| Author | Message | ||
     Southsidebuellone |
I have brand new drain bolt for the FXD OEM # 60328-98A which was a superceded harley part. I keep extra parts around. The original requires a 3/4" socket. The new one is 5/8" or a 1/4" allen wrench. NEW in the package it has white teflon-ish looking material. See photo. This should Silence the anti-Teflons. | ||
| Wantxbr |
Its tape that people are arguing about. Saying it may clog vital oil passages. I solve this by using the thread sealant with teflon from an auto parts store. | ||
| Xl1200r |
I just did some major open-heart surgery to an 1967 Corvette. The timing chain broke...it was a single roller, which means that engine hadn't been opened up in a loooooong time. Had to sway over some plugs from the water pump. The teflon tape that hung lower than the threads turned hard, but not brittle. It wasn't going anywhere. Anyways, isn't there a screen the oil needs to pass through before it gets circulated around the engine? | ||
| Fmaxwell |
I could see no photo, but the other poster seems to believe that you don't know the difference between Teflon tape and liquid thread sealant with Teflon. Having not seen the photo or the plug in question, I'll not comment. You still seem to be missing some key points: 1. The primary sealing surface is the shoulder of the drain plug to the machined surface of the crankcase/swingarm. No O-ring means a non-functional primary seal. 2. The thread sealant (not tape) that Harley/Buell calls out is to be used in addition to the O-ring -- not in place of it. 3. Because the O-ring compresses and adds friction, it reduces the chance that the drain plug will loosen up over time (yes, it does happen, which is why all tracks require them to be safety-wired). Again, if you would just read O-ring handbook that I provided a link for, we could be having this discussion on a more level playing field. | ||
| Djkaplan |
That same stuff is on clutch cables. The white stuff must be like wearing pants with a belt and suspenders, cause there is an o-ring on that cable too. Don't use teflon tape on pneumatic and hydraulic lines. In most cases, it's specified not to use teflon tape for those applications anyway. This whole thing about little bits of tape clogging vital oil-passages may have some merit, but I highly doubt it would matter at all on a roller bearing engine. If a piece of tape big enough to cause problems made it into the engine, you'd have bigger problems to worry about because only an idiot could let that happen. If I didn't have any thread sealant, I'd use teflon tape in heartbeat on an oil-line for my bike... I'd be careful though. Now on a plain bearing engine... hell, I'd still do it. | ||
| Teeps |
Sorry but I must stir the pot, with this observation and comment. Fmaxwell Posted on Friday, August 24, 2007 You still seem to be missing some key points: 1. The primary sealing surface is the shoulder of the drain plug to the machined surface of the crankcase/swingarm. No O-ring means a non-functional primary seal. The above statement is a paradox, in as much as: the oil trying to get out of the hole encounters what first; the o'ring or the bolt threads? The bolt threads of course. Therefore the "thread sealant" (of your choosing) is actually the primary seal and that makes the o'ring the secondary seal. In the absence of thread sealant (of any kind) the o'ring is the primary seal. I would welcome a Buell response to the question: Why do Buell engineers spec. thread sealant and an o'ring for their drain plugs? | ||
| Southsidebuellone |
If I post the pic it will be called fake. This is the honor system here. This site won't allow pics larger then a certain size and henceforth i took way too much time already on this. Could not a teflon sealer rip loose from the threads as well? Causing all this doom and gloom havoc the tape is supposed to cause? 123,600 miles on a 1999 superglide in which I USED TEFLON tape for the duration more or less and never a teflon tape related problem occurred... These whole stupid arguments are just that stupid. Teflon tape, o-rings ... thinking about it the o-ring material breaks-off too I know it sure is chewed up bad on the FXD one and those pieces went somewhere right? | ||
| Fmaxwell |
If I post the pic it will be called fake. This is the honor system here. Okay, so is it Teflon tape or something else? Could not a teflon sealer rip loose from the threads as well? Causing all this doom and gloom havoc the tape is supposed to cause? Not if it was the liquid type recommended by Buell. The bolt threads of course. Therefore the "thread sealant" (of your choosing) is actually the primary seal and that makes the o'ring the secondary seal. I'm not referring to the order in which the oil encounters them. I'm referring to the fact that the O-ring seal is the more reliable one. Nonetheless, if the O-ring seal is damaged (torn ring, damaged surface, contamination, etc.), the thread sealant will probably stop the oil from leaking. If a piece of tape big enough to cause problems made it into the engine, What would damage a bearing would be oil starvation from an oil galley being clogged, not contact with the tape. I also believe that the lifters have some rather small passages for oil, too. thinking about it the o-ring material breaks-off I don't think that it's going to snake its way up the threads to get into your engine, whereas the act of tightening the drain plug might ball-up some Teflon tape and push it into the crankcase/swingarm. Let's be clear: I am not saying that using Teflon tape is likely to result in damage to your engine. Nor am I saying that your engine is likely to leak. The drain plug will probably NOT back out even if you leave out the O-ring. But, by using the tape and not using an O-ring, you increase the likelihood of a failure. We can find plenty of people who ignore torque specs, use oil that's the wrong weight, don't change it at the specified intervals, don't flush their brakes when they should, and so forth. Many of those people will never have a problem as a result, but it doesn't prove that they are doing the right thing. But, it's your bike and how you maintain it is up to you. If you're comfortable with using Teflon tape and not using an O-ring, then go for it. | ||
