Sump plug

Just done the oil and filter on the Suzuki, the book says the sump plug
should be at 23 newton meters, that felt like not much at all on the
torque wrench, i assume thats its a low pressue enviroment, and as the
thread is very fine, its tighter than it felt?

--
Gavin.

GSXR600K1
Twitter: http://twitter.com/gavin_wilby
Blog: http://www.stoof.co.uk

 

Correct. Stick to the manufacturers torque settings, and remember they
are for a dry thread.

 

Well, it was dry(ish) as dry as I could get it with a rag.

I didnt degrease it though, if thats what you mean...

--
Gavin.

GSXR600K1
Twitter: http://twitter.com/gavin_wilby
Blog: http://www.stoof.co.uk

 

It's oily on the threads, so it will have gone tighter than an unoiled
thread.

I tend to do it by feel, hand tight then a small nip [1]. It also
depends whether you' re using a new or reusing an old washer, the new
one will be annealed, so will do up more, an old one will be work
hardened.

If you're not happy doing it by feel, you'll just have to trust the
torque setting.

Paul.

[1] I also only use 3/8" drive socketry, or a spanner which means it's
more difficult to put too much torque through the plug.

 

Im OK doing it myself, it was just a confirming question really.

How many of us though tighten to the torque setting and then give it a
little bit more?

It might just be that the length of the wrench makes it feel like your
putting next to naff all on the nut itself. Although stripping the sump
thread would not fill me with joy.

--
Gavin.

GSXR600K1
Twitter: http://twitter.com/gavin_wilby
Blog: http://www.stoof.co.uk

 

Don't over tighten, its a pain in the arse when you over tighten and it
goes all loose :-(

 

The threads in the alloy case are very easy to strip if overtorqued.
There is almost always a special alloy or fibre washer or maybe an O ring.
ALWAYS use a new one.

 

I've got a decent torque wrench at home but the only time I'd use it
is if I was tightening something like a cylinder head that needed
sequential tightening or if the bolts were designed to stretch once
and when you needed to undo them you replaced them.

Always remember that spanners are different lengths for a reason and
only a **** uses a breaker bar when tightening something.

 

Actually the book says that you dont have to!
--
Gavin.

GSXR600K1
Twitter: http://twitter.com/gavin_wilby
Blog: http://www.stoof.co.uk

 

35 years of riding motorbikes and servicing them myself has never seen
me change a sump plug washer.

You're still talking shit for a hobby.

 

Just checked and both the offical manual and the Haynes say its not
required to change it.
--
Gavin.

GSXR600K1
Twitter: http://twitter.com/gavin_wilby
Blog: http://www.stoof.co.uk

 

So is it a flat washer or one that deforms?

 

Dunno - its torqued into the bike and holding the oil in

Its not leaking any out however.

--
Gavin.

GSXR600K1
Twitter: http://twitter.com/gavin_wilby
Blog: http://www.stoof.co.uk

 

AOL, on cars or bikes. Never had a leak.

 

Triumph are the only manufacturer I know of who supply deformable sump
plug washers, and a new one is usually in the box with the oil filter.

 

Ditto. I have been known to anneal the odd one, or replace it if
knackered though.

 

If in doubt he could always 'wire it ;o)

 

I hadn't either, until the first oil change I did on the Vectra. It
started marking its place immediately - just a drip a day, but a bit
annoying, having got used to oiltight vehicles. Next time I bought a
filter, I asked for a washer and my friendly factor threw three in the
filter box for me. Bonus.

Of course, I couldn't find then last week when it was that time again,
and as they're just common flat copper washers, I got the torch out and
annealed it. Still drip-free.

Bit difficult lockwiring a washer, isn't it?

 

He didn't mention overtightening a washer though, did he.

IIRC OE Beemer service kits had soft ally washers on some of the plugs which
were best changed.

 

The deformable ones should always be changed, and that includes all
fibre washers. I was taught to always fit a new one to be sure of
getting it right, they only cost a few pence FFS.
Better safe than sorry.