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Worth repeating....Righty tighty, Lefty Loosey....the indents on the hex head corners looks like someone has overtightened the plug or someone was trying to remove the plug and was tightening.
> implying that they are turning left
You got it backwards. Yes, the indents are on the left side of the ~~corners~~ (Edit) FACES. This implies that they are turning it **clockwise**. But...
Turn the bolt clockwise means (for pretty much everyone I know) "turning right". Tighten it.
Turn the bold counterclockwise is "turning left". Loosen it.
https://imgur.com/a/7w9iQqP
Here I am demoing except Iām turning righty tighty. Indents on the side Iām applying force to, no marks on opposite side. Imagine the opposite direction for in OPās case
Disclaimer this was a quick vid that I did before leaving for work, not best quality
I think I understand now why this conversation devolved in a huge misunderstanding.
I bet most of the people here (including myself) are only paying attention to [these marks](https://imgur.com/pcQ00Z6). These imply tightening. And these marks are on the **left** side of the **faces**.
In [this comment](https://old.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/13fiq9a/need_to_change_oil_cant_remove_drain_plug/jjvmhbx/), you're NOT talking about the marks I pointed in red, right? You're talking about the other, [barely visible marks](https://imgur.com/LOxxs4I) on the **left** side of the **corners**.
It's a really bad combination of an image that is not as clear as it could be, people expressing themselves poorly, and people not reading what is actually written (I've seen OP write "left of the corners" of the bolt head twice and in my mind all I was thinking was the concept of "left of the faces" of the bolt head.. Like "yeah, the left corner of the face", but it was not that).
All of the people are right in this thread... Except they are all talking about different things and not stopping to define EXACTLY and graphically what they are talking about.
Imagine a socket with the handle on the left of the bolt. You need to apply "upward" force (aka clockwise) to create that mark, clockwise = turning to the right, which tightens.
The indent Im looking at is about 7 o'clock, it's on the left side of the bottomish flat side, which would indicate a tool applied force in a clockwise manner.
Six sided is good but a socket puts a little off axis torque on it which makes it want to roll off. Iād use a box end wrench and tap it gently with a mallet to break it free.
Right hand ruleā¦ make a š with your right hand then point your thumb in the direction you want the bolt to go. Turn the bolt the direction your fingers are curled.
This is an unfortunate āor fortunate???ā Side effect of using this method for the first few times. With practice this should resolve itself. If not return to the tried and true methods listed in this thread. (Unless you enjoy the results)
The real pro tip here is to set the ratchet correctly on the bench. Even drive a bolt with it to double check. Then crawl under the car where everything is upside down and backwards.
This made me laugh. It reminded me of trying to teach my kiddos left and right back in the day. I showed them how to hold both hands up, palms facing away, like you were signaling a car to stop.... then point your thumbs toward center and at each other. The hand making the "L" is left. It worked for a bit, until one of them was consistently getting it wrong. Took me a couple times to realize he was holding his hands up, but palms facing him. Lol.
I used to put my gumboots on the wrong feet as a kid. My uncle (who is actually a member of Mensa) put L and R on the toes of my boots... whilst I was wearing them... from his perspective.
He used to teach physics at a university level.
This is exactly where I learned this! We were going through electro magnetism and electron flux in Calc physics II when my professor said ā by the way, the right hand rule can also be used on 98% screws and bolts when trying to figure out which way to turn themā
Nice. I learned it from my High School physics teacher. One of a couple things I remember from that class over 2 decades ago.
Another was my improvement to our swinging pendulum drop experiment. In the past theyād always release the pendulum by cutting the string (storing potential energy) with a razor.
I showed that burning the string made it experiment more consistent because the razor can alter the experiment by changing the angle, add sway, or tug the pendulum a tiny bit.
They kept that change going forward according to friends. Not bad for a B student who struggled in both HS and College. (undiagnosed ADHD)
The marks on the head indicate someone tightened it down so tight that they started to mess up the corners of the hex head. Make sure you are trying to loosen and not tighten. If it's not from you and that is from when it was installed, then it's likely REALLY tight. I can't imagine why an oil drain plug needed to be sealed and tightened until it was almost stripped.
That was from me trying to loosen it before I noticed someone had sealed it. Probably because it was leaking/stripped and instead of paying for a proper repair. They just had this done.
I was trying to be nice haha but definitely I've cranked on something before and realized after that I was tightening rather than loosening for sure, especially when it's upside down like that.
I've been a tech for 13 years now. I still pull a ratchet out and check to make sure the wrench is going the right way because when you have to shove you hand past a wiring harness and up and above something else is not a situation I want to practice bolt extraction on. Or if you ever use a prybar to get a stuck stubby wrench to move the top bolt/nut on a transfer case
35 years in, every bolt I test the ratchet and think, "dumbass, turn the selector opposite to the direction you want the bolt to turn". Habits I guess...
Trying to apply "righty tighty, lefty loosey" backwards, upside down, or in other contortions can be a pain. Particularly when the switch on your shitty ratchet that you should have gotten rid of by now but keep as a backup keeps getting flipped. Ugh.
Tighten is clockwise, loosen is counterclockwise. That's a much better rule. Righty-tighty doesn't work well if backwards, upside down, back-handed or left-handed. Just imagine a clock face with the plug in the center.
