Oil Change Nightmare - tool broke off in the plug; is there a hardened wrench?

[cjr00]

So... I gathered all my tools and materials for an oil change. Stuck the 6mm wrench in the drain plug, double checked the direction the rachet would be turning (3/8 drive- nothing extreme), and the tool broke off inside the drain plug. Guess it's back to the dealership to get out of this one. Is there a "hardened" hex wrench I should get for next time? Thanks...

 

[spyderdave]

I would recommend you go to LaMonster Garage and check out their Hi-Flo oil change kit, SKU# HF-556-01/5-1330. Cost is ~ $35 and will include drain plugs w/ hex heads; much easier to remove w/ a 6 point socket.

 

[Mikey]

Sometimes a couple light blows with a hammer on the top of the bolt or screw before you start to loosen will break the varnish on the threads and help you. And yes, I would agree with the Dave on changing them over to a hex head bolt, much easier, and they will have the same size and type head. That set up they use on those drain plugs are set up to make you fail with one being star, and one allen head. You may be able to get the piece of tool out of that hole if you take a punch and lightly tap in the center of the part.

 

[Gwolf]

Jack it up high enough to swing a short hammer under it. I got an old claw hammer with the handle broke off in the middle I keep for just that kind of jobs. Don't need a hard hit, just short steady tapping. You take all the plastic crap around the oil plugs off. Get a small chisel and form a slight rounded over contact edge on it. I been using an old center punch with a short maybe 3/8 inch chisel face ground on it. Tap the plug with hammer couple of times, then angle the chisel so it is putting un-screwing pressure on the plug with every tap. Remember the plug is upside down and the lefty loosy poem don't work no more. Don't need hard hits, that will just peel pieces of the edge off. Just short but forceful taps on the edge of the plug. It will begin to move slightly with each tap. It is like what a mini-impact wrench would be doing if there was any way to get one on the OEM plugs. I have taken stuck oil drain plugs and rounded off plugs out of cars, metric bikes, Harleys, and other things like that. After a few taps, the plugs always start to turn, and you are not putting any excessive, aluminum breaking, pressure on the plug. Never had it fail yet. Only problem is the dirt falling in your eyes, and a good cleanup the day before will fix that. Don't hit the chisel hard enough to cut off pieces of the edge, just hit it so it bites into the edge and then has a place to get a hold. Move around a bit if it breaks off a chunk of the edge and start a new spot.
Chisel don't need to be sharp once it makes a little notch to drive against. You can flatten the end of it a bit with a side grinder if it is too sharp.

This will work and it won't break your case around the plug. Have the new hex head plugs already standing by when you go at it, and don't let a big foot tighten them down.

 

[Wmoater]

I might be reading it wrong but you’re saying you used a 3/8 socket 6mm allen that comes out end of socket and the end of the allen broke inside the hole, not the plug. If it was a harbor freight set they are pretty brittle in my opinion. I would raise the spyder up. It probably didn’t break straight across. Spray it first with silicone. Get a pair of good needle nose vise grips and really see if you can get a tight grip on even the outside edge of the broken Allen. Wiggle it, tap it and the broken end should come out. If not, get a small punch and small peen hammer and begin tapping it and it should fall out. If it snapped it’s brittle enough to break apart being 6mm. I know I’m a tool snob, but I have 2 sets of Snap-On hex and torx. Both 1/4 and 3/8 of each size. Ones for good stuff and others to abuse. When we raced and things stripped out, I could take a brand new torx, one size larger than the needed hex, fit it close to the hex size and pound it into the hole with a hammer to make a new fitting. We were not gentle and beat the crap out of those bits and never once did they break. Simply took them back and replaced them for free. Still do today when needed. Don’t quote me but $38 for a socket/bit that will not break is worth it to me. That’s today's prices.

I personally like my gold plugs instead of the OEM. No socket is ever going to break and stripping or rounding a 15mm and 17mm bolt is pretty hard to do.

 

[fatboy]

if it was a ball end should be fairly easy to remove

 

[BajaRon]

Good recommendations. You should be able to remove the plug yourself with the information given without going to the dealership. Just have a good replacement ready when you do. And don't go gorilla tight on it. Snug is just fine.

 

[Mikey]

1/4 past stripped don't work? :roflblack:

 

[JKMSPYDER]

Golf I don't understand why you say left to loosen won't work. I have changed my oil many times on my F3 and both plugs loosen to the left and tighten to the right.

 

[Gwolf]

Golf I don't understand why you say left to loosen won't work. I have changed my oil many times on my F3 and both plugs loosen to the left and tighten to the right.

It is upside down in the oil pan. You can't say left or right. You have to think clockwise or counter-clockwise.


I have turned wrenches for so long I don't even think about it. Sideways, right side up, or upsiade down, I still know which way they turn to tighten or loosen. It is just habit and muscle memory. (unless you run into a reverse threaded bolt)

People who don't turn wrenches for a living still have to think about it.

 

[Isopedella]

Me to. I did tap it then applied pressure with a smallish ratchet. SNAP!.

 

[cjr00]

Thanks for all the info. First, I have an old Snap On rachet that actually has On / Off stamped on it. Next I went back out to give it another look and some more thought. Tapped the plug a couple times with a hammer and the broken piece fell out. It's a Christmas Miracle!!!! New plugs are on order and I'll go at it againhyea:

 

[Mikey]

I knew you could do it!!!:clap: