# Stripped/Seized Oil Drain Plug



## RichLo1 (May 31, 2018)

If its not leaking, I would drill out the center and run a smaller bolt through it to use as an improvised new drain plug.


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## Greedirl (Apr 6, 2018)

No, it's not leaking. That's not a bad idea. Thanks. I'll give that a go tomorrow if the extractor doesnt work out.


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

Greedirl said:


> No, it's not leaking. That's not a bad idea. Thanks. I'll give that a go tomorrow if the extractor doesnt work out.


Before you drill it out, keep in mind that you need to get a very smooth, flat finish on the top in order to get a good seal with whatever new screw you put into it. Otherwise, you could make a bad situation worse.

I'm still trying to figure out how the bolt (plug) is stuck so tight you can't get it out using a breaker bar. If it's that tight, that makes me think someone else might have glued it in, perhaps because the threads were stripped.

Rather than tangling with it, another thought is to get a siphon setup and use that for oil changes. That is, chasing the frozen plug, worst case scenario is you end up having to drop the pan, which is a royal pain on these cars nowadays.

Boat/marine stores have motorized siphon setups for sucking the oil out via the dipstick tube. These tools use refrigerator ice-maker tubing which will fit in the dipstick tube to reach the sump. I gave about ~130 bucks for one several years ago, for changing the oil in the small block in my boat.

For oil changes, you would just suck it out, swap in a new oil filter, and fill it back up. 

130 bucks is a non-trivial cost, but a cheap workaround versus dropping the pan. Anyway, it's an option to consider. 

HTH.

Doug

.


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## Greedirl (Apr 6, 2018)

Thanks, Doug. I'll definitely keep those things in mind. I dont know why it's so hard to get out. Last place i took it to was a chevy dealership when i got the turbocharger diagnosed. Cant imagine them not having the proper tools. Would i want a washer between the new bolt and the old one?


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

Greedirl said:


> Thanks, Doug. I'll definitely keep those things in mind. I dont know why it's so hard to get out. Last place i took it to was a chevy dealership when i got the turbocharger diagnosed. Cant imagine them not having the proper tools. Would i want a washer between the new bolt and the old one?


Yes, I was thinking some sort of washer would be needed with the new plug. You want it to be oil proof so it won't break down. Not sure what that entails, tho  But it needs to be material comparable to what's on the stock plugs.

One other thought I have is to take it to a shop or back to the dealer and let them try removing the plug. They might get it out and save you a lot of hassle, or they'll at least confirm that it is indeed stuck beyond normal means of extraction. (Altho, if you have already started tearing into the turbo, it may be too late for that.)

Doug

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## Greedirl (Apr 6, 2018)

Havent started taking the turbo out but GM screwed me over on my warranty so they arent currently my favorite child. i asked another shop if they would help me get it out and put a new one on and they wanted to bill me a work hour for it (about $90).


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## Ma v e n (Oct 8, 2018)

The "turbo" sockets, with splines are intended to cut into the bolt to remove it. They always damage the bolt head if it's truly stripped. Sometime you need to drop down to the next smaller size socket even. I use them all the time. Mine work great. I'd keep at it with them. I've never seen an overtorqued drain plug on the 1.4 break off with just the threads in the pan, so I'd be inclined to think worst case scenario is those sockets just completely round off the head and require additional methods to require.

A second method if to get a nut that fit over the drain plugs hex....Probably an M12 nut, and you weld that to the plug. Then use the hex of the nut remove plug. I do this all the time with broken studs.


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## RichLo1 (May 31, 2018)

If you do drill and tap the bolt and run a smaller plug, I would think a standard o-ring would be fine around the head of the bolt then just replace it every oil change. 

And no matter what you do (drill and tap or syphen) I would definitely run the amsoil 25k mile oil from now on, lol.


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## Patman (May 7, 2011)

don't drill that thing out! Use vice Grips and buy a new drain plug and letting your car got for 25K on an oil change is asking for trouble!


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## RichLo1 (May 31, 2018)

So do you disagree with XtremeRevolution about Amsoil's signature series oil?


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## mikestony (Jan 17, 2013)

Patman said:


> don't drill that thing out! Use vice Grips and buy a new drain plug and letting your car got for 25K on an oil change is asking for trouble!


I'd second that too. Had the same issue, self inflicted 
Got a new(er) pair of vice grips with good teeth, mashed it on the outer lip of the plug and got it off.


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## twigmoto (Aug 13, 2018)

Irwin makes a socket kit to remove stripped bolts. Exactly what I went through the first week I bought my Cruze. 20 bucks at Lowe’s will save a lot of headache.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

It don't sound like stripped is his problem. Those are easy to take out. 

Sounds like someone glued his bolt tight for whatever reason. He's probably got a damaged bolt and pan.


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## Patman (May 7, 2011)

snowwy66 said:


> It don't sound like stripped is his problem. Those are easy to take out.
> 
> Sounds like someone glued his bolt tight for whatever reason. He's probably got a damaged bolt and pan.


