Stripped drain plug

mdm9 · 04-04-2017, 09:14 AM

So I accidentally stripped the hex head of the the drain plug on my M3. Really trying not to take it to the dealer for a $300 oil change. Has anyone else done this by accident? How would you go about extracting the stripped drain plug?

Thanks in advance!

doogee · 04-04-2017, 10:04 AM

Just out of curiosity, how are people doing this? Trying to jam a torx socket in there or something? I don't understand how these can be stripped.

You're going to need some sort of extraction bit.

mdm9 · 04-04-2017, 10:07 AM

No it was very easy to strip for me actually. I tried to drain it while still warm, put the 6mm hex in there and it seemed super soft and would just spin without turning the plug itself.

Helmsman · 04-04-2017, 12:40 PM

Mdm, the same hapoend to piles of folks on the board. Give it a search and you'll find suggested solutions for sure. Good luck!

mdm9 · 04-04-2017, 04:30 PM

I did a search and most of the results were related to the threads in the oil pan being stripped and people most often use a time sert to repair it.

In my particular situation, the hex head of the drain plug is what is stripped.

I was hoping someone on here might have a method of extracting the plug without having to drill it out. My ideas were using a screw/bolt extractor bit on it, or tapping a slightly larger torx bit into it with a screwdriver.

TWiTCHY · 04-04-2017, 04:45 PM

Just buy a screw extractor kit. Worked well for me when I stripped a rotor retaining screw.

JH M3 · 04-04-2017, 10:24 PM

A torx socket did it for me. I don't remember the exact size I used but play around with it.

roastbeef · 04-04-2017, 11:36 PM

i had a problem with the drain plug shrinking to the allen head when it cooled down and i had a hell of a a time getting it off.

M3MPH1S · 04-05-2017, 11:09 AM

The best solution I found was to use a small $5 chisel and hammer a little "slot" at an angle. Try to make your angle such that when you're hammering it is in the direction of unscrewing. I also tried screw extractors such as "speed out" but they didn't work for me.

dpilat8588 · 04-05-2017, 11:28 AM

how about an easy out?

https://www.lowes.com/pd/SpeedOut-4-...r-Set/50217437

mdm9 · 04-10-2017, 05:04 PM

Thanks for the help and input guys.

Ended up taking it to the dealer and having them do it (out of fear that I would mess it up more and the plug would have to be drilled out).

If anyone has this problem in the future, the tech said he lightly tapped in a torx bit to extract it, just like someone else had suggested.

04-04-2017, 09:14 AM	#1
mdm9 Private First Class 34 Rep 119 Posts Drives: 2009 Interlagos Blue E90 M3 Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Detroit iTrader: (1) Garage List 2009 M3 [0.00]	Stripped drain plug So I accidentally stripped the hex head of the the drain plug on my M3. Really trying not to take it to the dealer for a $300 oil change. Has anyone else done this by accident? How would you go about extracting the stripped drain plug? Thanks in advance!
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04-04-2017, 10:04 AM	#2
doogee Major 749 Rep 1,256 Posts Drives: '08 M3, '09 328xi Sport Wagon Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Ancaster, ON, Canada iTrader: (0)	Just out of curiosity, how are people doing this? Trying to jam a torx socket in there or something? I don't understand how these can be stripped. You're going to need some sort of extraction bit. __________________
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04-04-2017, 10:07 AM	#3
mdm9 Private First Class 34 Rep 119 Posts Drives: 2009 Interlagos Blue E90 M3 Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Detroit iTrader: (1) Garage List 2009 M3 [0.00]	No it was very easy to strip for me actually. I tried to drain it while still warm, put the 6mm hex in there and it seemed super soft and would just spin without turning the plug itself.
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04-04-2017, 12:40 PM	#4
Helmsman Major General 4491 Rep 7,141 Posts Drives: 2011 AW E90 M3 ZCP Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Stockholm, Sweden iTrader: (0)	Mdm, the same hapoend to piles of folks on the board. Give it a search and you'll find suggested solutions for sure. Good luck!
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04-04-2017, 04:30 PM	#5
mdm9 Private First Class 34 Rep 119 Posts Drives: 2009 Interlagos Blue E90 M3 Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Detroit iTrader: (1) Garage List 2009 M3 [0.00]	I did a search and most of the results were related to the threads in the oil pan being stripped and people most often use a time sert to repair it. In my particular situation, the hex head of the drain plug is what is stripped. I was hoping someone on here might have a method of extracting the plug without having to drill it out. My ideas were using a screw/bolt extractor bit on it, or tapping a slightly larger torx bit into it with a screwdriver.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

04-04-2017, 04:45 PM	#6
TWiTCHY Colonel 379 Rep 2,526 Posts Drives: '13 AW E92 M3 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: WA iTrader: (6)	Just buy a screw extractor kit. Worked well for me when I stripped a rotor retaining screw.
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04-04-2017, 10:24 PM	#7
JH M3 Second Lieutenant 117 Rep 275 Posts Drives: 2017 F80 M3 ZCP Azurite Black Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Rhode Island iTrader: (0)	A torx socket did it for me. I don't remember the exact size I used but play around with it.
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04-04-2017, 11:36 PM	#8
roastbeef Lieutenant General 11594 Rep 12,739 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Orange County, CA iTrader: (4)	i had a problem with the drain plug shrinking to the allen head when it cooled down and i had a hell of a a time getting it off. __________________ Instagram; @roastbeefmike
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04-05-2017, 11:09 AM	#9
M3MPH1S Captain 592 Rep 769 Posts Drives: 2010 E92 M3 Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Atlanta iTrader: (8)	The best solution I found was to use a small $5 chisel and hammer a little "slot" at an angle. Try to make your angle such that when you're hammering it is in the direction of unscrewing. I also tried screw extractors such as "speed out" but they didn't work for me.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

04-05-2017, 11:28 AM	#10
dpilat8588 Captain 68 Rep 614 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: CLE iTrader: (1) Garage List 2010 BMW M3 [0.00]	how about an easy out? https://www.lowes.com/pd/SpeedOut-4-...r-Set/50217437
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04-10-2017, 05:04 PM	#11
mdm9 Private First Class 34 Rep 119 Posts Drives: 2009 Interlagos Blue E90 M3 Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Detroit iTrader: (1) Garage List 2009 M3 [0.00]	Thanks for the help and input guys. Ended up taking it to the dealer and having them do it (out of fear that I would mess it up more and the plug would have to be drilled out). If anyone has this problem in the future, the tech said he lightly tapped in a torx bit to extract it, just like someone else had suggested.
	Appreciate 0 Quote