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Date:         Thu, 11 Jul 2002 16:27:33 +0100
Reply-To:     Clive Smith <clive.harman-smith@NTLWORLD.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Clive Smith <clive.harman-smith@NTLWORLD.COM>
Subject:      Re: Mutilated Oil Drain Plug
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Can you shock it loose?, using a specially ground blunt (about 70 degrees) 1/4" chisel. Its all about getting the angles just about right and using a club hammer rather than a light weight one, so that when you do get the angle just right (so it digs in, but doesn't skid or dig a big chip out) It'll mangle it more but I've rarely failed with the right approach, which might even be almost at 90 degrees to the one you would want to use, e.g. in-plane tangentially, from the side. Whether you will damage or crack the housing area is another matter. Work a good notch into the edge at a sensible compromise angle first (so that it wants to turn it but also doesn't want to jump off either), gently, then when you think its deep enough to take a good well directed blow, thump it pretty firmly with the club hammer. A 11/2 - 2lb club is always preferable, as it can be controlled much better, doesn't require swinging, and uses mass not velocity - they also usually have noce short handles. Don't use a soft mallet (Thor style) - you need a very sharp concventrated impact straight up the shaft of the chisel style tool - which can be brought over here, made for this job. Maybe Snap-On do one. You may not know when you have actually lossened it -so check after you've landed a good blow that doesn't skitter off. Make sure you've got a new drain-plug before you start.

Alternately, drill it out staright up the middle - dead accuarte with an 1/8" drill and slowly go larger throught the number series drill range - you might thenm have relieved the stress on the thread and can either deform it or drill the thread out totally - but you have to know what you're doing to avoid wrecking the female thread in the housing.

Clive Smith '88 Transporter

----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Rowsell" <nfld_exile@WARP.NFLD.NET> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2002 3:33 PM Subject: Mutilated Oil Drain Plug

> Hi: > > When I bought '86 Westy a couple of months ago, the oil had just been changed. I tried to change it again, but to my dismay, the drain plug is unservicable. It's pretty "round" and I could not remove it. I suspect that the previous owner or his mechanic has been draining the oil using that larger "pressure relief" thingy, since I don't think it's possible that the proper plug has been removed anytime in recent history. Given the plugs recessed nature, I have not been able to get a hold on it with any of the usual tools of ignorance...I've probably worsened the situation. > What can I do? > > Tom


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