Got all the bits for an oil change thought i was set went to remove the plug and it just spins no signs of it coming out.

It can only be my fault as I did the last oil change so i must have over torqued or cross threaded it.

Has anyone had the same problem and is it a sump off job?

Ive tried mole grips, tried to put a screwdriver under the edge of plug for leverage an neither worked.

Any help suggestions ideas on this one would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Roy

nixoro wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 13:28:

Got all the bits for an oil change thought i was set went to remove the plug and it just spins no signs of it coming out. It can only be my fault as I did the last oil change so i must have over torqued or cross threaded it. Has anyone had the same problem and is it a sump off job? Ive tried mole grips, tried to put a screwdriver under the edge of plug for leverage an neither worked. Any help suggestions ideas on this one would be much appreciated. Cheers Roy

Yup, stripped thread.

If yours has copper washer, then cut into this to allow to to get a pry under the bolt, then undo.

Obviously, it needs to be helicoiled or retapped to a larger size.

TheBoy wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 13:48:

nixoro wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 13:28: Got all the bits for an oil change thought i was set went to remove the plug and it just spins no signs of it coming out. It can only be my fault as I did the last oil change so i must have over torqued or cross threaded it. Has anyone had the same problem and is it a sump off job? Ive tried mole grips, tried to put a screwdriver under the edge of plug for leverage an neither worked. Any help suggestions ideas on this one would be much appreciated. Cheers Roy Yup, stripped thread. If yours has copper washer, then cut into this to allow to to get a pry under the bolt, then undo. Obviously, it needs to be helicoiled or retapped to a larger size.

ahh great I have a tap and die set but I doubt any of the set will be big enough for the job.

Unfortunately mine doesnt have a copper washer but I shall be having a look again at it next weekend.

Fortunately Its not seeping any oil so hopefully it will ok for the coming week.

Cheers for the advice

nixoro wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 14:12:

TheBoy wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 13:48: nixoro wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 13:28: Got all the bits for an oil change thought i was set went to remove the plug and it just spins no signs of it coming out. It can only be my fault as I did the last oil change so i must have over torqued or cross threaded it. Has anyone had the same problem and is it a sump off job? Ive tried mole grips, tried to put a screwdriver under the edge of plug for leverage an neither worked. Any help suggestions ideas on this one would be much appreciated. Cheers Roy Yup, stripped thread. If yours has copper washer, then cut into this to allow to to get a pry under the bolt, then undo. Obviously, it needs to be helicoiled or retapped to a larger size. ahh great I have a tap and die set but I doubt any of the set will be big enough for the job. Unfortunately mine doesnt have a copper washer but I shall be having a look again at it next weekend. Fortunately Its not seeping any oil so hopefully it will ok for the coming week. Cheers for the advice

So yours is the torx type?

Obviously I could be proved a liar but is there enough metal to helicoil? When my sump plug was ripped out of the lower sump pan, it had been threaded into an ally 'boss' which had been pressed into the steel pan. I would think that it's the ally 'boss' that is spinning in the steel pan rather than the plug spinning in the ally.
The lower sump pan was about £35 (IIRC) and would be far easier to replace than trying to helicoil after you remove the sump plug.
AIMHO. ;)  ;)

I don't know anything about stripped sump bolts  ::)

I would say that the thread on the plug has stripped, and collected at the top of the plug, hence why it won't come out of the sump.

I had to drill mine out.

It IS possible to helicoil, but if as andy says a new sump is only £35, it's not worth messing with, unless you already have a helicoil kit..

JamesV6CDX wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 15:28:

I don't know anything about stripped sump bolts  ::) I would say that the thread on the plug has stripped, and collected at the top of the plug, hence why it won't come out of the sump. I had to drill mine out. It IS possible to helicoil, but if as andy says a new sump is only £35, it's not worth messing with, unless you already have a helicoil kit..

How easy does the sump come off though?  Thats why I tapped the one on the tractor...

