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Oil drain plug

21K views 65 replies 17 participants last post by  cbxer55 
#1 ·
I have been changing my own oil ever since I bought my bike because I don't trust the dealer to do it the right way. I just changed my oil last week. When I removed both drain plugs, they were both tight but when I put them back in, the rear plug acted like it was stripped out. It would not tighten down. When I pulled the drain plugs out, there was not any metal particles on the magnets. I did put new crush washers on and it is not cross threaded.

Any ideas on what could have happened or what the fix would be?
 
#3 ·
That is what puzzles me about it, the last time that I changed the oil, the plug tightened down as it normally does. But when I took it out this time, it came out like it should. When I put it back in, I hand screwed it in. It went in as it should. I did not notice any cross threading. It just would not tighten down enough to strip the threads out.

Does anyone know what the size of the drain plug?
 
#7 ·
Thats why I dont do the heli coils , at least on oil pans. Oil always finds ways by a repair. Using an oversized plug at least has a new gasket that seal the plug, Other then that a new pan is the way to go......
 
#8 ·
The last time that I put the plug in, it was torqued to spec. When I loosened it up, it was tight. Everything seemed normal up to the point of putting the plug back in. It just won't tighten up now. How do you strip threads when removing the plug?:dontknow:
 
#20 ·
I have been changing my own oil ever since I bought my bike because I don't trust the dealer to do it the right way. I just changed my oil last week. When I removed both drain plugs, they were both tight but when I put them back in, the rear plug acted like it was stripped out. It would not tighten down. When I pulled the drain plugs out, there was not any metal particles on the magnets. I did put new crush washers on and it is not cross threaded.

Any ideas on what could have happened or what the fix would be?
The oil pan is cast from some pretty cheap crap material. Depending on the level of inherent flaws when it was cast, the threads can come out without you having done anything wrong. It's not a pure piece of billet.

If you go to NAPA and get the second oversize 1/2" drain plug (that's the only local place that keeps that particular one), you can cut new threads into the existing hole without having to install a helicoil. The thread pitch is virtually identical to the stock metric thread and the plug is enough oversize that it will get past the stripped threads.
 
#29 ·
That's where the wheel bearing grease comes in handy.

Dip the tap in some wheel bearing grease and slowly tap the hole. The grease will collect the filings. I've done this procedure many times over and touch wood, I haven't had any problems. I normally flush the pan by filling the engine with cheap oil and leaving the drain plug out. This actually flushes the last remaining bit of sediment from the bottom of the pan.
 
#41 ·
That's where the wheel bearing grease comes in handy.

Dip the tap in some wheel bearing grease and slowly tap the hole. The grease will collect the filings. I've done this procedure many times over and touch wood, I haven't had any problems. I normally flush the pan by filling the engine with cheap oil and leaving the drain plug out. This actually flushes the last remaining bit of sediment from the bottom of the pan.
I'am a heavy equipment mechanic and I would follow munsters instructions to use grease, tap to next size and then flush it with cheap oil. Make sure the tap goes in straight and match the thread pitch to the over size plug. Don't forget the sealing washer for the plug.
 
#32 ·
I'm sure that the oil pump has a screen, but to me, why take the chance of a fragment going somewhere that it should not causing even more $$$ damage. I know it is over kill but sometimes I work that way.
????? dont you mean ALL the time Ryan??? LOL you're da best Alice,,,,,,,,,,,,,,:bigthumbsup:
 
#37 ·
I think I've pretty much decided to take the oil pan off to re-thread the hole. From the posts on here and talking to a couple of 109 riders, it's not very hard to take the oil pan off. I'd rather be safe than sorry. Been sorry too many times.

Thanks for all of the help, idea's and insights from everyone. This really is a great forum with great people as members.
 
#40 ·
I went to Napa today and the guy told me that I would need a "14mm single oversized drain plug". He showed me a double oversized 1/2", but it just looked like the head was too big to fit into the area of the plug on the pan. I ended up getting the 14mm plug. I am going to try to put it in on Saturday. I will let everyone know if it works.
 
#44 ·
It worked out great. With the help of Cole99 and the new bike stand that he built, taking the oil pan off was a very easy job. Just as we expected, the rear drain plug hole had almost no threads left. The threads came out with the drain plug. Cole threaded the new 14mm single over plug into the hole. It worked out great. Now it doesn't look like a H-D sitting in my shop with an oil drip pan under it. No more leaks. Thanks to all of you and your ideas and suggestions.
 
#48 ·
Hey guys....sorry to revive an old thread...but I am curious....what are the cases made of on our bikes? I mean if you drop the pan and it's bolting to an aluminum case don't you have to worry about stripping the 14 case bolts as well? If the case is steel then I get it...but to drop the pan....wouldn't you have to worry about stripping the bolts out in the cases as well? I mean if you over tighten them....and there 8MM...no?
 
#50 ·
I've changed the oil in my 11 year old bike I don't know how many times. Never used a torque wrench, just know how to do it by feel. I just get them nice and snug without going overboard on it. My bike is 11 years old and still has the crush washers it came with, never seen any sign of a leak.
 
#55 ·
I'm an aircraft mechanic myself, but more on the structures side. So I install lots of rivets and hi-locs. Hi-locs, of course, get around the torque problem by having drive nuts that break off at preset values. So I rarely need to use one at work. I have two at home, one dial, one "clicker". But, 90% of the time, I don't use them. Tighten everything "just so", and use lots of blue Loc Tite.

I've never stripped an oil pan, and I've been doing bikes and cars since the mid 70's. Never stripped out a spark plug hole either. I have stripped other things, bolts and nuts, that were not a problem to replace. Mainly due to sub par quality hardware. When it comes to my vehicles nowadays, there is an Ace Hardware a mile from me that has a large selection of Grade 8 hardware. If something I am putting on doesn't already have that, I replace it.
 
#57 ·
I'm good, there's no doubt about that. But, there are a few problems with what you have written.

Firstly, your corn-fueled phone doesn't work in your shop. You have to be atop the light pole in your yard to get reception, AKA: Green Acres Style. Secondly, you own an American made (well, they were American made until they weren't because the company made such a crappy product that nobody wanted them but since they went on sale to clear them out you foolishly went out and bought one) bike. My senses are tuned to metric bikes using metric fasteners. When I sensed through the phone that the plug was tight enough it would be in metric. That would certainly be way too much torque for the low quality and inch-based oil pan and drain plug of your obsolete motorcycle.

I would really love to help you out but you are well beyond help.
 
#61 ·
I see you're pulling out your 8 track library now. You still have one of those on your antique, discontinued Cade if I remember right.
You know so little about anything. It's a cassette.

And 30 years later, Suzuki continues to offer parts for that discontinued motorcycle they only made for 3 years. We'll see what happens with Victory. My bet is they'll be tearing down the showroom floor models in a few years for replacement parts.

Probably still have a VCR on all of you're rabbit eared television sets too!
We have so kept up. We have a massive antenna in the attic and we get all the digital channels. All 15 of them. And we have a DVD player, a Blueray player and a WII. None of them requiring corn fuel.
 
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