Oil plan plug, yet again

Plugs with magnets can be purchased at McMaster-Carr.
CORDiallyMike

Terry Auburn got better by the minute for me.It was my first time there after nearly 50 years of on n off membership. Seeing I will be 70 years old in December I figured its time... I got to put faces with names and met new friends too.I took several pictures of the Cord that won top honors too.The car was impressive as was the tool kit.As we were leaving the show we kept seeing a Packard convertible driving around. Turns out the museum loaned out 2 L29, 1 Delorean, 1 Auburn and 1 Duesenberg. Rides were free.I rode in the front seat of the Duesenberg. My driver knew me but I did not recognize him...... It was John Bils.I have talked with him and gotten plenty of advice from him. I wanted to visit with Bob Neer but he was not well. He told me to visit Bob Bicknell. Bill was so very gracious with everything. I even purchased a "few things" from him. His shop looked like a transmission n engine manufacturing shop.....


Gary Parsons

Gary, it is Bill Coye who has the problem with the drain plug not me. I was just making some suggestions to help remove the plug.
I had fitted high powered magnets to the solid drain plugs. The plugs had to be predrilled to accept the magnets.
I use Teflon tape on the tapered threads.
How did you enjoy Auburn?

Hello Terry. The oil pan drain plug is a tapered pipe thread so.. It should NEVER be screwed all the way into any pipe tapered thread fitting.The threads create a tight seal by an interference fit. Put some form of sealant on the plug threads. Let it set up. Then screw it into the oil pan. Hopefully you braised the fitting inside the oil pan because they are known to slip and cause all kinds of trouble to remove. Actually sometimes they leak around the fitting seal in the oil pan. Mine was actually welded inside the oil pan. Some owners are guilty of over tightening this plug to stop a leak and breaking loose the threaded fitting in the oil pan. I believe this is a 1 inch pipe plug thread.It can be purchased many places too. Many years ago I purchased the three drain plugs with magnets from Stan. The oil pan. The differential area and the transmission sump. All have the magnets.


Gary Parsons

While working on my Cord today I noticed that the tapered drain plug thread is not completely screwed into the sump. About 1/4" of thread sits out from the sump. If yours is similar you could use a plumbers adjustable wrench or what we call a Stilson's Wrench to unscrew the plug.

Bill, you now have the low down on how best to do the job.
You are among friends who help each other.
Terry

The best way to replace a pan by yourself is to make a few studs and install them in some spaced apart holes. Raze the pan with both hands and once you get it on the studs hold it with one hand and install some nuts on the studs. After more bolts are installed replace the studs with bolts.
CORDiallyMike

Good point!

Nothing worse than lowering a gas tank or oil pan with fluid in it. Gravity causes the fluid to run to an edge that MAY be slightly lower causing plenty of issues with balance. I did this with a diesel fuel tank in my F350 truck. It had a broken pickup and the last 1/4 tank was not able to be used. Honestly it was HELL to lower without spilling.


Gary Parsons

I would suggestion using a transmission or floor jack to assist is lowering the oil pan. If you still have 7 quarts of oil in the pan, it will be pretty heavy to manage and lower to ground.

Bill the worst thing about dropping the sump is working under the car but it ain't that bad if you do it in stages. You will have to remove the started motor and loosen the exhaust pipe clamps to move the resonator over a bit to the RHS.
All of the sump bolts are then easy to get to. The sump can then be lowered straight down onto an old cushion or pillow. The only cost will be gaskests and brazing the female thread to the sump if it does move. You could easily make new gaskets with the right material and some wad punches.
Do you have any other enthusiasts in your area who could give you a hand?
Replacing the sump would be better if you had somebody to put a few bolts back in place while you held the sump in place.

I'm thinking George's suggestion of using a vacuum pump is going to be the best short term solution. These pumps are not expensive...especially considering the cost of removing, repairing and re-installing the oil pan.

These oil plug drain threads are a tapered pipe thread.So they seal by interference fit. I believe they are 1 inch pipe threads and most impostantly... The piece in the actual oil pan with threads on it are only cold rolled into the oil pan. They can break loose causing a leak and severe leaking that can't be stopped no matter how tight the plug is. Many owners braze the inside of the pan to the threaded rolled in incert.


Gary Parsons

haven't received
[email protected]

haven't received
[email protected]

Bill PM sent.

Bill. Another way to remove the oil is to pump it out. If you have a boater friend
they might have a vacuum oil changer.

Mike, I have to agree with Terry. Tapered plug. Cross threaded bolts often look slightly kattywompus. This thing is sitting nice and straight.

Bill it is worth trying but only heat one side otherwise the plug will heat up as well.
Mike I don't think it is cross threaded as it is a tapered thread and would probably be leaking.

Is it cross threaded?
CORDiallyMike

Terry, Wacha think about this: I have flameless heat gun I've been using on shrink tubing. It gets incredibly hot. Thinking I might try gingerly heating the female threads. Maybe that might expand the threads enough to cut me some slack...maybe not. We'll see.

Bill you had mentioned previously that the head had been reduced to take a smaller socket. You could try talking with a local auto repair shop to see if they could weld some bits of flat bar to the plug. Localized welding will shrink the plug a bit and reduce the tight fit.
Boiling water poured on one side of tie rod ends helps to dislodge the tapers. You could try pouring boiling water over the underside of the the female threaded piece in the sump which will cause it to expand slightly while applying torque to the plug at the same time. You could use some plastic tubeing to direct the hot water onto the female thread and keep it away from the plug. The key being the temperature difference between the adjacent parts.

So before I bite the bullet and have the oil pan removed, has anyone come up with a new way of loosening up a stuck plug? I swear mine must have been installed with an impact wrench.