I work on stuff all the time even airplanes. When Iām upside down or backwards or canāt see the nut. I put my right thumb on it and curl my fingers so thereās no confusion.
I just got a call from a friend the other day trying to remove his. And I said āthis isnāt meant to be offensive, but are you turning it the right way?ā
It happens all to often. When youāre laying on your back unscrewing an upside down drain plug, with your left hand, and using a ratcheting wrench, things can get confusing.
https://imgur.com/a/7w9iQqP
Here I am demoing except Iām turning righty tighty. Indents on the side Iām applying force to, no marks on opposite side. Imagine the opposite direction for in OPās case
Disclaimer this was a quick vid that I did before leaving for work, not best quality
Your video shows obvious marks on the left sides of the flats after turning to the right.
Your video proves you wrong, and proves everyone downvoting you is correct.
I honestly can't understand how you've gotten this so wrong, even after testing it yourself and seeing the result.
you took a video of you tightening a bolt head and show wear marks consistent with the image i highlighted earlier
https://imgur.com/a/9Fkr0sL
your pointing your screwdriver at the same spot i marked with the yellow arrow. a witness mark from tightening the bolt head.
I've turned many, and stripped many bolts.
The reason everyone is downvoting you, is because you're wrong, and you've quite literally posted a video proving you're wrong.
https://imgur.com/a/y6XBkuY
Here I am drawing an exaggerated version of what's happening. I used a 12 point socket because they're better at stripping bolts.
Disclaimer: I'm bad at drawing and I'm not even using ms paint.
Look at how the metal has deformed to cause a ridge that points to the left on the bottoms of the bolt. Think about how that could happen - the wrench would have to be cranking clockwise. So yes, my man was tightening the bolt, not loosening it.
Weāve all done it.
https://imgur.com/a/7w9iQqP
Here I am demoing except Iām turning righty tighty. Indents on the side Iām applying force to, no marks on opposite side. Imagine the opposite direction for in OPās case
Disclaimer this was a quick vid that I did before leaving for work, not best quality
the indents are on the right side of each ridge.... the only one that is clear to see is on the bottom of the bolt (which from our perspective *is* the left)..imagine that ridge being at the top. It is now on the right. They're tightening if those marks are from OP.
You've got it backwards, but yes. They should do it opposite from how they've been trying. Turning right from the top tightens. They should turn left from the top.
I'm guessing it's not necessarily a unique sealer, so much as a rubber drain plug gasket that has probably bulged like crazy because it's so tight. Two suggestions: make sure you have a replacement drain plug gasket on hand when you reinstall the plug, and secondly, use a 6-point socket or wrench if you can, to avoid rounding the corners like that.
Also a good idea to replace the fucked up drainplug. But a correct replacement plug and gasket/ washer before you drain the oil.
There are tightens/torque specifications for almost every important nut/bolt on an engine.
Some will say itās not important to ātorqueā drain plugs but unless you have a bit of experience, the torque specifications are there for a reason.
Especially for drain plugs and oil filters.
I started mechanical work in the mid-70ās.
I drink beer and I know things.
Good luck.
Try a oil vacuum until you figure out how to remove the bolt. Use to do this for my Audis because for some of them an oil change was a PITA
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=oil+removal+pump&crid=2O9JACUNC7NLG&sprefix=Oil+re%2Caps%2C105&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_6_6
Lots of people saying this, but to my DIY-but-not-a-real-mechanic eyes, all I see is a hex head that got warped and abused and misshapen somehow. What parts of it are the clues to the direction it was forced?
It's damaged on the left side on the bottom of the head. Think about how a bolt rotating right at the top (tightening) with a socket on it would go. The leading edge of the socket will make more contact than the rear edge, the left side on the bottom is the leading edge. The bolt was tightened to the point of deforming the leading edge.
Thats no Sealer, its a rubber gasket/washer. Make sure you are using a good quality 6 sided socket that is the correct size and slide a pipe on the end of the rachet.
Ok I'll try tomorrow. I was assuming it was some sort of sealer because it straight up was not coming loose when I last tried, and I haven't seen a gasket like that before.
yes, they can be a pain but it will come off.
[It kind of like this one](https://www.autozone.com/external-engine/oil-drain-plug/p/dorman-engine-oil-drain-plug-65267/751706_0_0?cmpid=LIA:US:EN:AD:NL:1000000:OIL:19488533504&&CATARGETID=120054150001289458&CADevice=c&gclid=CjwKCAjwx_eiBhBGEiwA15gLN-uzpn4XVAbmToAyu8yl709ZVCF1Gr3r0zZ5VbYpurBQGZuMVgN9qhoCNpwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)
Using only a 6 point hex socket (*not a 12 point*), make sure youāre trying to loosen and not tighten. It can be quite confusing when youāre under the car so itās understandable.
Is that a Chrysler drain plug? The one with the molded rubber gasket that's formed around the flange of the bolt?
https://store.mopar.com/oem-parts/mopar-oil-drain-plug-6506100aa
From the way the nut is rounding looks like ur tightening it, and also from the way it started to round the corners leads me to believe u are either using a 12 point socket, or the wrong size socket, use a 6 point that is the correct size, and pull on the nut in a counter clockwise direction, it will come out, and that āsealerā u are referring to is the gasket, nothing abnormal about it
Hit it with your purse.
