Honda Car Forum

Doing my 30K service at 210K miles when I get to changing the
transmission fluid I can't get the drain plug out. I don't have a 3/8
breaker bar which I'm planning on getting btw but I did try putting a
pipe on the end of a ratchet. Nothing! It didn't even budge. Any
suggestions.

Also, when I went to change the plugs I found oil around 3 of them. I
soaked it up before changing them. Heading to the dealer to get gaskets
tomorrow. I'm surprised it didn't create any major issues. Most have
been because there wasn't any oil inside the plug wires.

Face wrote:
> Doing my 30K service at 210K miles when I get to changing the
> transmission fluid I can't get the drain plug out. I don't have a 3/8
> breaker bar which I'm planning on getting btw but I did try putting a
> pipe on the end of a ratchet. Nothing! It didn't even budge. Any
> suggestions.

Try it with the engine and transmission at operating temperature, if you
didn't. Usually, I have found things come apart more easily when hot,
and in this case the Honda service manual actually says to take these
plugs out with everything warmed up. Don't forget new gaskets for the
drain and fill plugs.

<snip>

--
JRE

In article <hn425b$1o3$1@news.eternal-september.org>,
JRE <nothing@nowhere.invalid> wrote:

> Face wrote:
> > Doing my 30K service at 210K miles when I get to changing the
> > transmission fluid I can't get the drain plug out. I don't have a 3/8
> > breaker bar which I'm planning on getting btw but I did try putting a
> > pipe on the end of a ratchet. Nothing! It didn't even budge. Any
> > suggestions.
>
> Try it with the engine and transmission at operating temperature, if you
> didn't. Usually, I have found things come apart more easily when hot,
> and in this case the Honda service manual actually says to take these
> plugs out with everything warmed up. Don't forget new gaskets for the
> drain and fill plugs.
>
> <snip>

I did warm up the engine but I didn't drive it a lot. Around the block,
maybe a mile. So I'll try getting it good and hot. I'll pick up a new
washer for the drain plug but don't think I need one to fill it. You
refill it via the dip stick. Sorry, I forgot to mention that it's an
automatic.

On 3/8/10 4:53 PM, in article
face-86AB4B.17532408032010@useast.newsdemon.com, "Face" <face@yahoo.com>
wrote:

> Doing my 30K service at 210K miles when I get to changing the
> transmission fluid I can't get the drain plug out. I don't have a 3/8
> breaker bar which I'm planning on getting btw but I did try putting a
> pipe on the end of a ratchet. Nothing! It didn't even budge. Any
> suggestions.
>

1. Get a longer pipe. I've found a four foot piece of gas pipe works pretty
well.
2. Use a breaker bar, not a ratchet. A ratchet will break with the amount of
force its going to take.

> Also, when I went to change the plugs I found oil around 3 of them. I
> soaked it up before changing them. Heading to the dealer to get gaskets
> tomorrow. I'm surprised it didn't create any major issues. Most have
> been because there wasn't any oil inside the plug wires.

Face <face@yahoo.com> wrote in news:face-86AB4B.17532408032010
@useast.newsdemon.com:

> Doing my 30K service at 210K miles when I get to changing the
> transmission fluid I can't get the drain plug out. I don't have a 3/8
> breaker bar which I'm planning on getting btw but I did try putting a
> pipe on the end of a ratchet. Nothing! It didn't even budge. Any
> suggestions.



Get a dealer to do this particular fluid change. That way they use their
air tools to buzz the bolt loose. After that it should be easy to remove it
yourself during future changes, which will hopefully be done more often
than once a lifetime.


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

In article <Xns9D36485E5EE44tegger@208.90.168.18>,
Tegger <invalid@invalid.inv> wrote:

> Face <face@yahoo.com> wrote in news:face-86AB4B.17532408032010
> @useast.newsdemon.com:
>
> > Doing my 30K service at 210K miles when I get to changing the
> > transmission fluid I can't get the drain plug out. I don't have a 3/8
> > breaker bar which I'm planning on getting btw but I did try putting a
> > pipe on the end of a ratchet. Nothing! It didn't even budge. Any
> > suggestions.
>
>
>
> Get a dealer to do this particular fluid change. That way they use their
> air tools to buzz the bolt loose. After that it should be easy to remove it
> yourself during future changes, which will hopefully be done more often
> than once a lifetime.

Tegger, it's been done every 30k for as long as I've owned the car.
It's been 30k since the last one. Dealers done all of the service until
this one. So it's been out before.

Face <face@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:face-D2B082.21391109032010@useast.newsdemon.com:

> In article <Xns9D36485E5EE44tegger@208.90.168.18>,
> Tegger <invalid@invalid.inv> wrote:
>
>> Face <face@yahoo.com> wrote in news:face-86AB4B.17532408032010
>> @useast.newsdemon.com:
>>
>> > Doing my 30K service at 210K miles when I get to changing the
>> > transmission fluid I can't get the drain plug out. I don't have a
>> > 3/8 breaker bar which I'm planning on getting btw but I did try
>> > putting a pipe on the end of a ratchet. Nothing! It didn't even
>> > budge. Any suggestions.
>>
>>
>>
>> Get a dealer to do this particular fluid change. That way they use
>> their air tools to buzz the bolt loose. After that it should be easy
>> to remove it yourself during future changes, which will hopefully be
>> done more often than once a lifetime.
>
> Tegger, it's been done every 30k for as long as I've owned the car.
> It's been 30k since the last one. Dealers done all of the service
> until this one. So it's been out before.
>


Hm. I mistakenly got a different impression from your original post.

