I have a EC 45 Volvo Mini Excavator with a Mitsubishi engine. It is due for first oil change since I bought it used. The engine oil drain plug does not want to come out. It has made me wonder if it could be left hand threads. I have a good friend who has tractor dealership and he says he has never heard of left had threads on an oil drain pan but a friend who does some work says he has. Any idea.
i don't know if it would be the same but our larger Volvo EC150 had a special tool to drain the oil...it was like a ball valve or something...i can't remember excatly what it was but you didn't need a wrench at all
This totally looks just like a plain ole drain plug. About 3/4 inch head size. Think it is either 17 or 19 MM but nearest english size is 3/4". Thanks dirtdigger.
Maybe try calling up a local volvo dealer or a regional/national office (e.g. Volvo headquarters in the UK would be who I would try if I didn't have a local dealer) That way you know what is required and you may get the correct tool for the job from volvo themselves.
don't put a standard onto a metric drain plug...sure they might seem close but that little bit of play can be the cause of some MAJOR headaches....as I know from experience
I wonder dirtdigger if this might be my problem. I know that is a metric engine but the 3/4" wrench fits the plug head more snug than does the metric wrench. That puzzled me when I found that. Now I wonder if the shop it was serviced in used a standard thread and not a metric thread drain plug. If so guess all I can do is get it out and use a repair kit on it.
that could be the problem...hopefully its not cross threaded because that could be a huge pain....i imagine it can't hold all that much oil...worst case is you buy an extractor that draws the oil out through the dip stick tube depending how much time/money you have to waste on an oil change right now
Don't be surprised if it is really an 18 mm. Somebody a few years back decided this was a good size to sell some tools. I have run into them on GM and Dodge products in the last 5 years. Do you have access to a vernier caliper or micrometer? I get the exact size and convert it before I tear up a bolt or nut. If you have to buy a wrench to fit get a 6 point so it has better contact.
Bill do have caliper and even know how to read it as it is a dial one. Right now will run it at least this Saturday and Monday before I jump onto this issue. I totally agree that a six point wrench is a better choice than the 12 I have been trying. The engine holds about 8 quarts.
It might just be tight, especially if this is the first time you have serviced it, I have had to use breaker bars sometimes to break them loose, and , if i am not mistaken I even used a 1/2 air gun one time, but I don't recommend that.
LoL...now "that" could make a messy story. I've had tight ones as well Red Bank. 1/2" drive long handle ratchet with a cheater pipe. Grab hold of tranny, frame, crossmember, whatever is handy, foot on cheater pipe, and giving it all I had until it popped loose! Hmmm, did some idiot "install the plug with a 1/2" air gun???".
So all seem to agree it is just a very tight plug. No one has mentioned every seeing a left hand thread..so I am going on it is right hand thread...just shall I say snug.
Well, there's always a chance of being wrong kthompson...but in all my years, I've seen some crazy things, but never seen a left hand oil pan drain plug.
I have never in my life found anyone from Knoxville that was wrong. LOL Maybe the wrong shade of orange but not other than that never. That is a nice area. Use to drive through there on way to visit family in Ohio once or twice a year. Knoxville was a planned gas stopped after coming out of the Smokies, normally at night. Oh, my tractor guy said same. I do thank each and every one. God Bless
LoL...you must be in Clemson Tiger country to have the "wrong shade of orange". Where 'bouts in Ohio is family? Next time ya roll through, holler at me, I'll direct you to Littons Market for a Big Ten Burger with fresh cut fries and homemade Red Velvet Cake. :drinkup
When you get the right size wrench have a helper hold the box end on the plug while you smack it with a fair sized hammer. I use a lead or brass head when possible but have been known to jump up to a 4 lb. short handle sledge when needed. Put upper and lower ball joints and u-joints in neighbors 4x4 dodge pickup. He was amazed at my hammer rack. Last time they were almost all hung up it held 27 and I know a few were still scattered around in shop and equipment.
You are 100% correct on Clemson. The saying here is "all dirt roads lead to Clemson". Had two sisters who did live in the Dayton Ohio area one for may years. She was fortunate enough to move there about a year before the Killer Tornados of I think 74 which was near where they lived and a winter where home heating oil was in very short supply. Bless her heart, she was missing the south! The last of my family in Ohio moved about 10 or 12 years ago. It really is a nice state. The homemade Red Velvet Cake may be worth the dirve. Not this year but we often make at least a weekend near you in Pigeon Forge area. Between the Comedy Barn and the cake it might be a must make trip.
Yes sir kthompson, Pigeon Forge not far from me at all. Just give me a shout if yuns head this way and I'll make sure Barry Litton has some Red Velvet cake all fixed up.
Thanks to each of your for your suggestions. I tried them all. Long breaker bar, hammering the plug. Hey tried them over and over. Was to the place using 12 point box end wrench and socket the shoulder were all rounded on the plug. Bought a short 1/2 drive 6 point impact socket and drove on with hammer, oh yeah really tight on that goofed up head. My 1/2" impact just sat there for about 5 minutes last evening with no movement. Will admit not the best impact wrench but normally handles most jobs. So went looking for adapter for my 3/4" impact for that socket which was driven on the plug and today with air compression at 100 lbs hit reverse and relief!!!! The best I can figure out there was suppose to be a gasket on the plug which there was none and it was tighten down to stop the leak but the thickness the washer would have taken up on the plug had no threads but a little shoulder. Think they had it screwed in just enough to really jam it. New plug, hand tighten with box end wrench, wiped dry and refilled and it looks good. Not sure I would have stuck with it without your guys advice. Might have loaded and hauled it to a shop which would have been costly. Again thank you.
glad you got it out and were smart to replace it when you did. I have done the drive the socket on the rounded head a few times myself. Got a brand new Kubota rtv and ended up using a chisel to turn the rear guard bolts loose to change oil filter. Dealer said they just bend them down out of the way! NOT! replaced the metric allen button heads with hex heads when I was done.
Let me paint the picture for you, I was working for a trucking company that had 1 guy that all he did was change oil and grease the trucks. I am pretty sure this guy was a lot afraid of the shower, since he usually didn't take one for several days at a time. Any how, he is servicing a early '90's FLD freightliner that had all the plastic around the front end. This truck had a B model Cat in it. He couldn't get the drain plug out with his ratchet, so he sticks his 1/2" gun on it. No he didn't put a extension on it,and went to work. Well when it came loose, it came out! So here is this VERY foul mouthed guy, trapped under this truck, that is dumping oil in his face, and hair! O it wasn't pretty. But boy did I laugh at him! he was beside himself, and yes I learned a few new phrases that day!! My first thought was go home and get cleaned up, no, he soaked up what he could with shop towels and went back to work. Well he went home for lunch, came back the same way!!!
Maybe he felt that this was better than Oil of Olay moisturising cream!!!!