Yamaha R6 sump plug bolt. HELP!

**Cr1MiNaL** · 30th March 2009, 22:19

Alright to yesterday I decided to do a bit of maintenance on the ol R6. Flushed the brake fluid, flushed the coolant, was about to drop the oil when instead of loosening the sump plug I tightened it and tightened it so tight that it now spins on the spot in both directions without coming free. Can someone please tell me what my options are? As far as I see it,

1. disemble the headers and pipe and remove sump, give it to a mate to re drill and put it back ( a big mission)

2. find some sort of tool that holds and excerts force downward whilst screwing the damn bolt out ( mind you I do not have too much space), easier but will this fix the problem. I do not want bits of metal floating around in my engine.

** in the mean while I still need to get to work and I dont own a car. So I am riding it carefully (no harsh acceleration or wheelies zzzz) hopefull y the bolt wont pop out under pressure spilling a couple of litres of oil on my rear tire and seizing up my beautiful engineering marvel.

Please help an idiot learn something !!

**xwhatsit** · 30th March 2009, 22:42

...lefty loosey, righty tighty....?

Is pulling the headers off that much more of a deal on a multi? I suppose you'll have fairings too.

But even if you get the bolt out, you'll still have to drill the hole out and tap a new thread or helicoil it; you've farked the existing one. So either way there's going to be swarf in your sump. If you're lucky enough to have a removable sump why not just pull it.

Didn't you pause when you found it a bit tight and have a think, lol! Sump plugs are big, need a lot of torque to fuck it wouldn't you?

**Disco Dan** · 30th March 2009, 23:03

You could get a flat head screwdriver in the gap and lever it down while turning... still means remove the sump to re tap the hole though.

Thats a right 'muppet' moment that one !

**TOTO** · 30th March 2009, 23:35

I'm not Mr Mechanical here Raj, but if you still wanna change the oil and make sure there is nothing floating in there , is it possible to drain the oil by removing the filter and then use one of those magnets that are on the end of a flexible road (you buy them from repco) to go around the engine and see if anything sticks to it.

Thats what comes to me mind at the mo, but all depends on how your engine is and where the filter is etc...

**howdamnhard** · 31st March 2009, 00:06

Originally Posted by xwhatsit

...lefty loosey, righty tighty....?

Is pulling the headers off that much more of a deal on a multi? I suppose you'll have fairings too.

But even if you get the bolt out, you'll still have to drill the hole out and tap a new thread or helicoil it; you've farked the existing one. So either way there's going to be swarf in your sump. If you're lucky enough to have a removable sump why not just pull it.

Didn't you pause when you found it a bit tight and have a think, lol! Sump plugs are big, need a lot of torque to fuck it wouldn't you?

What he said.Got to be careful when your looking from above and trying to loosen something underneath you as it is the opposite direction when viewed from above,if not sure look from below before trying to loosen it.I'm guessing the R6 has a steel sump plug and the sump is aluminium , in which case the aluminium thread is now stripped.Surprised its not leaking.If you can get some vise grips on the plug and pull or lever down on it while loosening it should come out.Will still need to pull sump off in order to drill and tap or helicoil it.
If its not leaking do it on a weekend when you have more time to fix it.

**Patch** · 31st March 2009, 06:13

Originally Posted by YamahaR64Life

Please help an idiot learn something !!

Put the 1/2" ratchet down, use a 3/8" drive or a 1/4" and buy a torque wrench and learn how to use it

Buy a bus ticket.

Do not try pulling the bolt out with vice grips - if you pear shape the thread, the helicoil may not succeed. There isn't a lot of metal down there to play around with.

Drill it out. Either take the motor out, or lie it down, but drill it out.

Get someone who knows what the hell they are doing, if they cock it up you'll be buying a new case or trying to find someone to weld more metal and drilling a revised drain hole.

It its not leaking too bad, leave it 'til u have the time. It ain't a 5min job.

**HDTboy** · 31st March 2009, 06:35

Don't ride it.

**enigma51** · 31st March 2009, 06:37

Originally Posted by xwhatsit

...lefty loosey, righty tighty....?

Is pulling the headers off that much more of a deal on a multi? I suppose you'll have fairings too.

But even if you get the bolt out, you'll still have to drill the hole out and tap a new thread or helicoil it; you've farked the existing one. So either way there's going to be swarf in your sump. If you're lucky enough to have a removable sump why not just pull it.

Didn't you pause when you found it a bit tight and have a think, lol! Sump plugs are big, need a lot of torque to fuck it wouldn't you?

Remember valentino build the bike so it suppose too be tight

**vifferman** · 31st March 2009, 08:02

You don't need to remove the sump. When/if you've removed the plug, the helicoil can be tapped using lotsa grease, which should trap the swarf. If you're worried about any swarf or filings being left in there, just pour some cheap oil or whatever in through the filler plug to wash it out.
As to how you get the plug out, I've no idea. You've obviously stripped the threads out completely, so it should come out if a bit of outward force is applied while turning it.

**Morcs** · 31st March 2009, 08:59

Raj you live with Rob. He is the worst culprit ive known for turning bolts the wrong way and then fucking them. Looks like it rubbed off on yer.

**Scouse** · 31st March 2009, 09:15

Originally Posted by YamahaR64Life

Alright to yesterday I decided to do a bit of maintenance on the ol R6. Flushed the brake fluid, flushed the coolant, was about to drop the oil when instead of loosening the sump plug I tightened it and tightened it so tight that it now spins on the spot in both directions without coming free. Can someone please tell me what my options are? As far as I see it,

1. disemble the headers and pipe and remove sump, give it to a mate to re drill and put it back ( a big mission)

2. find some sort of tool that holds and excerts force downward whilst screwing the damn bolt out ( mind you I do not have too much space), easier but will this fix the problem. I do not want bits of metal floating around in my engine.

** in the mean while I still need to get to work and I dont own a car. So I am riding it carefully (no harsh acceleration or wheelies zzzz) hopefull y the bolt wont pop out under pressure spilling a couple of litres of oil on my rear tire and seizing up my beautiful engineering marvel.

Please help an idiot learn something !!

3. Take it to a bike shop so someone who knows what the fuck they are doing can fix it