[acsmith1972]

I tried with penetrating oil, I tried with a hammer to loosen it, it wouldn't budge. This really pissed me off since I took the time to put the front two sides on jack stands. Granted, I don't have a torque wrench, but I never needed one in the past to get that bolt out on any other car, think Valvoline over-torqued it? I checked a few websites that said torque wrench optional. I don't know if the Rav4's a special case and you can't get around that or not. I don't have the money to buy an impact wrench for the next few weeks but I plan on it. I'm just curious why it's so tight. I got the plug off really easy when I did the transmission fluid. Is the transfer case and differential as hard to turn as the oil drain plug?

 

[Dr. Dyno]

You mean the drain plug for the engine oil? Don't see why you'd need a torque/impact wrench. A breaker bar with a pipe extension can generate all the force you'd ever need. The main caution is not to round it off with a 12-point socket. Use a 6-point one only.
And if you happen by Exit 92 of I-95 I'll demonstrate.

 

[vanib]

Dr Dyno, would you recommend taking a torch or soldering flame to it?

 

[Dr. Dyno]

BRILLIANT!

Dr Dyno, would you recommend taking a torch or soldering flame to it?

:egad:Sure that way we could boil the oil in the pan and make smoke come out the filler cap. :lol:
And both the plug and oil would be nice and hot :doh: when we finally used the breaker bar with the 6-point socket.

 

[DL175]

This is a 14 mm bolt so I am assuming a SAE equivalent tool is not being used.

 

[vanib]

I once had a shop change the oil and they overtightened the bolt. I used the same wrench .... but pushed with my leg!

 

[acsmith1972]

You mean the drain plug for the engine oil? Don't see why you'd need a torque/impact wrench. A breaker bar with a pipe extension can generate all the force you'd ever need. The main caution is not to round it off with a 12-point socket. Use a 6-point one only.
And if you happen by Exit 92 of I-95 I'll demonstrate.

I gotta be honest: I have no idea what a breaker bar or pipe extension is. As for 6 point vs 12 point I'll check later but was pretty sure it was 6. I didn't have enough room to round it off. It wouldn't budge, although now I see how using the hammer could've been a bad idea. I had hoped penetrating oil would do something, but I guess not. So now it looks like I have to go to Valvoline later. It's been 8,000 miles since my last change and I drive for a living. Delivery. I'll order a better socket set and do it after that, I guess. I live by exit 24. 92 is kinda far. I was up that way two weeks ago, though. Drove up to Providence and Newport.

 

[vetterin]

Did you try removing it when the engine was cold? If you try loosening the bolt right after a trip in the vehicle the hot oil could somewhat expand the hole enough that the bolt might break loose.

 

[acsmith1972]

Nope. I did it after it sat in the garage all night. I read hot oil hurts...

 

[vetterin]

Well don't remove the plug and try catching the oil in your hand! Just try getting the plug loose, then let it sit and remove after it cools down.

 

[rav4system]

A breaker bar is used to get more torque on a nut or bolt...a pipe extension is a piece of pipe that fits over a ratchet handle to give you more torque...do not ever use an impact gun on an oil pan drain bolt...that is just asking for trouble...make sure you have the ratchet set to loosen and not tighten...you would not be the first or last to mess that one up...

 

[Dr. Dyno]

Just try getting the plug loose, then let it sit and remove after it cools down.

That's a big no-no in my book. I NEVER leave a drain plug loose. Too easy to forget and have it fall out on the road. They are either tight or out, nothing in between.

Here's a breaker (for breaking bolts loose) bar: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breaker_bar
It's a common tool in every mechanic's tool box. Allows more applied force than a ratchet or end wrench. Altho not officially sanctioned a piece of pipe is often used to extend such a bar.

And yes vanib, pushing with a leg & foot is often employed.

And as rav4system says, when applying extra force make absolutely sure you are loosing not tightening the plug!

 

[Blogson]

If the plug was tightened by an oil change shop they over tightened it. One user reported seeing a quick change shop use an impact wrench to do so! Perhaps take the RAV back to that shop and have them undo the plug, and hopefully they won't have damaged the plug or oil pan threads.

 

[MrPulldown]

Breaker bar is just a big wrench the accepts sockets and does not ratchet. Get a 1/2" drive bar and a 6 point socket on it. I have this one for very stubborn bolts

1/2 in. Drive 25 in. Breaker Bar

An 18" one is more reasonable for more applications. The HF one is only $10.
1/2 in. Drive 18 in. Breaker Bar

A torque wrench is used to tighten a bolt/nut to a precise torque spec. It should not be used to remove a stubborn bolt/nut.

 

[pico]

[...] And yes vanib, pushing with a leg & foot is often employed.

And as rav4system says, when applying extra force make absolutely sure you are loosing not tightening the plug!

Yep! As a kid I tried loosening the left rear axle nut of a VW Bug and literally knocked it off the jack stands. (I was not always a feeble old man.) Turns out, it's a left-hand thread!

The Torque-Miester was unknown to me, or maybe hadn't been invented yet. (Google it.) http://www.rav4world.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/

 

[RTexasF]

Pardon me but are you ABSOLUTELY SURE you are turning in the correct direction?
Lefty loosey, righty tighty.

 

[acsmith1972]

That's a big no-no in my book. I NEVER leave a drain plug loose. Too easy to forget and have it fall out on the road. They are either tight or out, nothing in between.

Here's a breaker (for breaking bolts loose) bar: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breaker_bar
It's a common tool in every mechanic's tool box. Allows more applied force than a ratchet or end wrench. Altho not officially sanctioned a piece of pipe is often used to extend such a bar.

And yes vanib, pushing with a leg & foot is often employed.

And as rav4system says, when applying extra force make absolutely sure you are loosing not tightening the plug!

Thanks for the pic of that, I'll get one from Amazon. As far as loosening/tightening I'm assuming it's counterclockwise to loosen.

 

[acsmith1972]

Breaker bar is just a big wrench the accepts sockets and does not ratchet. Get a 1/2" drive bar and a 6 point socket on it. I have this one for very stubborn bolts

1/2 in. Drive 25 in. Breaker Bar

An 18" one is more reasonable for more applications. The HF one is only $10.
1/2 in. Drive 18 in. Breaker Bar

A torque wrench is used to tighten a bolt/nut to a precise torque spec. It should not be used to remove a stubborn bolt/nut.

Thanks. I'm still not sure exactly how one knows what measurement a torque wrench would be, like when it says 30 pounds or something like that. I don't see any gauges on the torque wrenches I've seen.
http://www.rav4world.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/

 

[acsmith1972]

Pardon me but are you ABSOLUTELY SURE you are turning in the correct direction?
Lefty loosey, righty tighty.

Yes, counterclockwise to get it off. This would probably be a lot easier if I could just turn the Rav upside down....

 

[acsmith1972]

So I wound up going to Valvoline today. I work 12 hours a day, 6 days a week and I have to drive half an hour to and from work. I didn't relish the idea of doing this after or before work. Anyway, while I was there they happened to tell me that the transfer case fluid's supposed to be changed every 6,000 miles. That really doesn't sound right to me. Is that right? I didn't do it. I only did the oil. I have the transfer case fluid at home, the filler tool, coolant, synthetic for my next oil change, etc. All I need is power steering fluid to do that change, too, and spark plugs, but transfer case and differential aren't like 100,000 mile?