Vivek's Vert.

[durtyE30]

vivek I've been driving E30's for 4 years now, since I got my first at 16 with my own money as well.

Started in a brillantrot 318iS Slicktop 5spd (M42 POWA)

Was a heap, so I got a schwarz 318iC Vert, it was slower but it was a fun cruiser and did decently in autocross. S50B30US swapped it, murdered that motor due to a series of unfortunate events, then M20B25'd it.

Now I'm rockin an 86 Delphin 325E Coupe....slowest of them all, but going to be the fastest too ;D

I can appreciate what you're doing here.

[slammin.e28]

Vivek!

I didn't read this thread, but I like dat e30.

I have no further input to this thread.

[Vivek]

I haven't been this frustrated in a loooong time. This is fucking insane. I cannot possibly fathom why a fucking drain plug would have to be this fucking tight.
I started like this:

Then jacked the car up more to get the silver wrench to the end of the black wrench. Still couldn't do it.
Then this:

That's a fucking jack. It's used to fucking lift cars up. Holy fuck. How can a fucking bolt be this tight?
All that I've successfully done in hours of this? Fucked up my back and this bolt.


End rant.

Any tips guys?

[jaywood]

Don't use that end of the wrench.

[Vivek]

I'm gonna try a 6 sided socket and the jack next once I'm a bit less pissed.

I can't take a deep breath without my back hurting from this....fuck this irony.

[Jparkr]

looks like someone put blue lock tight on it.

You are going to need to get a 6point 17mm socket, hammer/tap it on over the rounded edges you created with the open end wrench, then get a breaker bar and a dead blow hammer. Hit the breaker with the dead-blow until you break it free. Then you'll be good to go.

Don't use anything besides a 6point 17mm socket at this point or you'll end up having to use big vise-grips

[Jparkr]

Thinking about it more, even with blue lock tight, you should be able to break it free by hand. That is certainly less risky then the dead-blow which is more last resort because it could kink and round it even more.
In the pictures it looks like you are try to shove it upwards to break it free. Try re-positioning the socket and breaker bar and using all 90lbs of your body weight to pull it down. You'll save some/knuckles and fingers in the future that way as well.

[Vivek]

So i tried that, but the O2 sensor stops me from moving the ratchet to horizontal and pulling it down. I tried my best and pushed/pulled on it with all I had and it didn't budge.



Also, I tried it with a floor jack and a ratchet with a 6point socket instead of the open wrench...and I shit you not it moved the entire car. That part of the car came down quite a few mm's when I lowered the jack. Other than a lift and a GIANT breaker bar/pipe, I have no clue what to do.

[jaywood]

LOL at the 90lbs ^^^^



Looks like you need more leverage. You can always take out the sensor if it is in the way.

Also, put a pipe on the end of the wrench and use that as a breaker bar if you have nothing better.

[Jparkr]

Can you get the wrench on to the other side of the O2 and face the rear of the car? then you can get the jack handle onto the end of your racket and use it for leverage pulling down. Even if it moves and little and stops at the O2 sensor you'll be in the clear.

[Vivek]

I'll do this in like an hour. I may just remove the O2 sensor, buy a big pipe, and use that. I don't want it to suddenly break free and rip off my O2 sensor.

[Jparkr]

In principle that would be the safe thing to do, but that won't happen. its a tapered bolt, they dont just suddenly free up. You'll get it to move a little bit, then it will move a little but more. Then eventually completely free up.

It'll make more sense when you get it out.

[ADlBOO]

My tranny bolts were just as seized, took a couple hours of swearing and struggling, pb blaster and a dead blow hammer. It eventually surrendered.

[Vivek]

I'm gonna buy a pipe after dinner. Hopefully I can get my fluid changed tonight.

[Vivek]

Whooo finally. I managed to get the top one off with a ratchet and a hammer. I was sooo done with that bolt after spending so long on it. I got the bottom off pretty easily like this:

Drain plug magnet:

All clean:

Pump it in...


All I need now is two more quarts of ATF that I thought I had and this supposedly trivial job is finally done.