CaliConquestAlex Posted November 14, 2013 Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 (edited) Here's a little venting... I purchased a 2006 Dodge Magnum last year and I'm just now getting around to doing an oil change on it. I drive the car up on ramps and take the underbody panel off to reveal this rounded off mess of a drain plug that was also leaking a bit: http://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s415/apordes/382D4EBC-8431-4014-AE74-42C56C3ECB05-7837-0000026EA60A88B7_zpsabd81fff.jpg Queue the repeated expletives. Of course I tried to take a stab at it with a socket, wrench, vice grip, and a pipe wrench. All of these tools couldn't grab onto it well enough to put force on it to loosen it. I did some reading and found this set of bolt extractors: http://www.amazon.co...p/dp/B0000CCXVZ They were in stock at my local autozone so I picked a set up. After a couple tries I managed to get the drain plug off. THANK GOODNESS! I did the oil change and replaced the drain plug with a new one from autozone. http://i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s415/apordes/31B8431F-2700-4656-BC3F-E253FF99DC99-7837-0000026EB968378F_zps7db668d9.jpg Moral of the story, next time you buy a used car check these types of things out for extraordinary wear to perhaps get the seller to repair the damage or knock the price down. Edited November 14, 2013 by CaliConquestAlex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starion86ESI Posted November 14, 2013 Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 So your advice is: next time you buy a used car check every bolt in the car just in case they are stripped? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliConquestAlex Posted November 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 So your advice is: next time you buy a used car check every bolt in the car just in case they are stripped? LOL, not every bolt, but I'll be sure to check the fill and drain plugs for the engine, tranny, and diff(s) next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted November 14, 2013 Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 you bought the vehicle last yr , this is the 11th month of this year , sort of over due for that oil change don't you think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr-starion Posted November 14, 2013 Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 you bought the vehicle last yr , this is the 11th month of this year , sort of over due for that oil change don't you think Lolll! I have problems with buying cars used aswell, there will always be a part where i say,WHAT? WHY?!??? WHO DOES THAT!? Those bolt extractors are the best! Here in montreal with the snow and salt, cars tend to rust up very bad and so do the brake lines, its the only tool that will remove a rusted brake line fitting out of a piston or caliper. I have a snap-on set that remove lug nuts, they work really well to remove the security nuts that you lost the tool for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 14, 2013 Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 Have you read up a bit on them Dodge engines? What kind of miles are on that thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasQuest Posted November 14, 2013 Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 Sadly a common problem on a lot of cars. Yours is an extreme example. That is what happens when you let careless goober-lubers change oil at these hurry up oil change places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliConquestAlex Posted November 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 (edited) It's the 5.7 Hemi engine. Yes it definitely was overdue for the oil change at about 8k miles since purchase. It's got 95k on it. I'm going to change the tranny fluid and filter next. The car overall is in good shape and runs very well. I plan to keep it for awhile and do some upgrades like suspension and wheels eventually. Edited November 14, 2013 by CaliConquestAlex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techboy Posted November 14, 2013 Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 Consider the alternative ... buy a new car ... drive it off the lot, have it significantly depreciate on your drive home and they pay ridiculously on it for the next 5 years. Or worse, pay a more financially manageable amount for 3 years, be limited on how many miles you can put on and own nothing in the end. Used cars aren't so bad, just shop wisely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 14, 2013 Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 Consider the alternative ... buy a new car ... drive it off the lot, have it significantly depreciate on your drive home and they pay ridiculously on it for the next 5 years. Or worse, pay a more financially manageable amount for 3 years, be limited on how many miles you can put on and own nothing in the end. Used cars aren't so bad, just shop wisely. This is very true. I know car collectors who will it buy a new car even if they can get it cash up front. They prefer low mileage lease trade ins as they have depreciated enough but yet are still almost like new. I also know people who like being in perpetual debt with lease vehicles. They drive them til lease is up and go back to the dealer to get into debt for another. I've noticed they ate people who don't like to service or maintain cars. That's why they prefer leases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
importwarrior Posted November 14, 2013 Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 a guy i know leases cars and only tops off the oil for the lease term.i dont think he ever changed the oil on any of his leased cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoostedBimmer Posted November 14, 2013 Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 a guy i know leases cars and only tops off the oil for the lease term.i dont think he ever changed the oil on any of his leased cars. Thats exactly why I would never ever buy a leased car.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jszucs Posted November 14, 2013 Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 (edited) a guy i know leases cars and only tops off the oil for the lease term.i dont think he ever changed the oil on any of his leased cars. Buy something newer (2005+ typically) and invest in a good scan tool. Can scan everthing about newer cars, ever service interval has to be reset ect. Just did that with my current buy, and at 18K and every dealer record for the car I coudn't find a single issue. Edited November 14, 2013 by jszucs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natallica Posted November 14, 2013 Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 On a positive note, at least you know someone has ACTUALLY changed the oil Yikes! -N8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted November 14, 2013 Report Share Posted November 14, 2013 another piece of advice hide that 12 point socket set ,, never use it unless the nut require a 12 point socket,, only use 6 point sockets,, I haven't used a 12 point socket in 12 years , but I do have 4 diff set of them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cloud81918 Posted November 15, 2013 Report Share Posted November 15, 2013 Crazy small headed oil plug. Perfer larger ones, certainly less likely to strip. Most likely some dork figured and adjustable wrench would do just fine and boogered it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpstarion88 Posted November 15, 2013 Report Share Posted November 15, 2013 Alot of those mopars use that small 13mm head drain plug and are always beat up. Looks like someone used visegrips on it, seen it plenty of times working in a shop that does lofs. -Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliConquestAlex Posted November 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2013 Alot of those mopars use that small 13mm head drain plug and are always beat up. Looks like someone used visegrips on it, seen it plenty of times working in a shop that does lofs. -Dave The replacement Dorman plug used a 5/8" head instead of the 13mm. Eventually I'll replace with a fumoto valve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpstarion88 Posted November 16, 2013 Report Share Posted November 16, 2013 The first time I saw one of those fomoto valves was when one of my newbie coworkers at the shop was all... "What the hell kinda drain plug is this??" So I went to look at what he was talkin about, and I never seen one before, looked at it for a sec and was like, "Whaaat! That's hella cool!" I then realized it was a mini ball valve, cracked it open and drained away. My coworker was like, "That is cool, why doesn't every car have these?!" Super cool! -Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FRO Posted November 16, 2013 Report Share Posted November 16, 2013 Had to google fumoto valve.that thing is cool http://www.qwikvalve.com/ good info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 17, 2013 Report Share Posted November 17, 2013 Yeah, gooled it as well. Looking into it for my commercial truck, 6 gallons of oil every oil change. Would sure make it easy for me to stop drain process after filling 5 gallon bucket and switcing to an empty one for the remaining oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natallica Posted November 17, 2013 Report Share Posted November 17, 2013 I have one of these on my 88:http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31wMa97NDIL._SL500_AA300_.jpgbut I like the idea of the brass ball valve better (but why is the outlet port so small, when the ID of the ball is about 1/2 full port valve) -N8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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