TheBoy wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 15:51:

JamesV6CDX wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 15:28: I don't know anything about stripped sump bolts  ::) I would say that the thread on the plug has stripped, and collected at the top of the plug, hence why it won't come out of the sump. I had to drill mine out. It IS possible to helicoil, but if as andy says a new sump is only £35, it's not worth messing with, unless you already have a helicoil kit.. How easy does the sump come off though?  Thats why I tapped the one on the tractor...

Good point... I had to "persuade" mine off a little. ::)

Mark gave me a good tip = If you do tap in situ, use plenty of grease to catch the swarf, and run the old oil oil through the engine to flush out anything remaining..

JamesV6CDX wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 15:56:

TheBoy wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 15:51: JamesV6CDX wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 15:28: I don't know anything about stripped sump bolts  ::) I would say that the thread on the plug has stripped, and collected at the top of the plug, hence why it won't come out of the sump. I had to drill mine out. It IS possible to helicoil, but if as andy says a new sump is only £35, it's not worth messing with, unless you already have a helicoil kit.. How easy does the sump come off though?  Thats why I tapped the one on the tractor... Good point... I had to "persuade" mine off a little. ::) Mark gave me a good tip = If you do tap in situ, use plenty of grease to catch the swarf, and run the old oil oil through the engine to flush out anything remaining..

Yup, a common sense approach, that I did when I did the tractor.  I normally use a spot of grease on the tap anyway, whatever I'm tapping...

Ah! Straight 6 diseasal Omegas? I've no idea the set up with those. The main ally sump on a V6 looks as though you need to book a month of work to remove, but the lower steel pan fixed to the bottom of it involves the removal of about 20 6mm Torx bolts & a well placed thump - pretty easy.
My Senator ended up with a BSP sump plug out a Scania/ERF/etc when the halfwit at Charlie Browns managed to strip/cross the f***er on a what thought would be a simple oil change  >:(  >:(  >:( Sump removal on C30SE's isn't an afternoons job!

Been doing some investigating today VX want £135 + vat for a new sump, autovaux have also been searching for me and they can get a new sump for £50 + vat.

At the moment I am tempted to change the sump has anyone done this and whats involved I noticed mine runs above the chassis cross member.

Is it a case of unbolting the engine from its mounts and lifting for access also what damage could I do if I was to go this way.

Been also looking at heli coil kits if I can get the bolt out Ideally i'd like to just re-tap.

Does a sump replacement seem excessive.

All help on this would be much appreciated.

TheBoy wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 14:26:

nixoro wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 14:12: TheBoy wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 13:48: nixoro wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 13:28: Got all the bits for an oil change thought i was set went to remove the plug and it just spins no signs of it coming out. It can only be my fault as I did the last oil change so i must have over torqued or cross threaded it. Has anyone had the same problem and is it a sump off job? Ive tried mole grips, tried to put a screwdriver under the edge of plug for leverage an neither worked. Any help suggestions ideas on this one would be much appreciated. Cheers Roy Yup, stripped thread. If yours has copper washer, then cut into this to allow to to get a pry under the bolt, then undo. Obviously, it needs to be helicoiled or retapped to a larger size. ahh great I have a tap and die set but I doubt any of the set will be big enough for the job. Unfortunately mine doesnt have a copper washer but I shall be having a look again at it next weekend. Fortunately Its not seeping any oil so hopefully it will ok for the coming week. Cheers for the advice So yours is the torx type?

