Help! Can't get the engine plug out!

Please look at the pics. I thought this thing would pop right out. I used one of those reverse drill bits specifically designed to get screws out but this thing just wasn't budging. I just kept turning and the thing wouldn't budge until I eventually put this huge hole in there. What the hell do I do now????

 

Oh you should not have done that, as in your second picture or is snapped off.

 

That doesn't help

 

You may need to get a hold of a hack saw blade. Grind or flat file the non-cutting edge so it will fit in the hole. Relief cut the plug in four equally spaced places without cutting to the threads then use needle nose pliers to gingerly message the plug loose. I'd also add a little bit of heat. Someone else might suggest something else.

Gary H.

 

Thanks Gary. I don't even know how it came to this. The thing is completely frozen in there and I feel like I made it worse. I feel like I just turned this entire bike into a parts bike.

 

It will be a little bit of a trick to remove, but you can get that out and have it fixed up. Take a breath, grab some tools, and go to it. I am curious why you were taking that particular plug out?

 

Oh my. Those plugs aren't normally supposed to be removed. They just block the ends of the main oil gallery after machining has been completed.

If I was doing the job I'd start with a good penetrating oil. Let it soak for a few days, then apply heat and an EZ-Out, using due care to not break the EZ-Out off.
If that didn't work I'd drill to the minimum thread diameter, and pick out the remainder of the threads. Chacal has replacement plugs and the o-rong that seals it.

 

Joshua,

I am not trying to be a jerk here, but what was your thinking on trying to remove this plug.....for what purpose......

Did someone mention this plug....or did you think it was a oil drain plug ?

Just curious......

Also, just relax......we are here to help.......a lot of knowledge here by a lot of smart individuals

 

Least you have a sense of humor

 

Oil was leaking out of that plug. The head of it was actually broken in the first place when I bought it from the original owner. After every ride you'd see a few drips of oil coming out of that plug so naturally I figured I replace it. I have the part. I didn't think this was going to be the nightmare it became.

 

Would hammering and chiseling be a good direction? The metal is actually very weak and comes apart in chunks.

 

I would not. The engine case could crack.

 

gotcha

 

This is how I got out of a similar situation but beware Joshua you do not have much metal there and you do not want to crack the crankcase or ruin the threads for the new plug. The machine I was using this on had more metal but I cut slots as shown in the diagram with a pad saw and bent a piece of steel at 90 degrees and used that in the resulting slot to remove the plug. Only use this as a last resort. As I said it works but it depends how much metal there is to cut the slot. You do not want to cut too deep either in case you damage the threads in the crankcase.

 

I actually tried something very similar but unfortunately the metal on the plug is just breaking off like chalk. It's like the outer plug itself is frozen onto the crankcase. So, after a couple of attempts more of the plug is out but the outer part is still connected. It's actually worse and I'm too embarrassed to show pics of what I've done. It looks like a gaping wound. I'm in a real mess. Thank you for sharing your idea. Just curious, if I do damage the threads would it be fairly easy to buy a tap and just re-thread it?

 

I am not an engineer Joshua but I am sure someone will be able to advise you regarding re tapping the thread. I have never tapped a thread before so I will leave the answer to one of the other guys on the forum. We can help you get the remainer of the plug out but we have a better chance if we can see the latest pictures.

 

Here is what it looks like now. I'm very embarrassed so please give helpful comments only. Thanks

 

I think your best chance Joshua is to get an extractor because if you can get the right size it will grip the side of the remaining part of the plug and allow you to turn it anti clockwise.

 

This is probably the best idea, you just want to make really sure that you don't cut into the threads of the crankcase.

 

This is exactly what I used in the first place hence the hole. I just kept turning and turning but the plug was frozen. As a result of continuing to turn, bits and pieces of the plug started to crack and fall off which is the result of what you see now.

 

Thanks Chacal. Yeah, I'm thinking kind of what Franz also suggested but cut closer to the threads then collapse the pieces out with pliers.

Gary H.

 

Chacal is right the hacksaw method outlined above is the best idea in the circumstances, good luck hope you get it out Joshua.

 

I can't even look at it right now. I may need a pro to get it out.

 

You MIGHT need or be able to just 'chase' the threads instead of having to re cut....BUT, I have NO idea what size those metric threads for a bolt this size would be......I would after you have done that, re fill with ( cheap) oil run and drain the motor/ oil filter....just in case...maybe twice...cheap oil is still cheaper than the cheapest motor!!

