Dear All,

 

I hope you give me a couple of hints on how to deal with rusty bolts.

I was changing ATF recently and thought to change filter as well but the excess of rust on a side of ATF pan made me postpone that event. Now I have unused filter and still want to do the change of the filter.

The problem is that on one side 5 or so bolts are very rusted, phillips screwdriver breaks its socket easily in them and designed wrench wouldn't work because they are almost oval now. So WD-40 + wrench most probably doesn't work...

 

So is there anything I could do or the only thing I can do is to drill them out?

 

Thanx in advance

But my guess is an old Legacy automatic.I would add the external filter kit and flush and leave that part alone. If you have to get down to chiseling the bolts or drilling them out the pain may not be worth the results.

get a left handed drill bit and use it in reverse in a drill. a couple dollars and they'll come right out in no time. then replace them. or cut a notch across the top of them and use a flat bladed screwdriver to reinstall them. if you have room you can also cut a notch in them to remove them with a larger flat blade screwdriver. but i'd use the drill, they'll bust right out with that. if you don't have a left handed drill bit, you can try using a right handed drill bit in reverse. i tilt the bit at a severe angle and it will often catch enough to break the bolt loose. and on these dinky pan bolts, i can't imagine they'll take much to get out. as long as it takes for you to get an extension cord and slide the drill under the car and you'll be done. i'd have a left handed bit handy though so you're not trying again, although i think i could get a standard bit to work unless the bolts are REALLY rounded out bad.

get a left handed drill bit and use it in reverse in a drill. a couple dollars and they'll come right out in no time.

 

damn damn damn - why I haven't thought about that on my own! That is a good idea - I will grab a set of such drills "for future references" any way.

 

then replace them. or cut a notch across the top of them and use a flat bladed screwdriver to reinstall them. if you have room you can also cut a notch in them to remove them with a larger flat blade screwdriver. but i'd use the drill

yeap - I'm not sure if they will survive flat bladed screwdriver - that is the thing :-/ drill sounds like the best idea

 

i'd have a left handed bit handy though so you're not trying again, although i think i could get a standard bit to work unless the bolts are REALLY rounded out bad.

Well... the ones which are on the exhaust pipe cover, and were originally ~4-5mm in diameter now look like nails :-\

But my guess is an old Legacy automatic.

that is the drawback of ultimate subaru forum - it doesn't have explicit item anywhere in profile such as "Your Car", so I placed my car in interest and hobby I believe but no one looks in there... I should substitute my city with my car I think :-)

I would add the external filter kit and flush and leave that part alone. If you have to get down to chiseling the bolts or drilling them out the pain may not be worth the results.

That is what I did - just left it alone, but because I didn't do any kind of power flush but just drained ATF, I'm thinking about 2nd round on ATF change, so may be that time I will get the pan down.

I'm not sure if flush will remove deposits from the internal filter... sure I can hope that when durt escapes it, it gets trapped in the external one.