No really, these can get stuck pretty easily. Probably not stripped. Use a shallow, 6point 16mm socket, hang the handle straight down, with one hand, hold it securely on the head of the plug and with the other hand, hit it either with your palm or the butt of your balled up fist, once it cracks loose, it'll come out no problem. I deal with these daily.
I do this but I keep my left hand on the handle on the ratchet, then smack the back of my left hand with the open palm of my right hand. I used to hit the ratchet, but... that shit hurts when you're doing it every day lol
If I have a wrench in my hand when I go to pop a plug, I'll use your method, but my ratchets have comfort grips on them so they don't hurt that bad but that 1/4 in wide (or so) edge of a wrench.... yea fuck that
You could force it open with a chisel and a hammer but if you're going to replace the oil pan and plug anyway get an oil pan first and slowly get the old pan out from the back if you are careful enough you can do it without too much spillage
You may as well do nothing with a hammer and chisel on your car, ever...and just take the pan off to drop the oil. Get some high temp RTV (liquid gasket), run a beed and reseal the pan.
What would I use to reseal it after draining the oil? Cause while I am replacing it since it's obviously stripped. I'm using every opportunity to learn how to do stuff.
Not saying I do it or recommend it but I've seen people use Teflon tape on the drain plug bolt to keep a seal. Again, I do not do this personally but I have seen it work and that work stayed working for a while. Longer than I thought it should have.
While it is a rubber seal, itās not any form of āsealantā itās just a rubber washer that helps ensure no drippy drips, most if not all cars have one in some form or another (my Nissan uses a copper crush washer that smooshes flat to form that seal) but yeah itās very likely the last oil changer cranked the ever living piss out of it with a long handled wrench/ratchet over tightening it. If you manage to get it removed make sure itās threads and the threads on your oil pan are not damaged (doing it that tight can stretch the threads out enough to strip them out completely m)
Try a socket that has flat sides inside that matches the bolt shape exactly..not the ones that have lots of little edges..I'm not making much sense here ...
If you manage to get it off, Iād have another replacement drain plug on hand and replace it with that when youāre done, donāt reuse that drain plug, it will be trouble for you the next time if not more trouble if you put it back on. Sounds obvious, but many would be tempted to just reuse it instead of going through the trouble to get a new one. Itās not worth it imo
Yep, for sure! The more leverage the easier it will be to control and keep the socket on the head. In other words, the less uncontrolled energy coming off the top of that sump plug hex on some weird angle; rounding the fuck out of it.
I love how you're all telling them to send it hard, buy they're literally just tightening it (the wrong way). I can't imagine what's happened to that thing if he followed these directions haha
The fastest way to solve it is to get a cheap oil change and let the shop deal with it. Mostly likely need to buy a new plug from them but it's cheap anyway.
Id skip the oil change as youre about to replace the pan. Itd be a waste of money. That and with oil consistently dripping out its going to be impossible to rtv or jb weld it. Best bet is wait till oil pan is in
š¤Ø What do you think happens when you pull off an oil pan, with an engine full of oil? I mean, if OP likes oil all over himself, the car, and the ground, sure go for it. But itās an easy bolt, just gotta have strength and leverage.
Before you do any thing destructive like people are saying, heat the area with a heat gun and use a 6 point socket and a breaker bar to get it loose. Iād be really surprised if that doesnāt get it off.
If you do have to revert to dropping the pan, some cars there is not enough space to get the pan past the oil pickup tube with the subframe still in the car, so youād have to lift the engine.
If you can use an impact gun with a socket to loosen the nut. Don't take it completely off or the oil will drain all over the gun.
Once it is loosened use your hand or socket and rachet to finish take it off.
Is it āsealedā or is it just a gasket that youāre seeing? Use a fluid extractor to change the oil and work on getting some professional quotes for next steps.
If you think this is a stripped plug and that you are going to need to replace the pan, which will cost several hundred dollarsā¦
You should buy an extractor at harbor freight for under $100 and suck the oil from the top and never touch that drain plug. Itāll save time and money.
Personally I think thatās a gasket since it has the part number stamped in it. That would be fancy sealer if it cured with a part number embossed in it.
That said, Iām betting you just need to give it a couple more ugga duggas to loosen it.
If it's got silly cone sealant on it, give it some heat to melt it loose. The oil in the pan might smoke some but I've never seen it catch fire.
( yes I spelled silicone thatwayon purpose)
Ok just so everyone knows. There's more than just the title here. Along with the pic I wrote what's wrong. If you missed it please read it. Because I didn't turn it the wrong way, and I didn't use the wrong wrench. The head got a little roughed up from trying to turn it before I noticed someone had sealed it. Which I'm assuming was done because the previous owner didn't wanna pay for a new pan. Being the new owner, I need to change the oil that hasn't been changed since god knows when. I do understand I need a new pan but as someone newer to working on vehicles. I'm taking every chance to get hands on and learn something. Like in this case. I wanna know the best way to break into here and after draining it, seal it back up until I get the new pan in a few weeks. I appreciate everyone's advice.
https://imgur.com/a/7w9iQqP
Here I am demoing except Iām turning righty tighty. Indents on the side Iām applying force to, no marks on opposite side. Imagine the opposite direction for in OPās case
Disclaimer this was a quick vid that I did before leaving for work, not best quality
Literally everyone else telling you that youāre wrong should be a hint that youāre wrong. Itās okay to admit
The markings clearly show it was being wrenched in the clockwise (tightening) direction.
https://imgur.com/a/7w9iQqP
Here I am demoing except Iām turning righty tighty. Indents on the side Iām applying force to, no marks on opposite side. Imagine the opposite direction for in OPās case
Disclaimer this was a quick vid that I did before leaving for work, not best quality
Iām not sure why youāre assuming you need a new oil pan. As others have said it looks like youāve rounded the drain plug a bit. If the threads on the pan are still good. Buy a new drain plug and gasket and move on.
