Oil Change [Drain Nut]

I have 03 Accord EX Coupe, and I was trying to do my own oil
change a few weeks back. First time doing-it-myself on this
car....

But for the life of me, I couldn't budge the drain plug nut.

Anyone have a tip or two? I used a ramp to drive the car
up and slid underneath. I can get the filter off after using
semi force with the filter-wrench.

I am guessing I need more elbow room to turn the nut on the
drain hole.

I had a big (stronger) friend who went underneath and tried
to turn the nut, and no go.

Thanks.

Are you absolutely sure you're turning the drain plug nut in the correct
direction?

As you lie on the ground looking up, you should turn it COUNTER clockwise to
loosen it.

Maybe spray with PB Blaster, wait ten minutes, and try again. PB Blaster is the
best penetrating oil available. IIRC it's under $5 a can at Wal-Mart.

Also, buy a piece of pipe at Home Depot that fits over the end of your ratchet
wrench handle. Any stiff pipe, metal or not (PVC maybe?), should do.

I have a lot of old pipe lying around for this purpose. Typically I default to
my 2-foot long cast iron or steel pipe, super thick pipe, but I have used some
PVC pipe and a five-foot length of fence post pipe (for my 91 Civic's crankshaft
pulley bolt) to provide an extension.

If you truly have been turning the nut in the correct direction, I'd be darned
worried the last person to install the nut overtorqued it and may have stripped
threads. It's kind of a flimsy fitting. People do tend to overtorque the nut,
but not to the point that it cannot be freed, from my readings here.

Updates welcome.
> wrote
> I have 03 Accord EX Coupe, and I was trying to do my own oil
> change a few weeks back. First time doing-it-myself on this
> car....
>
> But for the life of me, I couldn't budge the drain plug nut.
>
> Anyone have a tip or two? I used a ramp to drive the car
> up and slid underneath. I can get the filter off after using
> semi force with the filter-wrench.
>
> I am guessing I need more elbow room to turn the nut on the
> drain hole.
>
> I had a big (stronger) friend who went underneath and tried
> to turn the nut, and no go.
>
> Thanks.

> wrote in message
...
> I have 03 Accord EX Coupe, and I was trying to do my own oil
> change a few weeks back. First time doing-it-myself on this
> car....
>
> But for the life of me, I couldn't budge the drain plug nut.
>
> Anyone have a tip or two? I used a ramp to drive the car
> up and slid underneath. I can get the filter off after using
> semi force with the filter-wrench.
>
> I am guessing I need more elbow room to turn the nut on the
> drain hole.
>
> I had a big (stronger) friend who went underneath and tried
> to turn the nut, and no go.
>
> Thanks.
An old trick -- using a box spanner, put pressure on the nut and then tap
the center of the nut sharply with a hammer. That sometimes will break it
loose. Used to work well on motorcycles when removing steel plugs from pot
metal pans.

"Caroline" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> Are you absolutely sure you're turning the drain plug nut in the correct
> direction?
>
> Also, buy a piece of pipe at Home Depot that fits over the end of your
> ratchet
> wrench handle. Any stiff pipe, metal or not (PVC maybe?), should do.
>
> I have a lot of old pipe lying around for this purpose. Typically I
> default to
> my 2-foot long cast iron or steel pipe, super thick pipe, but I have used
> some
> PVC pipe and a five-foot length of fence post pipe (for my 91 Civic's
> crankshaft
> pulley bolt) to provide an extension.
>


Not to sound like I work for OSHA, but I would suggest using a breaker bar
or appropriately larger wrench than using a pipe as a wrench extension.
Hand tools are only designed for so much torque and applying too much
pressure through an extension can lead to breaking the wrench or personal
injuries.

"C B George" > wrote
> "Caroline" > wrote
> > Are you absolutely sure you're turning the drain plug nut in the correct
> > direction?
> >
> > Also, buy a piece of pipe at Home Depot that fits over the end of your
> > ratchet
> > wrench handle. Any stiff pipe, metal or not (PVC maybe?), should do.
> >
> > I have a lot of old pipe lying around for this purpose. Typically I
> > default to
> > my 2-foot long cast iron or steel pipe, super thick pipe, but I have used
> > some
> > PVC pipe and a five-foot length of fence post pipe (for my 91 Civic's
> > crankshaft
> > pulley bolt) to provide an extension.
> >
>
>
> Not to sound like I work for OSHA, but I would suggest using a breaker bar
> or appropriately larger wrench than using a pipe as a wrench extension.
> Hand tools are only designed for so much torque and applying too much
> pressure through an extension can lead to breaking the wrench or personal
> injuries.

I and many others have used pipe extensions for decades to no detriment.

One should be careful doing anything.