Leaving a Little Penetrating Oil in an Engine

[bornyesterday]

If you have a decent quality pair of vise grips/Mole grips you can compensate for the backlash in your set of Allen wrenches.

Straight jawed will lock best on a 5mm. wrench, just don't use snipe-nosed...

Adjust the vise grips so that you have to squeeze the handles really hard to get them to lock on the key about 1/2" from its end. Make sure that when it's locked everything is square and that it's as firm as it can possibly be.

Now you have a long, strong handle and a very short key.

One quick jolt and it's done.

[GregSteimel]

Why do people keep slaggin on my wrench? It's a great tool.

But your point about a short key makes sense. The real problem is the very restricted swing radius, but I'll give the vice grip idea a whirl tomorrow when I'm back at the boat yard.


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[pbiJim]

Originally Posted by GregSteimel

Why do people keep slaggin on my wrench? It's a great tool.

It's a great tool for certain applications. It is probably not the best choice in this situation.

Boaters often choose stretchy nylon line for their anchor, in hopes of not pulling the deck hardware loose when the rode gets yanked on. That long arm tool that you have is like a torsion spring, that absorbs rotational jolts the same way that a nylon rode absorbs jolts on the deck hardware. In this case, we want to break the fastener loose, so we want the impacts of the jolts to reach the fastener unattenuated. In this case, we don't want the torsion spring effect. We want a stiff, rigid tool arm. That is why people have suggested shorter & more rigid tools.

[Bestathook]

Two ideas to try.

If you get a ratcheting box wrench the right size, you can put it on the allen wrench almost flush with the plug surface, shortening the allen shaft and giving good leverage.

I didn't find your photo. If there is room, chuck a small engine valve in a hammer drill, and hammer on the end of a section of allen wrench held in a needle nose, or better yet a needle nosed vise grip. That will vibrate the plug without distorting the hole.The hammer drill will hammer, and the valve face will slip on the end of the allen piece while olightly pounding the plug.

I would try the soaking first, and the cool/heat cycles next, if possible. But several minutes of light vibration does wonders with rust, and unlike an impact hammer, you can vibrate for a long time without torquing on the plug. THEN try twisting the plug. Good luck.

[bornyesterday]

The plug only needs to turn a few degrees to release. If you don't have the swing you need at the first try - rotating the grips-to-wrench by 30 degrees or so ought to do it.
Once it's free your 'great tool' comes into its own.

Surely everyone's smacked the end of a spanner with the heel of their hand to break a bolt free when a steady pull wouldn't do it?

Poor man's impact wrench.

[pbiJim]

Originally Posted by Bestathook

If you get a ratcheting box wrench the right size, you can put it on the allen wrench almost flush with the plug surface, shortening the allen shaft and giving good leverage.

A regular box wrench works here too.