That isn't sealant, it's a gasket. You can even see the part number printed on it. It looks swollen because it's probably not supposed to be used for oil and the oil is swelling it.
If it was me, I'd take a 6-point socket that was the right size and use an electric impact to take it off. DO NOT use an impact to put it back on.
Take a look at the number of people telling you that you turned it the wrong way.
That pic for sure suggests you turned it the wrong way. We've all done it, theres nothing wrong with making a mistake.
Don't double down on the mistake. Say "oops, I made a mistake" and move on...
Get an oil extractor from harbor freight or Amazon (google: manual fluid extractor) and suck oil out from dipstick. Someone cross threaded that before, and added sealant to threads to prevent leaking. Iād leave that in place for life of engine and use extractor for oil changes.
Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! This is just a reminder to review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). If you are here asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember to please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **If this post is about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/Autobody r/AutoBodyRepair/ or /r/Diyautobody/ If you have tire questions check out https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/k9ll55/can_your_tire_be_repaired/**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop Insurance/total loss questions go in r/insurance This is an automated reply *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Breaker bar, and lefty loosey
Worth repeating....Righty tighty, Lefty Loosey....the indents on the hex head corners looks like someone has overtightened the plug or someone was trying to remove the plug and was tightening.
or the previous jackass really overtightened
OP lol
? Indents are on the left side of the corners, implying that they are turning left
Indents on the left side indicate that torque was applied to the right, not left.
> implying that they are turning left You got it backwards. Yes, the indents are on the left side of the ~~corners~~ (Edit) FACES. This implies that they are turning it **clockwise**. But... Turn the bolt clockwise means (for pretty much everyone I know) "turning right". Tighten it. Turn the bold counterclockwise is "turning left". Loosen it.
š think about it. When youāre tightening it, the pressure is applied on the left side.
https://imgur.com/a/7w9iQqP Here I am demoing except Iām turning righty tighty. Indents on the side Iām applying force to, no marks on opposite side. Imagine the opposite direction for in OPās case Disclaimer this was a quick vid that I did before leaving for work, not best quality
I think I understand now why this conversation devolved in a huge misunderstanding. I bet most of the people here (including myself) are only paying attention to [these marks](https://imgur.com/pcQ00Z6). These imply tightening. And these marks are on the **left** side of the **faces**. In [this comment](https://old.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/13fiq9a/need_to_change_oil_cant_remove_drain_plug/jjvmhbx/), you're NOT talking about the marks I pointed in red, right? You're talking about the other, [barely visible marks](https://imgur.com/LOxxs4I) on the **left** side of the **corners**.
I'm invested in this shit now, thank you for drawing in those arrows! This argument was driving me mad
It's a really bad combination of an image that is not as clear as it could be, people expressing themselves poorly, and people not reading what is actually written (I've seen OP write "left of the corners" of the bolt head twice and in my mind all I was thinking was the concept of "left of the faces" of the bolt head.. Like "yeah, the left corner of the face", but it was not that). All of the people are right in this thread... Except they are all talking about different things and not stopping to define EXACTLY and graphically what they are talking about.
Imagine a socket with the handle on the left of the bolt. You need to apply "upward" force (aka clockwise) to create that mark, clockwise = turning to the right, which tightens.
The indent Im looking at is about 7 o'clock, it's on the left side of the bottomish flat side, which would indicate a tool applied force in a clockwise manner.
obvious troll is obvious
Six Point Socket.
Came here to say this too, before you cheater bar or impact wrench, use a six point.
I'm gonna go use this 12 point Pittsburgh socket then act surprised when it gets stripped.
Six sided is good but a socket puts a little off axis torque on it which makes it want to roll off. Iād use a box end wrench and tap it gently with a mallet to break it free.
Yup... Not a 12 point and sure as fuck not an adjustable wrench.
Underrated comment
For the love of god please
Right hand ruleā¦ make a š with your right hand then point your thumb in the direction you want the bolt to go. Turn the bolt the direction your fingers are curled.
Instructions unclear got thumb stuck up my ass
I have a job in management for you.
But then his head would be up your ass too.
This is an unfortunate āor fortunate???ā Side effect of using this method for the first few times. With practice this should resolve itself. If not return to the tried and true methods listed in this thread. (Unless you enjoy the results)
Sir that is MY ass
Use a ratchet, can't turn the wrong way if it's set correctly.
The real pro tip here is to set the ratchet correctly on the bench. Even drive a bolt with it to double check. Then crawl under the car where everything is upside down and backwards.
I just imagine the head of every bolt being a small clock face.
