Stripped Transmission Drain Plug
- Thread starter djtimyd
- Start date
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I hate it when important Sh--t gets chewed up.
Weld a hex socket to it and twist er off.
I wonder if there is anything other than a hex for replacement plug.
Weld a hex socket to it and twist er off.
I wonder if there is anything other than a hex for replacement plug.
Pick a few sizes out of this kit?
https://www.amazon.com/IRWIN-HANSON-53227-Multi-Spline-Extractor/dp/B0002SRG66
https://www.amazon.com/IRWIN-HANSON-53227-Multi-Spline-Extractor/dp/B0002SRG66
how would that work for a recessed 17mm hex socket? I can see how that would work on a bolt head, but not sure how it applies here...
Chisel and hammer
tap on it to get it broke loose , of course tapping left
chisel will cut in some so be careful of hitting too hard but I have removed many that way
tap on it to get it broke loose , of course tapping left
chisel will cut in some so be careful of hitting too hard but I have removed many that way
turblediesel
memberable
Drill it, drain it, ez-out it.
Be strong, messy.
Be strong, messy.
C'mon now... metric bolts and fasteners have been on vehicles sold in the US for the better part of 30 years. Why does this still surprise anyone?
As for how to get it out, I'd do exactly what Tom said- and I was going to post that before I saw his comment - sharp chisel and hammer, tap 'er left and it'll start to spin out. Just don't hit the trans casing or go wailing on it like John Henry and you'll be fine.
the photo is pretty poor when I blow it up, but it appears the side of the plug is cracked? this could allow the hex wrench to spin because as you apply torque to inside of hex, the crack allows the hex to widens.
if you put vice grips on the outside, the fact its female hex will allow the end to collapse.
I am assuming this is 17mm? How about if you put a 17mm hex tool into the hole, make sure its all the way into hole.
than use something around the outside exposed edge of bolt to stop it from spreading, like vice grips. than apply equal force on each tool.
if you put vice grips on the outside, the fact its female hex will allow the end to collapse.
I am assuming this is 17mm? How about if you put a 17mm hex tool into the hole, make sure its all the way into hole.
than use something around the outside exposed edge of bolt to stop it from spreading, like vice grips. than apply equal force on each tool.
tjkj2002
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Yep pretty true.Besides lugnuts your not finding 1 SAE fastener on a vehicle sold in the US,been that way for since about 1990.
TwoBobsKJ
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Unless I'm going blind that isn't the transmission drain plug at all - that's the drain plug for the front diff.
When you get that one out, the replacement (assuming you use the original OEM plug) uses a 3/8" ratchet head to tighten and remove. Just put an extension on your 3/8" ratchet and spin away. It's certainly an oddball - not a hex, not SAE, not metric.
EDIT: Now that I look closer at your pic I don't believe that is the original plug - looks like someone before you buggered up the original and replaced with one that's a hex head. Ya kinda got screwed in the pooch on this one :blah:
Let us know how you got it out of there :waytogo:
Bob
kage860
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In my experience torx bit sockets work GREAT for stripped hex bolts. Tap the largest torx bit socket you can fit in the hole then zip it right out. 2 minute job.
tjkj2002
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That is the manual trans drain plug,takes a 17mm allen socket and is that way from the factory.
That is definitely the drain plug for the transmission.
The original plug is a 17mm. The fill plug is 14mm. Both HEX.
I am guessing that this hasn't been removed since it was installed in the factory. Because Chrysler decided to state in their owners manual that the fluid for the 6 speed manual is "lifetime", most people never look at this. It also hurts that the plug is steel and the transmission case is aluminum - they expand and contract at different rates with heat and cold, and they oxidize differently... my guess is that it has heat sealed and oxidized itself in the opening and because the steel is thin and most HEX sockets you get have a small rounded part at the tip, there isn't enough material to bite into.
I leaning towards the hammer and chisel or a sharpened TORX bit to bite into the metal and then using a hand hammer impact driver. It went from 82° yesterday to 42° today with snow later. So this is gonna sit until Sunday when its back in the 60s.
Its not surprising... its annoying. More-so on my XJ which was just a hodgepodge of SAE and Metric. Its annoying that they used a HEX plug and its annoying that the recess was so shallow that the two tools that I could buy (Harbor Freight and AutoZone) stripped it. Why not use a standard oil type drain plug? I am sure there are reasons... but its still annoying. After google searching this, apparently this isn't that uncommon. And this 6 speed is still being used in Wranglers (AFAIK).
I tried to buy Craftsman... but I don't have a Sears anywhere near me and Ace Hardware didn't have it. I tried all the hardware store and auto-parts stores and literally I could only find ones at AZ and HF. Both have slightly rounded tips. Perhaps if I was a professional mechanic and had the Snap-On, then I wouldn't have stripped this in the first place. I guess what is really annoying is that either way I have to pay too much to do this job - either pay someone to do it for me, or pay for expensive tools that I need once. Call me a cheap Scots but I'd rather spend my money on quality things that I'll reuse often than expensive one-off tools.
That being said - I'm gonna try the hammer and chisel to see if I can get it spinning. Short of that, I may try a sharpened TORX bit. IF both of those fail... I dunno... I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and pay a shop to do it.
Frustrating yes, but I just know you can get it out !:gr_grin:
Good luck
Good luck
tjkj2002
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That right there is part of the problem.
Yes buying the "good" tools is expensive and may only use once or twice but isn't the extra cost justified since you most likely will not run into the issue your facing now? Saving you more $$$ and time.
I'd say it would be very much worth it to pay the $30 for the Snap On socket over the $2.99 autozone socket and not have to deal with a rounded out drain plug.
Oh wait I already did.