Yep unfortunately this is the type I have.

nixoro wrote on 25. Sep 2007 at 18:40:

TheBoy wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 14:26: nixoro wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 14:12: TheBoy wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 13:48: nixoro wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 13:28: Got all the bits for an oil change thought i was set went to remove the plug and it just spins no signs of it coming out. It can only be my fault as I did the last oil change so i must have over torqued or cross threaded it. Has anyone had the same problem and is it a sump off job? Ive tried mole grips, tried to put a screwdriver under the edge of plug for leverage an neither worked. Any help suggestions ideas on this one would be much appreciated. Cheers Roy Yup, stripped thread. If yours has copper washer, then cut into this to allow to to get a pry under the bolt, then undo. Obviously, it needs to be helicoiled or retapped to a larger size. ahh great I have a tap and die set but I doubt any of the set will be big enough for the job. Unfortunately mine doesnt have a copper washer but I shall be having a look again at it next weekend. Fortunately Its not seeping any oil so hopefully it will ok for the coming week. Cheers for the advice So yours is the torx type? Yep unfortunately this is the type I have.

Bit late now, but the have a very low torque setting (from memory, 15Nm)....

nixoro wrote on 25. Sep 2007 at 18:36:

Been doing some investigating today VX want £135 + vat for a new sump, .............

:oIt can't be the same as I removed then :o. The sump on my 99 V6 is in 2 bits, a large ally casting and a smaller steel pan bolted up to it 14"or15" by 7"or8"

TheBoy wrote on 25. Sep 2007 at 18:43:

nixoro wrote on 25. Sep 2007 at 18:40: TheBoy wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 14:26: nixoro wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 14:12: TheBoy wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 13:48: nixoro wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 13:28: Got all the bits for an oil change thought i was set went to remove the plug and it just spins no signs of it coming out. It can only be my fault as I did the last oil change so i must have over torqued or cross threaded it. Has anyone had the same problem and is it a sump off job? Ive tried mole grips, tried to put a screwdriver under the edge of plug for leverage an neither worked. Any help suggestions ideas on this one would be much appreciated. Cheers Roy Yup, stripped thread. If yours has copper washer, then cut into this to allow to to get a pry under the bolt, then undo. Obviously, it needs to be helicoiled or retapped to a larger size. ahh great I have a tap and die set but I doubt any of the set will be big enough for the job. Unfortunately mine doesnt have a copper washer but I shall be having a look again at it next weekend. Fortunately Its not seeping any oil so hopefully it will ok for the coming week. Cheers for the advice So yours is the torx type? Yep unfortunately this is the type I have. Bit late now, but the have a very low torque setting (from memory, 15Nm)....

My mistake think i'm getting mixed up its a hex the star is in the bolt. still again abit late now.

nixoro wrote on 25. Sep 2007 at 18:47:

TheBoy wrote on 25. Sep 2007 at 18:43: nixoro wrote on 25. Sep 2007 at 18:40: TheBoy wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 14:26: nixoro wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 14:12: TheBoy wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 13:48: nixoro wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 13:28: Got all the bits for an oil change thought i was set went to remove the plug and it just spins no signs of it coming out. It can only be my fault as I did the last oil change so i must have over torqued or cross threaded it. Has anyone had the same problem and is it a sump off job? Ive tried mole grips, tried to put a screwdriver under the edge of plug for leverage an neither worked. Any help suggestions ideas on this one would be much appreciated. Cheers Roy Yup, stripped thread. If yours has copper washer, then cut into this to allow to to get a pry under the bolt, then undo. Obviously, it needs to be helicoiled or retapped to a larger size. ahh great I have a tap and die set but I doubt any of the set will be big enough for the job. Unfortunately mine doesnt have a copper washer but I shall be having a look again at it next weekend. Fortunately Its not seeping any oil so hopefully it will ok for the coming week. Cheers for the advice So yours is the torx type? Yep unfortunately this is the type I have. Bit late now, but the have a very low torque setting (from memory, 15Nm).... My mistake think i'm getting mixed up its a hex the star is in the bolt. still again abit late now.

If its hex, it should have copper washer. If it needs a torx bit, then it hasn't.  Torx type, as said, have very low torque setting

Whats the opinions a whole sump replace or do my best with the trying to remove the bolt.

