Seized and rounded out transfer case plug

[Lucasurasrex]

As many others before me have done, I rounded out one of the drain/fill plugs on the transfer case. I am very hesitant to apply any heat to parts especially aluminum so I skipped torching the case. In the past I have had horrible luck with bolt extractors as they usually snap in half. This is why I avoided them as an immediate solution. After trying to chisel the drain plug loose to no avail I went to multiple local automotive shops asking if they could weld a bolt to the seized plug. Only one of the many shops would accept the task but the catch would be a $100 charge for the labor. This lead me to my last ditch effort to get the plug out myself. I went to harbor freight and picked up a "pipe nipple extractor set" for a hair under $10 including tax. I bored out the rounded plug to allow the 3/8 extractor to just start to bite. Then the breaker bar, brute force, and excessive amounts of PB did the rest. As to avoid this problem in the future I replaced both plugs with "Dorman M22-1.50 oil drain plug". The plugs come with a 19mm head which is much more resistant to rounding than the recessed hex that's factory. Below are some pictures of the parts and supplies used. Hopefully this can help some.

 

[CharlesHS]

As many others before me have done, I rounded out one of the drain/fill plugs on the transfer case. I am very hesitant to apply any heat to parts especially aluminum so I skipped torching the case. In the past I have had horrible luck with bolt extractors as they usually snap in half. This is why I avoided them as an immediate solution. After trying to chisel the drain plug loose to no avail I went to multiple local automotive shops asking if they could weld a bolt to the seized plug. Only one of the many shops would accept the task but the catch would be a $100 charge for the labor. This lead me to my last ditch effort to get the plug out myself. I went to harbor freight and picked up a "pipe nipple extractor set" for a hair under $10 including tax. I bored out the rounded plug to allow the 3/8 extractor to just start to bite. Then the breaker bar, brute force, and excessive amounts of PB did the rest. As to avoid this problem in the future I replaced both plugs with "Dorman M22-1.50 oil drain plug". The plugs come with a 19mm head which is much more resistant to rounding than the recessed hex that's factory. Below are some pictures of the parts and supplies used. Hopefully this can help some.

The first time I changed the transfercase fluid in my '01 I purchased a 10mm allen socket and shocked the plug by lightly hitting the socket with a ball pean hammer prior to spinning CCW.
Next time you need a penetrant to loosen a frozen or rusted bolt/nut; try using Kroil or Mouse Milk instead of PB Blaster.
You could also mix you own penetrant combining equal parts of Acetone and ATF.

 

[Noslo65]

X2 on the Kroil and start soaking the parts that you want to loosen a week before. I’ve never had any luck with PB Blaster

 

[RobertJ]

I've used this stuff with great results for that same plug.

CRC Freeze-Off Super Penetrant

 

[Jerry Bransford]

X3 to the recommendations for Kroil, together with Liquid Wrench as my go-to. Break-Free is good too. I'd not use PB-Blaster which a Home Depot store brand. It consistently ranks at the bottom of penetrants and just barely ahead of WD-40 which is not a penetrant.

 

[OldBarn]

I prefer Liquid Wrench for soaking and loosening stuck stuff. I also keep PB-Blaster on hand for conditioning hardware that's a bit corroded, before reassembling things.

I had to fight the overtightened rounded out plug on my T-case. I think it was probably hammered in by a ham-fisted mechanic with an impact wrench. I fitted a cut-off piece of a cheapo allen wrench into a 1/2" drive socket on a big breaker bar, and put a torch with a rosebud tip to it. It slid right out.

 

[hosejockey61]

Any reason to NOT put a torch to it? That works the best IMHO. Not heating it to the point it would melt, just break the connection.