 

Not to sound rude but I have to admit I'm not exactly sure what you mean. Why should I fill and drain with oil? What's the purpose of that?

 

AFTER you have chased/re cut the thread, just in case some swarf has gotten into the oil gallery.......I would

 

you need a Dremel tool and a few burrs. cut a slot in there wide enough to see the bottom good and i think when you get to where the threads are joining you'll see it.
your biggest problem the will be to get the crap out of there, stuff a rag in there right now. when your done pull the rag and tip it over and drain the oil through that hole, maybe it washes out

 

Ladies and Gentleman the extraction was a success! It was a scary and emotional day. I thank you all for the support. This is my first bike and it was sold to me under the idea that it was an easy project. Nothing could be further from the truth. But rather get rid of it I took on the huge task of restoring it and it has been an enormous test of my character. This previous experience has been one of many obstacles I have come into with this bike. It's nice to have a little success.

In a nutshell my buddy first took a crack at it with a heat gun and chisel. He didn't get very far. I then took a drill and thin drill bit and just started smoothly and slowly shaving it off. After a while the metal got so thin that it started to flake off. I used my buddy's small chisel and pick hammer and tap tap tapped lightly and eventually a little piece broke off. The rest just followed. Casualties were evident but luckily minor. The new plug was tested and we're good to go.

Again, thank you so much for all your help and support. I'm really glad this website exists for us nomads who have stumbled upon the peculiar and need I say challenging world of the XJ.

Next task: replacing the two mufflers that have been welded to the swing arms which have coincidentally prevented me from changing the super worn out shocks. It just doesn't get any better folks. Ride safe.

Josh

 

how is that even possible

 

Great Joshua glad you got it out. Make sure there is no metal inside the oilway as you don't want that getting into the engine. You will learn a lot restoring your bike and that knowledge will be invaluable to you in the future.

 

Yes must be welded to the frame. PO did it.

 

Joshua can you upload a photo of the welded mufflers so we can see how PO did it?

 

Some of us may want to take a whack at such a modification................

 

Not me l will keep my bike standard lol.

 

With pleasure.

 

For the longest time I couldn't diagnose a clicking sound that would happen ONLY when I sat on the bike. My buddy pretty much figured out that because the muffler was welded stuck to the swing arm when I would go to sit on the bike there would be a natural bend to the exhaust causing an air leak.

The good news is that I stumbled upon an old Kerker 4 into 1 exhaust that was used on another Seca 550 (pictured). It's incredibly light. I have to get a new baffle for it. I have a picture of the old baffle and I was wondering if you think the new one I'm planning on buying will work (also pictured). It doesn't extend throughout the entire muffler like the original one. I'm a little worried that it might be way louder then what I currently have on the bike because the original muffler is located under the bike plus the two outer mufflers can dampen the sound quite a bit as oppose to just a single muffler. What do you think?

 

Wow, that has got to be the dumbest PO “repair” I’ve ever seen. I thought for sure you meant he welded to the frame somewhere but they actually welded the mufflers to the swing arm.

 

You need to cut this off , with a zizwheel or slow method hack saw but look at the swing arm close , hopefully the PO did not blow thru the swing arm = rust magnet once opened to elements .

 

I'll bet that bike was exhausting to ride.

 

Those pipes are truly shocking!

 

PO did not have a clue or did not care welding the mufflers to the swing arm unbelievable. Never seen anything like that.

 

Ok, Ok, my exhaustion with the PO's solution is manifold.

...too much?

 

you can wrap steel wool or pot scrubbers around that baffle to turn it down

 

Any further discussion of this swing arm should be silenced or at least muffled.

 

yea, it's getting kind of twisted

 

As silly as this comment maybe, perhaps the PO thought he was onto torsional spring suspension like a VW bug. Sorry for making fun of this Joshua, it really is the best botch I’ve ever seen.

 

It's quite alright. I think at one point you just have to laugh at it all. That was literally my reaction when I saw that. I laughed.
I invite you to read my brief little story about this experience and you can continue to feel my pain:
https://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/i-need-sympathy.121167/

 

By the way. Does anybody have any comment about replacing the baffle for that Kerker 4 - 1 exhaust I found. How do I find a baffle for a 1981 Kerker 4-1 exhaust? Please see the pics I posted earlier. Thanks

 

Perhaps you can get a replacement one from.

https://www.motorcyclestorehouse.com/product/526808

They are available in the United States I checked.

 

What does this plug do ? Why is it there ?