Help Needed with Oil tank bolt

[SMOKDU]

I wanted to start off the new year fresh with my new car with new brake pads and an Oil change., The brake job was easy after I got the wheels off and only took a few hrs. The oil change I thought would be a snap but the owner before me must have had a person with an Impact gun do all the work. My first clue was the wheels where torqued to the point a bent my ¾ drive and had to use my ½ inch stuff. The oil pan bolts where at least 70lbs and took some work getting off. I got then both off and drained the oil and then went to the oil tank and I cannot budge the bolt. it is over 70lbs for sure and I am afraid I will break the canister. This bolt is not reverse thread is it ? if not how can I get it off. I am so pissed this easy job is kicking my butt. I do not have an impact and never needed one. any suggestions? I am afraid to try to open the filter cap now who know how that was put back on. Dumb asses with impact guns should be fired.:screwy:

 

[Not 4N]

Wow that is tight considering they should be at 18ft/lbs.
The canister is not reverse thread and has the same torque spec as the pan bolts. Was the oil cold when you tried? Might work to have it at operating temp. to break it free. A heat gun will also help if you can't run the car.
For the wheels I only use 1/2" drive on mine as the spec is 105ft/lbs.

 

[BlackICE]

The oil tanks is normal threaded. IMO impacts have their place and that is to remove stubborn fasteners, but never to tighten stuff. I would get an impact to remove the tank bolt. As for over tightened wheels studs, when in doubt, throw it out. I have seen too many broken wheel studs to trust my life with those that have been over torqued!

 

[SMOKDU]

Wow that is tight considering they should be at 18ft/lbs.
The canister is not reverse thread and has the same torque spec as the pan bolts. Was the oil cold when you tried? Might work to have it at operating temp. to break it free. A heat gun will also help if you can't run the car.
For the wheels I only use 1/2" drive on mine as the spec is 105ft/lbs.

The car was warmed up good and i heated the bolt after the first try. It is so tight that if i torgue on it any more the weld will break on the tank. I sucked out about 4 quarts using my boats lower end pump from the dip stick hole. There is no oil on the stick at this point. If i use an Impact to take it off could i break the tank where the nut is welded to the bottom? I did soak the bolt with WD40 and will use PB blaster on it if i have to. Any other Suggestions.

 

[BlackICE]

The car was warmed up good and i heated the bolt after the first try. It is so tight that if i torgue on it any more the weld will break on the tank. I sucked out about 4 quarts using my boats lower end pump from the dip stick hole. There is no oil on the stick at this point. If i use an Impact to take it off could i break the tank where the nut is welded to the bottom? I did soak the bolt with WD40 and will use PB blaster on it if i have to. Any other Suggestions.

I have always had better luck with Breakfree CLP than anything else, but I would assume that when the bolt was put in place it had plenty of oil on the thread. It could be that the steel bolt is cold welded to the aluminum tank. If the breakfree doesn't work you have the choice of impact or drilling it out. IMO an impact is has much less risk of breaking things than a long wrench, the viabrations seem to help.

 

[SMOKDU]

ya the impact is what i think also but the problem is the impact is at work and at my house i have a lift but no air tools. I do not want to fill it back up with oil to drive it to work just to drain it out again. Maybe an electric impact will work. i just went out again and heated around the bolt with no luck. i am going to bed defeated. I am tempted to just fill it back up with the 1/2 quart left in it and call it a day. I had a guy once use his impact on my lower intake on my race car because i was running late to do it myself and on the first pass down the track i blew the gasket out. i could see what he did and i knew he used the impact because he always used the damn thing. One side than the other. I was pissed because i was out the first round. Thx keep you posted.

 

[Howard]

Why risk damage to the canister if you can empty it, or nearly so, with suction? Of course you would like to correct the over-torqued bolt but not at the cost of a bigger problem.

Howard

 

[Cobraguy]

I just went through exactly the same scenario..belly pan screws, eng oil plugs, trans axle plug and filter plug.....ALL so tight I had to use extensions on my wrenches. The oil tank was the worst. As I was trying to remove it I could see the bung-weld flexing. In fact the powdercoating on the tank was revealing the aluminum between the threaded boss and the tank. I was so pissed....I left it on the lift and returned several times over the next week...finally I was able to break it loose with a 1/2" drive ratchet with a short 3" extension without compromising the integrity of the weld ( I hope) If you use too long of an extension, it will tend to run off plane and twist instead of turn the ratchet......Bottom line is there is no magic solution to this problem. Good Luck !