My dads idea was to drill a whole and tap it put a bolt in for leverage and then turn. I like the idea but not sure if this would work.

I would say it's preferable to remove the sump if it's not too much work, as the plug is going to need some persuading to remove, by the sound of it, and it'll probably leave debris in the sump. Once you've done that you might as well get another from a scrap yard as opposed to repairing the old one, IMHO.

Kevin

Kevin Wood wrote on 25. Sep 2007 at 19:36:

I would say it's preferable to remove the sump if it's not too much work, as the plug is going to need some persuading to remove, by the sound of it, and it'll probably leave debris in the sump. Once you've done that you might as well get another from a scrap yard as opposed to repairing the old one, IMHO. Kevin

Agree once its off its just as well to replace than to repair...but if you go down this road dont throw the old one away  ;)

Markie wrote on 25. Sep 2007 at 20:09:

Kevin Wood wrote on 25. Sep 2007 at 19:36: I would say it's preferable to remove the sump if it's not too much work, as the plug is going to need some persuading to remove, by the sound of it, and it'll probably leave debris in the sump. Once you've done that you might as well get another from a scrap yard as opposed to repairing the old one, IMHO. Kevin Agree once its off its just as well to replace than to repair...but if you go down this road dont throw the old one away  ;)

Been to a few of my local scrappies and they only have early M plate omega's which seem to be a different style sump.

The current sump has bolts facing downwards above the centre cross member I'm guessing I need to unbolt from the engine mounts and lift the engine for access has anyone done this type of job before.

Will I need an engine hoist for this job

Cheers for all the help given so far its much appreciated :y

Andy B wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 14:37:

Obviously I could be proved a liar but is there enough metal to helicoil? When my sump plug was ripped out of the lower sump pan, it had been threaded into an ally 'boss' which had been pressed into the steel pan. I would think that it's the ally 'boss' that is spinning in the steel pan rather than the plug spinning in the ally. The lower sump pan was about £35 (IIRC) and would be far easier to replace than trying to helicoil after you remove the sump plug. AIMHO. ;)  ;)

Where did you get your new sump pan from?

nixoro wrote on 29. Sep 2007 at 16:02:

Andy B wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 14:37: Obviously I could be proved a liar but is there enough metal to helicoil? When my sump plug was ripped out of the lower sump pan, it had been threaded into an ally 'boss' which had been pressed into the steel pan. I would think that it's the ally 'boss' that is spinning in the steel pan rather than the plug spinning in the ally. The lower sump pan was about £35 (IIRC) and would be far easier to replace than trying to helicoil after you remove the sump plug. AIMHO. ;)  ;) Where did you get your new sump pan from?

Vauxhall.

Andy B wrote on 29. Sep 2007 at 17:57:

nixoro wrote on 29. Sep 2007 at 16:02: Andy B wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 14:37: Obviously I could be proved a liar but is there enough metal to helicoil? When my sump plug was ripped out of the lower sump pan, it had been threaded into an ally 'boss' which had been pressed into the steel pan. I would think that it's the ally 'boss' that is spinning in the steel pan rather than the plug spinning in the ally. The lower sump pan was about £35 (IIRC) and would be far easier to replace than trying to helicoil after you remove the sump plug. AIMHO. ;)  ;) Where did you get your new sump pan from? Vauxhall.

:o vx have quoted £130 + Vat for one autovaux have come up with £50 + Vat so shall more than likely go with autovaux.

