Stripped transmission drain olug

The drain plug is stripped on my trans pan.
First, how do I remove it to drain the fluid? It just spins and doesn't back out or tighten down.
Second, once I get the plug out, can the hole be retapped for a new plug or do I need to replace the pan?

 

Here for pictures of strippers

 

Tranny strippers

 

My favorite.

 

1. Pry outward on the bolt head with a screwdriver or prybar while loosening the plug with an impact.
2. There's usually enough material around the hole to drill and tap for a larger size. You can also drill, tap, and helicoil the hole to use a new stock-size plug. Helicoil kits tend to be expensive if you're just doing one though. Cheapest option would be removing a pan from a local salvage yard, if you find a Taco or 4Runner there with the same transmission.

 

What can be done depends on what you find once the pan is off.
Can you weld ??

I make a piece 3"x3" 1/8" piece ( anything I have that is close in size) install a new drain plug then weld it to the transmission pan.

There are a few different ways to make or buy a drain plug.

Works for oil pans as well.

 

The easiest way IMO is to remove it and tap it for one size larger then buy the correct drain plug.

 

I'd want a new/used pan. Welding in a new drain bung or tapping a larger hole are options. I like to keep things original.

 

Ha, meant to put stripped in the title..

 

Does anybody know, what size the original plug is and what's the next size up?

 

Id get a new pan...Or if its not leaking leave it and wonder. What do you guys think about sanding the area, acetone wipe, and epoxy it

 

New pan or if your lucky a donor pan from the junk yard.

 

There are M12 and M18 plugs according to Rock Auto. Some pans have front and rear plugs? Does the head take a 14mm or 24mm socket? That'll be the quickest way to know. M12 plug usually has a 14mm head. M18 plug usually has a 24mm head.

If it's a M12 plug, you can drill and tap for M14x1.5, which is a common engine oil pan drain plug thread size for Honda, Mazda, VW, etc.

 

I was wondering if a helicoil kit can be used. I think I'm going to do that, so I can use keep the original plug size. It wouldn't hurt to have a kit around for other things, as well. I've bought other size kits in the past and still have them.

 

Still waiting on pics of strippers

 

Might be too thin to helicoil. It's a stamped steel pan. I can't imagine it being thicker than 1/8" if even that.

 

Honestly your best solution is probably to replace the whole pan and change your filters and clean your magnets while you're at it.

 

I'd drop pan and clean filter......put back together and never touch again...

I have a $15 hydraulic transfer pump with long straw.....it sucks out whats in the pan...via dip tube...
and then put 2 qts back in......everyother oil change....takes less then 5 min....
I end up with a complete tranny fluid change over about 30K.........
mine's still ruby red......what color is yours........

The screen filter does nothin, would only catch something if some major component is disintegrating in tranny at which you'd be screwed anyways.....
If you want to see a nasty screen, go look at an oil pickup tube off some engine that went way past the 4K change mark......

Complete waste of time changing any more....magnets only thing doing anything. Asian trannys dont fall apart like hydromatic fords and chevys......

Instead....I use the inline Raybestos mag filter.....swap every 25K.......no more dropping pan....or stripping plugs......
Complete flush and switched to Maxlife syn ATF 20K ago.....along with new trans cooler hoses thats suppose to be replaced every 4 or 5 yr.....

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There's usually a steel donut welded to the inside of the pan, around 1/4" thk, to provide extra meat for the threads.

 

Steel pans are easy to repair via welding once they are off. Aluminum pans can have a custom or commercial thread insert installed. May need to add material via welding to give it something to grip. I make a SS bushing to repair BMW E39 M5 oil pans. It screws in and is secured with a nut on the inside. Common problem on those cars and at $450+ for the pan, this repair makes sense and will never strip out again.