Oil Drain Plug seized and rounded

[aliman2000]

Hi,

I've searched the forum but can't find a definitive answer to my problem.

I have an 02 curvy (only had less than 2 months) and am trying to remove the oil drain plug but this is proving to be an impossible task. The oil drain plug is seized completely on the bike and won't budge for anything. It was slightly rounded before I got to it and now is majorly rounded. I have tried a 14mm socket, spanner, adustable spanner and now have reverted to a pair of vise grips but nothing has worked. I called my local garage (scott murray in Dunfermline) but they can't book me in for a couple of weeks.

Any ideas? Cheers in advance

[Viney]

You are turning it the right way? Always try when warm(not Hot). Then vice grips.

[Alpinestarhero]

Soak it in a penetrating lubricant, like WD-40 or AC-90?

or you can try heating it up a bit?

Matt

[aliman2000]

I hope I'm turning it the right way. If I'm on the ground, looking up at the bike I am turning it (or rather, not turning it) anti-clockwise.

[SoulKiss]

Hi,

I've searched the forum but can't find a definitive answer to my problem.

I have an 02 curvy (only had less than 2 months) and am trying to remove the oil drain plug but this is proving to be an impossible task. The oil drain plug is seized completely on the bike and won't budge for anything. It was slightly rounded before I got to it and now is majorly rounded. I have tried a 14mm socket, spanner, adustable spanner and now have reverted to a pair of vise grips but nothing has worked. I called my local garage (scott murray in Dunfermline) but they can't book me in for a couple of weeks.

Any ideas? Cheers in advance

In the meantime - drain what you can by removing the filter and replace filter with new and top up with new oil.

A partial change might be just the job till you can get the bolt looked at.

Rememeber its a steel bolt and an ally casing - can be a terrible combination due to the bolt being tougher than the engine.

Would leave to the profs to get the bolt out - if the thread is messed up it may need re-tapping or a helicoil to fix

[petevtwin650]

Looking from on top of the bike pointing forwards you should be undoing the bolt clockwise.

[rigor]

Lying under the bike, looking up at the engine you should turn it Widdershins ;)

[pod]

Get a jar of crushed ice, full to the top , reay to hand.
Now, with a blow torch, get the smp plugg area real hot, so that spit will sizzle on it , concentrate the heat around the ally rather than the head of the bolt,

Now quickly immerse whats left of the plug head in the ice to chill, remove jar.
Put the vice grips on tight and skelp with a hammer.

You are loosening the correct way.

If this doesnt work, the next plan will.

Weld a nut to the stub of the plug, the welding heat helps to loosen the tight thread and the nut will give you something to wrench on.

Could be done with the bike on its side.

Cheers
Pod

[Keith1983]

There is a product I use at work called free-it it comes in an orange can, if you can get hold of some of that and give it a soaking in that then tap a smaller socket than the original size onto what is left of the bolt, should do the trick.

[Berlin]

You Could also try 4WD spanners if there's still any flats left. They don't work on the edges of the hexagon, only in the centres.

Another option is to put a slot in it with a hacksaw (masking the areas you could damage in the area) and use and impact driver with the engine hot.

Finally, you can drill a hole in the centre of the bolt (making sure you don't hit the thread from the inside and use a stud extractor usually used for snapped bolts and studs.

Good Luck.

Cheers,

Carl

[northwind]

I'd leave it alone, and take it to the pros. Everything you try that fails is one less thing they can try, and with respect for most people, they're more likely to succeed with most approaches. But maybe that's just me.

[tinpants]

I'd leave it alone, and take it to the pros. Everything you try that fails is one less thing they can try, and with respect for most people, they're more likely to succeed with most approaches. But maybe that's just me.


Yup. Same here. Plus, if they f*ck it up its their fault!! :-D

[Stu]

take the oil filler cap off, and tip the bike upside down to get the oil out of there.
HTH





Seriously, I would have thought removing the oil filter as per Soulkiss above would get all the oil out?

[riktherider]

get an e-socket from halfords. basicly the opposite to a torx. they might have one big enough. if not try a hardware store. hammer that on real good then that should work using a large breaker bar. allways worked for me. the only other thing i would say is try to file down the sides of the nuts so you get a sqaure surface and try again with a decent spanner. NOT an adjustable. to much play in them. mole grips or a large pair of gas pliers can help. where abouts are you located?? mabye someone can help?

[Davie]

Weld a nut on to it the heat will help to free off as for penetrating oil it wont get past the sealing washer

[Spanner Man]

Morning all.
Do as Riktherider says, & get a special socket that is designed to grip rounded off nuts & bolts. You may be able to get one from Halfords, or try a decent tool shop.
I doubt that the thread is actually seized, as I've never come across a seized sump plug in the last 15 years, but I've had to remove plenty where some bodger has rounded it off.

Cheers.

[aliman2000]

Cheers for all the replies. I'm gonna head down to halfords et all today to see about that socket. Otherwise, I'm gonna take the bike down to DMCs garage on Monday afternoon when the owner gets back from the Orkneys to see what he can do!

[yorkie_chris]

I like loctite freeze and release, give it a good burst of that, and maybe a sharp tap with a hammer to break the adhesion (carefully) Then get the grips to it.

I would be nervous about taking a blowtorch to the bottom of the sump, nearly had my head burnt off welding a car sump before!

[I'm_a_Newbie]

You can get a tool called a speed wrench. This is a last resort tool, once it gets a decent grip into the metal the speed wrench will usually break before slipping.

If this does not get it out the next resort is welding a nut on to what is left.

Tim.

[Lakes_Puma]

Another product to try is "Plus Gas" better than WD40 and if you can get hold of one, once you get some sort socket to fit securely, then try a impact driver (the air or corded/cordless type)

[SV650Racer]

As the SV technically hasnt got a seperate sump do be careful not to do anything that may crack the cases. If you do then its new crankcases time or a welding job will will require a complete engine strip.

Halfords do a tool that is specifically for fitting rounded off bolts. If you use an impact wrench dont wollop it as it could cause the cases to crack.

[TSM]

pipe wrench seemed to do the trick on Jester666 sump plug which was rounded, it just grips harder and harder as its tightened up.