Well, the dealer-buzz idea will still work.


--
Tegger

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

In article <Xns9D36E3A62B560tegger@208.90.168.18>,
Tegger <invalid@invalid.inv> wrote:

> Face <face@yahoo.com> wrote in
> news:face-D2B082.21391109032010@useast.newsdemon.com:
>
> > In article <Xns9D36485E5EE44tegger@208.90.168.18>,
> > Tegger <invalid@invalid.inv> wrote:
> >
> >> Face <face@yahoo.com> wrote in news:face-86AB4B.17532408032010
> >> @useast.newsdemon.com:
> >>
> >> > Doing my 30K service at 210K miles when I get to changing the
> >> > transmission fluid I can't get the drain plug out. I don't have a
> >> > 3/8 breaker bar which I'm planning on getting btw but I did try
> >> > putting a pipe on the end of a ratchet. Nothing! It didn't even
> >> > budge. Any suggestions.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Get a dealer to do this particular fluid change. That way they use
> >> their air tools to buzz the bolt loose. After that it should be easy
> >> to remove it yourself during future changes, which will hopefully be
> >> done more often than once a lifetime.
> >
> > Tegger, it's been done every 30k for as long as I've owned the car.
> > It's been 30k since the last one. Dealers done all of the service
> > until this one. So it's been out before.
> >
>
>
> Hm. I mistakenly got a different impression from your original post.
>
> Well, the dealer-buzz idea will still work.

I'm considering doing it. I already have the fluid so the cost would be
$30. I can't drive in like I can for an oil change which doesn't really
make any sense. I may call again to see if I get a different answer. I
still may try one more time when it's good and hot.

In article <face-0CA6B8.18023410032010@useast.newsdemon.com>,
Face <face@yahoo.com> wrote:

> In article <Xns9D36E3A62B560tegger@208.90.168.18>,
> Tegger <invalid@invalid.inv> wrote:
>
> > Face <face@yahoo.com> wrote in
> > news:face-D2B082.21391109032010@useast.newsdemon.com:
> >
> > > In article <Xns9D36485E5EE44tegger@208.90.168.18>,
> > > Tegger <invalid@invalid.inv> wrote:
> > >
> > >> Face <face@yahoo.com> wrote in news:face-86AB4B.17532408032010
> > >> @useast.newsdemon.com:
> > >>
> > >> > Doing my 30K service at 210K miles when I get to changing the
> > >> > transmission fluid I can't get the drain plug out. I don't have a
> > >> > 3/8 breaker bar which I'm planning on getting btw but I did try
> > >> > putting a pipe on the end of a ratchet. Nothing! It didn't even
> > >> > budge. Any suggestions.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Get a dealer to do this particular fluid change. That way they use
> > >> their air tools to buzz the bolt loose. After that it should be easy
> > >> to remove it yourself during future changes, which will hopefully be
> > >> done more often than once a lifetime.
> > >
> > > Tegger, it's been done every 30k for as long as I've owned the car.
> > > It's been 30k since the last one. Dealers done all of the service
> > > until this one. So it's been out before.
> > >
> >
> >
> > Hm. I mistakenly got a different impression from your original post.
> >
> > Well, the dealer-buzz idea will still work.
>
> I'm considering doing it. I already have the fluid so the cost would be
> $30. I can't drive in like I can for an oil change which doesn't really
> make any sense. I may call again to see if I get a different answer. I
> still may try one more time when it's good and hot.

Just buy a bigger tool and do it yourself. The last "professional" bozo
who changed the fluid probably over-tightened the drain plug which is
why you are having trouble removing it now.

Carter Zogby wrote:

> Just buy a bigger tool and do it yourself. The last "professional" bozo
> who changed the fluid probably over-tightened the drain plug which is
> why you are having trouble removing it now.

A well built air wrench and small compressor/tank is a sound investment
if you plan to do regular maintenance on the car. There are several
commonly replaced components, including drive axles and timing belts,
that require busting loose a Godzilla sized nut or bolt. People will
try to sell you a huge air tank, but IMO, you don't need one. All you
need is a few seconds of air. If one blast doesn't do the trick,
waiting a few minute for the system to recharge is not a big deal.

A few years back I was faced with loosening the axle nuts on my newly
purchased 92 Accord. After shearing off two breaker bars, I finally
broke down and bought an IR gun/ratchet kit for a little over a hundred
bucks. (The cheapo compressor was another 70 or so.) In 2 seconds, the
mid-range 321g gun did more than 2 hours of my swearing and jumping up
and down. Over the years, I've slowly warmed to the air ratchet. For
certain jobs, the time saved more than makes up for the hassle of
dragging round the hose, etc.