YEa it sounds like there is more to this situ than we are hearing and


> So do you disagree with XtremeRevolution about Amsoil's signature series oil?


 No I don't discredit anything, I am suggesting there is more to what goes on when you change your oil such as rotating your tires and other maintenance/checking of things so going that long to look at others is asking for trouble but I am sure the oil is fine but hopefully you change the filter and look over your car more than once. Your choice. I am still old school maintenance.


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## RichLo1 (May 31, 2018)

Patman said:


> YEa it sounds like there is more to this situ than we are hearing and No I don't discredit anything, I am suggesting there is more to what goes on when you change your oil such as rotating your tires and other maintenance/checking of things so going that long to look at others is asking for trouble but I am sure the oil is fine but hopefully you change the filter and look over your car more than once. Your choice. I am still old school maintenance.


ok, yea, I didn't mean ignore your car for 25k miles, just that changing oil may be more of a pain now and the less you have to touch that bolt the better. Still change filters at regular intervals, check oil level, check tire pressure, rotate, etc.


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## Gus_Mahn (Aug 16, 2011)

If it's a 10mm head, just get a 3/8" 12 point socket and hammer it onto the plug. It should grip tight enough to allow you to get the plug out.


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## winks79 (Dec 20, 2013)

Vice grips.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

6 point sockets work better then 12 points. Much better bite.


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## CMStover (Feb 16, 2019)

Greedirl said:


> Hey, folks. Im in the process of replacing my turbocharger on my 2013 eco cruze and I went to drain the oil and the oil drain plug is stripped. I got bolt gripping sockets but it's stuck on there so bad they just started cutting into the plugs head. Currently about to try a bolt extractor kit but before i start drilling into this, are there any other ways to get this thing off. Dont really have the money for a torch (butane/propane/oxy/etc). Thanks in advance for any and all help.
> 
> 
> edit: Let me rephrase it. Are there any things i should do that may loosen it? the socket was used with a breaker bar and it wouldnt come loose.


Get a nice sharp cold chisel, hold it at 45 deg to the axis of the bolt, and hit it firm with a hammer in the counter clockwise/loosening direction (not TOO firm). Do this at a few spots around the bolt. Always had good luck this method. Impact will loosen it. Big breaker bars and steady force can destroy more than the bolt.

If this doesn't work, take a nut with an inside diameter a little smaller that the outside diameter of the bolt, hold it up against it and take a mig welder to the inside, just enough to weld them together. Put a wrench on it and the heat will help, bolt will come out.

Last resort, drill it out and hope you don't get chips/metal in the pan.


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## Gus_Mahn (Aug 16, 2011)

snowwy66 said:


> 6 point sockets work better then 12 points. Much better bite.


Good luck trying to hammer a 6 point 3/8" onto a 10mm head.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

Gus_Mahn said:


> snowwy66 said:
> 
> 
> > 6 point sockets work better then 12 points. Much better bite.
> ...


A 6 point 3/8 will pound on just fine. 

Used to do it all the time no matter what size.


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## markmashley (Mar 20, 2018)

Try using a six point socket or wrench if your 12 point is slipping this often is all you need, then go to Ebay or the dealership and get yourself a new one.

https://www.familyhandyman.com/tools/automotive-tools/6-point-sockets-vs-12-point-sockets/


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## sgjii (Aug 29, 2012)

MAP gas is cheap and way hotter than propane. About $8 for the cylinder at home improvement stores and about another $8 for the torch head. Might even find a kit, look in the plumbing section. Inexpensive and a decent torch with enough heat to give you help on stuck fasteners. Others have suggested "glue" by someone else, heat would help break that bond.

Heat it, smack it with a hammer for a "shock" or douse it with cold water for the "shock", then use an extractor socket or vise grips if the hex head of the plug is stripped.

if the Pan is damaged and that is why the glue or severe stuck plug, then you are screwed anyhow and have to do a pan replacement. If it is just an oddly stuck plug, you get it out and put a new OE plug back in.

If you are doing the turbo, then you should have the skills to do the pan.


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## EdFromOhio (May 10, 2012)

Like others said, don't go the drill method. First, go get yourself a replacement drain plug before you pull the old one. Then find a friend with a decent impact wrench and a 6-point socket to rip that thing out. Or just take it to a garage and have your oil changed.

I replaced my drain plug with one from eBay that has a Neodymium magnet in it. That was about 4-5 years ago.. Collects a considerable amount of stuff between oil changes, and hasn't leaked yet.


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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

Those magnetic drain plugs are the best thing anyone can do for their engine oil.


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## Patman (May 7, 2011)

For what its worth, I noticed between my 2013 and 2014 Cruzes. They 2013 has a a 8 or 10 mm drain plug and my 2014 has a 16 mm drain plug like most other GM cars I have owned. Rock auto seems to sell the 16 mm one. Thinking about replacing the smaller one with that


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