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Transmission drain plug

jturquette

jturquette

Tuned and Synch'ed
Joined
Aug 28, 2014
Messages
37
Location
Houston, TX
need some help. I drained the transmission and differential fluids last weekend. Reinstalling the transmission plug has become an issue. I set the torque wrench to 11 .5 ft lbs and started tightening the drain plug. My problem is that the plug is not stopping. I keep turning and turning and it does not tighten? I have over tightened two items on my breva before and when that happened, he head popped off and I was left with a shaft I needed to back out. But in this case, the bolt just sits there, mocking me.

Thoughts?
 
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update. Went out to remove the drain plug to see if maybe I had damaged the plug. But the plug will not back out of the plug hole. It spins and never backs out. So, it sounds like the threads in the transmission case are stripped? Can that happen? What the !!!!! Is going on.
 
Sorry to say but from what you describe the plug has stripped the thread.
Best phone around and see who could fit a helicoil for you.
Over this side of the pond there are mobile guys that will come out to you.
One guy tapped his stripped plug with 1/4 pipe thread because the new whole you have was the correct size and 1/4 pipe blanking plugs are easy to get hold of.
 
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Sigh! I was afraid of that. Oh well, I will start calling around and see what I can find. Thanks for the advice and international diagnosis! Cheers!
 
For low torque values, torque wrenches can be evil. It is very easy to not feel the click, or see the pointer. More damage has been caused this way then I care to innumerate. These plugs should be tightened by feel. these fasteners do not hold the bike together, just oil in the component. I looked at the workshop manual and no torque value is given for any of the fill or drain plugs that I can find. As stated earlier, helicoil is your best bet. Be sure to use the shortest available and not have the heilcoil protrude up into the case. It may be necessary to grind the outer protrusion off. Do set the helicoil with red loctite and wait a few hours for it to set before installing the drain plug. Also flush the gearbox prior to installing the helicoil. Even if you grease up the drill bit and tap, you might get some metal pieces into the gearbox.

To remove the stuck plug, attempt to get a putty knife under the head while you rotate the plug. It may apply enough outward force to get the plug out, or clamp the head with vice grips and pull while rotating.
 
Thank you John. Grrrrr. There must a reason guzzi uses aluminum. Must be to keep corrosion from becoming a problem. It's just so darn soft!
 
jturquette said:
Thank you John. Grrrrr. There must a reason guzzi uses aluminum. Must be to keep corrosion from becoming a problem. It's just so darn soft!
Click to expand...


BMW uses an aluminum composition too which seems to be a bit stronger than the Guzzi formulation. Their drain holes seem to be re-inforced. They specify big torque numbers for their drain plugs. It makes me nervous using their torque figures so I go a bit less.
 
Go to your local parts store & ask if they know anyone who will put in a helicoil for you.

I would try a NAPA store first because they usually have people working there that are way more involved with the local shops.

The "new breed" of chain parts store hires anyone who can use a computer so mostly it is just a job.

Machine shops are another option but they would probably want you to pull the trans & bring it to them.

Independent motorcycle shops are another choice even the ones that specialize in Jap bikes.
 
There is a better option to a Heli-coil called a Time-sert. It is a solid ring with threads on both sides. It works much like a heli-coil but is better in places where you are removing and installing the fastener repeatedly. The Heli-coil is basically a wire coiled up to mimic threads. The Heli-coils are good, but the Time-sert is better, especially for your drain bolt.
Another option is drilling and tapping the hole for a larger drain plug. But I prefer the Time-sert option.

And I agree, on bolts that do not require much torque it can be more dangerous to use a torque wrench then to do it by hand. Especially the clicker style wrenches, which barely click at low torque values. A digital torque wrench that beeps when the desired torque is reached can be easier to use, and a beam style also works ok, but for low torque values just use your calibrated arm. Once you add a long lever like a torque wrench it becomes very easy to over torque the fastener if you do stop when it says to (and sometimes they don't actually say stop).
 
I agree a time sert is stronger, but I'm afraid the length will be to great to allow all oil to drain. The time sert needs to bottom on the collar to be set in place, then expands when you set in the bolt/plug. If he doesn't over tighten the helicoil should work for him. The trick part with the helicoil will be breaking off the tab and have it not enter the gearbox.
 
This happened on my friends Breva, the local Honda shop drilled, re tapped and used a Honda drain bolt which is a larger diameter but the head is only12mm not 17mm like the Breva so the temptation to crank it up with a big spanner is gone.
 
For future reference, I trust the feel of a wrench in my hand and aim for snug, not tight on soft metal. I have a flex head Snap-On ratchet that is designed for 1/4" drive, but it has a 3/8th drive in it. Almost impossible to over torque anything delicate. It is my go to ratchet. Check the link. I stopped stripping out things when I first bought one of these in the late 1970's. The Snap-on dealer did not like to sell them because it is easy to strip out the ratchet, something I never did. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Snapon-fm71...:g:3sAAAOSwKfVXGPj~&item=201566221596&vxp=mtr

TRF72
 
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