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Stuck manual trans fill plug


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The fill plug on my 1982 280ZX 5 speed manual transmission is stuck, and I can't get it off. I've tried cheater bars, wrenches, pipe wrenches, liquid wrench, heat guns, and vise grips, and I still can't get it off. My drain plug is fine, and can be removed. I want to drain the fluid, since the car's new to me and has been sitting for a couple years. I have a couple questions:

 

1) I was able to drain it OK, and I refilled it OK through the reverse switch (I think that's what that is, to the front of the fill plug at the same height). This seemed to work OK. Is there any reason I have to remove the fill plug, or can I just leave the plug in?

 

2) If I do have to remove the fill plug, I'll take it to a Jiffy Lube and let them wrench it off. Where can I get the replacement plug? I think it's the British thread (not the NPT). I haven't figured out how to find these on car sites or in hardware stores.

 

Thanks,

 

Jake

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Phil, on my manual 5 speed tranny, there's a sensor, with a wire coming off it, about 6 inches forward of the fill plug. Same height as the plug. Both my fill plug and the sensor are on the passenger side of the tranny. I'm working on a picture, maybe tomorrow I can figure how to get it off my phone. I unscrewed this sensor using a Crescent wrench (I think it's the reverse switch that turns on the white backup lights, but I'm not sure. Mine's not hooked up). I was able to fill it up with about 3.5 pints, like the manual said it should hold. And when I just poured a little oil in to test, it came out the drain plug, so they drain to the same place, and I don't think the sensor is in a super isolated channel.

 

Mike, I'll try the heat gun again. I was focusing on the plug, maybe it'd work better on the area around the plug, that makes sense. Thanks. How long do you hold it on there for? 5-10 minutes?

 

Jake

Edited by Jake_Goldstein
replaced "drain" with "fill" for location
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Mike, I'll try the heat gun again. I was focusing on the plug, maybe it'd work better on the area around the plug, that makes sense. Thanks. How long do you hold it on there for? 5-10 minutes?

 

Probably more like 2 minutes seems to work for me.

Mike

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bsp (british straight pipe) threads and NPT are compatible except for 3/8 which is 18 tpi and 19tpi (and the smaller sizes you never see on cars). BUT you can pipe up 3/8 and usually get a leak free joint. The 1/2 inch is the same for both and you can thread them in just fine. you have to understand the difference in taper threads and straight threads which if you did a minimal web search you could find quite easlily.

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When I came across this problem I took the car down to the local exhaust shop and had them put it on a lift and weld a nut or some such on there and then you have something to grip on to and a lot of room underneath to use large tools. cost me $25.00 plus a new fill plug from nissan.

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idylan:

 

The pics above of the transmission plugs are from underneath the car, on the right hand side of the transmission. The drain plug, not shown, is on the bottom.

 

The differential plugs are visible when looking at the back of the car, laying on the ground.

 

You'll probably need to jack your car up, and use jackstands, because these plugs are often on prettty firm, and you may need some leverage to get them off, and you don't want the car to fall on you.

 

Jiffy Lube will likely check and fill these for you for $30, which is another alernative.

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Now that there is royal purple in there, it may be 10-20yrs before I need to change the fluid in it again. (knock on wood).

 

I know the diff was done, 7years ago and the top plug was stuck pretty bad. Just cheap insurance.

 

It's that steel plug, cast aluminum case, yea probally over tighten due to the use of big tools, as well.

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