Oil drain plug tool

[signcrafter]

I've been meaning to get one of these for a long time now after reading this thread http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=206905&highlight=oil+drain+socket&showall=1.

In that thread there was two tools that were mentioned for removing drain plugs. One was the gearwrench magnetic drain plug set, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HBC73U/?tag=atomicindus08-20. The other was the OTC drain plug pro http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0054WI7CW/?tag=atomicindus08-20.

The gearwrench set looks nice and would have most sizes handy in a set to change whatever vehicle I might be working on. But I would think that the oil might still run down the plug and down the magnetic socket and onto your hand. Where as the OTC tool looks like you could just crack the plug loose and then spin it out with the tool and not get any oil on you at all. The gearwrench set is roughly 3 times the price of the OTC tool but I do like that the kit has the common sockets included. I haven't memorized vehicle plug sizes yet so instead of guessing I could just grab the whole kit and crawl under the car.

Anyone have advice on which one they would rather have? Not really concerned about the price difference if the gearwrench is worth the extra bucks.

 

[davesnothere]

I honestly don't see value in either.

 

[Junkman]

I can't see it being a problem in my 50 years of changing oil. I just let the plug drop into the pan, and fish it out with a magnet. This seems like a tool for the guy that has to have every gimmick available. I now use vinyl gloves to keep my hands clean, and I always drain the oil hot, but know how not to get burned. I believe that it is called a learned life lesson or experience after getting burned the first time.

 

[jrsmyd]

I picked up the OTC because it allows you to pull the drain plug away from the pan without getting any oil on your fingers or hands. Not a biggie if a DIY'r but in a shop I want to keep my hands as clean as possible if I'm changing oil all day.

Also, I'm not really sure what the point of the GearWrench set is to be honest. A good 1/2 or 3/8 socket set in Metric and SAE will cover the bases on an oil drain plug. There are magnetic inserts for sockets as well. I've never used them but imagine they would work similar to the GearWrench set for much cheaper.

 

[nicksnothereman]

I honestly don't see value in either.

Yep.

Now...if op said "I want a thexton petcock (rad drain plug) socket" I'd say yeah not a bad idea. Because, well...if you've ever had to get a radiator drain plug out of a radiator of a car after say 7 years (dexcool or another long term coolant) you'd know this is a friggin necessity without snapping the wings off the plug.

My opinion. I bet maybe 2 or 3 people on here would have that or something similar in their arsenal.

I just loosen oil drain plugs with a socket then thread it off by hand (when I say hand I mean with my fingers).

 

[Ruger_556]

Just use a normal socket a 3/8 ratchet... No mess and the drain plug doesn't fall in the oil pan,

 

[skulldrinker]

You don't have time to monkey around with that OTC one when you're on the job. Plus some plugs don't come out easy and you'd be grabbing the plug with your fingers anyway. Oil isn't that hot if you wear disposable gloves.



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[CWP1616L]

My GM vehicle requires a 15mm wrench for the drain plug and I like using the Snap-on XBM1315A box end wrench. It's thicker than the OEXM150B combination wrench.

 

[senor fozz]

I can see using the gear wrench set being useful for mire things than just changing oil depending how large the nurlled Rings are.

 

[monomach]

I used to just break them loose with a dogbone and then use my fingers to unscrew them so they didn't disappear on me. Dunno why anyone would want a tool to do work obviously meant for fingers.

Don't like oily hands? Wear gloves like, oh...everybody.

 

[nicksnothereman]

After looking. OP, if you really want this get the gearwrench set because I don't even think the second one would work without loosening with a ratchet. Actually, a wrench set up like the gearwrench might not cut it with some cars' drain plugs and it's kind of redundant unless you don't have metric sockets at home (it's a metric kit from what I saw). Nice but redundant. Also doesn't look much different than some of those extreme access kits (thru sockets) (kobalt, harbor freight) except with much less sockets for more money; but looks 6 point which is good). Maybe try to find one of those in 6 point if you feel you need it for drain plugs.

I think people like the matco special forces/armstrong eliminator vintage stuff but I'm not sure if it's 6 or 12 point and it will cost more than a similar consumer grade kit.

