Suzuki Club UK

Currently having an issue with the oil filler plug on my SJ410.

I haven't had the car very long and went to do oil change for the diffs, transfer box and transmission today and it all went very smoothly until the very end when I was doing the transmission. I took off the drain plug and drained it but now I cannot for the life of me get the filler plug out and despite being quite careful the bolt head is no longer in top condition.

Before it gets trashed any further, does anyone have any hot tips on how to get a very stubborn plug out or otherwise how to proceed?

And does anyone know where to get a new plug? In case I do have to destroy the bolt head to get it out.

Cheers
Rob

Rob, I've been doing all my fluids on my '87 SJ410 this week as well.

You need a hot air blower (hair dryer won't work) for 5-10 minutes a couple of inches away. Nothing combustible near there, only the metal tunnel! and if not too chewed up, a 15/16" 6 point socket OR if mashed, a good medium pair of vice grips and plenty of WD-40 soaked in, that should do it

No1 tip: Always attempt to undo all fill plugs first prior to the fill ones

No 2 tip: All plugs are available from your local Suzuki dealer (about £4-6 each), wait a couple of days at the most, I did as mine came from Germany this week.

No 3 tip: All our early bolts on the T/C and the gearbox are '24' mm, but as you can see from the new replacement one they start off rounded! So the tip is use a 13/16" 6 point, important 6 point socket. This will be more snug at a nominal 23.8mm.

No 4 tip: I used, WD-40 (overnight soak) tapping with hammer, tighten then loosen trick, blow torch ( use a plumbers asbestos free mat to protect speedo cable etc) and a 1600w hot air blower.
The best was the blower held steady for a good 5-6 minutes, then, a small sharp cold chisel and hammer (see pic below!).

No 5 tip: The T/C and gearbox being aluminium expand/contract at different rate to the steel bolts, always use a copper anti-seize paste when tightening bolts back up, especially the fill plugs as they get hotter in use.

No 6 tip: If you can't get any fill plug off, you can fill through a diff nut approx the same height as the fill plug, take out the transfer lever, or take out the gearbox lever and do a approx fill that way.

No 7 tip: The fill plugs have mini magnets to collect shavings, the fill do not but can be used as same M18mm thread etc.

No 8 tip: On the T/C and gearbox, always use new soft aluminium washers on all bolts whether new or old, I got my 18mm ID x 24mm OD ones here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/261999892558

See my mate from FLA, USA doing this version here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3F9_AfbI7w


My boogered T/C case fill plug after I got it out!


New T/C '24mm' Fill Plug (no magnet internally)


Good Luck!