Bottom Oil Drain Plug Won't Tigthen - Page 2

Slug · 11-18-2022, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Hilly

You can buy one of the rubber plugs at Advance, or AutoZone

I checked and unfortunately they don't even carry them in stock at my location so I have to order them anyway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Hilly

You may be able to get more than a couple changes on one, but I never tried. They are pretty cheap.

My plan at this point is to just plug the hole and hopefully never have to take it out again since I usually use the side drain plug anyway.

TaoWow · 11-19-2022, 02:44 PM

I stripped the threads on my tbr7 and I used a S.O. (single oversize) M12x1.5 to fix it. Then flushed any small shavings out with some used oil and filled it back up. Maybe not the best method but it's cheap and it works

darmst6829 · 11-19-2022, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slug

Was doing an oil change for winter because 20w50 makes it incredibly hard to start below freezing. So I wanted to drain with the bottom plug to get everything out.

Was finger tightening the plug back on and it just kept spinning and spinning... and spinning. The threads would occasionally catch but then it went back to spinning.

Am I completely screwed here or is there a cheaper fix other than buying an entire engine?

Was thinking I might be able to try retapping it, or JB weld the threads... Anything?

The easiest way to resolve this problem is the simply drill and tap a hole in the drain plug itself then epoxy the drain plug into the stripped hole. Then use a bolt with a washer to seal the new drain hole. Now you can remove the new drain plug to change the oil.

Slug · 11-19-2022, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TaoWow

I stripped the threads on my tbr7 and I used a S.O. (single oversize) M12x1.5 to fix it. Then flushed any small shavings out with some used oil and filled it back up. Maybe not the best method but it's cheap and it works

I may try picking one of these up if I can find it just to have on hand. Only seen a 14x1.5 S.O at local Advance Auto.

I'm itching to ride again so bike being down for potentially another week is infuriating.

TaoWow · 11-20-2022, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slug

I may try picking one of these up if I can find it just to have on hand. Only seen a 14x1.5 S.O at local Advance Auto.

I'm itching to ride again so bike being down for potentially another week is infuriating.

You'll have to order it from Amazon most likely. I couldn't find them in any auto parts store either

Slug · 11-21-2022, 07:18 PM

Update: I'd been searching locally to find the expandable plugs Bill Hilly mentioned and was able to pick one up today. Still have another to be delivered via Amazon in a couple days.

I was able to install the 1/2 plug fairly easily, filled it up with oil with no leaks, ran idle for 15 minutes and still seems fine. Going to let it sit overnight and check tomorrow. But everything seems groovy.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

Edit about 1hr in: That was quick.... So I walked out to see already and the plug had slowly slipped out, I'm thinking user error here. I fiddled with it and think I have it very snug now. With 1/2 being a little larger than 12mm makes it difficult.

I don't have another quart on hand so I'll just throw in what I can and see if the plug stays or falls out again.

Bill Hilly · 11-21-2022, 09:34 PM

Popping out on it's own like that is possibly because it is either not long enough ,or wasn't installed deep enough into the case for the end to flare out . I assume you tightened the nut, and made sure the whole bolt wasn't turning. I have bought two different kinds, one had a wing nut, and one had just a small regular nut, and the end of the bolt had a slot to hold it with a flat tip screwdriver to keep it from turning with the nut. If yours does not have a slot, you may want to hold it with a set of needle nose vise grips, or something. If you don't trust it don't use it. If the plug was actually expanding, you should have actually saw scars on it from the existing threads in the hole.

Slug · 11-21-2022, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Hilly

Popping out on it's own like that is possibly because it is either not long enough

This is exactly what I figured I did. The wording on the instructions wasn't exactly clear so I thought it was going to thread in by itself after I got it set.

The second time around I tried pushing it in as much as I possibly could before tightening the screw; so I hope it stays overnight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Hilly

you may want to hold it with a set of needle nose vise grips

This is what I had to do to loosen/tighten it as I was fixing it the second time around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Hilly

If the plug was actually expanding, you should have actually saw scars on it from the existing threads in the hole

The plug definitely expanded and shortened when it had loosened to where I could just pull it out.

I hope I'm good this time around because I got it in well enough that I couldn't even pull it out-- and I tried quite a bit to make sure lol

Bill Hilly · 11-21-2022, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slug

This is exactly what I figured I did. The wording on the instructions wasn't exactly clear so I thought it was going to thread in by itself after I got it set.

