| Author | Message | ||
     Portero72 |
Long story short, I stripped the drain hole on the swingarm a while back. I avoided doing a Timesert due to idiocy and false economy logic. Ultimately, I 'fixed' the issue w/ a 5/8" Helicoil and matching bolt, torqued to 30 ft-lbs using teflon tape, a plug washer and a crush washer. Problem is, it still weeps oil. Not much, but I would prefer it be oiltight. Any suggestions(short of replacing the swingarm) for buttoning this up? Is a Timesert still an option seeing how far I have opened up the drain hole? | ||
| Teeps |
First, is the heli-coil flush with the sealing surface? If not; you'll likely never to get it to fully seal. Give this a try: Remove the plug and clean it and the heli-coil threads. Apply PERMATEX 59235 high temperature thread sealant to the plug threads, top to bottom all the way around. Not sure what a plug washer is; but a single crush washer should be all you need. I never torque the drain plug over 12lbs/ft. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Find the other post here (in the last few days) where somebody posted a nice picture of what is effectively a bolt in a bolt. | ||
| Skinstains |
30 ft/lb is waaayyyyy to tight. The aluminum is pretty thick where the drain is so you could just tap it with an interference fit like a pipe thread. I personaly wouldn't go anywhere near my engine's oil supply with permatex. | ||
| Teeps |
Skinstains Posted on Monday, August 22, 2011 I personaly wouldn't go anywhere near my engine's oil supply with permatex. Pg. 1-14 step 2 in the '06 Uly service manual says to apply Loctite 565 thread sealant to the drain bolt. The Permatex is equivalent. But, in the same sentence they do say to torque the bolt to 29~34lbs/ft. | ||
| Portero72 |
Teeps- I assume the thread sealer can be had at any auto parts store? I already have Loctite, I'll check to see if its the correct type. The reason I have it torqued to 30 ft-lbs is because there is a helicoil insert in there, providing more strength than the bare aluminum, and because at my normal 22 ft-lbs, it dripped quite a bit. I progressively increased the torque value by 1 until I was satisfied. | ||
| Portero72 |
And just to be clear, unless I have to, I am NOT looking to re-tap the hole again. It is already at 5/8, which is quite a bit larger than the original 1/2. | ||
| Teeps |
I believe I bought it at Pep Boys. Could have been the Harley dealer too. | ||
| Portero72 |
Thx, Teeps. | ||
| Skinstains |
None of my bikes leak from the drainplug and I never use threadlocker, be it Permatex or Locktite. I also would never torque them to 30 ft/lb. Torqueing that plug to 29-34 ft./lbs. is what got that thing to leaking in the first place. | ||
| Portero72 |
'Torqueing that plug to 29-34 ft./lbs. is what got that thing to leaking in the first place.' Actually, no. The original plug hole stripped after torquing it to 27 ft-lbs, which had been my habit for 33k miles. After my helicoil insert, I BEGAN at 15 ft-lbs trying to be safe. The plug flowed like a broken nose, and basically ruined my rear brake pads. I gradually increased the torque value and ran the bike until the weep was at an acceptable level. | ||
| Rwcfrank |
I have to assume that the leak is coming from the area between the outside of the Helicoil and the inside of the hole in the swingarm and its not going to get better by tightening other than you may be compressing the o ring enough to stem the flow.If the Helicoil is flush with the swingarm try a flat compression washer of rubber or plastic or a stato-seal. If its not flush you may be able to hit it with a file to bring it flush. | ||
| Portero72 |
Thx, Rwc. I had been thinking that, during my hatchet job, I misaligned the hole just enough to not allow the bolt shoulder to tighten flush with the swingarm. Would a timesert insert work with the helicoil threads I already have? Where can I get a Stat-o-seal? (Message edited by portero72 on August 28, 2011) | ||
| Skinstains |
Sorry, but I think 27 ft/lb is too much as well. It's a steel thread going in to an aluminum thread and I think that it is a typo in the book and that that is the root of this problem. For what it's worth...used swingarms are really cheap on Feebay. | ||
| Portero72 |
I've been keeping an eye on Fleabay for used swingarms, not seen one recently. I may pick one up just as insurance. | ||
| Skinstains |
If you can't find one let me know as I may have an extra one hanging around somewhere. Look in to the drain plug torque thing too, I think that there was a real deal typo on both the primary and swingarm plugs. For some reason 13 ft/lb sticks out in my memory. | ||
| Portero72 |
Thx, Skins. I may take you up on that. There are a bunch on ebay, but they are all for tubers or the smaller XB's. Boo. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
stat-o-seal http://www.allsealsinc.com/statoseals.html | ||
| Prowler |
"I misaligned the hole just enough to not allow the bolt shoulder to tighten flush with the swingarm" If this is the case, and you want to save the heli-coil that's in there already, you really should go to a heavy rubber (or better yet, nylon/urethane) oil drain plug washer to make up the difference in the mis-alignment between your plug and the machined surface of the swingarm. Ace Hardware usually has them in many sizes in boxes in the hardware department. You should only have to torque the plug to about 10-15 ft/lbs to obtain a seal. This should solve your leaking problem. But make sure you replace the washer every time you change your oil. 30 ft/lbs of torque is too much for this plug (it's still working the heli-coil threads against the Aluminum casting of your swingarm.....not good). | ||
| Portero72 |
Thx, Prowler, that is a good suggestion. |
