HELP! Stripped oil plug

[ryans99es2.4]

I believe my dumbass has rounded out my oil plug on my G. This wouldn't be a problem if IT STILL WEREN'T ON THE CAR!!. I can't get this oil plug off. Neither can Penzoil. I'm thinking of taking it to sears because they have craftsmen parts and they can even work with anti-strip tools. Any other suggestions? Thanks!

[Elwenil]

Well, to get it off may take a little work. It depends on what part is stripped. If the threads are stripped, and the plug is still in and won't do anything but turn you can try a trick that worked for me. I had this problem on a friend's Neon once. I had to take a screwdriver and wedge it behind the lip on the plug and then unscrew it with a wrench. If it's the head of the plug (the hex where the socket goes) then it's a little more difficult. Vice-Grip pliers work good most of the time, if you have enough left for them to grip on. Sometimes the only option is to weld on a small piece of metal onto the plug's head and use that to grip with pliers and get it off. Occasionally, you can take a smaller socket and hammer it on, cutting a new hex on the plug's head, but I dunno if this would be a good idea on an oil pan. You don't want to dent or bend the area around where the plug seals, as this will cause a leak that you can't stop. If after you get the plug out, and the threads on the oil pan itself are stripped, you can get a Heli-Coil thread repair kit from most parts stores. Napa always has these. Just be sure to go slow and be careful. The last thing you want is metal shavings in your oil pan. Just my .02

[ryans99es2.4]

the threads should be fine, (i dunno, i can't see them) but the hex where the socket wrench goes is rounded out :cry: i bet this is gonna suck.

[ChromeGalant]

Find a nice set of Vice Grips..

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ChromeGalant)</div><div class='quotemain'>Find a nice set of Vice Grips..</div>
yeah, a real nice set should do you just fine. Clamp them down as hard as you can, bust out the WD-40, and go to work. Spray the WD all around the plug, start working the plug back and forth. You'll get it eventually.

[Coldshot]

there are special sockets for stripped bolts, snap-on calls them turbo sockets, a few companies make them, they work very well

[MidNightRacing]

GO WITH SNAP-ON TOOLS!!!!!!!!!

[pinoyesv6]

first thing you should do though is go out and buy a replacement plug. that way you don't have to put that round plug back in and have the same problem later on

[Auto-9]

This is what my Mitsu tech does with rounded bolts: He gets a flathead screwdriver and wedges it under the head of the bolt and taps (more like pounding but hey it's his technique not mine) a few times.

[Xska55]

maybe try using a small pipe wrench like a 10, 8, or 6" wrench that might do the trick unless you rounded i the head off alot then it wont grab

[ryans99es2.4]

thanks guys, I took it up to the dealer and they pulled it out with vice grip pliers. (I didn't have any) I thought they would charge me an arm and a leg, but since I supplied my own oil, they charged $14 for the new plug, filling all the fluids and even a car wash. so it's all good