Fuck fuck fuck - stripped sump plug

[YellowDog]

Anyone use those magnetic sump plugs?

I like the idea however I was just wondering if the potential metalic debris would be attracted to a magnet?

[gatch]

I have had this happen recently... the fix I used (and it's still working well) is to simply tap the sump to the next size up. Which for me was going to an imperial size. Once tapped and fitted with a new bolt (with plumbers tape around the thread) and filled the sump with oil, and then drained it. Then put the bolt back in with a crush washer and filled all up again with oil.

Places like repco stock crush washers.. I believe they are different than just "normal washers"


Learnt most of this with the help of TWR and a bit of research online.


Further solution is not to strip it again...

Really bad damage you will either have to replace the sump, or remove it and see if you can weld up the hold, then drill and tap it.

If you haven't already got some, get some teflon tape from Mitre 10 or wherever, and wrap it around the sump plug anti-clockwise looking at the plug from the hex end. (It should be wrapping around in the opposite direction to the way it screws in, so that the 'tail' isn't leading when you screw it in). Give it about three turns of tape. This will stop it leaking and should help stop it coming undone, and will also mean you can tighten the plug without inflicting further damage.
As the Katman says, it's very unlikely it's the plug that stripped - more'n likely you stripped the threads in the sump, which means you will need a thread insert (Helicoil or the like), as the sump is alloy and the plug steel. You can get away with doing this with the sump in place if the new thread for the insert is tapped with lots of grease, then the sump is flushed out with kero or whatever to wash the swarf out.

Good luck.

As frosty pointed out, a couple of threads may not be enough to cause concern. If however a new plug and crush washer doesn't seal up your sump, then either of the above options are the go. Getting it done by engineers however will entail the removal of the sump, because as Katman mentioned, if you a more than a degree or so out, the crush washer will not"crush" and you will leak..

Anyone use those magnetic sump plugs?

I like the idea however I was just wondering if the potential metalic debris would be attracted to a magnet?

Aluminium won't stick to the magnet, any powder coming off the engine internals will though, these are common place in aeronautical engine and gear cases, and are used as an indicator of component wear.

[The Lone Rider]

Getting it done by engineers however will entail the removal of the sump, because as Katman mentioned, if you a more than a degree or so out, the crush washer will not"crush" and you will leak..

I had it done by an engineer at work. We didn't take the sump off... we just lifted the bike and crawled under it. It was a last minute fix though - mine was leaking pretty bad.

[p.dath]

I had it done by an engineer at work. We didn't take the sump off... we just lifted the bike and crawled under it. It was a last minute fix though - mine was leaking pretty bad.

I suspect the difference would be needing an expert with a drill who was careful enough to not only leave no debry in the sump but also get the perfect angle, or take the sump off and have someone drill it using a drill press so they can get the angle perfect - which should only need an average engineer.

[scumdog]

Got my cuzzy to make a custom longer sump plug from a bolt - as somebody mentioned earlier it is often the threads nearest the outside that get munted, the ones further in are often left undamaged - hence why I got the longer sump-plug (complete with O-ring grove under the head of it, used a neoprene O-ring and never leaked a single drop, ever).

[FROSTY:Me]

SOOO--what happened--did it go in oK usuing the copper washer??
The other way to do it is to use a Helicoil SLOWLY cutting the thread. The secret is to do it a thread at a time and use grease so the swarf gets stuck to the tap tool

[kwaka_crasher]

Don't helicoil - go up to the next nearest size where the ID is sufficient to clear the OD of the existing thread.

[p.dath]

I gave Frosty a visit yesterday, and he gave me lots of good advice (thank you Frosty!). I ended up going to Repco this morning, and buying another sump plug. However when I screw it in I can't get it up to the correct torque before it starts slipping. So that means the sump thread is damaged worse than I had first hoped.

Taking the sump off on my bike would take someone of my abilities a long time. The exhaust headers effectively have to be removed to get to the sump. And to get to the exhaust headers is probably going to be hard as well.

So reluctantly, I pushed the bike around to Cycletreads this morning (puff puff!) and spoke to Andrew. They are going to take the sump off for me and send it away to an engineering company in Albany. He's warned me that my model of my bike has a habit of cracking the case where the sump plug goes when the sump plug is overtightened, and they wont be able to see if it is cracked till they take off the sump. If it is cracked then its going to need to be welded up before a helicoil can be put in. And the cost of getting it welded and having a helicoil put in is almost the same cost as getting a brand new sump.
Hopefully it will just need the helicoil.

So it looks like the bike could be off the road anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks. I hope I get it back in time for the AMCC trackday on the 17th. Worst case I guess I'll relinquish my spot so someone else can have it, and go help the marshals.

I was going to get Cycletreads to do my next service, as it is a bit of a major. So while they have the bike in lots of bits getting the sump off I've decided to get that next service done early (since that involves taking the bike to bits anyway).


And you know the absolute worst? I forgot to put the beers I bought yesterday in the fridge. Now I have warm Steinlager Pure to console my misery. Warm beer. Really.

[Leyton]

Yeah thats good news dude

Taking the sump off and doing a top job is a good plan. They heat the sump up to just past cherry red to see if there are any cracks in it. If I was doing this I would drill and retap into a bigger size.

If it happend again, then a heli coil would be the go.. then if again I would machine up a new hole all threaded and ready to rock, and weld it in place

Providing that I still had my workbench that I had to sell WAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

[p.dath]

They heat the sump up to just past cherry red to see if there are any cracks in it.

You be brave to heat an aluminium part up to red heat? Wouldn't it simply melt?

[Leyton]

You be brave to heat an aluminium part up to red heat? Wouldn't it simply melt?

Nah you would not do it with that no. Sorry thought it was metal

Yes it would simply melt LOL and not stay red for long hehe

[Leyton]

You be brave to heat an aluminium part up to red heat? Wouldn't it simply melt?

Yikes! Yeah it would not stay red for long Sorry thought your sump was metal :P Was not reading! LOL

Leyton

[Leyton]

This thread is playing up.. I accidently posted the same thing two times. Then I deleted one, and it deleted both. And then I added one, and now I see the other? Aye ?

[quickbuck]

Good stuff... Shame a simple job has turned into a major!

If it is cracked, and they are going to weld it up, then I would actually putting a bit of weld in the hole and then re tapping it to original size, as opposed to helicoiling the sump.
Thing with helicoils is they have a bad habit of coming out if there is a slightest bit of corrosion underneath them.

Oils that are involved in the combustion process can become quite acidic... so the chances are....

Of course there is always the option of looking for another Sump for your bike somewhere.... The CBR engines went through a few models, so there is bound to be a brocken one somewhere.

[p.dath]

Of course there is always the option of looking for another Sump for your bike somewhere.... The CBR engines went through a few models, so there is bound to be a brocken one somewhere.

Just looked into that. Trouble is, they didn't want to sell just the sump (makes the rest of the engine worthless), and a brand new sump from Honda is a lot cheaper than a second hand engine.