Alfa Pages

[joninaustralia]

Hi there,

Following on from the other thread about getting the female sump plug out of a 1991 16v 33, I have just picked up the car from the local mechanic who says the plug will need to be chiseled out as it is completely stuck! And they won't do it without having a new sump plug. Where can you get the sump plug, will anybody send me one if I pay you double the cost plus postage from anywhere internationally or in Oz? I can pay Paypal so you can get the money before you send it! The Engine flush solvent I have put in must be ruining the seals as for the first time ever there is bubbles in the coolent expansion tank water, and it the water looks murky. I have got to get the crappy oil out quick as I need to drive it daily as well! One idea was getting the oil out from the oil filter hole, but I guess I would need to keep screwing it back in, start the engine to let the thing fill up, unscrew it and repeat, damaging the engine from oil starvation in the process. Any help, advice or shoulders to cry on appreciated!

[Guest]

How about sucking it out with a siphon process?? Is there any way that this can be done without harming oneself?

[Marcin]

Hi,

I once had the oil changed (it was the first oil change after I got my car). The guy told me, that the plug is stuck in place and they cannot unscrew it. He used a suction device instead, which he inserted through the dipstick hole.

Since then I change the oil myself. I use a long lever on my hexagonal wrench to get enough tourqe on the plug. It works fine!

Cheers,

Marcin

[munro]

Your auto parts tool store should be able to supply you with a suction gun for pumping oil or coolant or ATF etc. out of the sump.

A messy alternative is to remove the sump/sump cover and let it all hang out...if you are desperate you could do it that way.

Another possible way is to remove the oil pressure sending unit, fit a small piping T-piece fabricated from hydraulic fittings. Connect the oil pressure sending unit to the branch of the T and a quarter turn valve to one end of the T - the other end screwed into the engine where the oil sender came out...if short of space this can be made up with flexibles.

With an assistant, run the engine, note the oil pressure, then crack open the quarter turn valve to let oil out into a container, watching the pressure gage at the same time. Do not let the pressure gage drop below say 10-15 psi for an engine at say 1500 rpm. Provided the gage is closer to the engine than the valve, then you can be confident that the engine will maintain same pressure as the gage.

Continuously pour oil into the oil filler hole at the same time - aim is to top up at approx same rate as bleeding off. I guess you would need to have about 10 liters of oil to fully displace the flushing oil, and I'd expect it will take a couple hours to do.

Another messy alternative - drill a small (6 mm) hole in the sump and let the oil out. Tap the hole and put a suitable set screw or bolt in the new hole. If using parallel threads then you must use a good suitable sealant; if you use a taper thread, then PTFE tape will do. If stuck in the desert then a self-tapper would get you home.

Good luck whatever you do.

Munro.

[Eddie W]

Most Auto accessory shops seem to have those electric suction pumps for the dipstick hole.
Alternatives are dropping the sump as Munro suggested and this would be fairly easy with some care or turning the motor over with the plugs out and catching the oil at the filter housing area.
Most difficulties with the sump plug arise from idiots trying to undo it with an 11mm allen key instead of a 12mm with consequent damage to the female hex. The 12mm being a somewhat rare beast as you've discovered.
If the female hex isn't damaged too much then extra leverage with a piece of tube and a sharp rap with a hammer as the pressure is applied can work wonders. Hit the allen key as though driving it into the plug.
Regards Eddie
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A LITTLE FURTHER A LITTLE FASTER

[BILL]

You can drill two holes in the plug insert two metall nails and with a pair of pliers unscrew it .Or you can weld a piece of the allen key in the plug and then with a pincers unscrew it.
Just a thought.

[spooty22]

Repco sell sump plugs.

Otherwise try a wrecker, or an Alfa dealer, they shouldn't be too hard to obtain.
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1980 Sud ti

[GaryUK]

Hammer an oversized torx socket bit into the hole and undo with an extension bar on the ratchet.

or


Weld a suitable bar to the plug.

Either way stick a ring of weld round the plug as this will break the seal and it will release much easier.

[Guest]

im sure turin imports www.turinimports.com.au or the spare place www.thespareplace.com.au - both in adelaide would have the sump plugs avail