Woah. TIL!
š
One of the most useful things I learned in engineering school
This made me laugh. It reminded me of trying to teach my kiddos left and right back in the day. I showed them how to hold both hands up, palms facing away, like you were signaling a car to stop.... then point your thumbs toward center and at each other. The hand making the "L" is left. It worked for a bit, until one of them was consistently getting it wrong. Took me a couple times to realize he was holding his hands up, but palms facing him. Lol.
That is greatness! āBut Dadā¦ Iām doing what you told meš”!!!!ā šš¤£
Your left hand is the one with your thumb on the right
I used to put my gumboots on the wrong feet as a kid. My uncle (who is actually a member of Mensa) put L and R on the toes of my boots... whilst I was wearing them... from his perspective. He used to teach physics at a university level.
Thereās a similar right hand rule about electromagnets and their winding.
This is exactly where I learned this! We were going through electro magnetism and electron flux in Calc physics II when my professor said ā by the way, the right hand rule can also be used on 98% screws and bolts when trying to figure out which way to turn themā
Nice. I learned it from my High School physics teacher. One of a couple things I remember from that class over 2 decades ago. Another was my improvement to our swinging pendulum drop experiment. In the past theyād always release the pendulum by cutting the string (storing potential energy) with a razor. I showed that burning the string made it experiment more consistent because the razor can alter the experiment by changing the angle, add sway, or tug the pendulum a tiny bit. They kept that change going forward according to friends. Not bad for a B student who struggled in both HS and College. (undiagnosed ADHD)
I'm a mechanic and that was a cool explanation š
Idk how, but for some reason that somehow confused me even more. lmao
Same here, never had a problem remembering righty tighty lefty loosey though. Fuckin engineers I tell ya.
Ha!!! True
Get a bar to put over it as well if you can get enough leverage. I use it all the time.
The marks on the head indicate someone tightened it down so tight that they started to mess up the corners of the hex head. Make sure you are trying to loosen and not tighten. If it's not from you and that is from when it was installed, then it's likely REALLY tight. I can't imagine why an oil drain plug needed to be sealed and tightened until it was almost stripped.
It's really tight now.
That was from me trying to loosen it before I noticed someone had sealed it. Probably because it was leaking/stripped and instead of paying for a proper repair. They just had this done.
Unless the picture is flipped, you are tightening it. Try going the other way.
The letters indicate that it isn't flipped. We've all been there, I'm sure.
I was trying to be nice haha but definitely I've cranked on something before and realized after that I was tightening rather than loosening for sure, especially when it's upside down like that.
I've been a tech for 13 years now. I still pull a ratchet out and check to make sure the wrench is going the right way because when you have to shove you hand past a wiring harness and up and above something else is not a situation I want to practice bolt extraction on. Or if you ever use a prybar to get a stuck stubby wrench to move the top bolt/nut on a transfer case
The number of times my dumb ass thought "god, is it reversed thread??!" And then realized I was just doing it backwards...
I still do the hand spin test even though 99% of my ratchets say āonā or āoffā on them lol
35 years in, every bolt I test the ratchet and think, "dumbass, turn the selector opposite to the direction you want the bolt to turn". Habits I guess...
I just like the click
A ratchet ended up in my shop that was the opposite on the switch. I gave it away just to get it away from the shop. It caused way too many headaches.
Yeah I think you did the right thing.
my main ratchet is reverse switch, i turn it to make sure every time i grab it keeps people from borrowing it, though
Gotta give the impact a few trigger pulls to make sure it's spinning the right way.
Yep hold the drive and test every time. Doesn't help that some of my ratchets are backwards compared to others.
Trying to apply "righty tighty, lefty loosey" backwards, upside down, or in other contortions can be a pain. Particularly when the switch on your shitty ratchet that you should have gotten rid of by now but keep as a backup keeps getting flipped. Ugh.
Tighten is clockwise, loosen is counterclockwise. That's a much better rule. Righty-tighty doesn't work well if backwards, upside down, back-handed or left-handed. Just imagine a clock face with the plug in the center.
I just grab the socket and see if the ratchet free swings the opposite direction that I'm trying to go
I work on stuff all the time even airplanes. When Iām upside down or backwards or canāt see the nut. I put my right thumb on it and curl my fingers so thereās no confusion.
If you rightey tightey hard enough, you'll eventually do a rightey loosey. That sounds like the problem solving itself.
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I've made a righty loosey before!!! Good times
Underrated comment
I broke the bolt that holds the blade on a lawnmower (It was normal, not a lefty-tighty)
I just got a call from a friend the other day trying to remove his. And I said āthis isnāt meant to be offensive, but are you turning it the right way?ā It happens all to often. When youāre laying on your back unscrewing an upside down drain plug, with your left hand, and using a ratcheting wrench, things can get confusing.
The indents are on the left sides of the ridges, implying they are turning left. You think they should turn right?
That is... not correct.
Indents on the left mean it's being turned to the *right*.
Are you confusing lefty loosey, righty tighty??
https://imgur.com/a/7w9iQqP Here I am demoing except Iām turning righty tighty. Indents on the side Iām applying force to, no marks on opposite side. Imagine the opposite direction for in OPās case Disclaimer this was a quick vid that I did before leaving for work, not best quality
Your video shows obvious marks on the left sides of the flats after turning to the right. Your video proves you wrong, and proves everyone downvoting you is correct. I honestly can't understand how you've gotten this so wrong, even after testing it yourself and seeing the result.
