Worst nightmare or just fine? Options

[macnichol]

I pulled the oil metal mesh basket today and I was a little panicked to see that it looked like this. The metal center where the the bolt goes thru looks deformed to me, is that normal? The mesh itself I had to crush a bit removing from the metal plate and I used a new one. I'm praying that the previous owner did *not* over torque that bolt, how can I tell if this is the case? Also, how do you guys remove rounded bolts? The oil drain plug is near impossible to get off with the state it's in right now.

[Superhawk996]

I've seen worse strainers. Count it as a blessing as long as you're not finding metal trash on the strainer.


Not sure how bad your oil drain plug is but here are a couple options least invasive to most invasive

1) Heat the case around the bolt with a propane touch 1st. This will expand the aluminum faster than the steel and help loosen it before you try to turn it with existing standard socket or maybe vice grips.

2) Rounded bolt socket extractor

https://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/gearwr...tchFacets=true#


3) Slot the drain plug with a die grinder cut off wheel. Use impact screwdriver with widest blade you can get to loosen it. Alternatively, you might just use a ratchet drive type screwdriver head.

https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tnpla/8387...AiABEgJwLfD_BwE

4) Drill out with left hand drill bit. Hope it loosens while drilling the shank out progressively larger. If it doesn't, finish drill it and helicoil it. Lots of extra work to keep swarf out of case. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)