Help! Stuck oil drain bolt

[tomari]

100 for an oil change? :jawdrop:

 

[chaskell27]

This is actually 180° out from what should be done...... you want as FEW teeth as possible. A 6 point socket or box end wrench, in six points. A bolt is not actually tightened or loosened on the 'points'.... it's all on the 'flats'. The more contact you have with the flats, the more leverage/torque you can put on the bolt.

Good call RJ. I guess I wasn't clear enough in my initial post or maybe I really am dislexic Thanks for setting the record straight.

 

[Kriswithak]

By as many teeth as possible I immediately assumed to mean the RIGHT amount of teeth , ie to match the bolt(not too many not too few). Amazed at how many people assumed the exact opposite.
This being said if your stripping bolts it seems likely that you used the wrong socket, or someone put in a slightly different bolt (ie metric if your not using metric or the opposite) and its just been slightly too large.

 

[chaskell27]

By as many teeth as possible I immediately assumed to mean the RIGHT amount of teeth , ie to match the bolt(not too many not too few). Amazed at how many people assumed the exact opposite.

Thank you for clearing that up. This is what I was trying to get across in my initial post. It is funny how different people will read the same thing and see something completely different Oh well, I guess it's what makes this world interesting

 

[Signal 50]

You see so many threads like this on the first oil change that it makes we wonder. Be it oil filter or drain nut. Is Yamaha doing this on purpose? I mean come on, who can't place a wrench on a oil plug and loosen it? Does it really need to be so tight? I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. I put a wrench on my drain plug and it came right off, I put the proper wrench on my filter and it came right off.

Is it a misuse of of tools? Are people using the wrong tools the first time therefore screwing everything up? It really make no sense to me! Why is changing oil so freaking hard?

I've seen 4-5 times where lube joints or dealerships put an oil filter on 5x tighter than it should be. Can't tell you why, since we all know its not the right thing to do, but it happens a lot.


To the OP, as sort of a last resort, I have had to notch bolts with a cut off wheel, then use a giant flathead screw driver. I had to do this on some carb bolts on one of my old bikes. Its sort of a last resort, but it usually works.

 

[Tailgate]

Another possibility (but not preferable) is using a suction pump/hose (s/b/ under $15) to change oil (some boat owners don't have a choice).

 

[macem29]

I'm gonna repeat this 'cause it will help you, rap the end of a plug with
a hammer, I've been in the heavy equipment industry for 30 years and
when I was an apprentice I broke many ratchets and sockets getting
plugs loose before learning this trick

 

[crimsonrick]

Thanks for all the tips, I let it soak in WD40 overnight, gave it a few taps, used a cheater bar & finally broke it loose. The filter was tightned the same way. Used a pair of channel locks to breake it loose. I was serious about the dealer cost for an oil change. $99.95 at the local dealer. Can't imagine they get much repeat business at that cost.

 

[Kriswithak]

Probably depends the most popular oil here in Aus is about $80+ a change, so an oil change can be pretty expensive, especially if they aren't passing on the fact they get it a bit cheaper (and they normally dont).

It is a job worth doing yourself however!

 

[RJ2112]

I'm gonna repeat this 'cause it will help you, rap the end of a plug with
a hammer, I've been in the heavy equipment industry for 30 years and
when I was an apprentice I broke many ratchets and sockets getting
plugs loose before learning this trick

My dad explained that process to me many years ago.... corrosion on the threads will bind a bolt up, and the increased friction will lock that thing in place.

Rapping on the end of the bolt will break up some of the crystals that have formed between the threads, and allow the two parts to move past each other.

This is what makes impact wrenches work, as well.

 

[yamahaha]

this is not a good idea on ur bike but i've had a few real stubborn bolts on things other than bikes that i've taken a blow torch too and then was able to loosen it. the heat shrinks it if i recall correctly.

 

[macem29]

this is not a good idea on ur bike but i've had a few real stubborn bolts on things other than bikes that i've taken a blow torch too and then was able to loosen it. the heat shrinks it if i recall correctly.

.

I agree completely that this is a terrible idea on an engine,
the heat will break the rust that forms in the threads of a
fastener, unfortunately it will also melt seals and untold
other things that aren't meant to get that locally hot :spank:

 

[deeptekkie]

Get the engine good and hot and use a pipe wrench with SHARP teeth, (after you have purchased a replacement plug). Good luck!
P.S. I used to have a Honda and that sucker would ALWAYS tighten up itself, always! A friend of mine had the same model and his did the same thing.

 

[Dragonmwl]

Sometimes using a brand new, unworn socket, most definatly a six point, makes all the difference. If you can get it to somebody who is experienced with the feel of air tools there is a good possibility that it will rattle right out with carfull use of an impact gun... even if it does feel bad by hand. BTW superman or not, the factory manual spec is 31 ft/lbs, thats really tight IMO. Guess they don't want them falling out...

My father and I were trying to get mine undone last night and we started with a regular wrench, and it wouldn't budge. We then moved to a torque wrench, still wouldn't move... Finally tried an impact wrench and still was frozen. We were maxing out the torque wrench of about 90ish lbs of pressure and no clue about the impact wrench but I can tell you the factory tightened it WAY more than 31 lbs... brand new bike and so no one has touched that bolt since it was put together. We tried some WD-40 but I'm going to try and soak it later and see if we can get it.

It's a little discouraging when you know you have the right tools to do a simple oil change and then the stupid bolt won't budge...

 

[BusyWeb]

I had problem at the first time to open the bolt after dealer service.
So, oil change is do-myself maintenance after then.
What I found the way to open the draining bolt is using Mallet(rubber hammer) with good wrench.

When wrench is well fitted and good position over bolt, I tap the wrench with Mallet. (be carful, it will damage bolt if wrench is not well sitted on the bolt)
Starting from small impact and increases the power until the bolt moves little bit.
Then, it gets easier to open the bolt with man power.

It's a just my exerience, others may not work if it is tightened too hard.

 

[Dennis in NH]

I'm with BusyWeb. I ensure that the socket is on the drain bolt and ensure you're turning the correct way (i.e. lefty loosey as if under the bike looking at the bolt). I tap with the mallet a little at a time and that little nudge is what did it -- it sure beasts putting constant pressure and getting nowhere except sweaty and sore.

Dennis

 

[Shiny_side_up]

I'm going to vote "reversed drill bit" (i.e. drills in the 'loosen' direction) and if that doesn't do it by itself, grab an easy-out. Those things are the best. I once had to remove a snapped off crankshaft bolt on a 5.0L Ford. There's no worse feeling than snapping the head off a crankshaft bolt... Especially when you were just changing the balancer. (blower install)

 

[Tailgate]

Especially if you can get a metric version, these can come in handy for your non-US bike:

9 Piece 3/8" SAE Bolt Extractor Sockets

In addition to earlier suggestions, if you have stripped/rounded a nut with a wrench, etc. (and turned the wrong way?), you might be able tap on a 12 point socket.

(When is USA going to get smart, jettison SAE and go metric? Untold complications/expenses!)

 

[Evitzee]

(When is USA going to get smart, jettison SAE and go metric? Untold complications/expenses!)

US will change when it becomes economical to do so. At this point there is no compelling reason to change. This has been debated since the '70's.

 

[mdd770]

I had the same problem, but mine wasn't rounded. Just mega tight. I had to go to Lowe's and get a super long socket wrench that you click the socket onto. it is like 18 inches long and that took it right off!...but i was so close to it under the bike that it slipped and i punched myself in the jaw so hard I almost was knocked out! :tard: But I got it free! Made sure not to make it tight when oil change was done!