 

[Loscaldazar]

After looking. OP, if you really want this get the gearwrench set because I don't even think the second one would work without loosening with a ratchet. Actually, a wrench set up like the gearwrench might not cut it with some cars' drain plugs and it's kind of redundant unless you don't have metric sockets at home (it's a metric kit from what I saw). Nice but redundant. Also doesn't look much different than some of those extreme access kits (thru sockets) (kobalt, harbor freight) except with much less sockets for more money; but looks 6 point which is good). Maybe try to find one of those in 6 point if you feel you need it for drain plugs.

I think people like the matco special forces/armstrong eliminator vintage stuff but I'm not sure if it's 6 or 12 point and it will cost more than a similar consumer grade kit.

They are magnetic. Very useful.

I used to just break them loose with a dogbone and then use my fingers to unscrew them so they didn't disappear on me. Dunno why anyone would want a tool to do work obviously meant for fingers.

Don't like oily hands? Wear gloves like, oh...everybody.

You've never done an oil change on a Subaru before.... 5qts of oil comes out in about 2 and a half seconds worth of time. If your hand is there... well have fun with burning oil covering you arm.

I use a ratchet with them to break the drain plug loose, then take the ratchet off and use the socket by hand to unthread the bolt. Never drop a drain plug anymore. Then the same socket fits on my torque wrench for crushing the crush washer when reinstalling. One socket, and keeps me from dropping the drain plug in the oil and spending time searching for that with a magnet.

Not having to search for a drain plug is worth it. Why waste time with dropping a drain plug?

 

[monomach]

You've never done an oil change on a Subaru before.... 5qts of oil comes out in about 2 and a half seconds worth of time. If your hand is there... well have fun with burning oil covering you arm.

I use a ratchet with them to break the drain plug loose, then take the ratchet off and use the socket by hand to unthread the bolt. Never drop a drain plug anymore. Then the same socket fits on my torque wrench for crushing the crush washer when reinstalling. One socket, and keeps me from dropping the drain plug in the oil and spending time searching for that with a magnet.

Not having to search for a drain plug is worth it. Why waste time with dropping a drain plug?

Well, having Subaru as one of our lesser-sold lines at my last dealer (along with VW/Audi, Volvo, Mercedes, and Lincoln), I would venture a guess that I've done considerably more Subaru oil changes than you have.

Quit with the hyperbole. 5 quarts in 2.5 seconds. Mmhmm. It's a larger hole than some are used to, but it's not so ridiculously fast that you don't have time to move.

All you have to do is be smarter than the drain plug. Unscrew it, but keep it held in place so it's still doing most of its plugging even when all of the threads are done. THEN you pull it away SO IT'S NOT IN A STREAM OF HOT OIL...like changing the oil on anything else.

Another question...how on earth does having the plug in a socket prevent you from losing it better than having it in your hand does?

 

[Harrison2]

looking at the kits I'd go gearwrench but both are kinda gimmicky, just be quick with your hand at removing it and wear gloves when anywhere remotely close to used engine oil (carcinogenic), I'd save your money and buy a hex set of drain plug keys incase you come across those (if you don't already have some) f

 

[Buckgnarly]

OP, I have both, and both work well. Gearwrench is nice as it is magnetic and 6 point, only problem is taking off previously overtorqued drain plugs. Good thing is all the sockets have a 3/8 female end to accept any ratchet.
OTC tool saves your hand, I like it.

 

[Flivver250]

My sockets and box ends love the occasional oil bath. While it may be cool, I have lived long enough without it and drawer space is dear. Does not yet make the must have list.

 

[carcajou]

On some apps a magnetic socket saves a lot of grief, but a 20 cent rare earth magnet dropped in the socket works for me.

 

[jeremy v]

I purchased the OTC magnetic drain plug holder (linked to by the OP) about 6 months ago. I have used it 4-5 times now and I like it, but there are some qualifications to that statement.

Before having the flexible drain plug remover, I always just used my fingers to remove the drain plug after breaking it loose. On most cars it is easy to do without getting any oil on your hands, but there are a few that I have run across that are hard to get your hand fully out of the way of the oil because of the drain plug location and orientation. It also depends on whether or not you are using a lift to do oil changes or not. If you have a lift, there is most likely no need for this or any other drain plug tool. If you do oil changes with a car on ramps like I do, it can be very hard to not get a little bit of oil on your hand sometimes, and even a small amount of oil can run down your arm all the way to your elbow very quickly. It is pretty annoying if you are wearing a long sleeved shirt, haha.

