How to Remove a Damaged Crankshaft Plug

To my chagrin, I did not use a torque wrench on the crankshaft plug the last time I did a valve check and damaged the hex socket the next time I tried to remove it.

There are several ways to remove a damaged plug. I'll describe the method that I used, using materials at hand.

I made an oversized pin wrench from a piece of scrap steel and two ?" bolts spaced ⅞" apart on center. Then I drilled two ?" holes approximately ?" deep spaced ⅞" apart on center in the plug. Using the "pin wrench" to turn the plug freed it up and I was able to remove it and replace it with a new plug. As always, it took longer to figure out a solution than it did to execute it.

The new plug was installed with a torque wrench set at 15 Nm.

The first pic shows the "pins" in relation to the holes in the plug.

The second pic shows the wrench inserted into the plug.

The third pic shows the part number for the new plug.

George,

I hope you purchased a lottery ticket after that successful save. It could have been very different and required a time_sert tool purchase wich would have been a nice chunk of change.

Eldon

Very cool George!

I had a problem with my crankshaft plug when I tryed to remove it the first time I did a valve check. The Honda shop did the initial service/valve check so I blamed them on overtightening it. I thought it may have been cross threaded and ruined the threads so I ordered a new alternator cover and replaced it the next time the valve check was due.
As it turns out the threads are fine. I replaced the cover, then in spare time I drilled a large hole in the plug, and used a hacksaw blade to cut right up to the threads. With the tension off the plug came right out.
As it turned out your method probably would have worked fine and saved me a new alt cover.
As a warning to others--That plug is soft, treat it gently.

Brad