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Tipover Valve Mod Goes Horribly Wrong

guzziben47

guzziben47

Cruisin' Guzzisti
Joined
Jun 5, 2010
Messages
191
I have apparently fucked up what should have been a simple enough task: removing the tipover valve. I took off the gas cap, found the red plastic piece and removed it, then I went to re-attach the gas cap, and that's where things went wrong. There are four bolts that hold the cap to the top of the tank, and I over tightened one of them. Actually, I did more than overtighten it, I turned it until it broke. And now it just spins around in there. I can't tighten it; and I can't remove it either. And now that I can't remove the gas cap, it looks like I can't get the body work off either. The top panel definitely won't come off without taking the gas cap off first, and I don't think I can get the side panels off either.

Does anyone have an idea how I might fix this situation?
 
Ben, hopefully somebody with more mechanical knowledge than I have will reply, but I think you will need something like an "easy out" kit to extract the broken bolt.

Bruce
 
Ben, if it's one of the back two, you might be able to get to it by removing the rear plastic scratch guard that covers the tank near the seat. The gas cap bolts go into those silly metal tabs, so it likely just is spinning. You really can't break the bolt.
 
I guess I screwed up the description of the problem too. I broke the part the bolt fastens on to, not the bolt itself. So it's the part the bolt screws into that is broken. The bolt is screwed in but I can't get it out or tighten it down. I can turn it, but turning it doesn't do anything. I tried getting at it by removing as much plastic as I could, but I couldn't get close.
 
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

There are brass like inserts in the plastic.
The inserts are not threaded through and not held in tight.
The holes aren't very deep.
The screws are maybe a little too long, so they bottom out and lock. Then they spin the inserts.
One of mine was 'locked in' from the factory.

I used a dremel grinder and a small diamond coated bit, and about a 6 pack of beer. It was very slow and tedious, but I ground off the screw head. Go slow, the heat will damage everything.

Do not do anything to over tighten them when you fix it. You will distort the plastic badly. It is a plastic nightmare and easy to damage.


I highly recommend that anyone near those inserts, grind the bottom a bit and apply JB weld. Maybe a touch of anti-sieze on the screws.
 
OK dremel grinder ..... the heat ..... gas cap .... gas tank.......gas fumes
I don't know!!!!!

Am I missing something!!!!
 
I have a little bolt cutter that might work; maybe I can just snip off the top of the bolt?

Blowing up would be bad; I'd like to avoid that if possible....
 
guzziben47 said:
I have a little bolt cutter that might work; maybe I can just snip off the top of the bolt?

Blowing up would be bad; I'd like to avoid that if possible....
Click to expand...

First put a big enough rag in the gas tank port so that nothing falls inside the tank
If you can with a small flat head screwdriver try to pry it up from under the screw and unscrew it at the same time. Always applying a force while unscrewing. (to keep the insert from spinning under)
Try that!
 
Rag in the hole and lots of duct tape to seal it well.

Keep it cool, as the heat damages the cap easily.

Use a high quality cutting bit. I believe the screw is stainless. Pretty tough.
 
Well ….. its Monday morning and alls well.
I kept an eye on the news this weekend to see if there were any explosions south of the border. :laugh:
Nothing new except Tiger is playing like crap!
I looked out the window and no mushroom like glow was to be seen anywhere …. That a good sign! :whistle:

Don’t keep us in suspense!
 
I haven't done it yet. In fact, I'm dreading doing it. I'll have to do it eventually, but I can put it off for a bit. Still working on the feul injection, so that's been keeping me busy....
 
You have to remove the four bolts in the fuel cap to get access to remove all the bodywork - there are four more screws under the fuel cap (and you also need to remove all the body work to get access to the fuel tank etc). Mine arrived new with 3 of the 4 bolts turning freely.

As an alternative to a grinder you can drill the head of the bolt off (with the right size drill) - we didn't have a small grinder and so used drill - it can be done and is probably safer as you don't get the sparkes if you use a grinder and less chance of damage to the rest to the tank unless the drill pops out, but you have to do this carefully as well, cooling the drill bit and being careful to set the drill in the right place before starting. The bolts are quite soft so it didn't take too long. A rag securely in the gas tank and minimum fuel are also helpful a handy magnet or magnetised screw driver will also help pick up the metal turnings and help avoid these getting into the gas tank.

As noted elsewhere in the forum with the drill we managed to undo one of the bolts even though under normal conditions it was turning freely, I guess the plastic holding used to mount the brass nut the bolt screws into got a bit hot and sticky and was this was enough to hold for a while. So that left us with 2 bolts to be drilled out. It is a pain but once done you solve the problem.

The brass nuts need to be remounted as from new they are just pushed in the stud holding them is shapped as is the brass bolt but its not tight enough.

We did this by carefully removing (cutting) the very bottom of the plastic mounting stud that holds the brass nut, these can then be popped out, then glue the brass nut back in plastic with epoxy (test the glue to make sure it doesn't attack the plastic before you glue!) and re-attaching the bottom part of the stud you have just cut off. If this done carefully they come out almost like new. When remounted the four bolts don't have to be done up very tightly at all as they are more or less cosmetic.
 
Just to clarify how to do this, would you drill straight down from the top, through the allen wrench hole, about a quarter inch or so until you get to the threads, but not all the way down through the bolt?
 
guzziben47 said:
Just to clarify how to do this, would you drill straight down from the top, through the allen wrench hole, about a quarter inch or so until you get to the threads, but not all the way down through the bolt?
Click to expand...

Correct !
 
Yes if you get right size drill and drill straight down the alan key hex hole the head comes away from the thread or can be gently pulled off.
 
guzziben47 said:
Just to clarify how to do this, would you drill straight down from the top, through the allen wrench hole, about a quarter inch or so until you get to the threads, but not all the way down through the bolt?
Click to expand...

I basically did as Turtleman states, only with a Dremel grinder. I drilled right down through the center of the bolt. I drilled/ground it large enough to take the bolt head off. I didn't need to go very deep.

Controlling the heat so you don't melt the plastic is the hard part.
 
I must be the savage of the group. One of my bolts was stuck and once i determined it was turning in the plastic, I chucked the allen bit in an electric drill and started spinning the bolt assembly till the plastic melted, lifting the cap frame all the while, and I could finally pull the offending part off. then I adjusted the hole while the plastic was soft. the adhesive brand name GOOP (available any hardware store) will hold the insert very well. Allow to dry thoroughly, aligning the parts while they're off the bike. Trim at least 1/8" off the bolts as Wayne suggests as they DO bottom in the holes before the cap frame is tight. Reassemble with a bit of antiseize on the threads, tightening just wnough to compress the sealing gasket well.
 
I finally fixed it. Drilling out the bolt worked pretty well, but it does get very hot. I used some compressed air to keep things clean and cool. Then I put JB Weld in there and put everythng back together. And that seemed to work well.

Whew!
 
guzziben47 said:
I finally fixed it. Drilling out the bolt worked pretty well, but it does get very hot. I used some compressed air to keep things clean and cool. Then I put JB Weld in there and put everythng back together. And that seemed to work well.

Whew!
Click to expand...
Nice going Ben!
Cheers
 
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