Transmishion Help

Thereminator · Post by **Thereminator** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 8:58 pm

I have two simple questions and would apreciat anyones input(that includes all lurkers,yes weve been watching you!This site,much like life,is a give a little-take a little proposition,So Pony-Up!!!)

1.Any tips for loosening the Fill-plug on the manual transmishion? Mine has slightly rounded corners,has almost no clearance,and feels like its a little smaller than 24mm.(dam quickie oil~change kid made shure all my plugs wernt going anywhere!

).

2.I cleaned my engine off too find an oil leak(its getting worse),and it looks like its comeing froming the oil~presure sending unit,has anyone ever herd of them leaking? The three possible culprits are the oil filter(dose'nt look likely),a dubble plug thingie(in between the filter and sending unit,looks non~funtioning),and the oil~sending unit(has oil all over it including the endwire~plug).The oil originates right below the sending~unit and plug and too the left side of the filter.Any advice is good advice!

arbskynxnex · Post by **arbskynxnex** » Wed Aug 11, 2004 9:19 pm

For that fill plug I would put some vise-grips on it, they clamp tight enough to get those rounded off bolts, off. Or if you have a gator gip socket, that might work, maybe even some pliers if you have a He-man grip.

GTSSportCoupe · Post by **GTSSportCoupe** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 12:06 am

If the corners on the filler bolt are only slightly rounded then I would not resort to visegrips yet (as they will finish it off and you'll have to buy a new one). Take a file and gently file the flat sides of the bolt, not much, but just enough so that the 24mm socket will fit on. The bolt is 24mm BTW. I would recommend using a 6 sided 24mm socket (with 1/2 drive). Go to a hardware store before you begin the job and buy a 3-4' long steel pipe that will fit snug over the handle of your 1/2" rachet right down to the rachet part. When you undo the filler bolt, you can slide this pipe onto your ratchet to give you torque as you undo the bolt. You'll have to have your car jacked up a fair amount to give you room to do this. You'll find that this pipe will come in usefull many times again in the future (I use mine all the time to get things apart). Make sure you push your racket socket against the nut as you un-torque it. You don't want the socket to slip and trip the bolt more (which will happen if the socket is not on the bolt at the right angle, or on all the way).

Another options is: Buy a 24mm large closed end wrench. Again, put it snugly on the filler bolt. Use a rubber mallet to hammer the end of the wrench. Many times this will jolt the bolt loose.

Use vise grips as a last resort. It will be tough to get enough torque on them to get the bolt out. And they'll chew up the bolt pretty bad.

takza · Post by **takza** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 5:00 am

I started out with a big crescent wrench on the fill/drain plugs and realized real fast that that wouldn't do it. Like mentioned above...buy a 6-point socket and use it or an open end wrench from now on. AND...replace any plugs that are chewed up...they will only get worse.

Sometimes an SAE size will fit a little snugger than the metric.

GTSSportCoupe · Post by **GTSSportCoupe** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 9:30 am

<span style='color:red'><span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Take your adjustable (crescent) wrenches and throw them in the garbage!!</span></span> :blink:

Kidding...Just don't use them on anything that you can use a socket/rachet or closed end wrench on. I almost never use adjustable wrenches for anything anymore.

For around $150US you can set yourself up with a full 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" drive set in metric and standard with all wrenches, screwdrivers and alan keys. I bought the Craftsman brand from Sears (not sure if you have Sears in the US). Craftsman has a life time warranty on most hand tools.

If you do your own work on your car, you will pay off your tools in no time at all.

Having the right tools for the job is priceless. Jobs can be an absolute nightmare without the right tools. You'll end up doing more damage than good.

Thereminator · Post by **Thereminator** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 10:27 am

There's a couple anomalys :blink: that need further investigation.My "fill" plug has about 1/2" side~clearance so I cant get a socket in~there and my plugs have very shollow heads(1/8")that are partally obstructed by trans~body itself.They have a slight reseshion on the head~surface with a ridge around perimiter witch makes them prone to striping.So I need to get~them~off and replaced with better ones! In the mean time I think I'll use Takza's Frount~fill method,I just hope its drains properly without all the upper plugs removed.

Thereminator · Post by **Thereminator** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:23 am

P.S. : Nick,Sears and Craftsman are about as American as Davie Croketts left~nut...THERE EVERYWHERE!!! :rolleyes: COME~OOOOOOOOOOONNN!!!!

3A-C Power · Post by **3A-C Power** » Thu Aug 12, 2004 7:23 pm

I hope didn't drain the oil before finding out how bad the filler plug is. These are frequently bad items, especially if serviced at a quick oil change place where they probably just use an adjustable wrench or vise grips. I used to work at one of those places and they strip alot of drain plugs in general. If proper tools don't work, I would then try heating with a torch and using vise grips, and if that doesn't work, cut a slot in the side of the plug with a cutting wheel, or if none is available, a hacksaw blade, and hammer at that slot with a big flathead screwdriver. That method hardly ever fails. I even got a lug nut off that way once.

Thereminator · Post by **Thereminator** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 12:34 am

Thanks for the input guys.Since I could only loosen the forward side~plug I decided to "Takzasize" it buy draining as is(seemed to drain ok) and filling from the front(while on ramps).I also replaced my presure sending unit(real~bitch) and oil filter.The Fram was bigger,had a better seal and was 50 cents cheaper than the Purlator.

So I'll check for leaks tomorrow. <_<

takza · Post by **takza** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 5:24 am

I don't trust Fram oil filters. The oil filter tests I've seen (2) rule them out. B)

tercel4wdrules · Post by **tercel4wdrules** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 9:17 am

If you can't use Fram then you should only use Genuine Toyota filters?

Thereminator · Post by **Thereminator** » Fri Aug 13, 2004 7:47 pm

:blink: Witch filters were best Takza?

takza · Post by **takza** » Sat Aug 14, 2004 4:47 am

The ones I know of:

<a href='http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilterstudy.html' target='_blank'>http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilterstudy.html</a>

<a href='http://www.ntpog.org/reviews/filters/old_filters.shtml' target='_blank'>http://www.ntpog.org/reviews/filters/ol ... s.shtml</a>

<a href='http://www.ntpog.org/reviews/filters/filters.shtml' target='_blank'>http://www.ntpog.org/reviews/filters/filters.shtml</a>

<a href='http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=& ... tnG=Search' target='_blank'>http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=& ... =Search</a>

I use the Pure One...about 2X the price of the cheap filters and 1/2 the price of the best filters? Couldn't find an oversized filter for the Tercel.....