Coolant drain plug (VFR400).

I assume this bolt has never been undone in the 19 years since it was put in the bike. I've sheared the head and can't get it out

Help anyone? What can I do to sort this?

Dave

As this is the second fixing you have broken,chewed up, can I suggest buying releasol and soaking everything overnight before removal.Drill and extractor after removing the radiator[Easier than when on the bike]

The other two screws that were chewed up were already like that before I came new them Mac

And yes, this may have been an error and I should expect things on such an old bike to break.

Thanks DT

[fastdruid]

I'm praying that this is the one on the waterpump and not one of the head ones?

If so you can remove the remaining bolts, remove the top cover to the water pump and drill out the remains from the back, I recommend from the back rather than the front because quite often the bolt will unscrew itself as you drill. Plus little chance of going too far and drilling into the cases. Also gives a chance to give some plusgas time to soak from behind and to remove the rusty crap that probably seized it in the first place.

At worst case you could possibly drill to M7 or M8, tap and fit a larger screw in place of the M6 one fitted but looking at it I'm not sure there is enough thickness to manage that (750 version shown)


Or the alternative is that you could leave it and drain the bike by uncliping the lower hose.

Druid

It is the plug on the water pump.

If I take out the other bolts, will the coolant come out I assume?
Also, would you recommend this, as, there is of course the chance the rest of the bolts will be the same and will also come off? (I will be taking DT's advice and using the releasol before attempting them and a bit of heat.)

Cheers

Dave

Thanks for that Druid.

[fastdruid]

Originally Posted by EssexDave

It is the plug on the water pump.

If I take out the other bolts, will the coolant come out I assume?

Yes.

Also, would you recommend this, as, there is of course the chance the rest of the bolts will be the same and will also come off? (I will be taking DT's advice and using the releasol before attempting them and a bit of heat.)

Its a risk but you either need to leave it and hope it doesn't leak or fix it, you can't just drill it out because you'll leave swarf in the coolent system (although you might be able to flush it).

IIRC there are only actually two bolts holding the pump to the block, worst case is that both snap, from memory only one is actually in the block itself the other is on the gear change cover.

I don't have a decent picture of the 400 waterpump, best I have is this one which isn't clear.



As previous though, use *lots* of plusgas (or releasol) and some heat (not too much heat).

Druid