Transaxle Fill Plug

Loquat15 · 03-12-2004, 04:20 PM

I am an idiot. There's no need to quote me!!!

I did something stupid, i attempted to make my own tool for removing the fill and drain plugs. I bought a bolt with a 17mm head on it and it fit right in to the fill plug. I grinded down opposing sides on the bolt so i could grip on to it with a monkey wrench.

I try so hard to loosen it and nothing happens, the car lifts up and that's pretty much it. So i decided to get a hydraulic jack and lift up on the monkey wrench.

Guess what happens?

The car lifts up a bit, maybe a couple inches, then all of the sudden the monkey wrench shoots off and the bolt goes somewhere else. I look at the drain plug and it looks pretty messed up.

I cuss, say a few words, my mom heard me and said I sounded like my father. So off to Kragen I went and guess what they sell? A VW, Porsche, BMW drain plug remover. 17mm, just like what I needed. I bought it for 5 bucks, came home, tried to take it off with a ratchet and the darn thing doesnt grip like how it's supposed to. I apply some torque to it and it just slips out and strips the darn pattern.

I wont bother taking off the drain plug, the transaxle wont work well with no oil and it'd be too hard to fill it through the drain.

Does anybody have any bright ideas on how to take out a stripped fill plug on the 944 NA transaxle? Stripped as in the hex pattern is all bunged up so you cant put enough force on it to turn it out.

Please oh please oh please!!!! SOMEONE must know how to fix this!!! I'm going to the junkyard to find a replacement plug, 4 dollars for the plug and 7 dollars for shipping is not justified and i leave in a couple weeks for the service so i need it now. Next day shipping is like 40 bucks... think about this for one second, 40 dollars for shipping on a 4 dollar item. Well thanks for any advice.

s928s · 03-12-2004, 05:18 PM

CAN YOU POST A PIC OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NOW..IT IS POSSIBLE TO USE A CHISLE OR A FEW HITS WITH AN AIR CHISEL TO KNOCK IT LOOSE. ALSO, WHEN YOU HAVE THE REPLACEMENT ONE ON HAND YOU CAN CUT A SLOT THOUGH THE PLUG AND INSERT SOMETHING TO GRAB HOLD AND TURN IT...THE BEST THING FOR NOW IS TO START SOAKING IT IN SOME GOOD PENETRATING OIL LIKE CRC TO HELP FREE IT UP. OXIDATION OVER TIME CAUSES THE 2 METALS TO ALMOST FUSE TOGETHER.

IF THE UNIT HAS ALREADY BEEN DRAINED OR IS VERY LOW I COULD SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO FILLING SO IT COULD BE DRIVEN TO A SHOP IF YOU CANNOT REMOVE THE PLUG YOUR OWN. BY FILLING THROUGH ONE OF THE AXLE SHAFT OPENINGS. THE DRAIN PLUG LEVEL IS JUST 3/4 OF AN INCH ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE AXLE FLANGE.

1. NEED TO JACK AND SUPPORT VEH. ON OVE SIDE SO IT IS TILTED AND WHEEL IS JUST OFF THE GROUND
2. REMOVE AXLE ON LIFTED SIDE MAKING SUDE TO MARK LOCATION OF AXLE, HUB AND FLANGE, MAKE SURE JOINT IS SUPPORTED SO IT DOES NOT COME APPART.
3. REMOVE THE FLANCE TO THE TRANS AND PULL SHAFT FLANGE OUT OF TRANS, MOUNT BOLT IS IN MIDDLE OF FLANGE.
4. FILL TRANS THOUGH SHAFT OPENING UNTIL FLUID DRIPS OUT
5. REINSTALL AXLE FLANGE, MAKING SURE TO COAT AXLE SEAL WITH VASALINE OR GREASE.
6. REINSTALL AXLE MAKING SURE IT IS REALIGNED FROM WHERE IT WAS ORIGONALLY.

rammstein · 06:04 PM

Your Caps Lock key is to the left of your "A" key, under your "Tab" key, and above your "shift" key.