The good- The OTC flex drain plug remover has a very strong magnet that holds the plug well. The tool is simple to use and I feel it was worth buying, but I do my oil changes using ramps.

The neutral and bad- Almost every car I have ever done an oil change on has had nice free spinning threads after the drain plug is broken loose, but I can see that this tool might not work well if the threads have much resistance to the drain plug spinning. The magnet is very strong, but it can still only handle a little bit or torque before it will spin on the head of the drain plug. Something I also didn't think about before buying the tool is that all the vehicles that I currently do oil changes on have copper washers on the drain plugs. Because of this, I can't allow the plug to just drop freely away from the oil pan with the OTC tool. If I did, I would have to go fishing in the waste oil to find the washer, and since it is usually copper, a long magnet does me no good.

I have been able to avoid that issue by supporting some of the tool's flex shaft with my fingers while removing the plug, so when it drops loose it does not angle the plug downwards enough for the washer to fall off into the waste oil. My hands are still kept far enough away to not get oil on them. My gloves look pretty much clean after doing oil changes now which was sometimes hard to do before.

 

[Fedwrench]

I have both tools.

Try Cripe distributing for the KD magnetic drain plug set. They also had the sockets individually. Cripe also has a Kobalt pass thru flex head ratchet that works works with the sockets too (although any 3/8 drive ratchet will work).

The OTC tool is only good for removing a loosened drain plug. The magnet has L shaped ears on two sides but, it will spin off of the drain plug if resistence is met.

The goal of each tool is to keep your fingers away from hot oil. Common sense and regular tools can do the same thing. However, running a fleet in the desert southwest has made these tools pretty popular in the hot desert with hotter engines. If you sling a lot of oil, I think think they're useful but, that's just me. I think the older US made craftsman ratcheting cross beam wrenches are the perfect drain plug wrench.

 

[Loscaldazar]

Another question...how on earth does having the plug in a socket prevent you from losing it better than having it in your hand does?

It's. Magnetic.

Don't know how many times I will have to say that.

An oil change on a Killer B oil pan, or after the car has pulled in after a few laps. Another useful time. I even let other people use it.

 

[signcrafter]

Sure is a difference of opinions compared to the other thread a few months ago! In that thread everyone was praising these tools and seems like in this thread most feel they are silly!

So if you were going to get one of these, either the gearwrench set or the OTC tool which would you get? I'm leaning towards the gearwrench set. I like the idea of just grabbing the case and crawling under the car and not having to know what size I will need.

 

[skruft]

I think they are both gimmicks unless someone changes very hot oil a lot. I have changed my own oil for a very long time and have no trouble doing it with an open or closed end wrench. I put on vinyl gloves to keep my hands clean. If I had to drain boiling hot oil from other people's cars of all different makes, then I'd spring for it.

 

[zkling]

I think the gear wrench set could come in handy for oil changes and other. If I found it on sale for ~$15 or under, I'd grab it, but not sure if I would spend $30, let alone $65 on it. If I did oil changes all day long maybe but, IDK.

Think I will pass on the 2nd item.

Just my 2¢

 

[celticbhoy]

Snap On rep has been carrying the gearwrench set and tried pushing it on me. Said they are selling out fast, everyone wants them. For what I do, which is a mechanic in an independent shop, I can't see myself spending that kind of money for something like that. Not my thing.

 

[Flivver250]

To me it is a solution to a problem that didn't exist.

 

[davesnothere]

They are magnetic. Very useful.



You've never done an oil change on a Subaru before.... 5qts of oil comes out in about 2 and a half seconds worth of time. If your hand is there... well have fun with burning oil covering you arm.

I use a ratchet with them to break the drain plug loose, then take the ratchet off and use the socket by hand to unthread the bolt. Never drop a drain plug anymore. Then the same socket fits on my torque wrench for crushing the crush washer when reinstalling. One socket, and keeps me from dropping the drain plug in the oil and spending time searching for that with a magnet.

Not having to search for a drain plug is worth it. Why waste time with dropping a drain plug?

