View Full Version : Sump plug gone, nearly crashed... Tyre options?
Vaguely confusing title there but here we go...
Anyway let my little brother who is training as a mechanic service my bike today, unfortunately after asking if he tightened each component part he clearly didn't tighten up the sump plug quite enough. Reckon I got about 7 miles down the road before it let go!
Felt a twitch on a long right hander, then as I got on the power considering an overtake (as doing about 50 on a 60 limit a the time) the back end majorly stepped out, which I caught, then the back end was generally all over the place. Thought the engine was letting go and starting to seize! Dropped the power checked my mirror to see blue smoke and braked hard and pulled in thinking the back would lock any second. Stopped with the engine running, looked down to see a puddle of oil forming and hit the kill switch...
I now saw obviously the back end was all over the shop as the tyre was completely soaked in oil. Walked down the road and reckon it was about 200metres covered from the oil starting to pour out. Engine running maybe 15-20 seconds and I assume the blue smoke was oil hitting the exhaust etc. Basically thanking my lucky stars I wasn't doing 70+ into a sharper corner, as almost certain I would have lost it...
Questions now. Is the engine likely to be okay? I will probably find out tomorrow when I buy a new sump plug and refill it but be interesting to hear opinions of what damage may have been done! Back tyre I am almost certain to replace but the one on there has only done 500 or so miles. Reckon it's worth keeping it and attempting to clean it up, steam clean maybe?...
Just over a week til GM too, be a bit if a race to fix it in time and that's assuming the engine isn't lunched! Grumble...
andrewsmith
23-05-13, 07:21 PM
PT6 did exactly the same thing with the GSXR a week before the GM
His survived and I'm sure Marc is coming up on it.
Best way is to put a new plug in and fill it back up, and test it
Soapy water and patience and wash the tyre methodically
andrewsmith
23-05-13, 07:23 PM
oh also **** your brother over the head with a torque wench when you see him next ;)
Tell the highways agency and police about the oil spill off you have not already done so. Could be nasty to come across...
Motor should be fine as it would have had a very short time low on oil.
I'd scrub the tyre up with detergent a few times and keep using it, but gently at first eh?
Jambo
Sent from my thingie
Did PT6 replace the tyre or scrub it? Gonna give it a good clean and see how it feels. Engine should be fine I really hope!...
Oh and yeah I let the highways agency know, still there 2 hrs later so they either didn't check or decided it wasn't bad enough...
andrewsmith
23-05-13, 09:01 PM
Did PT6 replace the tyre or scrub it? Gonna give it a good clean and see how it feels. Engine should be fine I really hope!...
He bottled it and swapped it
Yeah my main worry is not cleaning it off as such but if the oil will degrade the rubber etc?
andrewsmith
23-05-13, 09:19 PM
Rolling burn out and it'll be reet ;)
Mine normally get a dunk in brake fluid and have been fine
sputnik
23-05-13, 10:35 PM
Well done for keeping it upright! Sounds like a veritable bumtwitcher :smt103
I'd have thought your tyre would be OK with a thorough wash and scrub as long as you don't use anything too aggressive. Scottoiler throw never seems to damage tyres as far as I know and probably isn't that different?
As for the engine I guess only checking will tell tho I'd be surprised if it wrecked it that quickly, assuming the oil level hadn't been dangerously low for miles before. Worth checking the new plug goes in soundly though and her bro hasn't trashed the threads or some such. I reckon he owes you either way! Bad boy, dirty boy.. go to your bed [-X
Its never happened to me but if it did i would just degrease the tyre and jet wash it a few times, then go easy on it i reckon..
Paul the 6th
23-05-13, 11:12 PM
PT6 did exactly the same thing with the GSXR a week before the GM
His survived and I'm sure Marc is coming up on it.
Best way is to put a new plug in and fill it back up, and test it
Soapy water and patience and wash the tyre methodically
Yeah I changed the oil on mine and after hand tightening the sump plug my phone rang and I got distracted... refilled with oil, re-fitted bodywork and later that day rode to squires cafe about 10 miles away. Luckily I only rode about 150-200 metres (or about 20 seconds) before noticing light puffs of smoke (oil burning on the pipes) behind me as I was looking for my mate on his street triple at the time/just about pulling into squires carpark.
Pulled up with the engine on tickover and looked down to see the same puddle forming = instant kill switch.
Luckily there didn't appear to be any lasting damage and I covered another 4,000 miles on the bike before selling it to mark c on here. One thing I will say is that the oil pressure light took about a minute to go off after re-filling with oil, so keep an eye on it.
Glad you're not seriously hurt dude, could have been very nasty - mine was a lucky incident where I spotted it almost instantly and was slowing steadily to pull over anyway. Any other situation and I would have fully baked the engine.
Paul the 6th
23-05-13, 11:13 PM
Yeah my main worry is not cleaning it off as such but if the oil will degrade the rubber etc?
the gsx-r had mismatched tyres at the time so I thought feck it and had PR2's fitted to replace the greasy rear & match up the front :)
Cheers chaps, yeah Paul well lucky. Had it went about 2 mins earlier where I overtook a lorry then threw it into a left hander I would have been toast! I know the road I was on so well I would usually be pushing through the corners.
Nice day for washing tyres tomorrow! Got my bro to start the scrubbing earlier and then I will clean it again. If I lose the back end at the GM I have my excuses ready!...
If you brother is still a learning mechanic, get him to use a torque wrench….imho..
I’ve got a fab tool set and I used to shear the nut’s off, oh err. For full tightness I use a torque nowadays.
Oh and washing the oil off the tyre’s sorry I haven’t a clue, but would fairy liquid do ?.....
Someone must know what to use….
carelesschucca
24-05-13, 06:41 AM
Glad your ok bud. Think the bike should be fine. Most of all though I'm just happy that your fine.
Keep smiling and we'll see you next weekend.
timwilky
24-05-13, 07:12 AM
I must have changed the oil on hundreds of vehicles and never used a torque wrench on the sump plug. Feel is more than sufficient.
Although I have had to rebuild the engine on one of the works ambulances as someone failed to fit the plug properly and it seized on its way back from a butty run.
Cheers Dean. Yeah lads he has a torque wrench but he says he torqued it to 9nm which is apparently pretty standard for cars etc. Manual on my bike says it should be torqued to 29nm. To be fair last time I did it myself I did it by feel and was okay!
Heh had a mini panic this morning when I looked out the window half awake and didn't see my bike, forgot its down in my mums garage. Off for the weekend now so heading to Honda Glasgow to get a sump plug (cost £3.89) then a train to me mums to got it sorted out.
29nm your bike
28Nm our nissans .
fords with the rubber "O" rings type 28Nm
9 Nm is a bit like a M4 bolt.
I must have changed the oil on hundreds of vehicles and never used a torque wrench on the sump plug. Feel is more than sufficient.
.
Use a touque wrench if your not used to the feel.Better safe than in a hedge
andrewsmith
24-05-13, 02:50 PM
Although I have had to rebuild the engine on one of the works ambulances as someone failed to fit the plug properly and it seized on its way back from a butty run.
Was that them warming it up just incase someone keeled over after the fry up? ;)
It alive and well! Two hours scrubbing, a full can of degreaser and pretty much a full bottle of fairy and the tyre felt kinna sticky again. New oil and fired her up, sounded fine idling (actually better than usual - new spark plugs too). Took her out for about 2hrs in the glorious sunshine and all seems well!
Roll on next week :)
Oh and a sump plug torqued up to 29nm by me, heh...
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