2000 Contour SE V6

I'll second JohanB's suggestion.

While there is a great feeling of accomplishment with all of lifes "firsts", the risk of creating grief with an aluminum oil pan on a "high strung" engine is great.

In the FWIW department.... none of my techs (I'm shop foreman, now, folks - sometimes that feels like a demotion) will get in trouble for asking for help too soon.... they will get in trouble for asking for it too late. If you have a reluctant fastener, it is easier to be shown techniques in person or have someone watch your technique to keep you out of trouble.

My experience with that engine is a six point box end wrench makes the job a WHOLE LOT easier and less stressfull. I put the wrench on and give it a gentle swatt with my durathane hammer.

I have encountered a drain plug torqued to at least 200 ft lb in a used vehicle that I once bought. A 'technician' at a fast lube place probably assumed that the drain plug holds the car together... Nothing but an impact wrench would even budge it. By some miracle, the thread in the pan was still intact.

My experience shows that if something can be screwed up, it will be screwed up.... I dislike telling a well meaning customer that his attempts to service his neighbours/aunts/grandpas/girlfriends car have made recovery difficult and the bill is $X00.00 please.....

There's not much you're going to do to a car that can be considered inexpensive, these days.... having a badly handled mistake is not going to make things cheaper.

Cheap tools can render a fastener difficult... after that, the vise grips come out - maybe a pipe wrench or any other cobbled idea. By the time someone with experience gets to it.........

Any decent tech is worth his money.... if someone makes his job harder, the costs will be passed on down the line.

"Better quality" of oil is term up for grabs...... After all these years, the oil I use is more than adequate..... I could get "better" oil for added cost. I don't need "better" oil since I wont see operating conditions that NEED "better" oil..... meaning the added expense is wasteful.....

The plug should indeed come off.... and you may have never had a problem with your drain plug. But, your drain plug is not every drain plug.... and I have seen all manner of self inflicted problems.

Bottom line... if you are having trouble STOP!!!! Do not make things worse through inexperienced, poorly considered attempts. Just because you haven't seen a problem does not mean there isn't the chance for a problem to arise... and it doesn't mean that problems haven't arised. FWIW, I probably do more oil changes in a month than you've done in your life..

I know what the oil is, and its the best out there. Specificaly Amsoil ASL 5W-30.

I'm hardly >"Better quality" of oil is term up for grabs...... After all these years,

Three ways to go on a wrench; socket, open end, and box end. If you can get an open end wrench in there, a box end should also fit. once the box is fitted to the nut, use the cheater bar of your choice. You say the exhaust is in the way of the drain plug? Are you CERTAIN that you're trying to loosen the oil drain plug and not something else?

The socket fits on, but the handle doesn't. The wrench did fit, but the sucker is on too tight.

Once again, if you can get a box end wrench on there, put a cheater bar (piece of pipe, maybe) on the other end of the wrench, apply force to the cheater, and the nut WILL loosen.

It doesn't so I'm letting the dealer or whoever gets it to do it. Maybe this time they wont overtignten it

Go look at the test results.

Thats pure BS. I have just never worked on a Contour before.

SpAmsoil hasn't even been approved by the API. I wouldn't put that stuff in my car.

You have to pay a lot of money to use the API logo on your product. Keep your head in the sand

Don't count on it, chances are they will keep over-tightening it till its stripped. My experiance has been there is usually some kid off the street changing your oil and pretending to lube your front end. I recently took my car and pick-up to get the oil changed for the first time. (not for the cars, for me not doing it) I will never let anyone change my oil again. Remember: this was the first time on my vehicles. On my pick-up, I had to teach the manager how to lube it- because another guy didn't do it in the first place. I'll bet he doesn't lube ANY car that goes through there. On my car-different shop by the way-they left the oil filter loose and it started leaking. IMO your better off doing it yourself, chances are *you* have more experience than the lube-boob at jiffy. You sure care more. Oh, get the box end wrench on there, (make sure its the right size-fits tight) then take the next size wrench up and use the box on that to "hook" onto the open end on the other for a cheater. Its hard to explain how to hook it on but youll figure it out. As for Aimsoil- the only test results I've ever seen were Amsoil's own test results. IF I were going to use synthetic oil I think I would use something else. If you change your oil every 5k or so your waisting your money on syn if you ask me. How does Aimsoil brainwash so many? It Amazes me.

Go ahead and keep your head up your ass if you want... but if it were any good they would be glad to pay the money to have it tested

I suggest you read about it at other places, like

Amsoil doesn't brainwash people, they just make a much better product. I can't figure out why peeople don't get it. I'm sure if you go to any other oil company website, they make thier oil look the best.

While not Ford based, go to Amsoil and read the motorcycle oil white paper. Indepedent certified test results that have been sworn and attested to.