Interestingly I had a similar experience two weeks ago with the drain plug
on my front diff. I was also saved by the Sears 17mm allen key. It's made of
harder steel than the average 3/8" drive 17mm hex tool so the edges don't
tend to round off.

Mark McCulley
87 syncro

>From: "Samuel L. Walters" <slwalters@EARTHLINK.NET>
>Reply-To: "Samuel L. Walters" <slwalters@EARTHLINK.NET>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: Re: Help! Stripped trans oil filler plug!
>Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 10:41:29 -0400
>
>Just last week I had to deal with a really trashed filler plug in the
>tranny I had pulled from an 81 Westy partsmobile.  Two of the six sides
>of the 17mm socket appeared to be almost completely gone.  It had rust
>in it and mangled metal from where it looked like someone had maybe used
>a chisel or screwdriver and hammer to try to get it loose at some point
>in the past.  Since this van has been sitting for about 4 or 5 years, I
>certainly was not optimistic about getting it out.
>
>Two days before, I had bought a Sears 17mm Allen wrench so that I could
>drain the fluid before removal.  After using screwdriver blades, files,
>etc., to clean out the rust and move away the bits of damaged metal
>that were protruding into where the hex socket formerly existed, I had
>two good sides, two that had about half of their full height wall
>intact and two that had no more than 3/16" of their wall left. I
>worked on the socket until I could almost get the Allen key in by hand,
>but had no visible impediment of any real size.
>
>Then I lightly tapped the Allen wrench with a rubber headed hammer
>until it sat down in the socket securely.  To my great surprise, it
>then turned and came out by hand, where the previous day I had needed
>to tap, no hit on the Allen wrench with the same hammer to get the drain
>plug loose.  (The wrench went into the drain plug with a few light taps
>on the Allen wrench, but the plug wouldn't turn just from my twists.
>I couldn't get that much leverage under the van due to cramped space.)
>
>After the socket was out, it would go in and out easily and should be
>useable in the future if some anti-seize or grease is kept on the
>treads.
>
>So - with some patience and the Sears Allen key, you might be able to
>get this plug out and reuse it.  I guess Shawn's experience and mine
>reinforce one of the tips that I had seen several times earlier on the
>list - always make sure you can get your tranny fill plug out before
>draining the tranny.  I didn't follow it consciously, because I was
>removing the tranny to sell, but it would have been tough to clean up
>that drain plug socket from under the van.  Was much easier with the
>tranny on its side in an open space.
>
>Good luck.
>
>Sam Walters
>84 Vanagon, orig. owner
>89 Syncro, new to me 12/00

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