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I'm trying to undo the drain plug on my manual 4.5 GU.
Whoever previously tried to do it has munted the hole so my 10mm drive doesn't sit in there properly, it fits all the other drain/fill plugs perfectly. They also put some sort of silastic/loktite on there which isn't helping.
I have tried a breaker bar with extended handle (the hole is rounded so it doesn't "grab" properly), vice grips, stiltsons with no luck.
Any other ideas? I am about to try heating it up but am not sure if it would do any damage?
What about welding on a bolt, would that do damage to the plug/box?
You could try heating it, but dont get it stinking cherry red hot, just a nice heat would be ok, to try and melt or burn out whatever is holding it in, also to expand and contract the metals to loosen a bit.
If that doesnt work, theres no problem with welding a bolt onto the plug, thats how most of us do it, but make sure you dont weld the plug to the box. Just get a nice sized bolt, and hold it up to plug with the earth clamp, so the earth goes through the bolt into the plug, not through the gearbox into the plug into the bolt. It shouldnt hugely matter attatching the clamp to the box, at a minimum it mightnt get a good earth, at worst it could arc between the box and plug, spot welding them together.
Get a bolt and file it square so it is a snug fit. Then you can put a couple of small spot wleds on it, and it will come right out. I just removed 3 in exactly the same fashion.
lump_a_charcoal wrote:Get a bolt and file it square so it is a snug fit. Then you can put a couple of small spot wleds on it, and it will come right out. I just removed 3 in exactly the same fashion.
agree - but go buy a new plug first so you can replace it
i find that the easyest way to get them out when they are this bad si to hit a coldchissel into it get say 3mm into the plug and then using a dull cold chissel twist it out works real quick.
I also used a 750mm pipe on the end if my breaker bar and put all off my weight into it before it cracked open. Thought it was gonna snap. All good now.
Years ago I was given a tool which had tapered square stubs to fit a variety of recessed plugs. I just choose the appropriate size, tap it in with a hammer turn it and and presto out comes the plug (with a bit of persuasion of course).
1982 Patrol K160 SWB (MQ) 4L P40 Petrol with Megasquirt fuel injection and EDIS ignition. Warn 8274 winch with Gigglepin head
I have a piece of 13mmx13mmx3mm equal angle about 100mm long. I have edges to make the end a bit wedge shaped. I then tap this into the hole. It usually sits tight/snug. Then i can get a big shifter onto it.
its the only way I can get the plug out of my diff on the underside.
