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What am I doing wrong?

loggerbomb

Hard-core CEG'er
Joined
Jun 10, 2004
Messages
3,744
Location
Kitchener, ON Canada
OK, gonna sound silly, but how come every time I go to change the oil I strip the nut on the drain plug? Drives me crazy. Anyone got some suggestions on how to get the plug out? I tried using some vise grips, but just made it worse...
 
dont tighten the plug so much and use the correct size socket (should be metric). :shrug:

I torque it to what it says to in the Haynes manual I have and I use the tightest socket I have, thing is after warming up the engine it just is tight as hell and when I start reefing on the thing, it just starts stripping... :shrug:
 
Ford CD says 15-21ft/lbs, which seems like a lot IMO, although i have never used a torque wrench on a drain plug. i just go till its tight. you might think about replacing the plug. you can get one at autozone for a couple bucks. then before you install it, make sure you have the proper socket for it. if its standard dont use a metric socket and vise-versa. IIRC factory plugs were 17mm and the replacement i got from advance auto is a 15mm.
 
Ford CD says 15-21ft/lbs

HOLY BUJEBUS.....that's a lot of torque for that nut


it's been said already, just use a 17 mil socket, do it all by feel. Investigate the rubber gasket everytime.

NEVER USE VISE GRIPS

NVM, just get another nut and don't use so much force to tighten. To take yours out you'll need a bold grip fastener remover socket, Canadian Tire should have them for 20 bucks.
 
Last edited:
HOLY BUJEBUS.....that's a lot of torque for that nut


it's been said already, just use a 17 mil socket, do it all by feel. Investigate the rubber gasket everytime.

NEVER USE VISE GRIPS

NVM, just get another nut and don't use so much force to tighten. To take yours out you'll need a bold grip fastener remover socket, Canadian Tire should have them for 20 bucks.

Yeah, I always thought that too about the torque spec on the plug. It's a lot considering once it heats up it seats itself even tighter. No idea what the garage I go to uses to tighten it back up, but it was rounded a tad before I even touched it. In fact, every drain plug I have had has stripped at one point - even if I was changing the oil or I had a garage do it.
I only used the vice grips as a last resort as my socket was not griping at ALL. I even tried pounding on a smaller sized socket.
Looks like I will check out CT for that removal socket...
 
change oil with car on jacks FTW...

I do it in my garage all the time, when possible.

There was only once that I had to go to Mr Lube to have the oil changed because my garage was filthy full with stuff at the time.

I know what you mean by them tightening the nut a bit too much......my tour was swinging on jacks as I was trying to pry that freaking nut to unscrew...lol
 
change oil with car on jacks FTW...
I do it in my garage all the time, when possible.
There was only once that I had to go to Mr Lube to have the oil changed because my garage was filthy full with stuff at the time.
I know what you mean by them tightening the nut a bit too much......my tour was swinging on jacks as I was trying to pry that freaking nut to unscrew...lol

Well, now that I am living in at the gf's parents place, I am changing the oil myself. Before I couldn't because we were in an apartment building and I had no where to store the ramps I use and they didn't exactly like people doing car repairs in the parking lot. :nonono:
I had the car rocking pretty good myself when trying to pull the drain plugs for the trans and the oil pan. :laugh:
 
That really does seem waaaaay to tight. Are you sure it didn't read 15-21 in/lbs?
ill double check it but im positive it said ft/lbs

Edit: just checked and it is indeed under the ft/lbs column for torque specs. FWIW, the duratec is listed at 16-22 ft/lbs as well.
 
ill double check it but im positive it said ft/lbs

Edit: just checked and it is indeed under the ft/lbs column for torque specs. FWIW, the duratec is listed at 16-22 ft/lbs as well.

Maybe its a typo on publisher/writers part :shrug:
 
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