I had the same problem on my 2.5td elite i got a sump from a breakers but after it was washed & cleaned i found to have been damaged when they put the engine down they put it on the sump plug  :'( thus rendering it no bl--dy good to me  >:( so i ended up having the sump plug helicioled and now draw the oil out of the dipstick hole . It is very clean & effiecent way of chainging the oil  :y plus no more risk of stripping the sump  :y :y

craykent wrote on 29. Sep 2007 at 19:25:

I had the same problem on my 2.5td elite i got a sump from a breakers but after it was washed & cleaned i found to have been damaged when they put the engine down they put it on the sump plug  :'( thus rendering it no bl--dy good to me  >:( so i ended up having the sump plug helicioled and now draw the oil out of the dipstick hole . It is very clean & effiecent way of chainging the oil  :y plus no more risk of stripping the sump  :y :y

Never thought of that idea could be a temp idea if only to get the oil changed :y

Shall be contacting autovaux though this week missed them this morning

craykent wrote on 29. Sep 2007 at 19:25:

I had the same problem on my 2.5td elite i got a sump from a breakers but after it was washed & cleaned i found to have been damaged when they put the engine down they put it on the sump plug  :'( thus rendering it no bl--dy good to me  >:( so i ended up having the sump plug helicioled and now draw the oil out of the dipstick hole . It is very clean & effiecent way of chainging the oil  :y plus no more risk of stripping the sump  :y :y

The diesel has 2 different threads - the finer one, in true BMW style, always seems to strip.  Retapping and using larger bot is best solution imho

nixoro wrote on 29. Sep 2007 at 19:25:

Andy B wrote on 29. Sep 2007 at 17:57: nixoro wrote on 29. Sep 2007 at 16:02: Andy B wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 14:37: Obviously I could be proved a liar but is there enough metal to helicoil? When my sump plug was ripped out of the lower sump pan, it had been threaded into an ally 'boss' which had been pressed into the steel pan. I would think that it's the ally 'boss' that is spinning in the steel pan rather than the plug spinning in the ally. The lower sump pan was about £35 (IIRC) and would be far easier to replace than trying to helicoil after you remove the sump plug. AIMHO. ;)  ;) Where did you get your new sump pan from? Vauxhall. :o vx have quoted £130 + Vat for one autovaux have come up with £50 + Vat so shall more than likely go with autovaux.

We must be talking about different things. My sump is made up of 2 bits, a main ally lump attached to the block, with a smaller steel pan bolted to that. It was the smaller bit I replaced when it made contact with a manhole cover in the road ripping the plug out. Bolton Council 1 - 0 My Sump  :(  :(

Andy B wrote on 29. Sep 2007 at 19:44:

nixoro wrote on 29. Sep 2007 at 19:25: Andy B wrote on 29. Sep 2007 at 17:57: nixoro wrote on 29. Sep 2007 at 16:02: Andy B wrote on 23. Sep 2007 at 14:37: Obviously I could be proved a liar but is there enough metal to helicoil? When my sump plug was ripped out of the lower sump pan, it had been threaded into an ally 'boss' which had been pressed into the steel pan. I would think that it's the ally 'boss' that is spinning in the steel pan rather than the plug spinning in the ally. The lower sump pan was about £35 (IIRC) and would be far easier to replace than trying to helicoil after you remove the sump plug. AIMHO. ;)  ;) Where did you get your new sump pan from? Vauxhall. :o vx have quoted £130 + Vat for one autovaux have come up with £50 + Vat so shall more than likely go with autovaux. We must be talking about different things. My sump is made up of 2 bits, a main ally lump attached to the block, with a smaller steel pan bolted to that. It was the smaller bit I replaced when it made contact with a manhole cover in the road ripping the plug out. Bolton Council 1 - 0 My Sump  :(  :(

Earlier were 1 piece...

TheBoy wrote on 29. Sep 2007 at 19:48:

...... Earlier were 1 piece...

Hence the confusion  :-?  :-?

Don't know what the access is like on yours, but I helicoiled my diesel in-situ after stripping the sump plug thread (grease on the tap to catch any swarf).
With a helicoil in there the thread should now cope with almost any abuse (even changing oil every month....!).
I've never been keen on pumping oil out of sumps - it's at the bottom that any crap will be sitting & you'll never get it all out this way (even if the filter's supposed to catch it all, there often seems to be a little bit in there)