You could also purchase a marine oil sump rig and suck the oil out via the filler tube. I think that's how they do it in the old world (Europe).

But let's suppose you really, really wanted to get the plug out.

a. Use an impact, six-point socket (less chance of rounding off those important hex corners)
b. Apply heat evenly around plug boss (to expand metal), then apply torque with the above socket and long lever. Use descretion and common sense with heat and muscle. You do not want to destroy the tank. You want a win-win situation.
c. Some Kroil or other solvent may help, but probably not.
d. This is important: Stop twisting if it doesn't budge.

Another plan (best done on the workbench for easier access):
a. Drill through the plug using progressively larger drill bits.
b. Remove the remainder with a Dremel or equivalent being careful not to hit the tank threads.
c. Clear threads with a dental pick and thread tap.
d. If threads are toast, weld on a new bung, then install a Fumoto drain valve with anti-seize.

Do a search on the archives. Others may have more ingenious or more successful methods of draining the oil or removing the plug.

Sherwood

[RSBob]

Sometimes a couple of good taps with a hammer is enough to loosen things up enough. I have that problem with my Audi - can't budge it for anything. Two good smacks and then it comes right off.

[jryerson]

Sometimes you can try to tighten it, then loosen the bolt will work.

I would be wary to heat the copper tank, maybe try and spray some type of refrigerant on the nut itself to shrink it.

[Zendalar]

The tank is not copper. Its copper plated steel. At least in my -72T

Yea...I know it because...

I found it out when I was attaching flares with screws....Yea yea...3 screws right through the oil tank...i figured what the heck and drilled 1 more just that i got the flare to the right place.

Here is the picture:



I mig-welded patches on those holes.

I was a little pissed about the incident, but everything (almost) is fixable.

[VaSteve]

Originally posted by bigchillcar
autozone sells two kinds of big oil drain pans...one standard looking and one that has a 'lid' built into it with a little filler hole in the center...keeps it from spilling over the side...

one problem...oil comes out of car faster than oil go into little hole...oil spill over sides...big mess...

little hole...big hole now
ryan

That thing should be labelled: "Not Suitable for Porsche 911"

[smdubovsky]

Buy/borrow an Impact wrench. It will keep you from twisting up the surrounding sheet metal of the tank or the tabs that hold it on.

SMD

[TerryH]

Originally posted by Jgordon
So let's take this a step further. Let's say that someone (not me, don't even think it's me, it's my friend) managed to get themselves in the same situation with the drain plug on the sump, and then rounded the hex pattern on the drain plug trying to get it off. This person was planning on going in with a pair of locking pliers to try again. Any other ideas?

Rarly, I have no idea how you could be this amateurish. I would never be caught dead in your situation.

In this case, try a pipe wrench if there's still enough material to get a bite on.

.... and of course, always use a socket or box end wrench on hex fasteners when possible. Most times crescent and even open end wrenches do more harm than good.

[Richard-Dublin]

I'm really relieved that other peoples attempts at DIY mechanics sometimes end up in a bit of a mess as well!!!!
I know this guy (not me you understand!!) who went out and bought all the gear (tools, proper hydraulic jack, axle stands, jack plate etc) and then promptly managed to use the jack to put a horrible dent just under the door of his otherwise immaculate '89 Carerra!!!
Maybe I'll just stick to detailing!!!!!

[KTL]

I've noticed my tank drain plug can be a little stubborn sometimes. And i'm one of those weenies who torques it to the recommended spec (can't remember the number right now) all the time. If the long breaker bar method seems like it's not working, i'd try using a hammer on a box end wrench (held in place to take up any slop between the screw head and the wrench faces) to shock it a bit. Some firm strikes with a 3lb sledge are pretty good at coercing a stubborn fastener. Just don't get crazy!

Jgordon,

I'd recommend the locking pliers and again the hammer if needed. Just make sure to lock the pliers on there VERY tight. Adjust the pliers so that it takes all of your might to squeeze them closed. A few taps with the hammer should set it free. BTW, I agree the pipe wrench is a good idea as well. It's just that sometimes even the pipe wrench can slip off. And you don't want to round off the plug any more than it is already rounded.

[TerryH]

A properly fitted pipe wrench will kick a vise-grips butt every time. After all, a pipe wrench is made for round objects, aka; pipe! Plus a pipe wrench has a self tightening action. The harder you turn, the tighter it grabs. It really just depends on how much meat there is to grab hold of and how much room you have to work.

A smaller 6" or 8" pipe wrench is a handy tool to have in any DYI toolbox.

[KTL]

Good point. For some reason, I never think to use the pipe wrench. Instead, I rely on my Kung-Fu grip which is no match for the leverage of a tool. Thanks for the correction Terry.

[targa80]

I won't suggest how to remove the tank plug since you have received a lot of suggestions all ready. I would suggest purchasing one of the valve plugs it has a locking mechanism so it does not open from vibration. I installed one about 10 years ago and it works great. I just push the tab back and open the valve and let the tank drain. Close the valve and release the tab when it is empty. Best of all it doesn't leak and I don't have to worry about screwing up the tank threads. Now if they only made a low profile one for the sump nut.