what size is the oil drain plug for a '91 xj6? 30mm? it's huge. also, counter-clockwise to untighten, right?

Answer: 30mm, I found and old post from motorcarman

 

 

The thread size is M20 x 2.5mm.

The original sealing washer was a metal/rubber type seal so a light torque was all that was required to seal.
Copper or aluminum washer might require a 'slightly' higher torque.

bob

 

motorcarman: I wish you were there to instruct whoever changed the oil last. I got the 30mm socket on the plug and I had to use a pipe to loosen the nut. Man did they over tighten it. Same with the oil filter. I really had to squeeze my channel lock oil filter changer tool to grip it while I forcefully loosened it. It should be easier for me the next oil change that I do.

 

Just because the fastener is large, people seem to think it requires tremendous amount of torque to seal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It only holds oil from leaking. There is no tension or shear load.

bob

 

retroren: Mine was the exact same way, filter and drain plug. Had to use a long torque wrench to get the plug out, and channel locks as hard as i could squeeze just to get the filer off. My strap wrenches were useless for that. I agree with what motorcarman said, that people must think its large so it requires a ton of torque. Most drain plugs are torqued to around 25 ft-lbs, which really isn't all that much.

 

Drain plug, well, no remedy other than wht's been discussed but oil filter removal?

Threw away all my other oil filter devices when I got one of these.....

the jaw

Larry

 

Larry, what I described as my channel lock type tool is similar to your "jaw". I actually started to crush the mid-section of the oil filter so I changed my approach and used a ratchet wrench with a long extension and a jointed socket that I attached to an oil filter socket. I fitted the oil filter socket onto the oil filter, tapped it snug then fished the ratchet extension through the gap in the wheel well next to the shock absorber. Once I got the jointed adapter mated to the oil filter wrench, I was able to get the hold I needed to loosen the oil filter. It was ridiculous.

 

In the old days, if a filter got stuck on we just drove an old screwdriver through it and unscrewed it that way.

Larry