Stuck oil drain...please help

[mercmafia]

Hi all, I have worked on boats for years and this year I had at least 3 boats that I tried to winterize the outdrive, and the oil drain screw has been stuck. I have tried all diffrent size screwdrivers but they just strip it. Does anyone have any tips on removing these?

Thanks

 

[mkast]

Re: Stuck oil drain...please help

Hand impact.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Stuck oil drain...please help

There is a tool called an Impact Driver that is great for stuck plugs, screws, fasteners. It might work if you haven't boogered up the slot in the screw too bad. You can buy a cheap one at Harbor Freight for just this or get a good one at a tool store that'll be better quality. Good Luck!

 

[Bondo]

Re: Stuck oil drain...please help

Hand impact.

Ayuh,... Get yourself 1 of these,...

 

[Lodgepole]

Re: Stuck oil drain...please help

I had a water drain plug on a 93 OMC drive that probably had not been out for years before I bought it. I use a hand impact like the one pictured in the post above. I carefully beat on the thing constantly for 30 minutes. It would turn ever so slightly after the first 5 min. I had to keep beating till it had turned about 3 revs but it finally came out. Don't give up and be careful not to ruin the slot, it may take a while.

 

[backyard mechanic]

Re: Stuck oil drain...please help

One more thing to understand... a screwdriver with a blade that fills 78% of the slot is required. 95% of the stripped out screw heads you encounter are exactly from this reason.

 

[Lou C]

Re: Stuck oil drain...please help

The drain/fill plugs for my Cobra drive (and they are also used on Johnson and Evinrude outboards) now use an allen shaped recess so you use an allen wrench to remove and replace them...not sure if they are better but then I never had problems with the old ones but the slot was getting pretty worn so I got some new ones...

 

[mercmafia]

Re: Stuck oil drain...please help

Thanks everyone for the help

 

[JoLin]

Re: Stuck oil drain...please help

I had a water drain plug on a 93 OMC drive that probably had not been out for years before I bought it. I use a hand impact like the one pictured in the post above. I carefully beat on the thing constantly for 30 minutes. It would turn ever so slightly after the first 5 min. I had to keep beating till it had turned about 3 revs but it finally came out. Don't give up and be careful not to ruin the slot, it may take a while.

The best general method I've found for removing rusted bolts, nuts and screws (the impact driver works well)...

Heat, pounding, or whatever it takes to get that first bit of movement. Squirt your favorite brand of 'rust buster' into it, and screw it back in. Screw it out again until it starts to bind, squirt it again, and screw it back in again. Keep repeating the process. Each trime you do that, it will come out a bit more before it binds. You'll gradually lubricate all the threads and get it out without breaking off the hardware or stripping out the threads.

My .02

 

[mastercylinder63]

Re: Stuck oil drain...please help

Use caution when using any manual or pneumatic impact tool hollow aluminum case. I?ve split cases before and had to heliarc them back. I prefer using a torch, propane or map gas. Don?t worry; the gear oil won?t catch on fire.

 

[cr2k]

Re: Stuck oil drain...please help

I am curious, are you using a 8 pound hammer on them or what? I have never had to use over a 24 oz. hammer in 17 years.

You may need to go buy a large 3/8 drive flat blade bit for the impact. You want the largest and widest blade you can get in the slot.

 

[Johnson110]

Re: Stuck oil drain...please help

Yes the right slotted screwdriver is a must, you can hold the screwdriver in the slot of the screw and get a wrench on the end of the screwdriver and turn counter clockwise maybe it will crack the screw loose!

 

[fat fanny]

Re: Stuck oil drain...please help

As stated above the right size blade is the key also using a screw driver with the hex @ the base of the handle helps (Snap-On) using a wrench to help drive it while holding pressure against the handle. If the plug in ? is stuck and you remove it do- not ! re-use it.

 

[bugzy_1]

Re: Stuck oil drain...please help

If the plug slot is stripped out you can use a center punch to get the plug to break free. Place the punch on the outside edge of the plug slot, or whats left of it, at a low angle faceing CCW. Lighty tap the punch to get it to set.
Continue tapping until the plug starts to turn. Be GENTLE.
Don't try to force it.
Good luck!