Drain Plug

[watkins]

Damnit.. I seem to always have some sort of stupid problem like this... the treads on my case are stripped where the drain plug goes in... unscrewed my plug before my last trip and 1/2 the threads came out with it... I ended up just coving the thing in lock-tight and screwing it back in (feels like only 2 treads are holding it in) and prayed! Didnt leak.. whew.. now.. I have 2 Weeks until New Years, how can I get this fixed?

[Cotton eyed Joe]

Damnit.. I seem to always have some sort of stupid problem like this... the treads on my case are stripped where the drain plug goes in... unscrewed my plug before my last trip and 1/2 the threads came out with it... I ended up just coving the thing in lock-tight and screwing it back in (feels like only 2 treads are holding it in) and prayed! Didnt leak.. whew.. now.. I have 2 Weeks until New Years, how can I get this fixed?

449821[/snapback]

Sounds like its time for a threaded insert.

 

You have to drill it out for the insert, tap it for the insert, so it looks like you might have to split your cases.

 

On the inserts, I'd stay away from Heli-coil inserts. They work best when you are securing a stud that stays put, rather than a bolt that you take out time and again.

I'd go with the locking inserts. These inserts looks a little like a set screw, except they have 2 small pins that you tap down once you get the insert seated. This prevents it from backing out ever. We use them in projects every now and again and no failures yet.

[pimpeinkc]

or..... you could go and tap it to a different size, sae bolts come in many different sizes and there might be one just a touch bigger, i am not sure what size the hole is....

[Cotton eyed Joe]

or..... you could go and tap it to a different size, sae bolts come in many different sizes and there might be one just a touch bigger, i am not sure what size the hole is....

449851[/snapback]

I'm sure the oil drain is a 12 x 1.25, 12mm=.472"

A drill for 1/2-13 is a 25/64 (I think) which is .390. You'd have to go to a 9/16" or 5/8" SAE, but I don't know those drill-tap sizes off the top of my head.

 

Either way I'm thinking you're going to need your cases apart to do it proper.

[watkins]

Well. that really sucks, I just had the cases apart a month ago and just finished putting the bike back together again. Hopefully the bike will make it through new years without the plug falling out dont have the time to disassemble and reassemble before new years.. I did use red locktight on the treads this time so hopefully it stays put and at my next oil change I will split the cases and get this fixed.

[pimpeinkc]

tap size 9/16-18 drill size 33/64

9/16-12 31/64

5/8-18 37/64

5/8-11 17/32

 

don't have the decimal equivilent chart next to me.....

[Cotton eyed Joe]

tap size 9/16-18  drill size 33/64

              9/16-12                31/64

              5/8-18                  37/64

                5/8-11                  17/32

 

don't have the decimal equivilent chart next to me.....

450255[/snapback]

33/64 = .5156

31/64 = .4844

37/64 = .5781

17/32 = .531

 

Looks like either 9/16-18 or 5/8-11. I'd personally take the course thread of the 5/8-11 over the fine thread of 9/16-18 being it would be harder to get it cross threaded, and its not going to get torqued to a very high value. Plus if your bolt is 1/2" long, you're going to have to turn that bastard almost 10 times to get it seated, versus 5-6 times with the course thread.

 

Your mileage may vary.

[s-540]

you could check at you local auto store and get a self tapping plug the next size up and not have to drill or tap at all....

Edited December 20, 2005 by s-540

[BigRed350x]

God damn I love this place. Every time I see a post like this one with all the numbers and straiight-forward instructions it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

[watkins]

Wow.. thanks for all the input guys! So the verdict is that the next size up is 9/16-18 or 5/8-11 correct?

[pimpeinkc]

God damn I love this place.  Every time I see a post like this one with all the numbers and straiight-forward instructions it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. 

450430[/snapback]

 

well, not everyone works with a machine shop in the building,,, my first, and let me tell you, when they are not looking, i grab the mill and what ever i am either making or repairing and get on it....

 

Wow.. thanks for all the input guys! So the verdict is that the next size up is 9/16-18 or 5/8-11 correct?

450520[/snapback]

 

that sounds right to me, make sure you get a stainless steal bolt for it, so it don't rust and i would go with the 9/16 sorry joe. but that way when your dumb ass strips it out again you still have a size bigger to go to... lmao

 

good luck, oh, and since it is where it is, i would think as long as you are carefull you should be able to do it with the motor together, just be carefull. do it with the motor nice and level, not with the bike stood up if you know what i mean. drill and tap slow so you don't sling chips inside it, besides that size bit needs to go slow. then take the oil you have just drained, run it threw a filter/screen or something, dump it back threw to rince the chips, i would stick my finger up in there first and get what you can,,,,, i had to do something like this to my warrior back in the day.

[suzuki0702]

dont buy a cheap tap and die set dude u will screw up your cases even more...snap-on or matco, cornwell....???none of that autozone crap! sux that uve gotta split the cases for that...but im getting ready to do a crank and flush..later dude good luck

[northshore]

do you really have to split the case? couldnt you just flip it up on its a$$ and just drill it out and re-tap?

[superdutymj]

if you have a stand for your 'shee that would be best to drill with the bike sitting level. or stand it up and put grease on the drill and on the tap you are using to catch the shavings.

[Cotton eyed Joe]

if you have a stand for your 'shee that would be best to drill with the bike sitting level.  or stand it up and put grease on the drill and on the tap you are using to catch the shavings.

451173[/snapback]

Well, the bad thing is, you won't be able to catch them all. Aluminum is mallable, but for instance, the primary gear set has VERY close tolerances. I've locked mine up with a single small piece of paper that got in there by accident during my second rebuild. I found it when I was rolling the engine over by hand. If a piece of aluminum got there, I'm sure it could cause a problem to a certain degree.

And, worse case scenario which I have had happen more times than I'd like to count....the tap breaks. Those cases are cast. Cast aluminum isn't like 6061 mill finished aluminum. You have voids, sand, debris in some instances. Plus it can be gummy or even harder than normal. Most often I've found cast or extruded aluminum to be gummy, almost "soft". If that tap breaks, you got to get at it some how, and on the end of a 400lb bike isn't the easiest. Sometimes the long way is the better way imo.