Can't get ATF plug loose, advice is appreciated.
 

Well, I am trying to do a drain and fill a few times, but the last guy to work on my car must of used he-man to tighten it because it will not come loose. I have sprayed silicon spray on it to try and loosen it up, I've about popped a blood vessel in my head pulling on my socket, and I even used a rubber mallet to try and tap the socket to break it loose with no luck. Yes it's the right size wrench and yes I am turning it the right way (I think, pulling the wrench hanging down towards the front of the car right?) but it will not budge.

Anyone have any advice?

Removing this plug can be a challenge. You aren't the first to run into this problem. Following are some suggestions:

1) If you have a 1/2"x18" breaker bar, this should provide enough additional leverage to break the bolt.

2) If you have a 1/2" ratchet and 1/2"x38" reducer, the longer 1/2" ratchet will increase your leverage.

3) If you don't have anything but a 3/8" ratchet, I would suggest getting something larger. You could hit the 3/8" ratchet w/ a hammer, but it may damage the ratchet.

good luck

hmm, there is this stuff called PB buster penetrating catalyst which i have found very handy in situations like this. Couldnt get brake rotors loose, brake caliper wouldnt come loose, and all the time at home depot tool rental where i work.

Thanks for the quick replies guys. I do not have a breaker bar of any sort, just a basic socket set. I will see if I can borrow a breaker bar from a friend, but then I assume I'll need to jack the car up for the right? I was just doing this on the ground which was plenty clearance for the ratchet, but anything longer would not work.

I'll keep plugging away at it.

Thanks.

I recently changed my 97 Accord AT fluid.

Jack up the PS of the car, under the car below the PS door you will see the steel support for this.

I used a 3/8 breaker bar, no socket the square head fits right in the plug hole.

Make sure you are prying counter clockwise. You could also take a ball peen hammer and tap directly on the plug head which might help jar it loose.

Good luck.

If you jack up that corner of the car, make sure you support it properly. You'll be real sorry if you pull the car down on top of you...

I like the ball-peen hammer. It's a sharper shock vs the mallet and that's what those bolts seem to need.

The breaker bar is the way to go. Hitting a ratchet w/ a mallet, or any other type of hammer, will probably just bust the teeth in the ratchet.

I just did mine 3 days ago. I picked up a 3/8" breaker (short handle, around 12") from Autozone for around $10.00. Then I picked up a 12" pipe from Home Depot for $5.

I rapped the plug w/a wrench a couple of times (because I don't have a ball-peen hammer).

I had the pipe hanging off almost all the way off the breaker bar handle. It was still a chore, but after about a minute of pressure it snapped loose.

If I were using a ratchet I'm pretty sure it would have failed.

PS - make sure the head of the wrench is firmly seated in the drain plug. I didn't have it seated correctly first and the wrench went flying the first time I applied pressure. I was afraid I damaged the plug, but it was fine.