Stripped oil drain bolt, what are my options?

I'm just curious about this 5/8 inch wrench...

 

How did you strip a 2014 oil pan bold just curious? It's best to use specific wrenches on these trucks and a torque wrench to avoid this

 

I started by hand, but it would only go in about halfway. I backed it out and tried it again a few times, but again, it started to get tight midway. I should have stopped to inspect the thread, but instead, grabbed the wrench to finish it (I had a skid plate in place and was trying to work around it, so I was a little lazy). That's when I felt even more resistance and knew right away that I'm fucked.

I might have damaged the thread from overtightening after the previous oil change. I think 30 ft-lbs is quite high.

BTW, I've been running a Fumoto valve ever since.

 

Normally it's just the bolt, but if you fight it instead of replacing it, then it's the pan too. Very clear now lol

 

I don't know why those engineers didn't design these oil pans to use a cork. It seems it would have eliminated these problems.

This would be perfect.

 

At my shop we work on anywhere from 20-30 cars a day, 6 days a week. at 15 bolts/nuts/screws per car were unscrewing and reinstalling over 10,000 bolts/nuts/screws a month. If you work on as much cars as we do, you'll eventually strip, cross thread a bolt. Shit happens. Try torquing down a head bolt on a 2AZFE engine after a blown headgasket and tell me if you're successful at not pulling out the threads on the block.

For steel pans like ours, just replace the pan, its cheap and easy enough to replace vs trying to thread it. I usually rethread aluminum pans with the timesert kit since some pan replacement can cost anywhere from $200-500 depending on vehicle. Also the steel inserts are going to be stronger afterwards then the new aluminum pans.

 

I've been doing it since I was a teenager and I've never stripped or cross threaded one and I'm within a few months of being 62... But then again I am careful. And I don't use a torque wrench on a drain bolt. I have a calibrated elbow.

 

Ha! You said 2AZ-FE block threads stripped. The most notorious Toyota engine for doing so. Over torqued from the factory. Look on Amazon for that engine's head gasket, and frequently purchased together is a Timesert kit. Uuughhhh. What a pain in the ass!
Did one with a friend last year. Ended up pulling the head without removing the engine or timing cover. Un-torqued each head bolt in sequence about 20 times. Until they were all loose. Block was good but head was distorted.

A pair of bolts which went through the timing cover into the head......*****still had moist silicone on the ends of them!!!!!***** From a 2008 tC! We had to video it because it was seemingly impossible. Torqued head bolts back down to the newest spec, and ran like a champ.

 

I can count on one hand the amount of bolts ive cross threaded. There are those who are DIY and those who aren't.

 

Just found this thread after searching for solutions to this exact problem. I'll say this; I've done this hundreds of times on various bolts / vehicles and never had an issue until I tried to do an oil change on my 2016 Tacoma. My issue was not cross threading but I think more of over torquing. I used a torque wrench set at 30 lbs and it starting to become loose before I reached 30 lbs so I knew I had a problem. I'm now waiting on a new oil pan / drain plug to arrive so I can replace everything. I've also ordered a Fumoto F103S drain valve so I won't have to deal with this in the future. To me it seems 30lbs is just too much for these components. Only other thing I can think of is the tech that did the previous oil change screwed it up and I didn't notice until I went to do an oil change myself.

 

Well if the drain plug / hole has oil on it you cannot use the specifications listed as they are for a dry torque value. Or it is possible that whoever did the last change screwed it up.

This is why I never use a torque wrench on a drain plug. Clean surface with a good gasket or seal ring and snug it down tight. The oil in the pan is not under pressure forcing it out.

 

Did you check the threads on the pan? Maybe they are much harder than the threads on the bolt. You may be able to chase the threads and get a new bolt.

 

Geez,loosen the bolt with a wrench,screw it off by hand,reinstall all the way by hand tighten a little with the wrench and done.

 

I did a recent oil change, following someone who is notorious for over tightening everything. It was a really old vehicle with an inaccessible awkward drain plug. Of course the plug was already worn to hell due to the awkward position, probably the original plug from the factory, add over tightened, I destroyed it getting it out. I advised the customer of how bad the plug is, I had a better used one, or I can order a new oem plug. He decided on using the better used plug and order a new one for next time. Honestly is what I try to give them because it’s what I would want if it were my vehicle.