Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting General Oil Plug Question

I tried to change my oil once (whoopie!) and I used the wrong socket maybe, stripping the head of the oil plug slightly. My questions are:

What can I use now that sockets sorta dont work all the time to tighten/loosen the plug?

Where could I find a replacement?

I don't know if this is troubleshooting or not, but it's just a general thing. Thanks for any help

how about a pipe wrench(small one) one that will bite down into the metal and grab it without it slipping.. go to ford and get a new one and then use (if i can remember correctly) a 15 mm box end wrench on it.. make sure you are turning it to loosen it and not tighten it.. pretty common error when upside down people tend to go the opposite direction, forget which way they are turning due to the upside down position???? hope this helps.

Any auto parts shop, even Ford....

Also, use a 6-point socket or box end wrench instead of 12-point. Less chance of rounding off the head. This is after you go to the dealer and get a new drain plug and use vicegrips or channelock pliers to remove the old one.

can use a flat file and file down two new flats opposite each other (down to a standard wrench size.) I've done this before. The bolt is not all that hard.

When I did my first oil change, the oil place that last did it torqued it down too far. I couldn't get it off and ended up stripping the bolt. I was finally able to get it off with vice grips. Vice grips will indefintely get that sucker off, but do remember, it's all about leverage.

You can get a replacement bolt from anywhere. If you have another mode of transportation, get the bolt off, take it to a auto store/dealer/even an oil change place. (Once they see the bolt, they'll match up the neccessary thread pattern in no-time). I got mine through an oil change place. They charged me like $3.99, about the same price at any auto store.

Good luck!

Yeah, vise grips will work well, but I think they also make a socket (craftsman tools) that is made for stripped nuts and bolts.