Asks the guy who uses a torque wrench for a drain plug!

 

[kiatech]

I have the drain plug pro, really helpful if you sling oil all day.

 

[justanengineer]

To me it is a solution to a problem that didn't exist.

+1. Seems like something somebody's wife bought them for based off of a video at Sears.

 

[Rusty_H]

Bust open a wheel speed sensor from the scrap pile, slide it into (whatever) socket you want, voila, free, complete set.

Or maybe rare earth magnets, I know princess auto here in Canada sells a variety, perhaps HF as well?

 

[johnachak]

They are magnetic. Very useful.



You've never done an oil change on a Subaru before.... 5qts of oil comes out in about 2 and a half seconds worth of time. If your hand is there... well have fun with burning oil covering you arm.

I use a ratchet with them to break the drain plug loose, then take the ratchet off and use the socket by hand to unthread the bolt. Never drop a drain plug anymore. Then the same socket fits on my torque wrench for crushing the crush washer when reinstalling. One socket, and keeps me from dropping the drain plug in the oil and spending time searching for that with a magnet.

Not having to search for a drain plug is worth it. Why waste time with dropping a drain plug?

I guess that makes me glad I never bought a subaru.

 

[nicksnothereman]

I was thinking about this...not really, but why not just put a sheet of steel diamond style mesh (or plastic gutter guard) over your oil pan and you'll never have to worry about having to fish out the drain plug (if it happens that much to you...). That's a pretty cheap solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

 

[theknurl]

To me it is a solution to a problem that didn't exist.

no kidding?

never seen a drain plug that a standard socket or ratchet won't undo whether its;
hex, SAE or metric
Allen
square, external or internal (usually pipe plugs on trannys and diffs)
except for VW's 17mm internal Allen got the SnapOn one

 

[Skin]

I was thinking about this...not really, but why not just put a sheet of steel diamond style mesh (or plastic gutter guard) over your oil pan and you'll never have to worry about having to fish out the drain plug (if it happens that much to you...). That's a pretty cheap solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

To me it is a solution to a problem that didn't exist.

Doesn't solve the problem of hot oil going all over your hand and down your arm. Sorry but you people saying its a problem that doesn't exist have never changed oil multiple times a day before. Used oil stinks, burns, and its carcinogenic. If a $15 tool helps with keeping your hand out of the way (which it does) then its worth it. Also some drain pains are in the dumbest positions with cross members below them so the oil splatters everywhere and its nearly impossible to get your hand out of the way in time. F150s come to mind. Time is money and those trips to wash up can add up especially if its across the shop.

 

[Flivver250]

Of course I have change oil multiple times in a day before. I just don't stand under the drain hole. Sometimes I get my hands a tad oily, but life is full of carcinogens, I avoid as many as possible, but petroleum products exposure is not high on my to-don't list. My deodorant is more likely to do me harm than the random Castrol catastrophe.

 

[Skin]

To each their own. I know a few guys who have been in the field for 25+ years that love their drain plug pro. It is a good idea whether you want to recognize it or not. Is it a "problem" to use your hands? No, but at the same time if you eliminate all the handy inventions that have simply made life easier or cleaner you could probably delete half of what is in your tool box and be more miserable for it.

 

[Matt M PA]

Did I see the link correctly that the Gearwrench set is all metric?

 

[sberry]

I don't get every wrench they ever invented, After a while it defeats the purpose and don't usually change oil hot anyway. Especially a diy deal, you can let it cool.

 

[Koken]

If you don't have a low clearance car, just buy one of these and be done with it........

http://www.fumotocanada.com/

This one has a 90 degree fitting so you don't have to attach a hose.

http://ezoildrain.com/

 

[Gary S]

I honestly don't see value in either.

Agree. I've been changing my own oil for 45 years, and my box end wrench worked perfectly every time.

 

[signcrafter]

I see the point that they aren't "needed". But you can say that for a lot of tools. I don't "need" flex sockets, could just use regular sockets and a u joint. But my flex sockets are some of my most used just because they are nice to use. So while neither of these tools are "needed" they do seem like they can make the job a little nicer, cleaner, easier.

Maybe I'm just weird and like tools and tools that might make the job a little nicer.