Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 09:42:35 -0400
Reply-To: "Carlen, Gregg" <Gregg.Carlen@DYNCORP.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Carlen, Gregg" <Gregg.Carlen@DYNCORP.COM>
Subject: Re: Help! Stripped trans oil filler plug!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
BEFORE you try to get the plug out any more, make sure you have a new drain
plug to put back in.
You could pour tranny fluid in through the dip stick tube. Its a little
tricky and requires the right size funnel (I used to put a plastic flexible
tube on the end of a funnel and stick the tube in the dip stick tube).
To get the plug undone, of course, since you put so much money into the
tranny, take it back to the shop that put the tranny in. I wouldn't expect
them to remove the plug for free, but at this point, any further damage is
one them.
One trick I've used before is to take a dremel tool with a cut-of disc and
cut a slot across the plug face so I could insert a large flat-blade screw
driver. You have to get the slot cut pretty deep and the screw driver has to
be pretty big. Of course, this not such a great choice if a socket didn't
work to begin with, but still an alternative.
Let us know what happens!
Gregg (85 Westy, with drain plug)
-----Original Message-----
From: Shawn Wright [mailto:swright@SLS.BC.CA]
Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2001 5:38 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Help! Stripped trans oil filler plug!
Yesterday I drained the tranny oil from our '88 Westy in preparation for
our first outing of the year. Having done this several times before, I
decided not to bother checking to ensure the filler plug could be
removed first...
Today, after several hours, torches, and every implement (including the
*correct* 17mm socket) the ^#&(#($# filler plug will NOT come loose.
Since it is aluminum it now of course, trashed.
Not a good start to the season so far. At this point I think only two
choices remain:
1. Drop the tranny so I can use even more brute force on the (*#&$(#$
plug, perhaps destroying the entire newly rebuilt tranny in the process.
2. Find some other orifice through which I can pour my 3 litres of
Amsoil synthetic, and try to forget about the horribly mangled plug, as I
should never have to drain it again.
Seeing as I have nearly $2K into this tranny so far (new R&P last year),
I'd rather avoid #1. It appears that the shift shaft cover may be a
possible entry point for new oil. Can anyone tell me if this is correct?
And is it safe to remove the shift shaft cover without messing
something up?
Help, please....!!! :-)
ps: Please cc: to me as I'm not on list at the moment.
Thanks.
Shawn Wright, I.T. Manager
Shawnigan Lake School
swright@SLS.bc.ca
http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright
http://www.sls.bc.ca