[hunterstein555]

Got the fill and the check plugs off but the drain plug was on there too tight. Had a very sturdy stubby 8m allen wrench, wouldn't budge. Connected it to a 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch adapter to a breaker bar. Tried to keep it straight as possible but it seems like she's stripped

As most of you know it's already a very hard to access hole to drill/dremel out. MAYBE I could fit a dremel in there to cut a hole for a flathead but I'm not too confident

I managed to suck out maybe 2/3 of a quart of oil through the check plug via mini extensions from a shop vac. It was tedious though, and took some time. I guess I could do that 3/4 times but the fluid is not very cheap

Anyone have any creative ideas/thoughts?

 

[Jeffbmx1]

You could try hammering in a torque bit thats slightly bigger,and you wanna use heat these are from the factory never supposed to change the fluid so they use loctite.

 

[qwikredline]

You could try hammering in a torque bit thats slightly bigger,and you wanna use heat these are from the factory never supposed to change the fluid so they use loctite.

yes propane torch around the plug for about thirty seconds then jam a torx or sae Allen in there it will come out. use thread sealant and 37 ft lbs to tighten, New plugs are a dime a dozen at the wreckers.

 

[Jeremy R.]

You could try hammering in a torque bit thats slightly bigger,and you wanna use heat these are from the factory never supposed to change the fluid so they use loctite.

They actually don't use Loctite. I've taken out quite a few, and there's never been any sign of that stuff in the threads. Plus, there was an oil change internal in the early years when the transmissions came filled with motor oil.

 

[Jeffbmx1]

Ive heard people say they are loctited from the factory on the fm55507 atleast (og 93) and i just figured they were right, whenever i break open the plugs i definitley hear and audilble "crack" no loctite or loctite heat is still your friend lol cant attest to the older transmission i only did one on my old talledega but i do remeber that just taking motor oil like you said

 

[qwikredline]

Ive heard people say they are loctited from the factory on the fm55507 atleast (og 93) and i just figured they were right, whenever i break open the plugs i definitley hear and audilble "crack" no loctite or loctite heat is still your friend lol cant attest to the older transmission i only did one on my old talledega but i do remeber that just taking motor oil like you said

Loctite was never used. read posts move on

 

[jvanabra]

Steel plug + Aluminum housing = Fun


Jam an SAE allen or Torx bit in there and hit it with a hammer, straight down. It may help break threads loose. If push comes to shove you can drop the side of the subframe and use impact tools.

 

[qwikredline]

I am spending less and less time on forums etc as its quite irritating. All sorts of posts but many ignoring the obvious:
the thermal expansion rate of aluminum is roughly 2.5 times the rate of thermal expansion of steel . Therefore doing as I suggested, heating the alloy case circumferentially around the steel plug for 30 seconds will enable relatively easy removal of the plug, with a secondary benefit of softening the pipe sealant SAAB use on the plug threads. ( see WIS)

if its not obvious to you that the thermal rates of expansion of alloy and steel are different, then clearly by trying what I suggest will provide that insight. I encounter many "seized" drain plugs. I do use an impact driver on the allen key as well as heat, as I don't care to do the job more than once.

I also don't care to strip the allen socket in the plug. Correct tools in this case really work. Its either 6 or 8 mm allen key. /end rant

good luck

 

[hunterstein555]

Thanks for the tip, I never even considered heating it up and I had a torch in my basement

The only problem now is I was using an 8 mm allen when it stripped and the next common size up is 3/8 which is 9.5 mm. I think it'll be fine but we'll see!

I'm curious as to how you set it up so use an allen key with an impact driver? I don't mind throwing impacts at it, I'm already ordering a new drain plug

 

[qwikredline]

An impact driver is not what you think it is I am guessing, Its a device that holds the socket and provides a rotating mass that you can hammer to impact and rotate the offending bolt, screw or plug
https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=iAq06GIJvbM check this out after the endless commercials

I use that with an adaptor to a 24 inch 1/2 extension; the extension takes away from the impact effectiveness, but it enables access when the trans is lifted up to clear the cradle ( or lowered) and long enough so you can swing a hammer. I am guessing with heat you would even be able to turn the plug with a good pair of vice grips on the external diameter of the plug. That's up to you.

all the best.

 

[hunterstein555]

An impact driver is not what you think it is I am guessing, Its a device that holds the socket and provides a rotating mass that you can hammer to impact and rotate the offending bolt, screw or plug
https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=iAq06GIJvbM check this out after the endless commercials

I use that with an adaptor to a 24 inch 1/2 extension; the extension takes away from the impact effectiveness, but it enables access when the trans is lifted up to clear the cradle ( or lowered) and long enough so you can swing a hammer. I am guessing with heat you would even be able to turn the plug with a good pair of vice grips on the external diameter of the plug. That's up to you.

all the best.

Haha sorry if I sounded silly, I have plenty of impact tools, I was just wondering how you configured yours to work in such a tight space. I didn't think of raising/lowering the trans to make it work... I have an 8mm hex bit that I bought when I did the alternator that woulda worked wonders

 

[jvanabra]

Indeed! Impact wrench not impact driver. An impact driver goes up and down like a hammer and is typically used for putting fasteners into wood or other soft materials. An impact wrench hammers rotationally and is used with threaded fasteners. You typically use an impact driver in the home, an impact wrench on a car, and rarely vice versa.

 

[hunterstein555]

Indeed! Impact wrench not impact driver. An impact driver goes up and down like a hammer and is typically used for putting fasteners into wood or other soft materials. An impact wrench hammers rotationally and is used with threaded fasteners. You typically use an impact driver in the home, an impact wrench on a car, and rarely vice versa.

Ohhhhh. Very interesting, I didn't know that was the difference between a driver and a wrench, but I knew drivers were typically for wood and such

So why did qwik use a driver when taking out the drain plug, as opposed to a wrench? I assume you'd want to hammer it to loosen, but I figured after heat any decent impact wrench would be able to take it out

 

[jvanabra]

I didn'r… only a big ol' impact wrench. An impact driver has the potential to damage threads, which is one reason you don't wanna use the wrong tool.

 

[hunterstein555]

Well either way, my nice 8mm impact hex bit is no use now, but for when I tackle it again, can I just jack up the trans a bit with a piece of wood underneath it if needed?

I'll probably just heat it and try and vise grip it out at this point though

 

[jvanabra]

I'm not sure whether moving the trans or the subframe is the easier way to get that access. I would guess that supporting the engine with a jack, removing the trans mount, and then lowering the jack is the easy approach, but usually when I get here it's in combination with other work and the subframe is already (or easily) moved, so that's usually how I've approached it.