Jeff Midili

I am having a bear of a time with the transmission filler plug (luckily I haven't removed the drain plug yet!).

I'm using a two foot cheater on a 3/8 in ratchet and can not get the plug to budge. I can apply more force, but I am applying an awefull lot already so I thought I'd ask for suggestions.

Anyone have any suggestions? Can the transmission case be heated with a torch? I definately wanted to ask before I tried that! Would an air ratchet help? I don't have one but am willing to buy, I do have a nice compressor.

As always, any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Jeff

Adrian

Dear Jeff,
I would recommend you try something like WD-40. Being careful where you spray it. Let it soak for a while.
Another trick is to connect up your rachet and bar and give it a short sharp and hard thwack with a hammer. This may release the filler nut.
Another trick is to use the hammer and sharp force first to tighten then to undo. It is called cracking the thread.
Often trying to apply a slow force will not release it.
There are more tricks but I do not think you have the tools for this. The key is cracking the thread with a short sharp and heavy force.
We used to use air powered rivet guns for this purpose as well but we won't go down that track for now.
Ciao,
Adrian
964C4

Fred, Long Island

A little risky but.....
Jack the car up, set the breaker bar and pipe extension in place with the end of the pipe resting on the garage floor. Lower the car slowly to apply pressure to the wrench. Make sure the force is directed at loosening and that no cables, linkages, or anything else will get pinched.
Repeat....lower slowly......
Good luck

Arjan B.

This way should work:

Take a paint burner/hair dryer [on electricity] and heat up the filler plug for a few minutes. When it's so hot, it will come loose easy. Don't use heavy equipment, you will damage the plug. Heating up will help.

Jeff Midili

thanks everyone for the suggestions. I spent some time cleaning and lubricating the area. It looks like the aluminum washer is in place so the plug should come out, I was really afraid it wasn't there and that could make things very difficult.

Adrian, I always wondered what made air tools so effective, and I think I understand now from your description of the 'breaking' effect that is needed. I might just pick up an air ratchet and see what happens.

Fred, I like the theory of your method but the practice terrifies me!

Arjan, I'm curious, wouldn't heating expand the plug, or is it made of a material that actually shrinks when heated (like rivets)?

Jeff

gjvander

Heat the area around the plug. All metals expand with added heat. Aluminum is something like 11e-6 in/in/degF and steel is 6, so the aluminum would expand at a faster rate, assuming both metals are at the same temperature. But I think the plug is also aluminum....

Personally I would use the impact wrench on that bolt, but there is always the risk that you strip out the allen head hole. Make sure you have a high quality allen wrench set. I have the Sears 3/8" kit, and it is marginal for transferring the torque for that big a bolt, but it worked for me.

Good luck. At least next time the thing won't be such a bear to get off.

Geo

Arjan B.

Jeff,

In the nature law it should work that way with heating, but I had a few of these problems in the past, and it worked. I had a Audi A4 Quattro a few years back and wanted to check the differentail oil from the rear axle. Same problem as you have....and much worser. The imbus nut was round inside from overtorque the thing, no tool fitted. I WELDED a metric 8 mm bolt on the plug, and after 5 minutes it needed just a little pull on the wrench and opened. Here the plug was heated also by welding........

Jeff Midili

Fill and Drain plugs are off, thanks all for the help! The combo of heat and whacking a breaker bar with a rubber mallet did the trick.

I was surprised (alarmed?) by the amount of metal shavings on the magnet of the drain plug. I'm assuming this is the first gear oil change done on this car. The car has 90,000 miles, how much is acceptable? The 'pile' was probably 1/2 inch high.

Jeff

Arjan B.

The amount of iron on the magnet depents how often it was cleaned before....
There is always iron on the magnet when you check the level. But.....the plug stuck, so I think not many mechanics checked that out.
Just wipe it of en check next year again......