stupid newbie question....oil plug

[sobes]

Ok guys, this is really lame question- please don't flame me too bad. And yes, I know the whole "righty tighty, lefty loosey" deal. I'm a newer explorer owner and have not had the chance to do much work with it. It's a 97 xlt V8.

So...which way to loosen the oil plug? Do I push towards the front of the car, or towards the rear? I tried both ways and it is either very stuck, or I am just very tired and not thinking the right way- things tend to get twisted around when you're under a car and I don't want to strip it out.

Thanks.

 

[BeauJ]

Push towards the rear of the car. Be careful not to strip the bolt out and when you put it back on, only put about 30 ft/lbs of torque on it.

 

[Robb]

Drive the automobile to an oil change shop.

 

[jimbo74]

which way you try and turn it depends on which way you are looking at it.....

like if we said driver's side here in the US it would be the LEFT side, but in the UK the driver's side is on the Right

 

[sobes]

Thanks for the help. It was a brain fart. Recently did a front end suspension tuneup on my '88 VW Golf (strut bearings, ball joints, tie rod ends, half shaft, etc.), yet I can't figure out a friggin' drain plug on a 5.0 V8

 

[gijoecam]

Regardless of which side you're on or which side the plug is on, you must turn the plug counter-clockwise when looking at it from outside the pan. (obviously if you could loosen it from inside the pan it would have to go clockwise).

Confused?

-Joe

 

[etc]

Breaker bar, just make sure you going lefty loosey. =D

 

[trucku]

last guy must of tightened the heck out of it..oil change shops do that too...
Counterclockwise...or reaching from underneath and handle down..pull wrench towards you while your further to the front of vehicle, that way you don't smash your knuckles if the wrench slips...