tran/diff drain/fill plug help needed

[Huw Powell]

> Can I get some ideas on how to loosed the drain and filler plugs on 87
> 4000csq?  I think they are torqued more than the 18ft. lbs required.  I have
> the 17 mm allen but am afraid to strip the the plug.  Can i heat the plugs
> with a torch first?

They tend to be victims of this wonderful dissimilar (sp?) metal problem
that occurs from place to place in cars.  The tranny housing is aluminum
alloy, the plugs are steel, and they slowly swap electrons and stuff
till the they have gently welded themselves together over the years.
Takes some work, but they should come free.

Other examples:

Alloy wheels becoming almost permanently attached to steel brake
rotors.  A friends MB did not yield to heavy pounding with a sledge, the
pros flame wrench fixed it though.  Heat will help yours, as well.

I bought some nifty aluminum "audi logo" valve stem caps for my 90.
over the winter they "became one" with the valve stems and I had to cut
them off with a dremel!

Alternators are incredibly difficult to dismantle because of the steel
bolts threaded into the aluminum housing.

--
Huw Powell

http://www.humanspeakers.com/

http://www.humanthoughts.org/