2005 Escape Oil Pan Bolt Too Tightly Torqued

Recently tried to do my own oil change on my Escape. I tried to unbolt the plug drain (15 mm bolt) and found that I couldn't budge the bolt. I will bring it back to the mechanic who did the last oil change and ask why this bolt needs to be torqued so high. This is an aluminum pan and I was afraid that I would crack the aluminum if I applied too much torque. Anyone have experience with this? Someone mentioned to me that the dissimlar materials causes the bolt to freeze up like what I have experienced.

Reply to
m
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Let me suggest that if you try to take it off, it will either come off or it wont. A mechanic can do no better, in general. When he tries to take it off, it will either come off cleanly, or it can strip threads, or the bolt can break, and there is little he can do to stop it.

And, if if screws up, the mechanic is not likely to absorb the loss. Why should he?

Dissimilar metals dont necessarily cause a bolt to freeze up UNLESS there is a corrosive electrolyte involved OR unless the bolt and pan were put together when the temperature differences were large.

So, you have to make a choice...do it yourself and probably do fine, do it yourself and risk a problem, or take it to a mechanic who has similar statistics.

Reply to
HLS

Lots of us have experience with that. Your choice is either to take it off your self or find some one that can.

Reply to
Paul

Common problem when you let underqualified folks work on your car.

Yes, and I no longer let anyone wrench on my car for anything as a result. The best advice I can give you is to learn how to do your own oil changes and basic maintenance. Even if you cannot do major repairs, being able to do minor repairs and maintenance will pay for itself in the sense that YOU care about your car, YOU will do the job right, and YOU can do the extra details like putting anti-seize on the threads of the fasteners you remove and so on.

Buy the service manuals for your vehicle and read them. You can do almost anything yourself or with the help of a friend. Cars aren't as complicated as the crooked mechanics of this world would like you to think. And if you absolutely must take your car to a shop, get some referrals from friends. Beware of anyone who advertises their expertise, GOOD mechanics don't have to go looking for work, the work comes looking for THEM.

Good luck with it.

Chris

Reply to
Hal

Well, if it's the mechanic *that did the last oil change* - if it mungs up, I think he bears some (all?) of the responsibility.

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

10 to 12 pound-feet of torque is all you need to set an oil pan drain bolt. It ain't rocket science, but it does require a torque wrench.

Nick

Reply to
Nicholas

Actually when I tried to remove the bolt, I did not have a very long wrench and perhaps I couldn't get enough torque to break the bolt loose? Seemed like I did but I got a bit paranoid when I saw the aluminum pan. I had a 3/8 craftsman socket drive and maybe it was the wrong tool?

Also, it is really difficult to get under this vehicle even though its an SUV. My 95 Jeep Cheroke is way easier to work under. M

Reply to
m

You might have to have a strong case, if that mechanic didnt want to bear the responsibility. You know, as well as I, a lot of mechanics make mistakes and manage to charge it back to the client anyway.

Reply to
HLS

I have a 3/8 Craftsman wrench as well, and that could easily be too short to make removing this drain plug an easy matter. You may want to try something a little longer.

Previous poster made a good point about a torque wrench, especially when you are working with aluminum alloy. Experienced mechanics can usually "feel" when a bolt is tight enough, but nothing replaces a torque wrench, IMO.

Reply to
HLS

One more thing, M...I know this probably doesnt apply to you, BUT I worked with a young small engine mechanic recently, and he still has problems with "righty, tighty...lefty, loosey"

I was surprised, but I have to realize that some people will always have problems with this.

Reply to
HLS

Unlikely given the drain plug shouldn't have been in their that long and there was inevitably oil dripping on the threads when the plugs was reinstalled.

Nonsense!

If the stubborn drain plug was being removed in my shop it would be with a 15mm 6 point socket in good condition. It would be a lot harder to remove if someone has attempted removal with:

A: Crescent wrench B: Visegrips C: 12 point socket or box wrench D: Open end E: Worn or cheap 6 point socket

There IS a potential difference in the outcome depending on who does it with what.

We have removed many a bolt with no problems that an owner said could not be turned.

Don

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Reply to
Donald Lewis

"HLS" wrote: ..I know this probably doesnt apply to you, BUT I worked with a young small engine mechanic recently, and he still has problems with "righty, tighty...lefty, loosey" I was surprised, but I realize that some people will always have problems with this. ____________________________________________________________

I am old and experienced at DIY auto maintenance, but when reaching for an upside-down bolt head I stop and take extra time to be absolutely certain which directions are "righty, tighty ... lefty, loosey"

Rodan.

Reply to
Rodan

No, Don, it isnt nonsense...When you start to remove a plug, it will either release or it wont. No bullshit about using pliars or that sort of crap. We are talking about the threads being torn out of the aluminum pan, or in a worst case that the bolt breaks (VERY unlikely).

You can heat the area, use penetrant, etc but nobody does this regularly. They just put on a 6 point socket and go easy.

I think it is unlikely that it will strip the threads out, but certainly not impossible.

Reply to
HLS

Uh ... Aren't we talking about an oil drain plug here? Its not an exhaust header with 10 years of rust. I've heard of them being stripped while over tightening, but never by removing (unless of course turning the wrong way with the 4 foot gas pipe on the breaker bar...).

Reply to
E. Meyer

Or the head will be rounded off due to the use of the wrong tool. It happens all too often. Frequently by the DIYer but occasionally by someone less than competent at a shop.

YOU may chose not to talk about this possibility but it DOES happen whether you choose to talk about it or not.

99% of the time this happens during an over-tightenting process NOT upon removal. A corrosion bond is extremely unlikely on an oil pan drain plug.

Don

Reply to
Donald Lewis

**************** It happens, agreed, but this was not the nature of this thread. He was talking only about a drain plug he believed to have been overtightened and he was worried about the aluminum threads in the oilpan being stripped if he put too much torque on it to remove it. It CAN happen, but probably wont. **********************

************************* That is what I have said. It is unlikely to happen because of corrosion. If it were overtightened in the first place,then the threads may already be damaged, and there is essentially no way you can remove the plug which is in damaged threads and not make it somewhat worse, no matter what sort of mechanic you are.

Since this is aluminum versus steel threads, temperature can play a part, but we didnt even get into that. It is unlikely, especially when you are dealing with a heatsunk area like an oil pan...much less unlikely if you are dealing with spark plugs in an aluminum head.

Reply to
HLS

Yeah, and I'll bet that if your shop or one of similar standards put 'em in, they come out with correct commonplace tools and a reasonable amount of force. Unfortunately some mechanics (professional and DIY) are really proud that their impact wrench goes all the way to 11. They say that if you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything at all. Removing bolts from cars has contributed a lot to my quiet and stoic reputation.

It's kinda hard to advise the original poster without a picture of the bolt head. If somebody worked 'em over hard enough with the Samsonite Gorilla approach, vise-grips might be the appropriate technology for the last loosening of the bolt pending its replacement. I mean, c'mon, you've seen hex heads that have been turned into a circular mounting post, right? (Don't forget "didn't have a metric socket, grabbed the next size bigger SAE socket" on the litany of causes!) Then again, maybe it's in pretty good shape and if the OP goes to the "real" auto parts store or Sears for a quality socket and a foot or so of ratchet handle or breaker bar, and turns it lefty-loosey, it'll cooperate immediately.

Cheers,

--Joe

Reply to
Ad absurdum per aspera

Yup!!! Upside down and bent over backwards can be disconcerting! Usually I let the ratchet figure it out for me! ;)

Reply to
Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B

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