Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum > Mercedes-Benz Tech Information and Support > Tech Help

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 09-18-2002, 02:59 PM
mikey-az
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Damned oil drain bolt won't come out!!!

Ok people, I have done many difficult technical/electrical jobs so far on my car, but this is the most rediculous thing I have ever encountered. Last night, I decided to change my oil for the first time. For over 4 hours, I tried to get the damn oil-drain bolt off the oil pan! I tried everything....the correct sized metric socket wrench, then the standard wrench, then vice-grips, then a chisel and hammer, and then I tried drilling a hole through the bolt head to put a metal rod through it to twist it off, but nothing worked. I tried all these things many many times before giving up. I now have a worn-down nub where the bolt head used to be. Any ideas on what to do here? -- Mikey

Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 09-18-2002, 03:04 PM
junior member
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 592
until you get real help

try this posting sequence:I stripped the allen-head on starter bolt
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 09-18-2002, 04:12 PM
moedip
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Hey - I'm not the only one!!! I had exactly the same thing. Gave up in disgust and took the car to the Mercedes Dealership for an oil change. The mechanic also rounded the head of the bolt trying to loosen it using big vise grips. After trying using the hammer and chisel routine - that didn't work - he put an air chisel on it and pushed the chisel on the side of what was left of the head of the bolt in a counter clockwise direction. 30 seconds later - the bolt let go. I paid for an oil change and $3 for a new bolt. Well for the money!
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 09-18-2002, 06:43 PM
rcmktg
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Maybe your car came from that mountain in Mexico where they put a hex on vehicles and all the repairable/removable portions of the vehicle are fused together
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 09-18-2002, 08:02 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Nashville Area
Posts: 97
I had the same problem when I got my 95 E320 about 4 months ago.

It's too late now, but next time use a 1/2 6-point socket and you will never have this problem again.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 09-18-2002, 08:38 PM
csnow's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Mass
Posts: 1,127
Have you tried a big pipe wrench yet?
__________________
1986 300E 5-Speed 240k mi.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 09-18-2002, 10:45 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Youngstown, OH
Posts: 150
special Vice-grips!!

Vice-grip makes a specialty wrench for stubborn bolts. It's for hex-head bolts and is a life-saver when some one has rounded of the bolt head. I would consider this a must have for the tool kit.

the jaws of the vice grip pliers has a "V-shaped" upper jaw and an inverted "V" on the lower jaw. These clamp down on three sides of the hex head and make short work of tough bolts!

Intruder
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 09-18-2002, 10:53 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: oregon
Posts: 2,013
when I had the lower pan off my SE I noticed that the inner square nut was held by four small spot welds was tempted to it braze for more shear stregth but didn't.It's not hard at all to take lower pan off at least on the V8's (about 10 minutes) then you could safely heat it to get that devil out .give you a chance to clean pan of thoses nasty looking meatal particles that hide in the bottom of pan and put a fresh gasket on........
William Rogers.....
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 09-18-2002, 11:19 PM
hinrg02
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
agree 6 point 1/2

I think he's well beyond a socket selection at this point but I agree with Mr. Latos. Just changed the oil and found that the 1/2" 6 point works the best. After getting it off it needed a little dressing up from all the past strippings.......

The last time the oil was changed it was at the dealer. They did'nt tighten the bolt down. I kept getting thin oil strip leaks on the garage floor when I backed out of the garage just going over the kick plate. Didn't happen noticably anytime else. At first I thought it was brake fluid but it wasn't pulling the floor paint up.. A little head scratcher.... Oil level off the stick seemed fine. Finally I dropped the brush cover and had a very slow leak.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 09-18-2002, 11:42 PM
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Woolwich, Maine
Posts: 3,598
On my 190E-2.3-16 the oil drain bolt the threaded part is about two inches long, and the first three times I changed oil the bolt got mutilated. It has the beginnings of the underbody fairing, and between that and the fact that I ended up changing the bolt/plug every other oil change, I bought a Topsider. I still have an extra bolt in the glove box, just in case I need to change oil and there is no Topsider around. Anyway, it solved my problem on that car, and all the later models have a bigger, harder to work around or remove encapsulation part under the engine, so I do them with the Topsider too. Jim
__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 09-18-2002, 11:43 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: California
Posts: 17
I've been there. As CSNOW suggests, try a good pipe wrench first. If that fails do what I did - cut the bolt head off and out it comes.
__________________
Oupa
1988 300e
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 09-18-2002, 11:48 PM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Northern Calif. (Fairfield Area)
Posts: 2,225
The old hammer and chisel routine has worked well for me dozens of times. You need a big hammer, sharp chisel, and aggresive blows from the hammer. Of course I have always had the convenience of a hoist. That makes the job easier.

PS: Now might be the time to invest in an oil sucker. The car was designed to have the oil changed that way. That dipstick tube goes to the very bottom of the pan.

Peter
__________________
Auto Zentral Ltd.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 09-19-2002, 12:04 AM
mikey-az
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Smile got it

Well, I gave up and took the car back to the place I had the oil changed at three months ago. They took the old bolt off ( I could hear the mechanic pounding on it for a while from the waiting room) and put a new one on for free. I took the car home and changed the oil myself. Thanks fir the suggestions - Mikey
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 09-19-2002, 12:00 PM
csnow's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Mass
Posts: 1,127
That is good news.

These plugs are unusual in that the threads are very long, and the hex head is very small relative to the diameter of the threaded portion. The aluminum pan causes the steel threads to corrode in place by electrolysis.
BTW, I have tried 2 methods to prevent the plug from seizing, and both worked equally well:

1) Grease the threads (multi-purpose grease).
2) Teflon tape.

One would think that the residual motor oil on the threads would be enough to prevent seizing, but this appears to get washed away, where the grease sticks.

Also, there is a tendency to over-torque drain plugs in general ('just to be sure'...).
With so much thread, very little torque is needed for a tight seal.
__________________
1986 300E 5-Speed 240k mi.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 09-19-2002, 10:59 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: oregon
Posts: 2,013
I love it pipe wrenchs and cold chiesels on MB engines .maybe we have a chance yet........
William Rogers........

Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:57 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Peach Parts or Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page