The crankshaft pulley nut is on the nose of the crankshaft, somewhat recessed in the harmonic dampner pulley. It can be reached from the bottom. There not a lot of room in front of pulley and it takes the right combination of socket and extensions to get the proper fit to where you can turn the engine (clockwise from front) until the torque converter drain is visible at the bottom. I use a mirror strategically placed so I can see when the drain plug is at the bottom while turning the engine.

To remove the pan drain plug... next time the pan is off, use a dremel to machine a slot for a screwdriver. Replace the plug with a new one from the dealer or anything else that works.

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95 E320 Cabriolet, 169K