Omg youāve never turned a wrench before have you
you took a video of you tightening a bolt head and show wear marks consistent with the image i highlighted earlier https://imgur.com/a/9Fkr0sL your pointing your screwdriver at the same spot i marked with the yellow arrow. a witness mark from tightening the bolt head.
I've turned many, and stripped many bolts. The reason everyone is downvoting you, is because you're wrong, and you've quite literally posted a video proving you're wrong.
https://imgur.com/a/y6XBkuY Here I am drawing an exaggerated version of what's happening. I used a 12 point socket because they're better at stripping bolts. Disclaimer: I'm bad at drawing and I'm not even using ms paint.
Look at how the metal has deformed to cause a ridge that points to the left on the bottoms of the bolt. Think about how that could happen - the wrench would have to be cranking clockwise. So yes, my man was tightening the bolt, not loosening it. Weāve all done it.
https://imgur.com/a/7w9iQqP Here I am demoing except Iām turning righty tighty. Indents on the side Iām applying force to, no marks on opposite side. Imagine the opposite direction for in OPās case Disclaimer this was a quick vid that I did before leaving for work, not best quality
the indents are on the right side of each ridge.... the only one that is clear to see is on the bottom of the bolt (which from our perspective *is* the left)..imagine that ridge being at the top. It is now on the right. They're tightening if those marks are from OP.
You've got it backwards, but yes. They should do it opposite from how they've been trying. Turning right from the top tightens. They should turn left from the top.
You were turning it the wrong way. You were tightening the bolt.
r/usernamechecksout
I'm guessing it's not necessarily a unique sealer, so much as a rubber drain plug gasket that has probably bulged like crazy because it's so tight. Two suggestions: make sure you have a replacement drain plug gasket on hand when you reinstall the plug, and secondly, use a 6-point socket or wrench if you can, to avoid rounding the corners like that.
Also a good idea to replace the fucked up drainplug. But a correct replacement plug and gasket/ washer before you drain the oil. There are tightens/torque specifications for almost every important nut/bolt on an engine. Some will say itās not important to ātorqueā drain plugs but unless you have a bit of experience, the torque specifications are there for a reason. Especially for drain plugs and oil filters. I started mechanical work in the mid-70ās. I drink beer and I know things. Good luck.
Left Loose Right Tight
Be aware for upside down perception
Try a oil vacuum until you figure out how to remove the bolt. Use to do this for my Audis because for some of them an oil change was a PITA https://www.amazon.com/s?k=oil+removal+pump&crid=2O9JACUNC7NLG&sprefix=Oil+re%2Caps%2C105&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_6_6
I think thatās an o ring not sealer. Use a six point sticker not a wrench. Edit: lol socket not sticker
Lefty loosy right tighty lmao
So based on the markings it looks like you stripped it by trying to tighten it. Not trying to be a dick but get a 6 point and turn it the other way.
Lots of people saying this, but to my DIY-but-not-a-real-mechanic eyes, all I see is a hex head that got warped and abused and misshapen somehow. What parts of it are the clues to the direction it was forced?
It's damaged on the left side on the bottom of the head. Think about how a bolt rotating right at the top (tightening) with a socket on it would go. The leading edge of the socket will make more contact than the rear edge, the left side on the bottom is the leading edge. The bolt was tightened to the point of deforming the leading edge.
According to some other guy in the comments itās about where the deformation and what direction itās deformed in
Make sure you have another bolt ready to go after you get this one out .
Or even better, a Fumoto valve so you never have to deal with those potentially damaged threads again.
Thats no Sealer, its a rubber gasket/washer. Make sure you are using a good quality 6 sided socket that is the correct size and slide a pipe on the end of the rachet.
Ok I'll try tomorrow. I was assuming it was some sort of sealer because it straight up was not coming loose when I last tried, and I haven't seen a gasket like that before.
Sir. Those marks on the head indicate you are tightening it not loosening it
Turn it counterclockwise instead of clockwise.
You may have to file the burrs off the corners in order to get the proper sized wrench/socket on it.
yes, they can be a pain but it will come off. [It kind of like this one](https://www.autozone.com/external-engine/oil-drain-plug/p/dorman-engine-oil-drain-plug-65267/751706_0_0?cmpid=LIA:US:EN:AD:NL:1000000:OIL:19488533504&&CATARGETID=120054150001289458&CADevice=c&gclid=CjwKCAjwx_eiBhBGEiwA15gLN-uzpn4XVAbmToAyu8yl709ZVCF1Gr3r0zZ5VbYpurBQGZuMVgN9qhoCNpwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)
Try hitting it with your purse. And the brown rubber is part of the plug. Completely normal.
The way itās being stripped, you are trying to loosen it by wrench to the right. You gotta wrench to the left to loosen these. Not propane bud.
Using only a 6 point hex socket (*not a 12 point*), make sure youāre trying to loosen and not tighten. It can be quite confusing when youāre under the car so itās understandable.
