Temporary Sump Plugs

[Force]

Managed to remove the rest of the bolt using a sharpened punch and hammer to tap it round

Mr Toad - what was the old thread you had? I've got an M12 X 1.50 thread but have only stripped the first few threads. Do you think the part no. 1047 (M14 X 1.50) bolt with piggyback will work in my bike and self tap into the M12 X 1.50 thread?

Cheers

[Mr Toad]

Hi, my original plug/bolt was an M14 x 1.5

The plug I ordered was an over sized M14 1.5 and it worked a treat. I don't have an engineering background and wouldn't like to say if it could cut a good thread in a M12 hole (which I assume is smaller). I would say that's a lot of cutting for something which isn't really a cutting tool (tap and die type stuff)

How much bigger is a M14 compared to a M12 ?

Other questions are how much space do you have around the sump hole for the bolt head of an M14 bolt compared the a M12 head.

And I would imagine that possibly the area around the sump plug is thickened ali to accomodate for the threads stresses of of the plug being screwed in and out etc. How big a hole can you cut before cutting into thinner metal (if that is the case) ?

There are probably some better qualified engineering type folk on here who could advise.

I haven't looked but I would send the cgenterprises an email and see if they supply an oversized M12 with a piggy back or any other advise they might give.

An oversized M12 piggy back plug would be the best way to go if you can source one. IMHO for what it's worth.

Best of luck and certainly come back to me if you think I can help.
Cheers
Steve

[davsato]

After trying to do an oil change yesterday I managed to snap the sump plug bolt off in the engine I've also managed to strip the first few 2 or 3 threads in the engine.

Thanks

how tight did you think it needed to be done up??? :blink:

[Mr Toad]

I torqued mine up to the right setting, but it was a new steel magnetic plug rather than OE and I think it just did for the alloy threads.

Also at the lower settings just how accurate are the torque wrenches.

What is also interesting is that we seem to use copper or alloy washers to seal the sump plug/bolt in the UK. The Americans have supplied fibre washers which obviously don't need as much pressure to form a good seal.

[picos mestizo]

sumpplug.jpg (13.29 KiB) Viewed 1818 times

I would have thought with only 2 threads missing you could use an original plug with fibre washer done up to about 8ftlbs & then wired on.

[*Touring Ted*]

You've got the bolt out !! GREAT !!

Now... Stop and think. Don't rush anything....

The options are :

1) Drill out the old threads and have a Timesert installed http://www.timesert.com/html/drainplug.html

Helicoils are shit in my opinion.

2) Drill out the old threads and tap a new thread into it and use a bigger bolt. This is the best option.


3) DON'T OVER TIGHTEN YOUR SUMP BOLT :woohoo:

They aren't meant to be THAT tight. The sump nut on a big GS is only about 32NM. That's 'Nipped' up to most people.

[Rederic]

There is only one way to go,

Remove casing and fit the helicoil (or similar), that way no swarf or debri can contaminate the oilway's
if you are unsure about doing this yourself just take the casing and new sump bolt, to your friendly engineering shop I am sure they will be able to do it for you
Dont worry about the helicoil being strong enough to cope with constant use they are stronger than the original thread
This is just my thought on it as anything else is a compromise. You can buy helical kit's from the like's of J+L Tool's , Cromwell's, etc online fairly cheap as well

[Rederic]

You've got the bolt out !! GREAT !!

Now... Stop and think. Don't rush anything....

The options are :

1) Drill out the old threads and have a Timesert installed http://www.timesert.com/html/drainplug.html

Helicoils are shit in my opinion.

2) Drill out the old threads and tap a new thread into it and use a bigger bolt. This is the best option.



3) DON'T OVER TIGHTEN YOUR SUMP BOLT :woohoo:

They aren't meant to be THAT tight. The sump nut on a big GS is only about 32NM. That's 'Nipped' up to most people.

Never seen this post must of been sending my one
Any other way is a bodge imho

[Force]

Thanks for all the input everyone.

Been thinking about this and discussed it with the ex-mechanic I know. As I've only stripped the first two or three threads in the housing, I might get a new sump bolt and screw it in and use a torque wrench this time! If it strips the rest of the threads out then I'll drill and tap for a thread insert. I'm not going to bother with a magnetic bolt as it snapped with hardly any torque on it and I don't want to repeat that again. Still tempted with the piggyback bolt option though... Will let you know how it goes.

If I do go for a thread insert I'll be using Spiralock (rival to Helicoil) as I've tested these many times and have all the tools to do this at my work.

[Rat Jugger]

Just as a side note on temporary sump plugs, a few years ago I was out with a mate on a DR650, his plug unscrewed itself and vanished as these things do into the ether. Solution 1 spare spark plug straight in. Stayed there happily for the next two weeks whilst waiting on a replacement to eventually arrive.