What am I doing wrong? (Oil change)

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When i did my first change I had to use a breaker bar the plug was so tight, i'd have had no chance with a ratchet. Chances are if this is overtightened, so may be a fair few other bolts so it'l come in handy for other jobs too.

Ive got a 200tdi and im pretty sure my plug requires a 32mm socket although i dont know if thats the same for a v8, so its probably better you measure it yourself so you know exactly what to get. When youve drained the oil make sure you torque up right - save you getting the breaker out again ;)

Ollie
 
When i did my first change I had to use a breaker bar the plug was so tight, i'd have had no chance with a ratchet. Chances are if this is overtightened, so may be a fair few other bolts so it'l come in handy for other jobs too.

Ive got a 200tdi and im pretty sure my plug requires a 32mm socket although i dont know if thats the same for a v8, so its probably better you measure it yourself so you know exactly what to get. When youve drained the oil make sure you torque up right - save you getting the breaker out again ;)

Ollie
when i did my first service the day i bought my defender it had done about 15000-20000 miles since its last change, anyways, go for a drive to make the engine hot then straight after rolling into your driveway, get the plug out because the plug should come out because of the thermal expansion thing

DONT EVER USE AN ADJUSTABLE BECAUSE I FIND THE RIGHT TOOLS DO THE JOB BETTER
 
when i did my first service the day i bought my defender it had done about 15000-20000 miles since its last change, anyways, go for a drive to make the engine hot then straight after rolling into your driveway, get the plug out because the plug should come out because of the thermal expansion thing

DONT EVER USE AN ADJUSTABLE BECAUSE I FIND THE RIGHT TOOLS DO THE JOB BETTER

you cant really say ever as an adjustable spanner will always get you out of **** there an ace tool :D agreed not for engine maintence siezed bolts but a landy tool kit should all contain one
 
Thanks, I think there's a shop down in Gloucester that's got the suggested tools, which I plan to get tomorrow. I do own a proper socket set (actually two), but they don't include a socket big enough to fit or a wrench long enough for sufficient leverage. I think the breaker bar attached to the right socket will go a long way toward getting the bolt un-stuck.

Incidentally, does anyone know what size socket I'll need? It's V8, which I believe is different from other models. I looked up the part number in the catalog (#603659), but it doesn't have the size. Nor did any of the retailers I know of (namely lrdirect.com). Plan A is to "measure" with the adjustable spanner, take the spanner down to the shop, and eye-ball it to find something similar in their stock. However, I think that's a recipe for getting a socket that's *almost* what I need. Plan B is to take a ruler to the bolt and measure it that way. Now that I write it down, B sounds better. :doh:

The 3.9 crankcase sump plug requires a ring spanner of 1 1/8 AF, as the header pipes run very close to it and you can't get a socket in there, you may find the 3.5 if different I'm not sure, but as they are very much the same engine it would be unlikely.

If you are going to get a breaker bar and socket that size, it would be sensible to go for 3/4" drive, that way you can get the right size lug nut socket and the 3/4" bar will withstand the punishment of slipping a steel tube onto it for getting ya wheels off after some cowboy has over tightended them at the tyre shop.
 
Jee - what monkeys have you lot been letting put your sump plugs on? Breaker bars? Scaff?

I get my 19mm ring spanner (ALWAYS A RING SPANNER NEVER USE AN OPEN ENDER IF YOU CAN AVOID IT) and undo it, the sump plug doesn't need to be that tight. Re-anneal the copper washer or replace it before refitting.

I would be careful about clouting things with hammers, the sump plug will just rip out of the sump leaving you with a sump to repair or replace.

Depending on what way the plug sits on the V8 get in under it with a breaker bar or even a long ratchet at the 3/4 o'clock position and put a jack under the handle, slowly jack it up, this will start to apply a LOT of torque to the plug without violence which is more likely to tear a plug from a sump - don't go overboard with this method either, if the whole vehicle starts to move up then stop.

10 or solight taps from a 4oz hammer will help to break up any rust or muck that is holding the plug in, some idiot might have used loctite 273 or something on it.
 
you're not even supposed to torque up the sump plug very tight at all! My 1989 90 uses a 17 or 19mm spanner, and the torque spec is so low that I just do it up _quite_ tight rather than using the wrench :)
 
Forgot to mention using wd40 or something like to loosen it off. I've lost count of the number of times I've been swearing at bolts, just to put some wd40 on and come back 5 minutes later to find it about a million times easier!

You want to try the nylock nuts on lt230 output flanges.. now they're tough, and I've got the bruise on my forehead to prove it ;)
 
Forgot to mention using wd40 or something like to loosen it off. I've lost count of the number of times I've been swearing at bolts, just to put some wd40 on and come back 5 minutes later to find it about a million times easier!

You want to try the nylock nuts on lt230 output flanges.. now they're tough, and I've got the bruise on my forehead to prove it ;)

Swearing at them wont work as you need to put a spanner/socket on the bolt - thats where your going wrong Tom ......... I thought it was from the realisation of that where you got the bruise from :doh::doh::doh: .



LOL :D
 
that's absolutely a last resort! I've always found head butting nuts and bolts to be quite sufficient, hence the bruises :frusty:
 
Aye, another thing you can do which I always finds helps is to let the socket slip off the bolt and then smash yer knuckle into the nearest sharp edge (don't worry, there's always a sharp edge nearby), then you can get really angry and it gives you super strength for a short time. :D
 
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