Sump plug rounded!!

[mattbombers]

Undoing the sunk plug iv rounded the head, tried vice grips tried chisel and hammer and got this

Iv got a new plug just needa get this one out..
Any ideas? Cheers

[mrVT]

spray heaps of wr-40 or penetrene behind the screw and leave it for about 30 min then try again with vice grips, happend to me and this worked!

[Vsfan95]

If u got a welder weld a nut the same size as the sump plug and then undo it that is how we did it when i was working as an apprentice mechanic

[Sabbath']

As above, weld something on there that you can get a spanner onto.

Or, hammer any socket that comes close to fitting on over the mangled remains. Although im not sure how much luck you'd have with the second option. If neither work, new sump. But im sure you'd be able to drive the car somewhere and get them to fix it.

[ozdash]

Cut a slot in it, find a big dont fu@k with square shaft flat screw driver
slot the driver in the slot and use a full adjustable knuckle Fu@ker (shifter )
On the shaft of the driver and undo that bad boy.

[slockett]

I've just had the exact same problem took me 4 attempts I water till the next day when my engine was cold got it up on a pair of ramps I got a new set of vice grips get them as tight as possible use a another pair of vice grips to get them tighter then once tight give them 1 hard tap with a hammer and mine came loose

[CHEETR]

you guys need to invest in some better quality tools if your going to service your own car, it will avoid scenarios like this.

[thepaver]

Had this happen on my vt maybe not quite as bad lol but spent fair amount of time filing new sides onto bolt head and starting again. CRC overnight and slightly undersize socket belted on should do the trick.

[KelB]

Not sure how strong the dump is I would give the plug a good hit with a decent hammer this should squash the sealing washer and loosen the plug

[bnghardy]

next time use 4 sided socket not the multi sided ones, and don't tighten the plug so tight.
PS always use a new sump plug gasket, when you get a original oil filter the sump plug gasket comes in the box with it.
or get an after market one. and you shouldn't have any more problems next time when changing your oil

[CHEETR]

here is my advise capping on what i said earlier

- if your going to service your own car, use quality tools not cheap ones ($300 for a half decent small set of Kincrome spanners and sockets)
- if you are not confident in how tight the bolt should be, invest in a torque wrench so you don't overtighten (kincrome ones can be had off ebay for $70 in 1/2inch)

[mattbombers]

here is my advise capping on what i said earlier

- if your going to service your own car, use quality tools not cheap ones ($300 for a half decent small set of Kincrome spanners and sockets)
- if you are not confident in how tight the bolt should be, invest in a torque wrench so you don't overtighten (kincrome ones can be had off ebay for $70 in 1/2inch)

i have half decent tools, sidchrome.
and i cant see how i have over tightened it, this was a tiny bit less then how tight it was to begin with, only thing im thinking is i done it while the engine was hot (hour driving) then drained, waited, re tightened it. could it being hot affect it?

[The_Doctor]

You can go to a tool shop and buy an Ezi-out, you will need to drill a hole in this plug, screw in the Eziout and hey presto, its out, EZI......

[The_Doctor]

EZI OUT Screw Bolt Extractor Set Frost Australia Size 1 to 5 AS NEW NEVER USED | eBay

Here you go. a cheap set on Ebay

[m1lky]

Hot may have lead to it being tighter when it cooled? I doubt my much though. Once something starts to round you're pretty screwed, perhaps a previous owner rounded it a little and then because you have good tools the bolt gave way rather than the tool. I've had that problem with good tools and rusted Allen keys.

For above sidchrome make good tools, much better than a hobby mechanic needs though. Most of my tools are now powerbuilt but a friend and I have swapped multiple transmissions etc with a sca set.

Looking at your pic you might be just about down to weld a bolt or a nut to it and remove it that way. (be sure to disconnect your battery before welding). I see the suggestions in your previous thread didn't work?

You are turning it the right way?

[CHEETR]

i have half decent tools, sidchrome.
and i cant see how i have over tightened it, this was a tiny bit less then how tight it was to begin with, only thing im thinking is i done it while the engine was hot (hour driving) then drained, waited, re tightened it. could it being hot affect it?

then your doing something wrong somewhere mate, i've serviced over a hundred cars in my time and built heaps never had this problem, always used good quality tools and a torque wrench.

are you using an extension arm on a socket? that usually can create this problem
are you using a braker arm socket? that helps to avoid this as well

[ozdash]

then your doing something wrong somewhere mate, i've serviced over a hundred cars in my time and built heaps never had this problem, always used good quality tools and a torque wrench.

are you using an extension arm on a socket? that usually can create this problem
are you using a braker arm socket? that helps to avoid this as well

Good Tools are only half the problem, it's people that think 14 mm is the same as 9/16th
and think "it will do" learn to use tools the right way and even a cheap set of tools will do most jobs
As for spending $300-400 on a little set go to supercheap check out the SCA brand tools 144 piece set for
under $150 treat the right and they will last be a Tool and they wont.

[Old Timer]

First thing I did when I bought the VT was to buy a six sided socket for the sump plug. Cost maybe 2 or 3 dollars.
Using a twelve sided socket or ring spanner on a tight sump plug is only looking for trouble.

[pablo]

I have noticed that it is very easy for the novice mechanic to become confused and pull the spanner the wrong way when reaching beneath the car and viewing the nut from an unfamiliar angle.
As said above, the sure way to remove the plug is to have someone weld a nut on to it. The heat from the welding will loosen it up and a turn from a spanner will soon have it off.
I machined an 'O' ring groove at the thread base of the plug and fitted an 'O' ring..... Threw away the metal gasket and now the plug only has to be firmed down with the ring spanner to achieve a tight seal that won't unscrew by it's self.

[mattbombers]

I have noticed that it is very easy for the novice mechanic to become confused and pull the spanner the wrong way when reaching beneath the car and viewing the nut from an unfamiliar angle.
As said above, the sure way to remove the plug is to have someone weld a nut on to it. The heat from the welding will loosen it up and a turn from a spanner will soon have it off.
I machined an 'O' ring groove at the thread base of the plug and fitted an 'O' ring..... Threw away the metal gasket and now the plug only has to be firmed down with the ring spanner to achieve a tight seal that won't unscrew by it's self.

Lol, may be my first car but Im not a complete idiot, been working on bikes for years and have no issues working upside down undoing / tightening bolts .
Il go weld a nut onto it now, and check back soon with a result

[Tim Smtih]

Wow that's stuffed. I had the same issue, but didn't manage to round the bolt off at all. Good luck!

[NPreston]

There are special sockets you can buy specifically for undoing rounded nuts, bolts. They are the equivalent to an ezi-out but work externally. I have a set but can't remember the brand. If you want I can look in the shed in the morning.