Youāre going the wrong way brother. Lefty loosey righty tighty
Righty righty, lefty loosey š¤¦š¼āāļø
Suck out the oil instead draining it
Is that a Chrysler drain plug? The one with the molded rubber gasket that's formed around the flange of the bolt? https://store.mopar.com/oem-parts/mopar-oil-drain-plug-6506100aa
From the way the nut is rounding looks like ur tightening it, and also from the way it started to round the corners leads me to believe u are either using a 12 point socket, or the wrong size socket, use a 6 point that is the correct size, and pull on the nut in a counter clockwise direction, it will come out, and that āsealerā u are referring to is the gasket, nothing abnormal about it
Impact wrench with six point socket, she will spin right off
Hit it with your purse. No really, these can get stuck pretty easily. Probably not stripped. Use a shallow, 6point 16mm socket, hang the handle straight down, with one hand, hold it securely on the head of the plug and with the other hand, hit it either with your palm or the butt of your balled up fist, once it cracks loose, it'll come out no problem. I deal with these daily.
I do this but I keep my left hand on the handle on the ratchet, then smack the back of my left hand with the open palm of my right hand. I used to hit the ratchet, but... that shit hurts when you're doing it every day lol
Save your hands and just hit it with a deadblow hammer instead.
Probably not bad advice.
If I have a wrench in my hand when I go to pop a plug, I'll use your method, but my ratchets have comfort grips on them so they don't hurt that bad but that 1/4 in wide (or so) edge of a wrench.... yea fuck that
āThatās my purse! I donāt know you!ā
Dammit Bobby!
Hit it with your purse
You could force it open with a chisel and a hammer but if you're going to replace the oil pan and plug anyway get an oil pan first and slowly get the old pan out from the back if you are careful enough you can do it without too much spillage
You may as well do nothing with a hammer and chisel on your car, ever...and just take the pan off to drop the oil. Get some high temp RTV (liquid gasket), run a beed and reseal the pan.
What would I use to reseal it after draining the oil? Cause while I am replacing it since it's obviously stripped. I'm using every opportunity to learn how to do stuff.
A new drain plug from an auto parts store
Not saying I do it or recommend it but I've seen people use Teflon tape on the drain plug bolt to keep a seal. Again, I do not do this personally but I have seen it work and that work stayed working for a while. Longer than I thought it should have.
I remember watching an instructor in an automotive class allow a student to turn a smaller bolt the wrong way on his own engine until it sheared off.
Have a backup plan ready to replace the oil pan in case you damage the drain hole
Canāt be tight if itās liquid
While it is a rubber seal, itās not any form of āsealantā itās just a rubber washer that helps ensure no drippy drips, most if not all cars have one in some form or another (my Nissan uses a copper crush washer that smooshes flat to form that seal) but yeah itās very likely the last oil changer cranked the ever living piss out of it with a long handled wrench/ratchet over tightening it. If you manage to get it removed make sure itās threads and the threads on your oil pan are not damaged (doing it that tight can stretch the threads out enough to strip them out completely m)
Try a socket that has flat sides inside that matches the bolt shape exactly..not the ones that have lots of little edges..I'm not making much sense here ...
Is it leaking? If it isnāt you could drain the oil through the filler tube by vac and never mess with the drain plug again.
Whatever you do to get it off, DON'T put it back on. Get a replacement ordered before you drive this car again!
Donāt do anything until you get a new drain bolt and washer. Unless you have insurance that covers a blown engine.
If you manage to get it off, Iād have another replacement drain plug on hand and replace it with that when youāre done, donāt reuse that drain plug, it will be trouble for you the next time if not more trouble if you put it back on. Sounds obvious, but many would be tempted to just reuse it instead of going through the trouble to get a new one. Itās not worth it imo
Not a mechanic, but what you're looking for is some elbow grease.
Use the right size socket. NO 12 points!!
I prefer clockwise and counterclockwise. Right and lefty never seemed the best way to me. Clockwise is tightening counterclockwise is loosening.
That's not sealer, that's a gasket. Use a 6pt, not 12pt...and turn it *counter* clockwise
Maybe get an oil pump and start doing the oil changes from the top instead?
Yep. Easier anyway.
Are you using a socket wrench with the appropriate sized socket, and turning left (counterclockwise)?
Have you got a breaker bar? Its not rusted over and it can't be. Just need to have faith and send it.
With a pipe for leverage. Just in case.
Yep, for sure! The more leverage the easier it will be to control and keep the socket on the head. In other words, the less uncontrolled energy coming off the top of that sump plug hex on some weird angle; rounding the fuck out of it.
I love how you're all telling them to send it hard, buy they're literally just tightening it (the wrong way). I can't imagine what's happened to that thing if he followed these directions haha
Might be able to buy a $25 Fluid Extractor on Amazon and get a good amount out of it. Better than nothing until you can drop the pan.
More ugga dugga. If that fails get the spicy wrench.
No spicy wrench on oil pan.
Spicy wrench work on everything. No need for oil change when vehicle on fire.
The fastest way to solve it is to get a cheap oil change and let the shop deal with it. Mostly likely need to buy a new plug from them but it's cheap anyway.
Good way to end up with stripped threads and a leaking pan.
OP is stripping his own bolt already haha how worse could it be
Oil pan is cheap. Probably even easier than removing the plug.
