450C clutch drain plug problem

[DBCSteve]

Drained my transmission and left clutch today, but could not remove right clutch drain. Drain plugs require a 3/8 allen wrench, but the head was a bit smashed. I hammered the allen wrench into the plug but could only get it in half way. Predictably, trying to turn it stripped the top of the plug hole.

Any suggestions about removing the plug? Could try hammering the allen wrench in further, but it might make it worse. Not really enough sticking out to get a pipe wrench on the plug.

[Willyr]

Got a welder? Are you any good with that welder?

If your any good. Use an old wrench you dont mind losing. Attach your ground to the wrench in the plug ONLY! Attaching the ground elsewhere may fuse the plug to the hole (you dont want that). After welding, use a wrench on it and remove. Replace that plug with a new one.

If the old hole was damaged from prior use? I doubt it would be a good idea to leave the plug with the welded wrench in there.

[Frankdozer]

Jam the 3/4" end extension in as far much as you can. If needed, deepen it with a Dremel. Use a MIG welder with bottled gas for better control on high heat and make one pass only, burning it in really good and immediately turn it out. Don't use inner core mig wire. Avoid a stick welder also. Thanks, Frank

[Tigerhaze]

This is a good thread to read, as we discussed a similar topic previously.

http://www.jdcrawlers.com/messageboard/ ... light=plug

The key point is not to heat the plug so you don't bust a casting.

[DBCSteve]

Tried one more time with Allen wrench, cut the short end even shorter, gently but firmly tapped in with hammer, put on a short cheater and got 'er out! Cutting the wrench shorter reduced the lever action and allowed me to pull better. I put more time into tapping the wrench in as fsr as I could to avoid the earlier problem.

Clutch drained, will refill when I get a new plug. Thanks for all the great suggestions -- those would have been my next steps if this didn't work.