# Oil drain plug won’t loosen **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** venza, toyota\ **Created:** [October 25, 2021, 5:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217 "2021-10-25T17:41:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gdan29](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4bbf92/32.png) [@gdan29](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gdan29)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 5:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/1 "2021-10-25T17:41:39Z")
I acquired this vehicle which is very clean and was well maintained. The previous owner alway took it to a shop for maintenance and repairs. It’s is due for an oil change. I tried to change the oil but could not loosen the drain plug. I used a half inch drive ratchet with a 14MM socket and put a lot of pressure on it. And it didn’t move. Before I use a breaker bar or impact wrench I though I would ask how other people here have dealt with this issue. ---
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 6:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/2 "2021-10-25T18:32:06Z")
I would ask the PO if they have any idea why this is happening. ---
**Author:** ![Scrapyard-John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@Scrapyard-John](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Scrapyard-John)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 6:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/3 "2021-10-25T18:37:55Z")
Breaker bar and hope for the best. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 6:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/4 "2021-10-25T18:46:19Z")
My 1/2" ratchet has an 18" handle, no problem loosening drain plugs. They should never be that tight but some people don’t know any better. The correct torque for this engine oil drain plug is 30 ft-lb. ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 7:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/5 "2021-10-25T19:26:18Z")
Sorry but I have to ask. Are you turning it counter clockwise. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 7:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/6 "2021-10-25T19:32:18Z")
I’d get a 6 point socket to reduce the chance of rounding off the plug when you apply max force. ---
**Author:** ![Renegade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Renegade](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Renegade)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 7:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/7 "2021-10-25T19:46:44Z")
I was wondering that also I haven’t seen a lot of oil drain plugs but can not ever remember seeing one with left hand threads. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 8:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/8 "2021-10-25T20:00:04Z")
The previous owner likely took it to a quickie lube place that over tightened the heck out of it with no sealing washer so it wouldn’t leak. 6 point socket and impact set below max. Maybe with a bit of penetrating oil. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 8:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/9 "2021-10-25T20:46:20Z")
Worse comes to worst; a 3 foot piece of pipe… Once loose, it if does not unscrew by hand then the threads may be suspect due to their being pulled due to overtightening. Just a bridge to cross when you come to it. ---
**Author:** ![gdan29](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4bbf92/32.png) [@gdan29](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gdan29)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 8:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/10 "2021-10-25T20:59:54Z")
The PO is deceased and I live in a different state. I do not know where he had it serviced. ---
**Author:** ![gdan29](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4bbf92/32.png) [@gdan29](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gdan29)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 9:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/11 "2021-10-25T21:02:14Z")
Good idea. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![gdan29](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4bbf92/32.png) [@gdan29](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gdan29)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 9:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/12 "2021-10-25T21:13:21Z")
Yes, thanks for the reply. ---
**Author:** ![gdan29](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4bbf92/32.png) [@gdan29](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gdan29)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 9:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/13 "2021-10-25T21:17:12Z")
That’s what I’m worried about. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 9:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/14 "2021-10-25T21:19:47Z")
I would consider having a shop do this oil change after telling them that the plug seems to be over tightened . That way if there is damage at least it will already be at a shop and not have to be towed too one. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 9:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/15 "2021-10-25T21:20:38Z")
Friend tightened a drain plug by mistake and cracked weld. Had it touched up with welder. 2 yrs later he stripped waterpump bolt by same mistake. I went over to look at it and it came off with vice grips. Yes, he is an odd duck. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 9:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/16 "2021-10-25T21:53:23Z")
The first time in ten years a shop inadvertently changed my oil. I went to drain it out again and put my own oil and filter in and I needed to use a pipe on my ratchet to get the plug loose. I don’t have a breaker bar but a pipe works just as well and can change the leverage as needed. That thing was on very very tight and had only been that way for a couple days. No harm but I was a little concerned. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 10:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/17 "2021-10-25T22:16:45Z")
> [@bing](#): > > I don’t have a breaker bar but a pipe works Guess I don’t know what a breaker bar really is. To me it was any pipe that would go over the handle of the wrench. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 10:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/18 "2021-10-25T22:26:41Z")
Breaker bar is a wrench without the ratchet, typically longer: ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/3/b/3b7f1e2fe111d1d8f82a50b05599a38747829dea.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 11:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/19 "2021-10-25T23:11:36Z")
The breaker bar method will likely do the job. I keep an 18 inch breaker bar with lug nut socket in my trunk anyway, makes changing a flat tire much easier. I’d worry however with it being that tight, the oil pan or drain plug threads may be damaged. If they prove to be ok, make sure to purchase a new gasket at a Toyota dealership, and while there ask them to look-up what the proper torque for the drain plug is. Buy a dozen of the gaskets, and always use a new one each time the oil is changed. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2021, 11:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217/20 "2021-10-25T23:16:07Z")
Nevada posted the torque is 30 ft-lb . [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/oil-drain-plug-won-t-loosen/180217.md?page=2)