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Oil pan drain plug

Jeepmedic46

NAXJA Forum User
NAXJA Member
Location
Orange, Ma
My oil pan drain plug is stripped and just spins. It’s not leaking. How can I get the plug out and can the hole be fixed or do I need a new oil pan as some people are telling me?
 
Getting it out will be the challenge, after that either tap it to a larger bolt or even a pipe thread.
 
Is it loose enough to get a screw driver under the head? If so, prying up while turning might get to moving. Hopefully, it's just the threads on the bolt that are damaged.

Depending on how bad the threads are in the pan, you can buy oversized or double oversized plugs. Some tap/cut new threads as they go in. Some are just larger to make up for work threads, and force bent threads back into place. Some have a center bolt (called a piggyback). For example:
https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-Autograde-090-035CD-Piggyback-S/dp/B07QQTVCTN
https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-Autograde-090-045CD-Piggyback-D/dp/B07QSZBCQJ
https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-65206-AutoGrade-Oversize-Drain/dp/B000COCWZK

There are also more expensive kits that include an actual tap and a threaded insert.
The quick change oil places have with an expanding rubber plug, but I don't recommend those as they're really only meant for temporary repairs.
 
If a screwdriver end is too big, try the
edge of a knife blade to apply pressure.
Once you get it out, you could retap it
for a Fumoto valve...
 
Since it is spinning freely, I would try grabbing the head of the bolt with vice grips and try to pull it while turning or use a screwdriver as leverage between the pan and the vice grips and see if you can get the threads to grab hold for removal...
 
On my 98 small Jeep the spot weld that held the threaded portion to the pan failed. New pan was the quick way to fix the problem.
 
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