Yep. Suck it.
Wilton
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim C" <[email protected]>
To: "Mercedes List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2011 10:59 PM
Subject: [MBZ] OT: Ford oil drain plug
Problem with my 05 Ford Escape Hybrid today: I went to change the oil;
last
time was the dealer's 100k service. I noticed at the outset that the
drain
plug (13mm head) was slightly rounded, but okay, I have seen worse. So I
went at it - but it was in tighter than any bolts I've hit to date, and
that
includes head bolts. (Now it is much rounder than before, and doesn't
even
have new oil!) I should have another plug in the spares pile, if I can get
it loose, but I haven't made it turn the slightest over several hours of
effort.
I have tried:
Hand wrenches - open end slipped, originally I couldn't turn the closed
end;
Half inch drive - see closed end;
Three quarter inch drive breaker bar - worked for a while, but started to
spin before turning, that was my first indication that this was going to
be
a long day;
Half inch, closed wrench - now slipping;
Hammered sockets - stripped the rest of the head;
Penetrant - no observable affect;
Curved vice grips, flat vice grips - shred the bolt head as the grips spin
off;
Drill, ez out - can't get traction into bolt head, afraid of drilling into
the pan;
Bolt extractor socket - gave me about five seconds of hope before it
started
spinning. The 12mm socket does not fit yet.
File - can only reach four sides because of the geometry. May wind up
going
this route with an open wrench, but I have a feeling it will be a long
time
until I get exactly half-inch (next size down) and then I worry I will
just
round it off again anyway.
Chisel - did not do, no way I could turn this with a screwdriver, and I
was
afraid I'd destroy what little integrity was left in the bolt head. Or
would that be a good thing at this point?
Cursing the mechanic at the Ford dealer - no affect;
Cursing myself for paying twice a reasonable rate for the 100k service,
and
getting a fight about the presence of a transmission, a reused spark plug,
and an over-tightened oil drain plug to show for it - no affect;
Prayer and fasting - no affect.
The truck was hot, has an aluminum pan and the plug seems to be a steel
bolt
(a really soft steel, apparently), so I would have thought it should spin
right out.
I am looking for any suggestions. The only thing I know and have not
tried
is welding; I don't have any equipment, not that I'd want to do that near
an
oil pan anyway.
(Wilton says, topsider! which I will probably try to do, but I'd still
like
to fix the plug without replacing the pan.)
And, may I recommend, if you need the services of a competent Ford
mechanic,
you stay far, far away from Crossroads Ford in Cary, NC.
Sorry for the long post, thanks for any ideas!
-Tim
Has decided stuck bolts are worse when you paid for someone else to do
them
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_______________________________________
http://www.okiebenz.com
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To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
