So many good ideas here, well here's mine.  since I own an old Audi
quattro, when I wanted the tranny plug out, I used one of the wheel
bolts which happen to be 17mm) and added a big vise grip to it and it
came out begging for mercy.  The problem I've had double netting a
17mm bolt is that a really stuck plug doesn't respond to that method
as well as jamming a thicker wheel bolt into the hole.  BTW, the vise
grip clamped on the edge of the bevel and not on the threads.  Anti-
siezing the threads upon replacement of the plug may make the next
removal much easier.

I have since gone to Auto 'Zone and bought an inexpensive set of
three(maybe 4) socket allen head tools that are either 1/2 or 3/8
drive.  I think the sizes were 12mm 14 mm and 17 mm.  Might've been a
10 also.  They were less than $8 fior the set.  They also had a 4
piece set of the triple square bits that fit into a standard sized
american socket for under 10 bucks.  Had a 6/8/10/12mm  IIRC.

FWIW, the Lisle 17mm allen key costs more than the set of imported
allen head sockets.  I did feel guilty beating a fellow Iowan out of
a job(they're made in Clarinda), but there's 5 plugs on the Audi 4kq
and a couple are pretty close quarters.

DM&FS

At 03:04 PM 9/22/2005, John Rodgers wrote:
>JordanVw@AOL.COM wrote:
>
>>In a message dated 9/22/05 12:13:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
>>kevindobrien@YAHOO.COM writes:
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>I assume it is that BIG allen screw (anyone know the
>>>size wrench needed?)
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>17mm
>>
>>
>>
>You can also use a hex head bolt of the right size and jam two nuts on
>it's shank and use a box end wrench on it  to turn  the plug to remove
>it. Goes back in the same way.
>
>That is what I did to change out my tranny fluid.
>
>Cheap method.
>
>Regards,
>
>John Rodgers
>88 GL Driver