| Bigdaddy |
Djkaplan has posted some sound advice. I use teflon tape (but, I also use tire plugs, carb cleaner, and I'm liberal with the pressure washer!) and I've been using it for years and years -- many a mile. Compromising the engine with bits of teflon (tape or sealer w/teflon) is a stretch. I'm raising the BS flag as high as I can get it -- Djk, look east and you should see it  . This is the granular view of 'wrapped around the axle" IMO. | ||
| Fmaxwell |
Compromising the engine with bits of teflon (tape or sealer w/teflon) is a stretch. I'm raising the BS flag as high as I can get it -- Djk, look east and you should see it : ) . http://biodiesel.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/159 605551/m/9751092921 | ||
| Djkaplan |
"If a piece of tape big enough to cause problems made it into the engine, you'd have bigger problems to worry about because only an idiot could let that happen." As with just about anything (even the construction of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich), if you don't do it right, you're going to have problems. | ||
| Fookinbueller |
GOD, I have better things to do with my time... what a waste of a few minutes of my life! Don't apply Teflon tape like a bafoon, and you will never have an issue with it... period! The problem is that, close to 90% of the humans that inhabit this world, are absolute idiots, completely void of all common sense. That's why you see warning stickers on your new Microwave oven, that say, "Do Not Hose Down"... and "Not for Human Consumption" on Rat Poison! | ||
| Djkaplan |
You want a peanutbutter and jelly sandwich? I just made some. | ||
| Bigdaddy |
PBJ sounds good, but the wife made me some pimento cheese w/jalapenos on some Ezekiel bread -- good stuff might I add | ||
| Glitch |
Just got through eatin' a mater samich. I didn't use teflon tape, but I did use Dukes (I smuggled it last time I was at Mama's) | ||
| Ustorque |
Be very careful with that sandwich bigdaddy if one of those pimentos were to break off and make its way into your blood stream it could clog you up and shatter your insides.....think of it as aaaaaaahhhhhhh a small piece of teflon tape..........gimme a break, buy the friggin o-ring!!!!!!!! | ||
| Bigdaddy |
My favorite meal Bojangle's biscuit, thick slice of mater, Dukes (slathered on too) washed down with Sundrop. Yeah! Ust, I keep my LDL above 200 and my HDL below 30 just to avoid that situation. The big value-add to this is I know why my wife will be grumpy with me -- I hate mysteries. | ||
| Blake |
I've cooked my eggs on teflon. | ||
| Ustorque |
+1 blake ...........and bacon too mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm | ||
| Mcgiver |
Carefull with the bacon, that can clog things up as well I here.  Brian | ||
| Ustorque |
mcgiver....are you saying that bacon is the teflon tape equivilent of the meat world? | ||
| Edstevens |
Ustorque I wrapped bacon around a scallop in a clockwise direction with no bacon extending past the height of the scallop. And after pan searing the bacon in fact did hold firm. So I would say "YES", bacon would seem to be an equivalent. But an even tougher challenge might be bacon wrapped shrimp. | ||
| Ustorque |
man i love this sh*t!!!!!!!!!!! | ||
| Southsidebuellone |
teflon must be pretty slippery stuff if you can cook on it... IT AINT GONNA HARM NOTHING IN YOUR PIECE OF **** bike ! 124,000 MILES PROOVES IT! | ||
| Fmaxwell |
Southsidebuellone teflon must be pretty slippery stuff if you can cook on it... IT AINT GONNA HARM NOTHING IN YOUR PIECE OF **** bike ! Then I guess you wouldn't mind us dropping this little teflon gem into your engine:  124,000 MILES PROOVES IT! And the fact that my relative, a smoker, lived to the age of 92 "PROOVES" that cigarettes are harmless, too. Right? | ||
| Steve_mackay |
Working in an automotive machine shop for close to a decade, I have re-built literally hundreds of different engines ranging from simple Briggs single cylinder, to Rolls 412 V8s, to Cat Diesels. I wouldn't worry about teflon tape on threads, if used sparingly. | ||
| Aldaytona |
I have used teflon tape, still do. But I won't ever buy my tires from the Avon lady! | ||
| Staindus |
Should this not be moved to the backfire board? | ||
| Bombardier |
The reason there are the ridiculous warnings on everything today is because manufacturers are forever being sued by idiots who are usually too dumb to even know what common sense means and does the most idiotic thing and then get hurt. They have a shiny arsed lawyer telling them that its not their fault they dont have more brains than roadkill and he/she will help them right the terrible wrong done to them by the rich manufacturer. Its a matter of principle they say. | ||
| Fmaxwell |
How is it ridiculous to warn someone that Teflon tape should not be used on straight threads and that it can, on rare occasions, clog oil journals? What's ridiculous is someone with a ten thousand dollar motorcycle using Teflon tape rather than spending a quarter on the factory-speciofied O-ring when he does an oil change. |
