Gearbox drain plug weep

[Dr Bones]

I changed the gearbox oil on my 97 r1100gs last weekend. The gearbox drain plug now looks like it's weeping very slightly. I used a new copper washer and torqued it up correctly. I want to replace the copper washer to see if that solves the issue, so my question is, with the bike on the side stand, can I take the gearbox drain plug out, without losing lots (hopefully any) of the gearbox oil ?

 

[Steptoe]

What type of bolt is fitted - Some 1100 gearboxes used a tapered bolt that doesn't need a washer.

 

[Dr Bones]

What type of bolt is fitted - Some 1100 gearboxes used a tapered bolt that doesn't need a washer.

thanks Steptoe

It didn't look like a tapered bolt, and this is the second time I've changed the gearbox oil since I've had the bike (it had a sealing washer on that plug when got it). I've just looked at the parts fiche and noticed it specifies an aluminium sealing (crush) washer ? I've always used copper and aluminium washers interchangeably and never had any issues before. Still, can I take the plug out with the bike on the side stand and not lose any oil ?

 

[Popell]

to be safe, just use the wifes washing up bowl and refill with any spillage.













Taste shouldn't last more than a few weeks..........

 

[cookie]

a little dab of loctite on drain plug threads prevents any weeps.

 

[Dr Bones]

Think I've found out why it's weeping. I cleaned the whole drain area with brake cleaner and a rag, while I was cleaning it I spotted what looked like an old aluminium crush washer underneath the copper one I'd fitted. Looks like its been there for some time as I've replaced the washer both times I've renewed the gearbox oil.

Enter the £10 ebay snake cam...

Area circled in red looks like edge of another washer to me (shard of aluminium peeling away)

 

[Canuck]

Enter the £10 ebay snake cam...

On sale at Aldi or Lidl this week coming! I knew i needed one!

 

[Dr Bones]

On sale at Aldi or Lidl this week coming! I knew i needed one!

Arrived in 7 days from the other side of the world

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2M-Mini-U...ther_Computing_Networking&hash=item2a1a9af714

What's more is that it's small enough to fit down a spark plug hole or in the gearbox drain or fill hole!

Just looked at Aldi one it's £70!

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/special_buys3_26260.htm

 

[Dr Bones]

The weep is back, after over 2000 miles without any issues. I haven't ridden the bike for two weeks. When I went out to the garage tonight I could smell transmission oil and there was a small patch of it under the bike. I wonder if the plug is vibrating loose? I might have to take Cookies advice and put some threadlock on there.

 

[ELIMINATOR]

PTFE tape.

 

[John Armstrong]

Think I've found out why it's weeping.

Looks like a crack to me at about 5:30, IYSWIM. Unless it's the old aluminium washer.

 

[Roadcaptain]

PTFE tape.

+1

 

[Dr Bones]

I've been looking at the gearbox drain, and I think the problem may be that the mating surface has been damaged by some previous owner, over tightening the drain bolt. Has anyone tried refacing one of these in situ? I thought if I could get a bolt of the right thread and cut the head off it, I could use it as a guide to centre some sort of cutter, like a tap seat refacing tool. The guide bolt would also stop the cuttings going into the gearbox too. Or maybe I could just try using a couple of crush washers, tightening the bolt up, loosen it off, then re tightening it again (which is what the previous owner / mechanic seems to have done).

It's all a bit awkward given the drains location at the bottom of that recess.

 

[garry a]

ptfe tape is easy fix or a bit of instant gasket that will sort it wind bolt out as far as you dare rap tape around and tighten easy life

 

[Fanum]

If the surface is 'distressed', a fibre washer rather than a metal one may help

 

[Dr Bones]

If the surface is 'distressed', a fibre washer rather than a metal one may help

Thanks for the suggestions, I wonder how a fibre gasket or PTFE fair with the heat cycles that plug must go through ?

I know a guy who is a retired engineer, I might give him a call and see what he thinks. I'd also thought that maybe a dowty seal might work. If the drain was easily accessible, this would all be so much easier.

 

[DrFarkoff]

PTFE tape will be fine we used it when my dad and I were installing laundry and dry cleaning installations

every joint on the live steam and condense lines were well taped up

Dowty seal would be good too but reduce the torque a bit or you will deform the rubber part

Thanks for the suggestions, I wonder how a fibre gasket or PTFE fair with the heat cycles that plug must go through ?

I know a guy who is a retired engineer, I might give him a call and see what he thinks. I'd also thought that maybe a dowty seal might work. If the drain was easily accessible, this would all be so much easier.

 

[Dr Bones]

I've finally got round to doing something about this. As usual Steptoe was right about the drain plug. I have the type that doesn't need a sealing washer.

I have the type on the right. However the sealing surface on my gearbox is definitely a 'bit chewed', where a previous owner over-tightened the drain plug. The bike had a sealing washer fitted to the (washerless type)plug when I got it, which I can only assume was an effort to make up for the damaged sealing surface.

I decided to order the proper type of plug to use a sealing washer (type on the left). The parts fiche suggested these part numbers were correct

drain plug 23107651450
washer A14X18-AL

But what arrived looked like the plug on the left (ordinary hex head not socket cap), but with no taper to centre a sealing washer like the plug on the right!

Have I got the part numbers correct? Does anyone have a spare washer type plug, they want to part with? Or should I just buy a generic M14x1.5 drain plug designed for a sealing washer and use that?

I thought this was going to be easy

 

[Slipperyeel]

I've finally got round to doing something about this. As usual Steptoe was right about the drain plug. I have the type that doesn't need a sealing washer.

I have the type on the right. However the sealing surface on my gearbox is definitely a 'bit chewed', where a previous owner over-tightened the drain plug. The bike had a sealing washer fitted to the (washerless type)plug when I got it, which I can only assume was an effort to make up for the damaged sealing surface.

I decided to order the proper type of plug to use a sealing washer (type on the left). The parts fiche suggested these part numbers were correct

drain plug 23107651450
washer A14X18-AL

But what arrived looked like the plug on the left (ordinary hex head not socket cap), but with no taper to centre a sealing washer like the plug on the right!

Have I got the part numbers correct? Does anyone have a spare washer type plug, they want to part with? Or should I just buy a generic M14x1.5 drain plug designed for a sealing washer and use that?

I thought this was going to be easy

+1 to Fanum's suggestion of using a fiber washer (i would put it under the under the regular crush washer).

Are you sure you have those bolts in your image the right way around? I'm not familiar with these bolts (yet, that'll change soon) and i would have expected the longer bolt to be the one to use the washer?. Also, the bolt on the left does have a tapered shank just where it meets the bolt head suggesting it would seal better without a washer...

Just my thoughts!

 

[Dr Bones]

I found the picture on the advrider site and the bolt profile descriptions seem to be the same as the generic ones

In the image above you can see the taper that centres the sealing washer. I'm pretty sure that with the correct plug, a sealing washer will crush and seal properly, with the plug I have at the moment, the washer moves as I try to tighten it up. I may have to try the fibre washer, but if I can sort it with standard parts, without having to resort to PTFE tape, fibre washer etc, I'd rather do it that way.