Its like you are screaming. Hard to read, too.

Good advice on the soaking- I had trouble with my fill plug, and soaking it overnight in WD40 seemed to do the trick.

Zero10 · 03-12-2004, 06:56 PM

Fun Fact, our drail plug matches nearly all 3rd generation VW manual transmission fill/drain plugs.
Makes them very easy to get.
I soaked mine 4 times in WD-40 before I tried to pull it, because the PO let a bolt rust into the plug, JUST BARELY got it out with vise grips, I thought I was going to be in the same position as you are now.
Definately give it a soaking of wd-40 or pb-blaster or something.
I blasted mine nightly for 4 nights before I even tried it.
Give yours a couple days of this. then try the chisel trick or something else?
If you really get desperate, you coudl drill the center of it, and use a bolt/screw extractor, like an easy-out.
Or perhaps another left-hand thread tap?
Maybe I'll think of another way later, I'll try peeking at mine, see if it gives me any ideas.

Sorry, but all caps is hard to read.

Loquat15 · 03-12-2004, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zero10
Sorry, but all caps is hard to read.

I find it to be more annoying than anything, hell... this is a message board where most messages are legnthy. It's more annoying with instant messasges one after another and each reply is in all caps, now that truely is annoying.

Thankyou all for the advice. Right now there's some ATF on there, my dad told me to do that. Hope he doesnt freak out when he sees the plug is all whacked out...haha... i like to surprise him like that... if he even notices... heh heh heh... oh well it is my car afterall... shoot.

Alright, thanks for the advice guys, i'll let you know what happens tomorrow morning.

tab tanner · 03-13-2004, 12:31 AM

One thing you might try is after you soak it, clean the inside area with brake cleaner and then dry it or blow it out so that is clean and free of oil or grease. The get some valve lapping compond and coat your allen bit with it. This stuff has carbide and silica in it and will bite into the plug and my give you just the grip you need to get it out. I have done this in the past on stripped out screws and allen heads with great success. Try it you might save yourself alot of time and $

s928s · 03-13-2004, 02:41 AM

MAN YOU GUYS ARE TUFF !!!...

Sorry I work on a service/dealer computer all day in caps..kind of a hard habbit to brake when you do it 11 hrs a day !!!!

toolboy62 · 03-13-2004, 03:51 AM

couple ideas on getting your bolt out... if you have a real big Torx or triple square bit you can hammer that in and see if it bites now... also try a little gentle heat from a propane torch and soak it in penetrating oil (Kroil, PB Blaster and Wuerth Rost Off are all good) the valve lapping compound is a good trick too. One that I haven't seen mentioned is taking an old non-dripless candle, heating up the plug with a torch, and melting some wax on the threads, it will creep into the threads and help loosen them up like penetrating oil. Might be difficult to do on the side of a tranny though.

I said propane torch because while a oxy-acetylene torch will work a lot better, there's also the possibility of melting the tranny case, which is Not Good...

nate

repoman · 03-13-2004, 05:47 AM

another idea:

get a 4-5" long bolt with a M17 head. Put 2 nuts on bolt. Insert M17 bolt head into diff plug. Use 2 wrenches on nuts so you can apply counterforce (jam nut)

by turning with wrench on nuts you may develop enough leverage to break loose plug.

good luck

bigyagi · bigyagi's Garage

yes, soak it liberally, and leave to stand . if you have totally wasted the 17mm hex, then i would use an electric drill, with a small carbide burr, and gently remove material from each side of the hex, until you can get a 3/4" hex key in there. there is not too big a difference between 17mm, and 3/4", especially if you have stripped it. try a little heat on it{be very careful !!} and then it should break free. the previous post about using counter force, is very valid, as its all too easy, for the hex key to slip, as the plug is soft material, and usually very stuck firm. pull from one way, as you are pushing from the other, and the hex will stay put.
if you do try to enlarge the hex, do a little bit at a time, and occasionally stop, and try tapping the hex key into the plug. about 1/16". this will leave a witness mark, and you will see exactly how much material you need to remove. just keep cleaning it away, until you clean up where your witness mark is, and you will be fine. this works for most stuck plugs etc.
good luck!
bob.

