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Tricks to removing stuck oil drain tube cap?

1866 Views 33 Replies 24 Participants Last post by  Auger1, 
rwh963
Tried back and forth, held with vice channel locks and used impact drill. No good, tube spinning. Cleaned exposed threads, applied liquid wrench, letting soak. Anything else??

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rwh963 said:
Tried back and forth, held with vice channel locks and used impact drill. No good, tube spinning. Cleaned exposed threads, applied liquid wrench, letting soak. Anything else??
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I had a similar issue with my machine (it's a real shame that the oil drain tubes don't all have flats to put a wrench on). I used vise grips, but tried to grab some of the exposed threads and kept adjusting the vise grips until I could just get them closed onto the oil drain pipe. This spring I'm converting the oil fill tube to a flexible hose that Briggs & Stratton sells (p/n 1723165SM).
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Big Ed
Try a little heat?
Take the whole tube off and put in a vise?
If you get it off clean the threads and use a little Teflon tape when you put it back on.
Don't over tighten.
In guess you didn't put the cap on? The prior owner did? And over tightened it?
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C
Big Ed said:
In guess you didn't put the cap on? The prior owner did? And over tightened it?
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or the machine could have never been serviced at all. i have always found them very tight on any machine that has never had an oil change.

i would say just clamp on the pipe harder and use a socket on a ratchet. never use an impact drill on something like this.
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rwh963 said:
Tried back and forth, held with vice channel locks and used impact drill. No good, tube spinning. Cleaned exposed threads, applied liquid wrench, letting soak. Anything else??
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My 2015 Ariens Platinum had a similar set-up and the vice grips needed a high pressure to prevent it turning. Ariens fixed that on my 2022 28 Pro Rapidtrak by having flats for a 12 mm wrench on the pipe and a depression in the flywheel cover for clearance on the 12 mm wrench. Here is a pic:
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This change may apply to other Ariens models too.
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ST1100A
I hold the tube with a Vice-Grips while turning the cap.
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D
Another alternative perhaps might be to install a petcock for future hassle- free oil changes?
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tabora
d3500ram said:
Another alternative perhaps might be to install a petcock for future hassle- free oil changes?
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But make sure to use one with a detent in the closed position so that it can't accidentally open and drain out your oil unexpectedly.
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db130
do you have a pipe wrench?

www.snowblowerforum.com

Tips how to open oil drain plug

Hi. I have an Ariens Snowblower and I would like to change the oil. I am keeping to this howto: Snowblower Maintenance - Change Engine Oil, Clean The Spark Plug - Craftsman 9HP The problem is: I cannot get the oil drain plug open. It is not rusty, but won't budge. I tried two wrenches, no...
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1132le
vise grips on pipe box end on cap will come right off
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G
Just unscrew the whole works so you can put it in a vice and work on it. After getting it apart install a 90 and a short nipple and reinstall the cap. See my pic. I didnt want a valve because I was scared of the weight hanging on the nipple. With this it’s super easy to remove the cap and direct the oil into a Soda bottle to dispose of it.

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rwh963
Good ideas, thx
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KJSeller
It's a pain in the neck. Ariens cheaped out with a pipe 1-2 inches too short.

I used my oil extractor to change the oil this time.
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Ballroomblitz
As most have stated no magic formula here.

I've always had success with vice grips on the tube while i used channel lock pliers on the cap end. If seriously in trouble then remove tube and go to the bench vice. Lastly apply some heat if clamping in the vice and utilizing channel locks doesn't do the job. You likely inherited this one however note to self, never tighten that drain cap too much as it can be a PITA to separate at times.
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M
pipe wrench on the .... pipe... socket on the.... cap.. righty tighty lefty loosy.. you can even wedge a pipe on the handle of the pipe wrench to get it wedged on the ground.. if that bugger doesnt come off, apply heat.. if it still doesnt...i dont know what to tell you
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rwh963
ended up just removing the pipe to drain the oil. re-installed as is. didn't want to spend the time to mess with it further. since oil only gets changed once per year, may just live with it. good to know some of the recommended solutions though.
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O
Liquid Wrench needs a few days or even weeks to get inside the threads and really work - may need to keep applying a tiny amount every few days. Someone above also mentioned pipe wrench - these things are brutal on anything including automotive work - a less known secret. May just remove the tube the next time and let the tip soak in liquid wrench a few weeks
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A
I've used a cutoff wheel to make a cut parallel to the cap to kind of break the threads loose. Just like cutting a nut loose the same way and taking the tension off the threads.
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E
Put the cap in a vise, and use a pipe wrench ($7 at the hardware store) to turn the pipe. It will come loose. If you don't have a vise, grab the cap using vise grips or a wrench. If you need to replace or add fittings, look for NPT (National Pipe Thread).
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D
In the Husqvarna LCT, the threads on that tube are straight rather than tapered pipe threads. The tightening is the friction at the end of the tube where it lands on the inside flat face of the end of the cap. It's compounded by friction on the threads especially when it's overtightened.

What to do:

-- You can safely remove the tube from the engine without risk. Be prepared for the oil falling out, maybe by tilting the machine a bit and adding a sheet of plastic something to direct the oil to your catch container.

-- Then the tube goes into a vise, where you can get a grip along the length rather than trying with just the small area where your vise-grip pliers are clamped. Use a socket on the cap, as that distributes the force more evenly around the cap. For sure using and open-end wrench is the least-best option.

-- You can tip the tube end-up and add some of your favorite penetrating oil inside. A 50/50 blend of ATF and acetone is a perfect option for this. Let it sit for a day before you get after the nut too hard.

-- You can add heat to the cap itself with a propane torch, while trying to keep the tube cool. Heat the cap fast if you can, so the temp differential expands the cap off the tube. Maybe a wet rag around the tube to keep it cooler. If you filled it with the ATF and acetone, get all that out before you grab the torch.

When you reinstall, there's a case for adding a bit of loctite to the thread going back in the engine, to help a little with sealing and have less risk of the tube coming out next time you change. Clean the threads in the block and on the tube first. The loctite wants a day to set up undisturbed if you can. On the cap end, add a smudge of teflon thread sealing paste on the end and the threads of the tube. I use the same stuff you might use for a tapered pipe connection. Tighten that cap "just enough" rather than "that's not going ANYWHERE!" tight. The paste in the end joint and the threads will make things a lot nicer the next times. No leaks, no sweat.

HTH!
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