drain plug help..

[400exdave]

The other day I was changing my oil and i drained all the old oil out, and ran some new oil threw and let it work its way through the engine then i drained that. So then after that process I decide to screw the drain plug in again and pour the new oil in and call it good. Well, while I was screwing the drain plug/bolt back in, I noticed that it wasn't tightening at all, SO i decided to back the bolt out to see if it was in right, when I started to loosen it, the head broke off!!:(

So the thread is still in there. Good thing is, that it is not leaking oil. Bad news is that it is stuck in there. So I decide to go take it riding the next morning and it did fine, then a few days later i did the same and rode good. Then this morning I took it to my local track and i noticed that my right boot was all covered in oil and along with my right nerf bar. I noticed that the threading to that bolt was gone. Now here is my question. Do you think it fell out, or went into the engine?? Does it have a stop in the threading so possibly the bolt threads didnt actually go into the engine. And if it were so, could I take the risk of destroying my engine if I drive it with that little bolt thread in there? What should I do? :confused: :confused: :confused:

[NacsMXer]

Don't worry, it's not really possible for that broken threaded end to be "sucked into" the engine. It most likely succumbed to vibration and fell out as you were riding. As for the oil tank, you can simply take it to a machine shop for a quick fix. They will extract the broken end and retap the drain hole if necessary. Shouldn't cost you more than 25 bucks ;)

Also this is a stupid question, but are you making sure that you're turning the bolt the right direction? That's the only reason I can think of for the bolt not wanting to thread into the hole. As for the head breaking off after that, seems like you overtightened it. Don't just go off of what "feels" tight enough; always use a torque wrench. The oil tank bolt is 14 ft-lbs and the crankcase drain bolt is 18 ft-lbs in case you don't have a manual.:)

[400exdave]

Yeah, i was turning it in the right direction. thanks for all your help. so your saying that it most likely didn't go into the engine, that it just vibrated out?

[400exrider707]

So wait, which bolt broke, the one for the oil tank, or the one on the side of the case??? NacsMXer, if its possible for the bolt to vibrate out, why wouldn't it vibrate in as well? Ive heard of bolts tightening up before from vibration, although not common, it could happen, as to wether or not it went into the engine, I'm not sure if there is a stop in there or not if this was the bolt on the side of the case, if it was on the oil tank, I dont see it ever going in.

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by 400exrider707
So wait, which bolt broke, the one for the oil tank, or the one on the side of the case??? NacsMXer, if its possible for the bolt to vibrate out, why wouldn't it vibrate in as well? Ive heard of bolts tightening up before from vibration, although not common, it could happen, as to wether or not it went into the engine, I'm not sure if there is a stop in there or not if this was the bolt on the side of the case, if it was on the oil tank, I dont see it ever going in.

I see what you're saying, but when I read his post he said that there was oil all over his right boot and the right nerf bar. The crankcase drain is on the left side so I automatically assumed this was the oil tank drain bolt. The broken end in the bottom of the tank is not able to go into the motor due to the size of the oil pipes; if it did go in for some reason, it would be rattling around inside the tank.

[400exdave]

it is the bolt on the side of the case that broke off taht i am concerned about. my oil tank in front of my engine is good. So my question really is if the thread that was still inside the threading vibrated in the case, or if it was even possible for it to go in the case or not. and if it is ok for me to drive it with the possibility of the broken off bolt in the case.

[markk]

As far as i can guess i would imagain that it unscrewed and fell out, Because u where still riding it when u noticed it was gone. Best thing i would tell u to do, is take a screw driver or a touch smaller bolt and put it into the holl, and see if it hits anything, inside the motor. I would drain the oil threw a strainer and see what kinda metel shaving u have in your oil.


Then it sounds like your best bet would be to take your quad to a real mechanic and tell him to retap the side case, and Put in another bolt.


Also dont EVER overtighten you drain plugs EITHER of them, They both with break off very easly.

Hope somthing in there helps u.

[400exdave]

thanks for all your guys' help. if anyone else has anything, id appretiate that, but this info helps a lot. thanks again!