Sigh.

My '88 2WD, 22R pickup has the diff fill plug impacted on and rounded off. Tried vice grips, PBlaster, blowtorch, hammer, cheater bar, bottle jack on cheater bar etc. It's not coming off.

Has anyone filled the diff through the breather port? I screwed it off, and noticed there was a baffle or something right inside; I couldn't see right into the diff. Could I just poke a small tube in there and fill it that way? I'll measure what goes in obviously, I just don't want to end up spilling a gallon of gear oil all over my driveway if you can't actually fill it that way. Has anyone tried this?

 

Should work as long as the hose used is small enough diameter to permit air to escape while filling; so that oil is not forced past the seals.

I'd measure what oil is drained so that there is a good idea of what amount to put back in.

Seals are more likely to leak when the diff is filled to the absolute max, ( at a level where it runs out of the filler hole cold), while keeping the level a bit lower than the filler line hurts nothing.

I'd persist in trying to remove the plug. Welding an old 1/2 in drive socket to the back of the plug will usually get it off.

 

Yeah, welding something on there is my last resort but I don't have any "scrap" 1/2" sockets around.

Good idea about measuring the oil. Of course, there's a chance it's already low and I'd hate to refill with a low amount of fluid.

 

Myself if it was a choice between not getting the plug out or using a Socket to weld on .

I would use a New Snap On if it happened to be the first one I found .

What I most often do is just weld the biggest nut that will fit.

Works every time

Then replace the plugs and use the correct socket .

 

Well, I welded a nut to the plug, then twisted the weld right off. (I'm not a very good welder)


But! The heat broke the original drain plug free so this is solved. Thanks y'all.