Stripped oil drain plug, need some help.

[parkyeah]

Hey guys,

I recently purchased a 1986 GS 400s and was getting it all ready for the season this weekend when I found myself staring a big snag...

Whoever did the last oil change on this bike cross thread the drain plug into the oil pan. It came out way too easily and when I went to put the plug back in after draining I could push the drain plug all the way into the drain pan without screwing it in at all....

Now I don't want to have to replace the drain pan, I have a big ride lined up for this up coming weekend.

Can anyone recommend anything else I try or a band aid solution that I could use until I'm ready to order and replace the pan?

Thanks guys

 

[Rover]

Supposedly you can buy a plug a little larger size up from the auto parts store with self tapping capabilities.

 

[sharpy]

Ill be going to the wreckers and buying a good one and doing it properally. Be way better and you can see what is in the sump/pan from all those years at the same time.

 

[trippivot]

A local welder should be able to run a bead along the circumfrence then re tap a regular thread or pipe type.

I hate when you find a expandable rubber plug for a boat drain or something like that almost hidden up under there.

this is super common as ham fisted car mechanics that think they know bikes. ugh

 

[tkent02]

You can do this, drill a hole through the drain plug, then tap this hole for a bolt. The bolt will be the new drain plug. You will need a soft sealing washer of some sort. Then put the old plug permanently into the oil pan with JB Weld or whatever the local equivalent is. This way you won't put any aluminum particles into the oil as the oversize plugs do.

 

[7981GS]

1/2+ over and 1+ over drain plugs will barely work for a time or two in aluminum.
A solution however, is: http://www.bjg-design.com/designbook/pdfs/INS-KNS-KNS.pdf

Here are some pic's that I posted on repairing a stripped cylinder head with one:

Daniel

 

[parkyeah]

Thanks everyone for all the quick advice!

I think I'll try the slightly larger self tapping drain plug first and go from there. It seems like the safest easiest first attempt.

Thanks again!

 

[Nessism]

Thanks everyone for all the quick advice!

I think I'll try the slightly larger self tapping drain plug first and go from there. It seems like the safest easiest first attempt.

Thanks again!

Yes, on the oversized, self-tapping bolt. There have been LOTS of different threads on this exact same topic (you might want to check the archives for more info) and many GSR members have repaired their stripped drain bolt threads this way.

 

[parkyeah]

Can anyone recommend where I could get one of these self tapping plugs?

Thanks a lot!

 

[7981GS]

Any auto parts store.

Daniel

 

[parkyeah]

The only size they have is a 1/2" self tapping plug.

Is there a size I can use without having to drill out the pan or is it kind of tapered and will take care of itself?

 

[Nessism]

The only size they have is a 1/2" self tapping plug.

Is there a size I can use without having to drill out the pan or is it kind of tapered and will take care of itself?

Simple google search for "self tapping drain plug" turns up all kinds of hits. Napa sells different sizes, as well as many other auto parts stores. Personally, I'd get a metric type but I don't think it matters all that much as long as you know what you are dealing with.

 

[parkyeah]

Thanks, I guess my question really is what size do I need?

I'd like to pick it up on the way home and don't have the stock plug with me to compare it to anything.

 

[DanTheMan]

Actually, I tried the 1/2" SAE when the threads stripped on my pan, it wouldn't self thread in due to the thread size difference. The diameter was almost right, so I'd say diameter must be about 13mm. I just used the one size over metric they had it's been working fine. They carry them in +1 and +1.5 oversize, I believe. Just get the metric one, you should be able to look at it and know the basic bolt diameter. The bolt head size on my new plug is 19mm or 3/4" (pretty much the same), it's a bit larger than the original oil plug bolt head size.

 

[parkyeah]

Thanks Dan!

I read that the size should 14mm somewhere as well. I'll get a 13 and 14 and see which makes the most sense once I get home.

Again, thanks for all your help!

 

[cowboyup3371]

I used a helicoil last year and have yet to have any problems. Got mine from OReilly's after explaining what I did wrong.

 

[sharpy]

Using a helicoil and that other insert causes a little problem which is they both go up into the oil pan half there length and every oil change leaves more oil inside than should be there with a properally fixed pan. have a look at the pan and its thread is only about half as long as the helicoil. All depends on how rough you want to be i suppose.

 

[parkyeah]

I picked up a 14mm oversized drain plug from partsource last night and it worked like a charm. Thanks for all the help guys!

 

[rlong74]

You can always buy a new oil pan. Mine was stripped and all janky. Found a new pan at my local Suzuki dealer for 13.95+ tax.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

O-rileys & Autozone both had one when I needed it. I bought the 2x oversized and worked it in and out slowly as you would a tap until it seated.