klc317 Posted January 1, 2010 Report Share Posted January 1, 2010 (edited) Decided today was a good day to do the first home oil change in the MKX and switch it over to full synthetic. The last oil change was performed by the dealer when we bought the vehicle in September. Crawled underneath and the oil drain plug was slightly rounded off but I can usually still get them loose. Wrong....somebody had torqued the plug on so tight I could kill somebody! It was rounded off to the point I couldn't get a grip on it with a socket or box end wrench anymore before I even got started. Took myself, monumental feats of strength while laying on my back, lots of cussing, a completely rounded off head, and finally a long pipe wrench to finally break it loose. I'm no weakling by any means but it took just about all I had to fight that bolt. Why in the world they would torque that drain plug on so tight that it rounded the head off is beyond me. I'm lucky I finally got it loose on that last try because the head of the drain plug was becoming so mangled I was running out of ideas of how to get a grip on it. I guess I'm lucky the threads are still intact on the oil pan after that. Needless to say that is the last time I will ever let that dealer do any maintainence on any of my vehicles. Now I'm off to battle the oil filter, then off to the parts store for a new drain plug...wish me luck! Had to stop and have an early afternoon beer after that mess! Edited January 1, 2010 by klc317 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klc317 Posted January 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2010 (edited) The oil filter was a bit of a battle also. Took the strap wrench and some serious whacks with a rubber mallet to get that started loose. It was on so tight that the seal from the filter was still stuck on the engine/oil filter base. I'm positive they didn't properly lubricate the seal like you are supposed to when you put a new filter on. Unacceptable. ANYWAY: Everything is now properly installed with a new drain plug, properly "hand" tightened, a fresh Motorcraft oil filter, also properly tightened (a tad more than hand tight) and fresh Mobil 1 5w-20 synthetic. What a battle!! At least I would have to deal with that anymore. Edited January 1, 2010 by klc317 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted January 1, 2010 Report Share Posted January 1, 2010 That sucks, but I wanted to point out that you are talking about impact wrenches (air powered), not torque wrenches. A torque wrench would limit the torque and prevent overtightening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klc317 Posted January 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 Probably but either one applies way too much torque/twist for an oil pan drain plug and neither should be used. All it takes is a good snugging with a ratchet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted January 2, 2010 Report Share Posted January 2, 2010 i've almost alway's changed my own oil. sometimes i'll get a coupon in the mail (years ago) and take it somewhere. once i took my new truck in to the dealer for a oil change ($10 bucks for the first year) and after an hour or 2 left with new filter and new oil. couple day's later i check the level and the level is WELL above the fill mark, and was DARK as could be. much darker than the 3000 mile oil they removed. i changed it myself a few day's later just to feel good, and never took it to them again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwtc Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 wow, that sucks, what dealer did you use? U dont have to give there name, just Initials if you want. I have been through a few dealers in town with bad luck. Just want to know if it is one on my list of not to use lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOFSTEEL Posted January 3, 2010 Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 Probably but either one applies way too much torque/twist for an oil pan drain plug and neither should be used. All it takes is a good snugging with a ratchet. As already stated the torque wrench is adjustable to ft/lbs torque and would be used to properly install an oil pan plug to spec. Using an impact gun to install an oil pan plug is pretty asinine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klc317 Posted January 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 (edited) As already stated the torque wrench is adjustable to ft/lbs torque and would be used to properly install an oil pan plug to spec. Using an impact gun to install an oil pan plug is pretty asinine. Correct. I am perfectly capable of understanding what a torque wrench does as I was a machinist for 12 years and own lots of high end metal working, mechanic, and measuring tools including several expensive torque wrenches if that matters in this particular situation. But, my point was that whoever put the drain plug on at the dealer service department installed the bolt/drain plug way too tight and either ignored the rounded off condition of the bolt head or contributed to its degraded condition. A good snug with a regular old everyday ratchet on the drain plug is plenty to install it. In this case a socket was not even able to be placed over the drain plug head as it was so rounded/worn and at that point should have been replaced anyway. Edited January 3, 2010 by klc317 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klc317 Posted January 3, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2010 DWTC I sent you a PM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strokersix Posted January 20, 2010 Report Share Posted January 20, 2010 As already stated the torque wrench is adjustable to ft/lbs torque and would be used to properly install an oil pan plug to spec. Using an impact gun to install an oil pan plug is pretty asinine. It doesn't matter if you use a torque wrench, impact gun or a 1/2" ratchet with a cheater bar..... it will only work as good as the operator that is using it...... sound like a real genius got ahold of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOFSTEEL Posted January 20, 2010 Report Share Posted January 20, 2010 It doesn't matter if you use a torque wrench, impact gun or a 1/2" ratchet with a cheater bar..... it will only work as good as the operator that is using it...... sound like a real genius got ahold of it. Thank you Captain Obvious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08LTDEDGE Posted February 25, 2010 Report Share Posted February 25, 2010 Why would you not bring this to the attention of the dealer? How are they supposed to correct the person who did this if they do not know about it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kempie Posted February 25, 2010 Report Share Posted February 25, 2010 Well at least it wasn't a totaly bad day. You got to get an early beer. Not all bad....... :yup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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