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stripped out oil pan threads -- Austin area question

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Jan 28, 2017
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Location
Round Rock, TX
Not long after a joyous trip to Mexico on my 2012 V-strom, I was changing the oil and managed to strip the threads on the oil pan/casing of the bike. (Primal scream of frustration). I have been through all the stages of DIY grief -- denial, anger, despair, bargaining, and I'm at acceptance now.

I need to get it fixed. You can't take off the oil pan, as you can do on some sportbikes, because it's all one piece with the engine, from what I understand.

From reading up on different sites, it seems that Time-Sert kits may be the best for this situation. But I've read/you-tubed it and I don't really trust myself to do this job, never having done one before. After all, I just screwed up the peanut-butter-and-jelly of DIY bike mechanics (yeah, I'm a first-timer). It's not the time to try for a wedding cake.

My question: Does anyone know an Austin-Area mechanic/shop that could do this job and do it right, so the plug won't leak? The dealer is an option. I'm told by friends who ride I should look at other options, as this is a one-shot deal with a lot riding on it.

Thanks for any advice.
 
Rick Miller made a Space Shuttle out of a box of legos. He's RickM on here, send him a PM.
 
Space shuttle, eh? Thanks for the tip. I will send him a PM.

Anyone else? In case Mr. M is busy with a second shuttle?
 
Last one I did was not all that difficult. Get some old carpet and lay the bike on its side instead of trying to work from the bottom up.
Smoky
 
Not long after a joyous trip to Mexico on my 2012 V-strom, I was changing the oil and managed to strip the threads on the oil pan/casing of the bike. (Primal scream of frustration). I have been through all the stages of DIY grief -- denial, anger, despair, bargaining, and I'm at acceptance now.

I need to get it fixed. You can't take off the oil pan, as you can do on some sportbikes, because it's all one piece with the engine, from what I understand.

From reading up on different sites, it seems that Time-Sert kits may be the best for this situation. But I've read/you-tubed it and I don't really trust myself to do this job, never having done one before. After all, I just screwed up the peanut-butter-and-jelly of DIY bike mechanics (yeah, I'm a first-timer). It's not the time to try for a wedding cake.

My question: Does anyone know an Austin-Area mechanic/shop that could do this job and do it right, so the plug won't leak? The dealer is an option. I'm told by friends who ride I should look at other options, as this is a one-shot deal with a lot riding on it.

Thanks for any advice.

Here is a good guide
http://www.stromtrooper.com/maintenance-how/81202-dl1k-how-repair-stripped-oil-plug.html

Yes it can be done engine in, as long as the owner accepts there is a very small chance, a piece of swarf might find its way into someplace swarf does not belong... Small chance, but its there.
I mitigate that by plugging the case vents, and adding shop air pressure set to about 20psi. It helps with blowing swarf out of the drain plug hole as I make a mess of it.

After I'm done installing the thread insert,,,I flush the case with a light solvent like diesel. I still have the air plumbed in "pushing" that solvent and swarf out of the case. I use about 2 gallons, and its filtered with a paint strainer to see if swarf comes out and recycled a second or third time if i get anything out on the last flush.

Lower air pressure to a few pounds, let cases drain completely .
Reassembly all as it should be, using cheap oil...start, warm up, run it for a few minutes, and drain oil, change filter, add your choice of normally used oil... Ride and be happy.
 
Last edited:
Here is a good guide
http://www.stromtrooper.com/maintenance-how/81202-dl1k-how-repair-stripped-oil-plug.html

Yes it can be done engine in, as long as the owner accepts there is a very small chance, a piece of swarf might find its way into someplace swarf does not belong... Small chance, but its there.
I mitigate that by plugging the case vents, and adding shop air pressure set to about 20psi. It helps with blowing swarf out of the drain plug hole as I make a mess of it.

After I'm done installing the thread insert,,,I flush the case with a light solvent like diesel. I still have the air plumbed in "pushing" that solvent and swarf out of the case. I use about 2 gallons, and its filtered with a paint strainer to see if swarf comes out and recycled a second or third time if i get anything out on the last flush.

Lower air pressure to a few pounds, let cases drain completely .
Reassembly all as it should be, using cheap oil...start, warm up, run it for a few minutes, and drain oil, change filter, add your choice of normally used oil... Ride and be happy.
Ditto above, time serts are very easy to do. Just slow and easy. A vacuum cleaner helps to pull chips away when ypu drill and tap some grease on the tap helps as well. Then clean and flush as above.
Been a machinist for 40 years this is easy!
 
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