| Author | Message | ||
     Mobuellin |
After finally researching and changing my own broken clutch cable (no thanks to HD dealership what won't even touch my Buell), I ran the bike for about 10 minutes and pulled into the garage to change the engine oil. Went to unscrew the oil drain plug and the damn head snapped smooth off! WTF  So I have about 3 questions pertaining to this: 1) Where online can I go to get a replacement oil drain plug for a fair price? Used to get parts from American Sport Bike but they are shut down. 2) What is the best way to get the bolt shaft out without damaging the threads and thus swingarm? Is this something I should attempt or better left to professional at a local repair shop. I'm willing to try if it seems reasonable. 3) In the meantime, I really need to change the oil. Is there another way to drain the oil from the swingarm like from an oil line or something? If so, could someone post a picture or point me to it. Thanks in advance. This forum has always been a lifesaver for me with this bike. Cheers! | ||
| 651lance |
I would use left headed drill bits to get the broken plug out. Start with a smaller one first and don't go all the way through. Then go to the next size and use a slow drill speed so the bit digs in and should unscrew the plug. If you want to remove most of the oil first you should us a vacuum fluid pump and suck it out through the filler hole. | ||
| Mobuellin |
Thanks for the tip. I'll go get a set of the left handed drill bits and give that a try. Until that happens, can I drain the oil from another fitting? Also, do they sell aftermarket oil drain plugs that fit our XBs? | ||
| 651lance |
No other fitting is that low. I'm not sure if the drain plug matches any automotive style pugs. The plug is a standard HD drain plug #60328-98B. We stock them but any HD dealer should have them. | ||
| Sagehawk |
if I'm thinking right, that plug is a 1\2" - 20 tpi rh. o-reilly has these plugs with a hex head, a washered plughead, or several oversizes which the plug taps its own thread. I am running such a plug in my 96 flhr transmission drain with a copper washer. I tried the blue color nylon type gasket but they would just extrude out from under the washered head of plug. sucked, it did! Just ensure you have enough diameter for the copper washer to seat against on the swingarm. also, 10 - 12 foot pounds of torque is all that is needed. use the Loctite sealer on the bolt threads as well. good luck on removing Dutchman out of swingarm. that's why I changed all my drain plugs out as it didn't make sense to have small heads with o ring seals. poor design in my opinion. some things seem naturally wrong after 42 years in the machinist/ millwright craft! 651lance: sent you a email this morning on turn signals for a 07 xb12x. letting you know! best wishes all ! | ||
| Brother_in_buells |
For the early style swing arm you could drain the oil by loosening the oil feed line at the underside of the swing arm or at the oilpump. But be careful to not damage the thread when screwing it back on/in. | ||
| Brother_in_buells |
Maybe this is a clean option for when the broken plug is removed, https://www.nospillsystems.com/ | ||
| Ducbsa |
Be gentle with the drills, if one breaks, you'll need EDM. DAMHIK | ||
| Firemanjim |
It is common american thread and most auto parts stores stock oversize ones that cut their own threads. Done it a few times on an XB where someone over torqued the plug. | ||
| Reepicheep |
A tungsten carbide dremel bit (two or three to go half an inch through an easy out or a broken tap) will make some progress as well, and is a great thing to have kicking around. Even if you are drilling, it is handy to be able to "fix" a hole that isn't quite where you want it. Spend a LOT of time finding the center of the sheared bolt, and use a punch (the spring loaded ones work nicely) to create a solid place to start the hole. Then go as straight as you can. Once you have the broken body of the bolt mostly drilled out, it often just spins right out if you are using left hand drill bits. Once it is hollow it gets "less stuck". Even having just the head snapped off likely unloaded the tension on the threads, it might come out now if you can get something on it. | ||
| Mobuellin |
I appreciate all the tips guys. Finally gathered all the necessary equipment to do the job. Removed my Buell race muffler, used a spring-loaded punch to start a hole, and then utilized a left-handed drill bit on slow speed and IT WORKED! Bolt plug started unscrewing and I was able to grab it and finish screwing it out. Picked up a brand new plug and O-ring from the local HD shop (thx Lance for the PN) for $3 and a quarter. Not too bad of a job and the threads seem to be intact. After too long out of the saddle, time to explore some of these Colorado backroads after all the tourists go home. | ||
| Damnut |
Make sure you do not torque that drain plug to factory specs. I believe that the torque specs were wrong and a lot of people ended up stripping their drain plug. | ||
| Teeps |
Mobuellin, I torque the drain plug on my '06 xb12x to 12lb/ft. I also observe the service manual recommendation of using a thread sealant on the drain plug threads. In 10 years and 20 oil changes I've never had a drain plug loosen on its own. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
I thought those were INCH pounds. I thought that was the original issue. | ||
| Greg_e |
I thought they were in inch pounds too. My general rule is snug with a wrench, not forced tight. If it leaks I'll give it another little nudge or check for particles under the O ring. | ||
| Teeps |
I, just, reviewed the torque spec in my '06 manual, it indicates 29 to 30 lb/ft. If that was supposed to be in lb/in, it would about 2.5 lb/ft. (which if thread sealant was used would probably be enough torque to keep the plug in the oil bag) Don't know where that figure came from; sounds like it could be a carry over torque spec from a steel oil bag. | ||
| Mobuellin |
My bike is an '03 XB9SL. I do have and follow the shop manual but I also remember reading about the torque spec being incorrect. I tightened it to 15lb/ft so I hope that wasn't too much. | ||
| Froggy |
I've always done "Good and snug" on the draingplugs. They did lower the spec in later books, but it is still too high in my opinion. | ||
| Teeps |
Mobuellin, 15lb/ft should be fine. If you still have concerns with the drain plug working loose; it could always be drilled and safety wired. I did that on one drain plug, but have since abandoned the practice, as I use the recommended thread sealant (because I had some) and have never experienced the drain plug loosening. | ||
| Meggbuellxb9 |
I know this is an old question, but I still appreciate that someone asked this question. Regards, MeggBuellxb9 |
