Hi everyone,
I need some advice... If anyone can help.
My 998cc 77 model mini was sitting in a trucking yard for 8 years before I got it. The whole time it wasn't started or moved. Needless to say its taken 2 weeks to clean out all the dust, dirt, spiderwebs etc out of it. I even pulled a birds nest out of the engine bay! But after a quick clean up, some new fuel in the system, i turned the key and she fired up! Granted there was a heap of blue smoke that eventually stopped, but the miracle was that every single light and gadget on it worked! Even the brakes and tires were replaced just before it was parked 8 years ago coz they are all like brand new. My problem is, idiot me thought i'd change the oil and filters. It was only supposed to be a parts car, but was in too good nick to destroy. But the sump plug will not come off. I've used different sized sockets and spanners, i've tried soaking it in Wd40 to loosen it up, i've struck it with hammers to try to shock it a bit, but nothing! I was told to drill it out, and then use one of the extractor drill bit thingies, which i bought, but before I go to that extent, I thought i'd ask if anyone on here has had the same problem and if theres any old tricks that I havn't already been told as done above.
ANy advice would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks heaps guys
Have fun
J

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88 Rover 1.3i "Reggie"
99 Rover 1.3i “Grover”
12 Mini Cooper S "The shitter"
17 Mini Clubman JCW “Noddy”

Was the oil/engine hot when you tried?

When mine stuck I ended up welding on a half inch socket and then used an old long handled torque wrench to do the job - took about 10 secs after I got the socket on

engine was both hot and cold, i've tried that many times. First time it was warm.

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88 Rover 1.3i "Reggie"
99 Rover 1.3i “Grover”
12 Mini Cooper S "The shitter"
17 Mini Clubman JCW “Noddy”

Socket + looooooong Breaker bar.

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No more Minis!......For now.

im sorry to have to tell u this but ur sump plug may have siezed up inside after sitting there for 8 yrs, its gonna be a butchery time trying to get it off best advice i could give is get urself a decent pair of vice grips, grab it really tight and use a pipe to slowly undo it, u might need to get the car high up to do this but

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oil leak?..what oil leak..that puddle under the car is just sweat from all that horsepower

THanks heaps for your advice guys, question, do u know what size socket it should be? I've gathered that its supposed to be whatever is in between a 23mm and 24mm, just some guy told me to use the 23 coz it was tighter.

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88 Rover 1.3i "Reggie"
99 Rover 1.3i “Grover”
12 Mini Cooper S "The shitter"
17 Mini Clubman JCW “Noddy”

its 15/16

long breaker bar, or ring spanner and plenty of WD40 or similar.

If you have a heat gun, also try pouring a bit of it heat into the plug.

This normally makes the lubricant work more effectively.

Best of luck

Matt

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Being imperial it is 15/16" but that is 24mm (23.8mm). If the plug is still in good nick go to supercheap and get a 6 point impact socket instead of the usual 12 point. This will not chew the corners off the plug. Then jack it up (and stands) to get a bigger bar or pipe onto the socket. Try hitting the head of the bar while you have weight on the bar.

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Michael N

There's a good chance that the thread will tear out with the plug. Its steel threaded into alloy so you know which one is going to give first. You can get them drilled and tapped and get a larger plug if it does.

Tim

weld a 1/2" drive socket (any socket) onto the plug. the heat will free it for sure.
Use breaker bar then.
Done it many times.

It won't be seized, there's oil in them there threads.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

This advice is coming from a Mechanic....... Wow....

What ever happened to just using the correct sized socket and bar extension?

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http://www.youtube.com/user/Hanras

Joe
I have to agree with Brad on this - vice grips is not good advice

The best advice was the 15/16" hexapointed socket (six sided) as against the dodecal (12 sided) socket and a long bar with a bit of water pipe for extra leverage. Like the Doc said - there is oil in the threads - it will come.

Most of my minis come from paddocks where they have lay for twenty plus years, the sump plugs do come out.

ive had the same problem with trying to undo the nuts on my turbo since theres so much heat and expansion its pretty stuck

advice ive recieved is to
buy a single hex spanner set i think its called and like Clubbie74 and Mike_Byron said it grips the bolt more and doesnt chew the edge's since i was using a $10 set from supercheap it didnt do much with grip

with my problem i was told to get something like a jet lighter, or tiny blow torch and heat up only a quarter of the bolt till its red hot then quickly switch to spanner and give it a go but thinking back this would only work on removing a nut rather that a bolt cause it heats up and expands..... i guess you could try heating up the area around the bolt...?

cheers

Vice grips, shifting spanner and a flat bladed screw driver - that's all you need

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"In two years time your car will be like a lady's clothes, out of date, my car will still be in fashion when I am dead" - Sir Alec speaking to Pininfarina

Once the hex is rounded off, there's just no room for shifters/vicegrips.
Weld a socket on that sucker.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.