Need suggestions: Stripped oil pan nut.

[40BelowSummer]

Okay so after my oil light came on one day last week, I immediately parked it at home and decided it was time to change the rod bearings. It has 282K miles and I had already bought the bearings and gaskets, so I was set.

I removed the starter, Y pipe, and all oil pan bolts/nuts except the last one was stripped. And out of all of them it just had to be the worst one in the toughest place to get at. I barely managed to get a wrench up there after it wouldnt budge with the socket and that was a no go. I can't fit vice-grips up there.

What are my options?




Edit" Whoops, I specified for it to be posted to forum 22 (Engine - Maint). sorry.

 

[Ishodu]

A U-joint with a socket on it and an extension on the ratchet works for me. Do you have the nut rounded off now? (you could always pull the tranny to get good access to it lol) Maybe you would like to try one of them bolt out things they sell for that attached to a U-joint to get up there?

 

[SHOlocke]

go to sears and get the $9.99 damaged bolt kit. Works great to remove things that are rounded down. They bite into the leftover head and twist it free. I think they are on sale till tomorrow for $9.99 vs the normal $29.99

 

[TYSHO]

Yeah, I got that kit...Craftsman 9 52162

Has 14 sockets, but I guess you can only buy one if you only need that one. #6 is the socket number for the 12mm in my kit, I assume it's the same if bought seperately.

 

[sideSHO]

I'm not sure of the room you have at that bolt.Been a while since I was in there.
If you had the room you could weld a socket onto the bolt.
Worked for me on the wifes oil drain plug.
you should have seen the oil techs faces at WAL-MART when they seen that bolt.

 

[Off Road SHO]

Take a clean socket and J-B weld it onto the bolt head after you cleaned it with brake Kleen. Use a stick to hold the socket in place until it hardens up. Use a universal joint adapter for the extension and go to town on it.

Tom

 

[40BelowSummer]

Good idea Tom.

If that falls through, I guess I will try Sears. I called and theyre not on sale anymore. $19.99 for cheapest one that includes a 12mm. Sears is also 45 minytes away, so we'll see.

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

 

[artsho]

The tool from sears works every time...Its a socket with teeth...put it on an extension hammer it on the bolt and then remove it....

 

[SHOlocke]

The tool from sears works every time...Its a socket with teeth...put it on an extension hammer it on the bolt and then remove it....

I love it. A socket with teeth, makes he sound mean like it should have A-10 style teeth and jaws painted on the socket

 

[Redskull]

The tool from sears works every time...Its a socket with teeth...put it on an extension hammer it on the bolt and then remove it....

In my experience, these things are much better at digging into the bolt and snapping the head off, instead of twisting the bolt out.

Redskull

 

[rangerj]

Before attempting to remove the bolt tap on the head of the bolt with a hammer. This shocks the threads and loosens the corrosion. The same thing can be done with the tip of an impact wrench. The impact vibrates the bolt and its threads.

Whenever you have two different metals in contact with each other, e.g. steel and aluminum, you have the potential for the metals corroding and fusing together. Anti-sieze compound will prevent this, so use it when you put the parts back together.