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yikes!!! Mid gear drain plug!

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by RobDrech, Jun 15, 2011.

  1. RobDrech

    RobDrech Member

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    Is it just me or does anyone else cringe when tightening the mid gear drain plug back up... I know the book says 17.5 lbs/ft but man... I never get the wrench to click because I'm too afraid of pulling out the threads!

    I tighten to 14lbs/ft no problem, then bump it up to 17.5 but I feel like I'm spinning the plug too much (1/4 plus turns).

    Anyone else get this or are my thread slowly ripping out?
     
    RobDrech, Jun 15, 2011
    #1
  2. chacal

    chacal Moderator Moderator Supporting Vendor Premium Member

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    NOTE: although Yamaha recommends draining the oil from the middle gear drive area during each oil change, we STRONGLY recommend against doing so. This drain bolt is extremely hard to get at while the exhaust is on the bike, and it is rather fragile and easy to shear off when attempting to loosen. It is really intended to be used as a drain port when the engine is out of the bike, before splitting the cases. The middle gear area that this port provides access to only holds about a half-cup of oil, and that oil will be "changed" via mixing with the fresh oil added to the crankcase during an oil change.

    NOTE: both the original Yamaha service manuals and the Haynes workshop manual lists the wrong torque specification for this bolt.....way too high!....and thus further risks shearing off this soft, fragile bolt. The correct tightening torque value is 11.5 foot-pounds. If you do remove or replace this bolt, make sure you use anti-seize compound on it when re-installing.
     
    chacal, Jun 15, 2011
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  3. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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    quit now and hope it doesn't leak and never touch it again
     
    Polock, Jun 15, 2011
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  4. SQLGuy

    SQLGuy Well-Known Member

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    Wow! That explains a lot. This sounds like a perfect recipe for disaster: a hard to reach, harder to repair, bolt, with the service manual telling you to overtorque it by 50%. Probably the work of the same engineer that designed the steering neck mounted master cylinder.
     
    SQLGuy, Jun 15, 2011
    #4
  5. RickCoMatic

    RickCoMatic Well-Known Member

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    You should light a candle, Bud.

    You dodged a bullet.

    You got any idea how much work is involved recovering from a fractured Mid-Drive Drain Plug?

    The "Shortcut" is dropping the Exhaust System.
    Doing all the preps involved before actually turning the bike upside-down!
     
    RickCoMatic, Jun 16, 2011
    #5
  6. RobDrech

    RobDrech Member

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    lol... This is like the third time I have changed the oil in this bike... The PO buggered the plug up pretty good, but I'm still able to get it in and out faily easily. He had a monster copper washer on there, maybe this is the reason why I never had the stripping issue (yet!).

    As for the exhaust, I don't know what is on the bike, certainly not stock, but some sort of side exit slip on. I can get at the plug pretty easily from the bottom and never had an issue.

    Thanks for the heads up, I'll leave it in from now on.

    BTW, if I DID break it... It would be a good reason to pull the engine and paint it! :)
     
    RobDrech, Jun 16, 2011
    #6

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