Hey everyone, hope you're all as glad to be back at work like I am this new year...haaaa.
Over the holiday break I decided to change the ATF and filter on my Expedition (used the walmart brand fluid). I went to remove the drain plug on the pan and after a few turns, the bolt kind of locked up and started spinning with what felt like the mounting nut/insert in the pan. So I had to drain it the old fashioned way...pulling the pan. Sure enough the insert/nut in the pan was spinning around and for the life of me, I couldn't grip the insert with vice grips hard enough to remove the drain bolt...
So I drilled out the bolt. These stupid drain bolts are fixed to a special metal washer surrounded by rubber. So I drilled that baby out from the drain bolt and tapped it to fit an an old power steering mounting bolt from one of my former mustang restorations. That way the factory ford steel/rubber washer would again be used for it's intended purpose.
She's all good now. I re-used my original pan gasket (has steel inserts where the bolts pass through) and changed the 2 quarts in my transfer case. No leaks...
Needless to say, I spent 4+ hours on something that should've taken 90 ninutes. I found the bolt on ebay, btw, for about $12. I could probably get it at the Ford dealer as well...but I needed the truck up and running that day and felt like improvising.
Just a word to the wise... be careful removing your ATF drain plug. Mine loosened for about 3 turns and then locked up in the insert and started spinning. I couldn't loosen or tighten her. No mans' land is no place to be!
Hope this helps.
Over the holiday break I decided to change the ATF and filter on my Expedition (used the walmart brand fluid). I went to remove the drain plug on the pan and after a few turns, the bolt kind of locked up and started spinning with what felt like the mounting nut/insert in the pan. So I had to drain it the old fashioned way...pulling the pan. Sure enough the insert/nut in the pan was spinning around and for the life of me, I couldn't grip the insert with vice grips hard enough to remove the drain bolt...
So I drilled out the bolt. These stupid drain bolts are fixed to a special metal washer surrounded by rubber. So I drilled that baby out from the drain bolt and tapped it to fit an an old power steering mounting bolt from one of my former mustang restorations. That way the factory ford steel/rubber washer would again be used for it's intended purpose.
She's all good now. I re-used my original pan gasket (has steel inserts where the bolts pass through) and changed the 2 quarts in my transfer case. No leaks...
Needless to say, I spent 4+ hours on something that should've taken 90 ninutes. I found the bolt on ebay, btw, for about $12. I could probably get it at the Ford dealer as well...but I needed the truck up and running that day and felt like improvising.
Just a word to the wise... be careful removing your ATF drain plug. Mine loosened for about 3 turns and then locked up in the insert and started spinning. I couldn't loosen or tighten her. No mans' land is no place to be!
Hope this helps.