 

[paul b]

I've never tried, but at this point it seems removing the tank would be the best option. I don't know what a new tank costs but it probably aint cheap. If you damage the tank on the car, you'll have to remove it anyway.

 

[SMOKDU]

The tank is about $1500 i think. If i did hurt it i would cut off the bottom and reweld before buying a new tank. I will try an impact and see what happens. Other if it looks bad i will drain from the top every time. They should have just put a drain valve so you could leave the belly pans on. matter of Fact i might Fab one up for all 3 Drains.

 

[HHGT]

An old trick I was taught a long time ago was to tighten it up a little more using a breaker bar and then attempt to remove it - slowly. That was on 60's and 70' Iron and not aluminum and welds. Be careful and good luck.

 

[Howard]

Well, now that you mention it, I purchased three Fumoto valves for my next oil change. I've used one for many years on my 911 (oil tank, only). There is plenty of room for the valves on the FGT. They are high quality items and a proven design. That being said, I don't know how to modify the belly pans to provide access to the two engine drains without really buggering up the pans. For now I still plan to remove the pans each time.

Howard

 

[Shadowman]

We just had a similar situation and once the tank was drained a propane torch was used to warm the tank at the drain plug area as it is aluminum whereas the bolt is steel and the expanding of the aluminum allowed us to break the drain plug free without secondary damage.

FYI an impact would not remove this one either.

Takes care

Shadowman

 

[SMOKDU]

We just had a similar situation and once the tank was drained a propane torch was used to warm the tank at the drain plug area as it is aluminum whereas the bolt is steel and the expanding of the aluminum allowed us to break the drain plug free without secondary damage.

FYI an impact would not remove this one either.

Takes care


Shadowman

I thought the same thing and used my propane also but was afraid to get the aluminum to hot and make it soft. i think they have a steal shank pressed in the bung for the screw. Some times cars just fight you. I am glad to see others had the same issue because you always get the " i never heard that happen before" Thx for the help with this.

 

[Silverbullitt]

You are not done draining the oil tank by a long shot. The pan on the engine might hold 1-1-1/2 quarts. A full fill is 9.5. Do what you have to to get the bolt out. The remining oil in the tank has to go. It is probably the dirtiest in the engine at this point.

 

[STORMCAT]

did you try a long extension to get you below the frame so you can get some good leverage and a breaker bar?

 

[SMOKDU]

did you try a long extension to get you below the frame so you can get some good leverage and a breaker bar?

yes i did and that is when i could feel the aluminum starting to flex. The idea of a shorter bar like posted before makes sense. maybe i will put a piece of wood on the frame so the extension can rest on it and not want to bend upward. How can such a simple job turn out to be a f... story.

 

[ChipBeck]

We just had a similar situation and once the tank was drained a propane torch was used to warm the tank at the drain plug area as it is aluminum whereas the bolt is steel and the expanding of the aluminum allowed us to break the drain plug free without secondary damage.

FYI an impact would not remove this one either.

Takes care

Shadowman

Bill,

Have you ever had any luck with products like Breakfree that you spray on? Does that stuff penetrate many threads at all?

Chip

 

[Lorenzo]

Guys guys, think about it, there is an o ring on the drain plug. WD-40 and other magic stuff is not going to get past the O ring to work on the threads. The same in reverse, the oil in the tank dosent get past the O ring thankfully keeping the oil from leaking out.

HERE IS YOU BEST OPTION, Your local Snap-on dealer has these on the truck,Get him to demo this tool for you. I have one and i promise you it will work and you will be pleased.

Watch the u-tube, Its not a gimmic it Really works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YO_snrzYrs&feature=player_embedded

 

[SMOKDU]

Guys guys, think about it, there is an o ring on the drain plug WD-40 and other magic stuff is not going to get past the O ring to work on the threads. The same in reverse, the oil in the tank dosent get past the O ring thankfully keeping the oil from leaking out.

HERE IS YOU BEST OPTION, Your local Snap-on dealer has these on the truck,Get him to demo this tool for you. I have one and i promise you it will work and you will be pleased.

Watch the u-tube, Its not a gimmic it Really works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YO_snrzYrs&feature=player_embedded

If you use this tool will you melt the rubber o ring and need a new bolt? if so i can get one coming and be ready