In a crap predicament (drain plug issue)

[CorsePerVita]

So I pretty much never have anyone else work on my cars, and despite my sincere pessimism and lack of confidence in allowing someone else to work on my car... I went ahead and took it to a local shop last year because I just did not have the time to do a valve adjustment and to top it off I was overdue.

So I took it in and they did the valves and gaskets for the valve covers and an oil change.

Well, fastforward to today and I'm trying to get the drain plug out. The sump filter plug literally took me holding the head of the ratchet with one hand and using my legs on an extension bar to get the thing out. It was literally that tight. I could see 15-20 pounds on a plug, but this felt like 150. It was absolutely ridiculous.

I got it out and the copper was flared to the point that it looked tapered, it was that bad.

I go to do the sump plug and it was the same story but WORSE.

I now CANNOT get the damn thing out. It rounded after trying an air tool and then I drilled it and went for an extractor. Using a 1/2" extractor it SNAPPED IN HALF trying to get it out.

What in the hell can I do here? There's nothing left to "grab" for a socket, there's an extractor stuck halfway in. I tried welding a nut to it and the weld broke before it would back out.

I'm at my wits end.. is it possible to drill it out without damaging the threads?

I mean... I CAN put oil back in the car, take it to the shop that did this and say, "FIX IT, this is YOUR PROBLEM, YOU CAUSED IT." and I think that's only fair. However, at the same time, do I want to trust some twat that torques down my drain plug this bad in the first place? All I really want at this point is to get it out, get a new drain plug and be on my way.

Ideas are certainly welcome.

I figured it may work if i maybe cut the tip of the drain bolt off (at this point I'm not going to use it) until I get down to the copper washer, then attempting an extractor on whatever is left of the threaded bolt... that might work. I'm almost certain what is holding it in is the mashed up copper in the threads which is 10x worse than trying to get out a rusty bolt.

[James Brown]

what car?

[A horse with no name]

Personally I would not hesitate to take it back the way it is...Just make sure that the tap doesn't hit something on the way.

(If your game...Clean the complete plug up with a grinder so that you can get a proper weld. Weld a quality nut on 'just about' the same size - Weld round the side's including 'plug welding' it - Do it in a few stages so you don't boil the oil.) ... Then again, let them do it so if something goes wrong they pay.

Lets us know what your outcome is- Thanks

[CorsePerVita]

Originally Posted by james brown

what car?

'82 911 sc.

[James Brown]

can you pull the whole sump plate off?

[James Brown]

you can remove the nuts from the sump and take the whole mess to the shop. note the position of the drain plug on re installation, gaskets are available here along with a new plug and crush washer.

[CorsePerVita]

Originally Posted by A horse with no name

Personally I would not hesitate to take it back the way it is...Just make sure that the tap doesn't hit something on the way.

(If your game...Clean the complete plug up with a grinder so that you can get a proper weld. Weld a quality nut on 'just about' the same size - Weld round the side's including 'plug welding' it - Do it in a few stages so you don't boil the oil.) ... Then again, let them do it so if something goes wrong they pay.

Lets us know what your outcome is- Thanks

I'm very bent on the decision. Part of me wants me to make them fix it out of principal of the matter. But I'm afraid of them really screwing it up and making it worse. The other part of me is afraid that if I do try it and then I screw something up, that it is then my problem.

Decisions decisions.

[CorsePerVita]

Originally Posted by James Brown

you can remove the nuts from the sump and take the whole mess to the shop. note the position of the drain plug on re installation, gaskets are available here along with a new plug and crush washer.

I'm talking the sump tank... the big container that holds all of the oil that sits to the side. Not the sump itself. Otherwise that'd be off already.

[CorsePerVita]

linked instead of embedding because it was bigger than I thought lol.
http://imgur.com/ixWOZk3

[James Brown]

oh ok sorry, at this point, use a long pipe wrench and get a new plug. I would try this, place the wrench on a point that is clear of stuff that might get hit in the ark of travel. put a good amount of force on the wrench and then give it a big jerk but try not to move the wrench much. You should hear a big crack as the plug lets go. then get a new one. the tank (the correct name BTW) is just sheet metal so you playing a fine line on twisting it.

[BoxsterGT]

First call the offending shop & speak w the manager. Photograph it and the car, then drain the tank by pulling the hoses, and drop the tank. Bring it and your receipts & photos to the offender and have him repair it to your satisfaction.

Or..... replace the tank and get on with your life.

At least its not the engine drain plug on a 3.2 Carrera

Len

[DanielDudley]

Usually I will use a vice grip for a ruined sump plug. Sometimes with a hammer. Once in a while I will drill all the way through a fastener and use a metal blade in a saber saw to split it from the inside. In your case, if you really think the copper is the problem, you might try a dremel tool with a tiny cut off wheel to undermine it.

If you have the grip strength, a vice grip will lock on there better than just about anything. A hammer will shock that bolt more effectively than a three foot breaker bar.

It is time to calm down. So far you have been following the slippery slope of panic. If you have to take the tank out to deal with this, then you will do it. If you need to take it to someone, you will. It is only a car. What man can build, man can fix. But also realize that what is impossible for some is possible for others.

[Dr J]

How about a groove for an air chisel? At an angle it mat be able to rotate it out. Had to do that once with a CV bolt. Granted most of us don't have that lying around in a garage.

[Elombard]

Its cliche' but look at it as an opportunity not a challenge. You have the opportunity to work on old cool cars - many people wish they could do that.

Smoke it over for a day or two then come back to it. I used a fancy hardened grinding bit on a dremel to grind away an extractor from the bottom up, time consuming.

Good luck, you will get it.

[mreid]

Vice grip and a hammer or replace the sump plate.

[kodioneill]

Like James said go buy a pipe wrench (not very expensive) set it up to grip the very edge of the plug (not the hex part but the flange) and give it a good pull it'll come right off. This is an easy one, we could all tell you some real horror stories.

[schumicat]

I would hammer on a socket that is too small (like SAE or something) and use a breaker bar. You can also try freezing it right before the removal attempt (use freeze-off spray from autozone). I think if you were going to take it to shop you should've done it before trying the extractor and welding.

[Jonny042]

Your idea of grinding off the head of the drain plug is good - once ground down the the copper washer (or even close) the plug will loosen and unthread by hand.

I would take the remains of the plug to the shop after I got it sorted out. Too bad you will never get your time back. Perhaps invoice them for your time?

I recently had an issue with some work done to a DD and when I took it back the shop manager/owner was HORRIFIED and went out of his way to make it right.

[trond]

don't let them touch your car again. if they are that stupid they may destroy the tank or torch the car.

[A horse with no name]

Originally Posted by James Brown

oh ok sorry, at this point, use a long pipe wrench and get a new plug. I would try this, place the wrench on a point that is clear of stuff that might get hit in the ark of travel. put a good amount of force on the wrench and then give it a big jerk but try not to move the wrench much. You should hear a big crack as the plug lets go. then get a new one. the tank (the correct name BTW) is just sheet metal so you playing a fine line on twisting it.

James...That is one fine looking motor that you have on your stand -Nice!. Being that I live so close I think a motor drop in your shop would be the place to go eh!