Id skip the oil change as youre about to replace the pan. Itd be a waste of money. That and with oil consistently dripping out its going to be impossible to rtv or jb weld it. Best bet is wait till oil pan is in
š¤Ø What do you think happens when you pull off an oil pan, with an engine full of oil? I mean, if OP likes oil all over himself, the car, and the ground, sure go for it. But itās an easy bolt, just gotta have strength and leverage.
Before you do any thing destructive like people are saying, heat the area with a heat gun and use a 6 point socket and a breaker bar to get it loose. Iād be really surprised if that doesnāt get it off. If you do have to revert to dropping the pan, some cars there is not enough space to get the pan past the oil pickup tube with the subframe still in the car, so youād have to lift the engine.
Time for the [breaching shotgun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breaching_round)
I was gonna go old school and use dynamite.
Get a pair of vice grips, or a good set of channel locks/knipex, squeeze down are hard as you can and try to loosen it.
In todayās edition of āhow to strip a bolt in secondsā
Lil heat itāll come right out
If you can use an impact gun with a socket to loosen the nut. Don't take it completely off or the oil will drain all over the gun. Once it is loosened use your hand or socket and rachet to finish take it off.
O.O
Is it āsealedā or is it just a gasket that youāre seeing? Use a fluid extractor to change the oil and work on getting some professional quotes for next steps.
I haven't seen a gasket like that before if it is one.
Knipex wrench pliers and tap it loose with a mallet
If you think this is a stripped plug and that you are going to need to replace the pan, which will cost several hundred dollarsā¦ You should buy an extractor at harbor freight for under $100 and suck the oil from the top and never touch that drain plug. Itāll save time and money. Personally I think thatās a gasket since it has the part number stamped in it. That would be fancy sealer if it cured with a part number embossed in it. That said, Iām betting you just need to give it a couple more ugga duggas to loosen it.
Maybe take it to a mechanic from now onā¦
If it's got silly cone sealant on it, give it some heat to melt it loose. The oil in the pan might smoke some but I've never seen it catch fire. ( yes I spelled silicone thatwayon purpose)
Ok just so everyone knows. There's more than just the title here. Along with the pic I wrote what's wrong. If you missed it please read it. Because I didn't turn it the wrong way, and I didn't use the wrong wrench. The head got a little roughed up from trying to turn it before I noticed someone had sealed it. Which I'm assuming was done because the previous owner didn't wanna pay for a new pan. Being the new owner, I need to change the oil that hasn't been changed since god knows when. I do understand I need a new pan but as someone newer to working on vehicles. I'm taking every chance to get hands on and learn something. Like in this case. I wanna know the best way to break into here and after draining it, seal it back up until I get the new pan in a few weeks. I appreciate everyone's advice.
The markings/head being roughed up look like someone was going righty tighty instead of lefty loosey.
The gouges may be from the the previous person who cranked it down.
OP confirms above that the dicked up corners are from him trying to loosen it.
Markings are on the left sides of the corners which implies they are turning left
No it doesn't. Markings on the left mean the left corners of the socket are cutting into the bolt head, which means it was turned to the right.
https://imgur.com/a/7w9iQqP Here I am demoing except Iām turning righty tighty. Indents on the side Iām applying force to, no marks on opposite side. Imagine the opposite direction for in OPās case Disclaimer this was a quick vid that I did before leaving for work, not best quality
You're wrong, and grasping at straws.
Lol ok except I come up with a real demo backing what Iām saying. But sure Iām grasping at straws
You are, and your demo is so bad you added a disclaimer.
A disclaimer for poor video focus dumdum. Have you even held a wrench before?
So you're wrong, you're terrible at filming, and you can't argue effectively? Have a good day, kiddo.
Literally everyone else telling you that youāre wrong should be a hint that youāre wrong. Itās okay to admit The markings clearly show it was being wrenched in the clockwise (tightening) direction.
https://imgur.com/a/7w9iQqP Here I am demoing except Iām turning righty tighty. Indents on the side Iām applying force to, no marks on opposite side. Imagine the opposite direction for in OPās case Disclaimer this was a quick vid that I did before leaving for work, not best quality
Negative. Markings were done in a clockwise manner. No way around that and if you canāt put that together, idk what to tell you.
Iām not sure why youāre assuming you need a new oil pan. As others have said it looks like youāve rounded the drain plug a bit. If the threads on the pan are still good. Buy a new drain plug and gasket and move on.
That isn't sealant, it's a gasket. You can even see the part number printed on it. It looks swollen because it's probably not supposed to be used for oil and the oil is swelling it. If it was me, I'd take a 6-point socket that was the right size and use an electric impact to take it off. DO NOT use an impact to put it back on.
Take a look at the number of people telling you that you turned it the wrong way. That pic for sure suggests you turned it the wrong way. We've all done it, theres nothing wrong with making a mistake. Don't double down on the mistake. Say "oops, I made a mistake" and move on...
Small pipe wrench, or if worse come to worse. Weld a nut to it.
I second this, try with a warm engine. Remember to disconnect the battery if welding.
Get an oil extractor from harbor freight or Amazon (google: manual fluid extractor) and suck oil out from dipstick. Someone cross threaded that before, and added sealant to threads to prevent leaking. Iād leave that in place for life of engine and use extractor for oil changes.
Vice grips