So Embarrassed - Rookie Mistake

[Z00KA]

Did a really dumb stunt over the weekend...Oil change time and had my socket wrench set to tighten instead of, well you know. Cranked on the drain bolts (yes both of them), thinking "wow, they are in there tight...), broke them free but in the wrong direction, THEN I figured out why they weren't coming out and set my socket wrench the correct direction. Long story short...some thread shavings came out with with both bolts and then I said a little prayer about having enough threads left and everything would be OK, after changing the oil and threading the two bolts back in...(yes, I was not able to tighten them nearly where I wanted them).

This morning I decided to ride to work and checked under my S10, only to find two separate, small oil puddles!!!

OK...now that I got that out of the way...what would the group recommend I do?

1. Least Expensive - purchase a couple of crush washers and see if I can torque the bolts down to specs.

2. Purchase a Helicoil Kit and run some larger bolts.

3. (What else would be recommended)?

Once again, I can't believe I made such a rookie mistake...getting old is a b*tch!

 

[Don in Lodi]

They will never tighten up or seal. Do not ride. A heli-coil or a nut-sert will work, the nut-sert would be the more permanent. You need to bite the bullet and buy a new cover. To purposefully tighten both plugs to the point of pulling the threads out... the new cover would also be the safest. Remember, Lefty Loosey, Righty Tighty. Buy an Inch Pound torque wrench before you replace the cover.
::010::

 

[Nikolajsen]

Oh shit :'(

1. No go, will newer work.
2. Yes, will work, You might have to replace the helicoil at some point.
3. As Don in Lodi write, new cover will be the best

 

[Nissbird]

The original sump bolts are M12. You could run a UNC 1/2-13 tap through the holes and then fit UNC bolts.
M12 Major dia = 11.966mm
UNC 1/2 Major dia = 12.5mm

 

[Nissbird]

UNC Flange Bolt

 

[OldRider]

The original sump bolts are M12. You could run a UNC 1/2-13 tap through the holes and then fit UNC bolts.
M12 Major dia = 11.966mm
UNC 1/2 Major dia = 12.5mm

I've fixed a lot of ATV stripped 12mm drain plugs this way. The one thing I would do different is to go with 1/2-20 instead of 1/2-13, then you can use a standard automotive drain plug.

 

[Nissbird]

I've fixed a lot of ATV stripped 12mm drain plugs this way. The one thing I would do different is to go with 1/2-20 instead of 1/2-13, then you can use a standard automotive drain plug.

Excellent

 

[limey]

I'd be pulling it off to do the fix and make sure there are no cutting in the pan.

 

[WJBertrand]

I'd be pulling it off to do the fix and make sure there are no cutting in the pan.

Or just "schmear" the tap with a wad of grease. Cuttings will stick to the grease.

 

[EricV]

1. Self tapping repair drain plugs. (agree with Oldrider on 1/2-20).

2. Timesert repair inserts. These are a solid repair insert that requires tapping an oversize hole, bonding in the steel insert and then allows the original drain plugs to be used again.

3. Remove the sump and take it to a local welder that can TiG weld aluminum, have them weld up and re-tap the threads in the original size.

4. Grease up the tap from a proper size Heli-coil kit. Expect to re-install new Heli-coil inserts every year or so.

 

[yoyo]

Gutted to hear of you troubles, I have to admit the lefty loosey is great until you are upside down under the bike, I've come close to doing the same thing but I've learned to hold the wrench in my hand normally to check it's set correctly.

If it was my bike I'd drop the pan off and have look, either heli coil it or tap it and use a larger bolt. Good luck!

 

[limey]

Or just "schmear" the tap with a wad of grease. Cuttings will stick to the grease.

even with grease there is still a possibility of cutting getting into the pan. For the sake of a gasket it's not worth it.

 

[Don in Lodi]

I know some have had this pan off. Does anybody recall how much material there is on the inside? The drilling and cutting and the oversized... how much material is there actually to work with?

 

[V2Neal]

A new oil pan is $160. Is it really worth dicking around with?
Sorry to hear it and hope you get it fixed up.

 

[EricV]

A new oil pan is $160. Is it really worth dicking around with?
Sorry to hear it and hope you get it fixed up.

Hey, Hey, Hey! Don't diss the cheap bastids that we are. The KLR guys have a proud tradition of dicking around with things instead of spending $10 on a new part. )

 

[RCinNC]

If I could fix it with a 1/2-20 tap and a new drain bolt, you bet I'd try and fix it before I bought a new oil pan! You have to take the old pan off anyway if you buy a new one, so if you're gonna take it off, you might as well see if a seven dollar tap from the hardware store will fix it. After all, the original drain hole is just a hole drilled in the pan and then tapped; that's no different from drilling a slightly bigger hole and tapping it yourself. Worst case scenario is that you somehow screw it up, and then you can buy a new oil pan.

I'm definitely a cheap bastid with a KLR soul, though; it's a big reason why I do things like make my own cell phone mounts, and rebuild compressors to make them smaller rather than spring for a snooty CyclePump.

Edit: I realized that I typed 1/4-20 instead of 1/2-20, so I fixed it.

 

[Madhatter]

it takes a real man to admit when he is wrong or made a mistake.... we have all been there.... I just got up ,wonder what I'm going to screw up today, hope nobody is watching...

 

[Dogdaze]

it takes a real man to admit when he is wrong or made a mistake.... we have all been there.... I just got up ,wonder what I'm going to screw up today, hope nobody is watching...

I admit I'm wrong all the time, my wife said so!

 

[Nissbird]

I admit I'm wrong all the time, my wife said so!

She would know ;D

 

[ace50]

If I could fix it with a 1/4-20 tap and a new drain bolt, you bet I'd try and fix it before I bought a new oil pan! You have to take the old pan off anyway if you buy a new one, so if you're gonna take it off, you might as well see if a seven dollar tap from the hardware store will fix it. After all, the original drain hole is just a hole drilled in the pan and then tapped; that's no different from drilling a slightly bigger hole and tapping it yourself. Worst case scenario is that you somehow screw it up, and then you can buy a new oil pan.

^^^^^THAT!