Oops!!

[Banjo]

I changed the gear oil over the weekend and over-tightened the drain plug. Now it just turns, it won't come out also. I don't think I'm losing much oil, just a little on the plug itself, overnight. Has anyone any ideas on how to sort it out. Thanks.

 

[ghiribizzo]

Erk. Not good. It needs rethreaded. So - an insert is appropriate, but that has to be done absolutely 'square' or the repair will never seal properly if at a slight angle.
To put an insert in, access has to be gained to be able to drill and re thread to put in the insert.
I'll leave you to figure what you may need to do re. rear drive, swingarm gearbox...

To get the stripped plug out, pulling gently out with 'square' steady pressure (mole grips or whatever) whilst you unscrew slowly with a spanner will get it out.

You'll never do that sort of job again without new crush washers and a good torque wrench.
I feel your pain. Used to have to repair just such little dilemmas.

 

[Banjo]

Aye, you could be right. Thanks for the reply.

 

[flatdog]

Obviously the oil thins as it heats up so that drip when cold can quickly turn to a trickle if used.

 

[Myke Rocks]

A different point of view:

I never, ever, use a torque wrench.
Learn to tighten without undertightening or overtightening. It comes with experience.
Copper washers. Yes, if you have one, by all means replace it, but it is hardly worth travelling for. Reuse the old one, if it leaks, heat it up cherry red & let it cool again. (either naturally or by dropping it in water.) Reannealed, it will work perfectly.

Now you are in a slight pickle. Suggest you remove the bung, and find the thread size. then buy a Helicoil type kit and follow the instructions within it. A little bit of common sense, and around 5 mins will have the hole rethreaded.
Lie the bike on it's side to do it. Get a friend (if you have one) to watch you drilling and tell you if the drill is "square" to the sump. Ditto when retapping.

Myke

 

[(RIP) Tunneruk]

Get a friend (if you have one) to watch you drilling and tell you if the drill is "square" to the sump. Ditto when retapping.

Myke

Seriously?

I wish I'd had you as my mentor during my 5 year toolmaking apprenticeship, I could have qualified 4 years and 10 months earlier!

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Seriously?

I wish I'd had you as my mentor during my 5 year toolmaking apprenticeship, I could have qualified 4 years and 10 months earlier!

That's what I thought too

A tad of over simplicity, how can you tell 2-3 degrees from vertical with the naked eye

 

[Greg Masters]

I never, ever, use a torque wrench.
Learn to tighten without undertightening or overtightening. It comes with experience.

Myke

I think that the learning point from this experience is 'Always use a torque wrench!'



Greg

 

[cookie]

while i frequently use a torque wrench, i never use them for drain plugs.

they often seem to end up too tight to me

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

while i frequently use a torque wrench, i never use them for drain plugs.

they often seem to end up too tight to me

+1, experience counts sometimes

 

[Poucher]

When you are re-tapping the hole, use an engineers square against the sump / tap at 90 deg angles to check that you are setting the tap off square in the first place,

whilst it won't be perfect, any slight discrepancy should be taken up by a new copper washer.

Like Tunner, I also served a toolmaking apprenticeship which has served me well throughout my life when things have gone "T1ts-up" on the odd occasion!

But no, not a nice job to do .

 

[Myke Rocks]

We are working with a sump

That's what I thought too

A tad of over simplicity, how can you tell 2-3 degrees from vertical with the naked eye

How can you tell even in a jig?
The sump is not a level surface, and tool room accuracy does not enter into it.
In this case, by eye is the only way of doing the job. (unless you strip the gearbox out of the bike, make up an adjustable jig, mount it in a mill, and then bore it.) No, a degree of commonsense is needed for a simple repair such as this. It's only a sump bung. A degree or 2 out of line makes no difference. The sealing washer will take up any small error anyway.
Get a grip!
Myke

 

[VAL. H.]

How can you tell even in a jig?
The sump is not a level surface, and tool room accuracy does not enter into it.
In this case, by eye is the only way of doing the job. (unless you strip the gearbox out of the bike, make up an adjustable jig, mount it in a mill, and then bore it.) No, a degree of commonsense is needed for a simple repair such as this. It's only a sump bung. A degree or 2 out of line makes no difference. The sealing washer will take up any small error anyway.
Get a grip!
Myke

This is obviously the most sencible way to go about it. However it's worth having a really good think about how you intend to go about the job before picking up any tools. Simply drilling the hole might not go quite as you planned. I would seriously consider asking around localy for someone who has experiance of this sort of thing and then getting either advice, or them to carry out the job.

Sealing issues are easily sorted by fitting an 'O' ring seal. Your oil filler cap has one so why shouldn't you gearbox?

One very important thing to consider, is the swarf from the drill. Where is it going and is it likely to do damage there???? Filling the gearbox with parafin or disel and giving it a good washout, isn't something easily done when it's still attached to the bike, is it?


Val.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Get a grip!
Myke

Hope his Sump Plug repair does, more to the point

 

[MIKE R]

IMHO bite the bullet and get an engineer to do the job for you.

Might be expensive in the short term but save a fortune in the long.

Mike

 

[Kremmen]

You will need to helicoil the drain hole for sure & the size needed is M14 x 1.5 pitch
i Recon you can just about do the job without taking the headers off... but if there's any doubt ref the above posts...take them off it's only a 20min job.

Adding my 10 penneth to the torque wrench debate, if your unskilled or unsure in "feeling " up fittings then use a torque wrench end of story.

 

[ebbo]

Years ago I had a stud pull out of a head. I took it to my local bike shop to be helicoiled, he clearly drilled it by hand and out of true because I had to knock the stud straight with a hammer before I could get the head back on

 

[Banjo]

Thanks for all the advice. I think I'll just wait for the snow, as the bike will be off the road then and decide what to do then.

 

[fully]

i changed the oil on a mates bike once and did the good old "yup thats is now all good now just 1/4 turn more to nip it up ....sh#t!" as the plug turned freely.... if you've done it..you'll know what i felt like.
solution was to take off the sump and chemical metal the sump plug in situ, fit it back in and fill with oil...very carefully, result no leaks.. then got on ebay and got a replacement used sump plate & plug for £60. mate ran the bike until next oil change then I made sure i did it again as i could clearly remember how much i'd done it up before thinking about the 1/4 turn...which i didnt do. mates bike has been fine since.
but i have refused to do his oil change since....
twas a suzuki mind you.....
so as i now have a 1200gsa and intend doing my own oil changing my question is... how much is that sump plate??

 

[Banjo]

I've been looking around for parts and tools as adviced. Is it an M18x1.5 thread. If so what size drillbit will I need?