Loquat15 · 03-13-2004, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by repoman
another idea:

get a 4-5" long bolt with a M17 head. Put 2 nuts on bolt. Insert M17 bolt head into diff plug. Use 2 wrenches on nuts so you can apply counterforce (jam nut)

by turning with wrench on nuts you may develop enough leverage to break loose plug.

good luck

Already tried that. that's what fudged it up.

scottmandue · 03-13-2004, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zero10
Fun Fact, our drail plug matches nearly all 3rd generation VW manual transmission fill/drain plugs.
Makes them very easy to get.

Hey does that mean a VW drain plug will fit in our tranny? Probably much cheaper and easier to find... and no $40 shipping fee.

HEY S928S YOU GOT ANY PICTURES OF YOUR CARS, SOUNDS LIKE YOU GOT A NEAT COLLECTION THERE!
Sorry just kidding, but seriously I would like to see what your 944S with the body kit looks like.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

Is that case steel or aluminum alloy? I'd be very careful forcing it off if it's aluminum alloy because if you damage it, you're screwed. Plus I'd HIGHLY recommend soaking with a loosener before you do any sort of drilling / forcing because if shavings fall inside, that's going to become metal floating around in your trans - not good. If it's aluminum alloy that's even worse because you won't get it out with a magnet.

Soak the heck out of it and let it stand; if you end up having to try "forcing" it, I'd suggest some LIGHT heating around the plug hole (be careful, there's a lot of flammable stuff around there) to help it. Good luck!

hoover · 03-13-2004, 01:05 PM

If all else fails is it possible to weld a bar to the plug, in a position that will let you turn it?

Loquat15 · 03-13-2004, 02:20 PM

Okay, thankyou all for your wonderful advice. I got it off. The Plug is kinda messed up, i decided agaisnt torqing the crap out of it to put it back on. Seems like the last time someone changed it they used quite a bit of torque to put it on.

Last night i put some ATF on there, in the morning my dad decided to bang it with a hammer a few times to jar it loose and that did the trick. The bottom drain plug was hard to get off as well, but it came off just right.

Thanks again for all the quick responses. I know where to now if i have any technical questions.

rammstein · 03-13-2004, 02:26 PM

If you really trashed the plug that badly, I'd get a replacement. Also- torque it to 17ft/lbs, which isn't all that much.

scottmandue · 03-13-2004, 02:27 PM

I'm still wondering if a VW drain plug can be substituted... you might call around the auto parts stores and see if anyone has one and compare it to see if it will work.

toolboy62 · 03-13-2004, 02:34 PM

The plug looks identical to ones I've taken out of both 020 (A1 and A2 chassis) and 02A (Corrado) transaxles.

nate

idontknow · 03-14-2004, 10:16 PM

Any drain plug from all early (air cooled) VWs at least 57-74 will fit. Doesn't matter if it was the swing axle ir the IRS style tranny. They all use the same plug. Origional drain plugs have a magnet on them while aftermarkets and fill plugs generally don't. 914 drain plugs are the same as well. I got used spares if anyones interested! (can't remember if they have magnets on them or not.

One more thing, when you put the plugs back in, use an antisieze compound. Don't goo it everywhere, you don't want it mixing with the tranny fluid, but you will thank yourself the next time you remove the plug.

Zero10 · 03-15-2004, 08:29 AM

Sorry, haven't been on here in a couple days.
Yep, any manual transmission fill/drain plug from a 3rd gen golf, jetta, etc will fit, along with MANY MANY other years.
My fill plug is from a 92 golf =)
Got it for $1.00 at a VW wrecker's.