removing trans drain plug

[Stillwater K1500]

Hi, I am attempting to remove the transmission drain plug on my 2000 K1500 Silverado. Since GM found it necessary to taper the head of the bolt my 6 point socket wants to slip down and around on the head. How do I get this out ?? It isn't completely rounded yet, but it isn't far from it.

 

I also removed the 2 tin covers from the "bell housing" expecting to find a drain plug in the converter, that I was told it had, and I can't find it. Am I going to have to drill and tap the converter like in the past to drain it ??

 

Any and all informative help will be appreciated.

 

Thanks

[DirtyDave]

If you drill and tap your converter, won't that unbalance it in some way?

[Stillwater K1500]

In the 80's I worked in a service shop that drilled and tapped TH 350-400 converters all day long. We used a brass pipe plug because it is lighter than a steel plug to avoid balance problems. Never had a complaint or failure issue doing this.

 

I was reading the "flush" thread and may just do the home flush on it. I have done this in the past with good results. It just seems that if GM is going to put a plug in the pan, it should be removable....guess I was wrong.

[MountaineerTom]

The pan plug is way over torqued. I bought a new one before doing the job, used one of those Craftsman Bolt-Out's (kind of like a socket with teeth to grab the head of the bolt) and it came out easily. I first tried a socket and wrench, and it stripped out, then tried the smaller easy out screw removers where you drill a small hole first and then use the easy out to remove the bolt, but it broke off inside the head. I should have tried the bolt-out tool first. It worked like a champ.

 

Good luck.

[Norseman]

When I got mine out (man what a PITA!) I trashed it and replaced it with a oil drain plug I bought from a auto part store.

[C & A s Dad]

I used a real good quality Impact (black) style 6 pt socket and it came out. I read somewhere that these plugs are installed with a med. strength thread locker and a little heat from a torch will melt it right away. I was prepared to do this but did not have to.

[Stillwater K1500]

Thanks for the reply's. I did manage to get it out yesterday. I went back out to the shop and I had already bunged up the head enough with the 15 MM socket that I was able to "convince" a 9/16 impact socket onto it. I put a 2" extension in the socket and T handle style breaker bar in that. I then put my bottle jack under the handle and applied enough pressure to just defect the pan. After tapping the handle back and forth a copuple times, it did come loose. I drained and filled the pan after running it in gear 3 times. I didn't have time to change the filter yesterday, as I needed the truck for a 500 mile roundtrip today to get a 67 Camaro I bought. I will get a filter and gasket in the near future and change that and then I should have nearly a complete fluid change too. It did shift better today with the trailer on, so I feel the fluid change was a needed maintenance. It has 66,xxx miles, so it was due.