# Stripped plug on aluminum head of engine **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** magnum, dodge\ **Created:** [June 11, 2020, 5:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stripped-plug-on-aluminum-head-of-engine/165608 "2020-06-11T05:12:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Darlene-22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ab097/32.png) [@Darlene-22](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Darlene-22)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 5:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stripped-plug-on-aluminum-head-of-engine/165608/1 "2020-06-11T05:12:14Z")
Need help!!! doing my 1st ever head gasket replacement and in doing so I stripped the shiizzz out of the access plug which was a 10m countersunk hex… I need to get this out in order to remove the screw mounting the timing chain guide to the head… please help!!! ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/5/e/5ec14c281f41153cdbadc07651acc260c78f39ec.jpeg) ---
**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:** [June 11, 2020, 5:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stripped-plug-on-aluminum-head-of-engine/165608/2 "2020-06-11T05:30:49Z")
A plug that large can be turned with a hammer and chisel. ---
**Author:** ![Darlene-22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ab097/32.png) [@Darlene-22](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Darlene-22)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 2:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stripped-plug-on-aluminum-head-of-engine/165608/4 "2020-06-11T14:43:11Z")
Sorry for my lack of understanding but what do you mean? ---
**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:** [June 11, 2020, 2:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stripped-plug-on-aluminum-head-of-engine/165608/5 "2020-06-11T14:48:05Z")
Nevada means you take a chisel and make a dent on the side of the plug . Then hold the chisel at an angle , hit it with the hammer and after a few blows it will start to turn . Start with light taps at first for practice. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2020, 2:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stripped-plug-on-aluminum-head-of-engine/165608/6 "2020-06-11T14:50:16Z")
Just so I know - you are removing the heads to replace the cylinder head gasket? Not the valve cover gasket? That is a BIG job, do you have all the tools and a manual to do this? An alternative to the chisel method would be using a high-quality set of channel lock pliers, if you can get a good angle to grip. ---
**Author:** ![Darlene-22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ab097/32.png) [@Darlene-22](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Darlene-22)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 3:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stripped-plug-on-aluminum-head-of-engine/165608/7 "2020-06-11T15:03:27Z")
I am doing the headgaskets and yes it’s a huge job and I’ve got what I need… no manual? But youtube lol… are you referring to the manual from autozone? ---
**Author:** ![Darlene-22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ab097/32.png) [@Darlene-22](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Darlene-22)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 3:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stripped-plug-on-aluminum-head-of-engine/165608/8 "2020-06-11T15:08:34Z")
You’re talking about the chilton? Or something along the lines? ---
**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:** [June 11, 2020, 3:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stripped-plug-on-aluminum-head-of-engine/165608/9 "2020-06-11T15:29:07Z")
Yes, a Chilton or Haynes Magnum/Charger specific manual at a minimum. You can also get an online version, other posters might have additional on-line manual recommendations for a project like this. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 3:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stripped-plug-on-aluminum-head-of-engine/165608/10 "2020-06-11T15:39:46Z")
For an on-line repair manual i would recommend this. [https://eautorepair.net/Marketing/Default.asp](https://eautorepair.net/Marketing/Default.asp) Twenty bucks for one month. Tester ---
**Author:** ![Darlene-22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ab097/32.png) [@Darlene-22](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Darlene-22)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 5:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stripped-plug-on-aluminum-head-of-engine/165608/11 "2020-06-11T17:52:34Z")
Sweet! Thanks gonna give the hammer a go… let’s cross our fingers… thanks for the responses ---
**Author:** ![BikeGuy88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c37758/32.png) [@BikeGuy88](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BikeGuy88)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 6:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stripped-plug-on-aluminum-head-of-engine/165608/12 "2020-06-11T18:03:00Z")
YouTube is not a primary source for auto repair, especially for something like a head gasket. There could be completely incorrect information posted, and you would have no way of knowing…at least not until actual damage is done. YouTube should be used as a planning tool, and possible to help guide you with a specific problem on a single step of the process (e.g., you could very easily rely on this for ‘how to remove a stripped freeze plug’). But you absolutely, positively need a service manual to do this work. If at all possible, get the OEM manual, but if not, then Haynes or Chilton’s. ---
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 7:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stripped-plug-on-aluminum-head-of-engine/165608/13 "2020-06-11T19:25:45Z")
I have relied on Haynes for decades, sometimes augmented by youtube videos. Buyer beware on both, especially the youtube videos. Some smart and some shoddy. You have to decide which sources to believe. They all can leave out something you’d want to know. Some videos show ignorant and dangerous procedures. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 10:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/stripped-plug-on-aluminum-head-of-engine/165608/14 "2020-06-11T22:55:04Z")
Use this type of extractor set to remove it . . . ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/7/8/780b40893e1a39b9374e303e0e9888fbb3b5284b.jpeg) FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS . . . each extractor says which size drill bit you need to use before pounding the extractor in