rounded the oil drain plug

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Bike Muff

New member
Found a good replacement drain plug locally at AutoZone:

"Premium" brand #652156 and it takes a 16mm socket instead of 10mm - so it shouldn't strip... Cost $5!

At that price, just grab one when you get your next filter and ditch the OEM plug before there's a problem..

Hope that helps someone :)
 
B

Bike Muff

New member
Yes -"Premium" is the brand name apparently, and the number on the package is 652156.

It was hanging up by the filters with a bunch of other drain plugs. I had the guy double check that it was the correct part for my car [1.4 ]

Looks slightly different in that it doesn't use a rubber O ring, but it came with a thin plasticy / resin washer....I'm sure it will work perfect. If not I'll chime in...
 
Papasonic

Papasonic

Active member
Sounds like a good solution to the drain plug head stripping problem; just be careful not to strip out the threads in the oil pan. This would be a much worse problem. The sacrificial 10mm head on the OEM plug assures the threads in the pan cannot be damaged by over tightening. That is one of the reasons for the smaller headed OEM plug. The other is cost.
 
J

jgray1978

New member
I installed one of those plugs with the plastic washer and it has been leaking oil. Not a lot but enough to see oil down wind of the plug underneath. It's oil change time again and I'm going to get an OEM one to replace it with.
 
mja

mja

Site Supporter
This happened to me twice, once when I got a free oil change at the dealer. Next time I did the oil myself and rounded the plug. Went to dealer and had them replace the plug.

2nd time this happened I went to a local lube shop cuz I was in a hurry. Next oil change myself, it was torqued on too tight and didn't want to round it again. Took it to the lube shop and had them get it off. They put it on so tight it had to be cut off. They replaced with the same size thread and a larger hex.

I've been doing the oil changes/maintenance on the car myself since then. But larger hex plugs are out there, ask a big lube shop for one.
 
P

Ponchoguy

New member
Oil Drain Plug

Yea, I wiped mine out one time too. As luck would have it, my cousin just happened to stop by to see what I was up to. Score---LOL, drive me to the parts store. I put a Dorman one in, no problems. I did change it back to the OEM plug (and I keep two spares now) at the next oil change.

Locking pliers takes of a rounded one in a jiffy. There's plenty of room to work to get it free. Yes, a good quality 6 point socket helps.

I do my own oil changes as many here do, always have. Only time the oil was changed by someone else was after the head gasket and head were done at the dealer. They forgot to reset the oil life monitor, so I did it myself again shortly thereafter.

As an aside, my '79 and '80 Trans Am, as well as my '84 Delta 88 and my 2009 G6 all have the original drain plugs. LOL.
 
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Ponchoguy

New member
Bike Muff said:
Yes -"Premium" is the brand name apparently, and the number on the package is 652156.

It was hanging up by the filters with a bunch of other drain plugs. I had the guy double check that it was the correct part for my car [1.4 ]

Looks slightly different in that it doesn't use a rubber O ring, but it came with a thin plasticy / resin washer....I'm sure it will work perfect. If not I'll chime in...
Click to expand...

This sounds like R&B/Dorman's part numbering system to me.....they are the folks that do the red "Help" packages you see at auto parts stores (window cranks, door handles, window switches, etc).
 
G

gnonne

Member
Plug/Socket

Sometimes I put my plug on somewhat tight, but I always use a six-point heated treated impact socket (NOT with an impact wrench) and a 1/2 drive ratchet to take it off - never any problems with stripping the small 10mm head.

I used the parts store plug once and it leaked - you need to the O-ring type.

RockAuto sells packs of 3 or 4 O-rings. Next time you order filters, order some O-rings and get a good socket. You should never need to replace the bolt itself.
 
I

Italianjoe1

Member
Problem at most oil change places, dealers included, is techs think tighter is better, as in less chance of it leaking or coming off. The reality is, it's an o-ring seal, it works perfectly at just over hand tight, anything else is unnecessary. So many bad 'mechanics' out there that have no understanding of what they are doing, even with something simple like an oil change.
 
JesusTheAgnostic

JesusTheAgnostic

New member
I remember when I rounded mine, I had to call my dad to go to AutoZone. I haven't had any problems since. I just let the car run for a while before I lower it so I can see if there's any oil leaking.
 
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Ponchoguy

New member
JesusTheAgnostic said:
I remember when I rounded mine, I had to call my dad to go to AutoZone. I haven't had any problems since. I just let the car run for a while before I lower it so I can see if there's any oil leaking.
Click to expand...

I do the same thing. I let it run while I'm cleaning up and regrouping the tools and give it a good lookie-see to make sure nothing's amiss. I also as previously mentioned keep extra GM drain bolts and an oil filter cap on hand (also GM) along with extra oil should things go bad.

My car has the lower splash shield installed, when I do an oil change, I take that off so nothing will drip and make a mess. I'll run it with out the shield and then when things are good, put the shield back on.
 
JesusTheAgnostic

JesusTheAgnostic

New member
You should just get the nice 16mm steel one that auto zone carries. Trust me, no worrying about rounding that one.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk
 
P

Ponchoguy

New member
JesusTheAgnostic said:
You should just get the nice 16mm steel one that auto zone carries. Trust me, no worrying about rounding that one.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I had to install that one when I rounded the OEM one and didn't have an OEM spare (now I do). It was fine. I kept it on-hand. Dorman/R&B made it. I had a friend that used to work for them (we both worked in the automotive parts aftermarket for manufacturers).
 
ScarabEpic22

ScarabEpic22

Member
Metalnerd and SnailWerks racing sell a nice one that is also magnetic. Threw it on my car 2 weeks ago when I changed my oil.
 
S

sdgdf

Member
How do you get it off after its rounded?

I was just doing an oil change on my sonic today and it rounded. Tried vice-grips and it won't budge. Should I try it with the engine hot?
 
Last edited:
JTee2017

JTee2017

Well-known member
Yes . . engine hot. . that's probably why it rounded, or else whoever changed it before tightened it too much.
 
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