Sump drain bolt loose
 

Hey folks,

Well I'm up to 11,000 miles in about 7 months.

Thanks to the rain today, I noticed a little pool of oil under my engine.

Checked the sump plug and it was loose. Bash plate was caked in oil and scum too.
Seems I've lost about 350ml of oil, I reckon, judging by the dipstick.

I've done it up finger-tight and then a little nip up (1/4 turn) with a spanner.


How did this come loose?

Got my 12K service coming up so I'll bring it to their attention, anyway.

i have had lose drain plugs.. not on a xt
well not as tight as i fell they should be..
heat / metal exspantion dose funny things.....
possablely wasn't as tight as it could have been in the first place..
someone will bealong with a torgue setting for yer... i don't know
what it is...

just one of those things.... yer got it tight now..
don't dwell on it.... go ride the bike...

Sump 30nm

Frame 18nm


:)


.

Trouble is 30Nm is only relevant when a brand new sealing washer is fitted, and how many of us do that each time we change the oil? I don't always.

Most self-loosening drain plugs I've come across (on cars, bikes and tractors) have been the result of someone at a past service over-torquing the bolt crushing the washer completely, then at a subsequent service someone's done it to the correct torque (but using the old crushed washer). As there's no flexibility left in the crushed washer 30Nm is not ging to be quite enough to hold hold the threads. Generally you're OK re-using the washers if they've only ever been done up to the correct torque, and the only way you'll know if that's happened is if you've done all the oil-changes yourself!

If you're worried about it in the future, just check it with a torque wrench every time you adjust the chain.

I see where you're coming from!!!

Being a cheapskate I re heat the washer red with a hand blowtorch and dip it into cold water when I don't have any left. Works OK so far.

Just a wee tip.


:)


.

Yep, annealing does help, but cold dipping is only truly effective with copper sealing washers.

To anneal steel and ferrous metals they must be cooled slowly.

Blimey, you work that hard to save 50 cents????? I always buy a new washer with the filter so I always change it......

I got this from OTR: http://www.off-the-road.de/en/XT-660...e-M14x1-5.html

Torqued it up once and have not had to worry about it since. Additional benefit is that it no longer sprays oil all over the G-IT bash plate and engine guard.