Oil tank thread stripped

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#1 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 5:48 pm

I'm really not sure how it happened, but it seems from all the indications that I've stripped the thread on the drain plug on my standard Falco oil tank. I was changing the oil and filter and replaced the M8 drain plug bolt as outlined in the manual, after draining the oil in the oil tank, torquing it up to the recommended 15 Nm.

Then re-reading the manual I realised I hadn't applied Loctite to the drain bolt. Muttering to myself I undid the bolt again, dabbed some Loctite on it and screwed it back into the tank. I did this by hand until it was nearly 'home' then switched over to the torque wrench. It got a bit tighter, but no 'click', but then just carried on turning. And turning. And turning.

I was still able to unscrew it and when I inspected it there were small pieces of swarf by the bolt head,and a piece on the tank drain outlet. But the threads in the tank still seemed to be present and correct. By now I was getting increasingly confused and pissed off. Plus it was starting to get dark (I was doing this in the garden). So I put the bolt back in (again) and by now it was turning freely even when fully home.

I can only assume that I must have stripped the thread, and that I will need to remove the tank and get the bugger helicoiled. And flushed out. Is this a common occurrence? Has anyone heard of this happening before? I was particularly annoyed as I was at great pains not to be hamfisted and followed the torque setting religiously.

Bugger, bugger, bugger. Arse.

Falcorob · #2 Post by **Falcorob** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 6:27 pm

If it's any help at all I will be removing my oil tank in the next few weeks to put the Mille one on so it will be surplus to requirements. Was going to fleabay it along with some other bits and pieces but you can have first dibs if you need it.

D-Rider · #3 Post by **D-Rider** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 6:33 pm

I have several Falco oil tanks - one is cleaned and ready for dispatch (had it ready to send to someone in USA but he solved his issue more locally)

If you are interested I also have pictures available

blinkey501 · #4 Post by **blinkey501** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 7:58 pm

Not sure but i think it should be able to be drilled and tapped which i have both, I am not far from sheffield and if you can get a drain plug which is M10 i am happy to pop over and sort it up to you

flatlander · #5 Post by **flatlander** » Sat Nov 05, 2011 9:20 pm

And I may claim dubs on the other bits Rob ;)

That's it that's my constructive input on the grounds that I am more likely to be of assistance in stripping the bugger rather than fixing it

Chabby · #6 Post by **Chabby** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 2:38 am

I don't have any spare tanks knocking about but from past threads I can confirm that this is a very common occurance.

#7 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 6:24 pm

Thanks everybody, especially for the offers of help - much appreciated. Having slept on it (not the oil tank, obviously) I 've decided that a Helicoil is the way to go. As I understand it a Helicoil insert will make it stronger than the original (not difficult apparently) and should prevent a reoccurence.

My concern with taking up one of the offers of replacement tanks is that these tanks appear prone to this happening and the same could happen to any replacement. And drilling it out and re-tapping to a larger size would still leave it susceptible to failure.

So it's a Helicoil for me. I'll keep you posted on progress...

blinkey501 · #8 Post by **blinkey501** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 7:28 pm

check your pm

HowardQ · #9 Post by **HowardQ** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 11:21 pm

I recently had the same problem but managed to get a really tidy oil tank off ebay for £20 odd delivered, it would have cost me more to get it hellicoiled.
Drilling for the hellicoil is straightforward enough, but making sure you get all the drillings out of the tank is a bloody nightmare. (Look at the shape of a tank and where the feeds are),
It would have to be from underneath the tank (off the bike), so you have a chance of flushing anything straight out from the upper feed.

#10 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sun Nov 06, 2011 11:29 pm

Yes, I take your point Howard. But I've already got the tank off the bike (it would have to come off anyway, so I bit the bullet) and will ring around tomorrow. I might try Manhattan Motorcycles first as they have a good reputation and they're only a mile or so from me.

If it is uneconomic to repair then I've already got some good offers from the splendid people on here, so it's not all doom and gloom. Just bloody annoying...

HowardQ · #11 Post by **HowardQ** » Mon Nov 07, 2011 2:43 pm

Paul at Manhattan M/C is a great bloke, never used him for hellicoiling but his people seem to be able to sort most things. If he can't fix it, he will know a man that can.

Good luck.

#12 Post by **mangocrazy** » Mon Nov 07, 2011 7:42 pm

Yes, I rang Paul up today and he said drop the tank round and they will Time-Sert it for me. Which is brilliant news as Time-Sert is a better solution than Helicoil and was what I was hoping to get done to it.

Don't know the price yet, but I've always found them very reasonable and very good quality work.

Falcorob · #13 Post by **Falcorob** » Mon Nov 07, 2011 8:35 pm

mangocrazy wrote:Yes, I rang Paul up today and he said drop the tank round and they will Time-Sert it for me. Which is brilliant news as Time-Sert is a better solution than Helicoil and was what I was hoping to get done to it.

Don't know the price yet, but I've always found them very reasonable and very good quality work.

Had to Google that. Looks a better method than helicoil.

HowardQ · #14 Post by **HowardQ** » Mon Nov 07, 2011 10:23 pm

That sounds good to me. As I said, Paul is really good and he has always come up with very good prices as well. I've been a Manhattan customer for many years, never known anybody say anything bad.
Hope it's all sorted quickly and back on the bike.

back_marker · #15 Post by **back_marker** » Mon Nov 07, 2011 10:58 pm

Falcorob wrote:
mangocrazy wrote:Yes, I rang Paul up today and he said drop the tank round and they will Time-Sert it for me. Which is brilliant news as Time-Sert is a better solution than Helicoil and was what I was hoping to get done to it.

Don't know the price yet, but I've always found them very reasonable and very good quality work.
Had to Google that. Looks a better method than helicoil.

Used them several times before and I can honestly say they are absolutely brilliant. The kit is around £150 but money well spent if you do a lot of spanner work, especially on older machines.