The second time around I tried pushing it in as much as I possibly could before tightening the screw; so I hope it stays overnight.

This is what I had to do to loosen/tighten it as I was fixing it the second time around.

The plug definitely expanded and shortened when it had loosened to where I could just pull it out.

I hope I'm good this time around because I got it in well enough that I couldn't even pull it out-- and I tried quite a bit to make sure lol

I hope it works for you, I could easily accept the possibility of a leak, but if you think it could suddenly pop out, that could either cause an accident, or a damaged motor. On my old Corvette, I ran it for years, and drove it often. I worried a little at first, but then I never thought twice about it, but the oil pan on it wasn't as thick at the threaded hole, and the plug went into it far enough to probably flare out the end inside the oil pan some. You could possibly pick up something at an oil change business, like a Jiffy Lube, or something, if you live in an area that has one. I heard that they strip threads, and have ways to deal with it. The thing is they probably doy like to admit it.

Slug · 11-25-2022, 06:02 AM

Wrong thread message. I'm dumb.

Slug · 11-27-2022, 07:03 AM

Figured I owe you all an update.

The expandable plug that Bill Hilly suggested is holding like a dream and the other one I ordered on Amazon came, slightly shorter, but same 1/2 width.

There was an initial issue of me not seating it properly and it fell out, but after finagling with it to make sure it was actually in there before turning the wing-nut tight it's been holding great with no leaks.

So if anyone ever runs into this issue with the bottom being stripped the expandable plug is a perfect solution.

I'll also leave a direct link to the plug here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CO96FE

11-21-2022, 07:18 PM	#21
Slug Join Date: Sep 2019 Posts: 63	Update: I'd been searching locally to find the expandable plugs Bill Hilly mentioned and was able to pick one up today. Still have another to be delivered via Amazon in a couple days. I was able to install the 1/2 plug fairly easily, filled it up with oil with no leaks, ran idle for 15 minutes and still seems fine. Going to let it sit overnight and check tomorrow. But everything seems groovy. Thanks everyone for your suggestions! Edit about 1hr in: That was quick.... So I walked out to see already and the plug had slowly slipped out, I'm thinking user error here. I fiddled with it and think I have it very snug now. With 1/2 being a little larger than 12mm makes it difficult. I don't have another quart on hand so I'll just throw in what I can and see if the plug stays or falls out again. Last edited by Slug; 11-21-2022 at 08:37 PM.
	0

11-25-2022, 06:02 AM	#25
Slug Join Date: Sep 2019 Posts: 63	Wrong thread message. I'm dumb. Last edited by Slug; 11-27-2022 at 07:05 AM.
	0

11-19-2022, 02:44 PM	#17
TaoWow Join Date: Jul 2022 Posts: 4	I stripped the threads on my tbr7 and I used a S.O. (single oversize) M12x1.5 to fix it. Then flushed any small shavings out with some used oil and filled it back up. Maybe not the best method but it's cheap and it works
	4

11-21-2022, 09:34 PM	#22
Bill Hilly Join Date: Feb 2021 Posts: 934	Popping out on it's own like that is possibly because it is either not long enough ,or wasn't installed deep enough into the case for the end to flare out . I assume you tightened the nut, and made sure the whole bolt wasn't turning. I have bought two different kinds, one had a wing nut, and one had just a small regular nut, and the end of the bolt had a slot to hold it with a flat tip screwdriver to keep it from turning with the nut. If yours does not have a slot, you may want to hold it with a set of needle nose vise grips, or something. If you don't trust it don't use it. If the plug was actually expanding, you should have actually saw scars on it from the existing threads in the hole.
	0

11-27-2022, 07:03 AM	#26
Slug Join Date: Sep 2019 Posts: 63	Figured I owe you all an update. The expandable plug that Bill Hilly suggested is holding like a dream and the other one I ordered on Amazon came, slightly shorter, but same 1/2 width. There was an initial issue of me not seating it properly and it fell out, but after finagling with it to make sure it was actually in there before turning the wing-nut tight it's been holding great with no leaks. So if anyone ever runs into this issue with the bottom being stripped the expandable plug is a perfect solution. I'll also leave a direct link to the plug here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CO96FE
	2