Stripped oil drain plug of doom. What do I do?

[mojobreakfast]

Multistrada 1200. The picture below is mine, after the damage was done. I was attempting to remove the drain plug (the plug off to the right) in order to change the oil. Instantly stripped the recess. Bolt never even budged. How do I get this @!$^&@$ thing off. I'm afraid using an easy out will get me dangerously close to the threading on the sump. I tried threading one in (by hand) and then chickened out. The only thought I have, besides taking it to the dealer, would be to JBWeld a bit in there, that I could then use to attach a socket wrench.

[SteveM]

Ok, here's the obligatory, "The bike is now ruined, I'll take it off your hands for $100." post.

Good luck, I hate it when a hex wrench slips. There have to be better answers for applicants like this, like a real hex bolt.

[jasnmar]

I'd prolly start by trying to find a torx that was just bigger and "gently tapping" it in. The sort that fits on a ratchet would be best.

Hard to tell from the image... is the head of the plug flush with the face of the sump?

[catamount]

I've had good luck using a sacrifical torx bolt just slightly bigger than the hex. Drive it in there straight, it'll contort to fit, and then use a large breaker bar to get the plug out.

[e30addict]

Is there enough of an edge to grab the bolt with a big pair of vise grips? Orient the grips parallel to the ground.

[G21forme]

I'm not sure what size it is but you could try tapping in a standard size allen socket if it's just slightly larger. If not I've had good luck with easy outs .

[mojobreakfast]

Unfortunately, there's not enough "edge" to use any kind of pliers on this thing. There's well less than 1/4" of an inch to play with, and that includes the crush washer.

I did try tapping in a couple of up size allens/torx and they all just spin as soon as I put a wrench on them. I am probably not tapping them hard enough but I really don't want to be wacking away on my (aluminium) sump too hard.

Any thoughts on the idea of JBwelding a torx bit in there? Another suggestion I have seen is to dremel a notch across the head of the bolt in order to use a screwdriver but I'm having a hard time thinking I could pull that off successfully.

[e30addict]

I wouldn't bother with the notch. Doubt you'd get enough torque.

The JB weld thing is a great idea. I've used that method successfully before on a gear box drain bolt that was stuck in pretty much the same way.

[mojobreakfast]

I wouldn't bother with the notch. Doubt you'd get enough torque.

The JB weld thing is a great idea. I've used that method successfully before on a gear box drain bolt that was stuck in pretty much the same way.

What are the potential downsides? I guess the bit could get broken off when I go to turn it, and then I'd be even more screwed.

[e30addict]

You'd more than likely just crack the JB Weld and the bit would slip out like it's doing now. You can try the EZ Out deal and see if it will spin out.

Worse case? You'll have to drill it. Cleaning that up would suck.

A shop is not going to do anything different than you would do. They just have more experience at it.

[Tricky Mike]

get your angle grinder (or a Dremmel) with a thin cutoff wheel... grind/cut a slot clean across the center. (You already need a new drain bolt). Just be careful not to cut too deep and into the case. Imagine you're trying to create a surface for a REAL big flathead screwdriver. What you want is a nice clean groove so you can tap it loose with a hammer and a (sharp!) punch... Line it up so you're tapping the bolt counter-clockwise (remember it's upside down) and use the hammer/punch to tap it loose. Work close to the edge of your groove... The further away from the center is where you have the most torque.

I've probably done this 100 times. It's VERY effective when done right. The only downside is your punch possibly deforming the groove so much that you start slipping every time you strike the punch with the hammer. That's where a nice, sharp punch helps. It bites instead of slips. Also remember that one groove gives you two edges that you can use to tap the bolt counter-clockwise. If you trash both edges another groove perpendicular to the first one gets you two more. In my experience I've never needed more than one. The technique really works on the type of bolt pictured. It's due in a large part to the shock provided by the hammer strike. Most often that bolt just needs to break free... once loose it spins right out.

[Slyder]

I'd have to imagine tack welding a bolt or even a nut to it would work to, kinda like the JB weld idea, less chance of breaking. Welding a nut to the face of that bolt and you'd be able to re-use it as well as use a socket to remove it next time.

The dremmel and cutoff wheel making it into a flathead screw sounds slick though. And re-useable.

[mojobreakfast]

I appreciate all the suggestions. Mike's idea of grinding a slot into the thing and tapping it out sounds solid. There's just not a lot of material to work with there, though, because of the type of the bolt (nearly flush with the sump). It's also a pretty tight space to work in. I'm a hack so I'd probably screw it up. I'm done screwing with it for the night, guess I'll sleep on it...

[jayth]

I am just going to throw this out here I assume that you have changed oil before so you understand the drain plug is upside down therefore if you're using a ratchet in Lefty Loosy continue trying with the mentioned methods as a career auto technician I also have found a little impact to be beneficial in these situations get the best purchase you can with the ratchet and strike the handle with a dead blow.... even if you hamfisted it at the last oil change it shouldn't be that tight.... I am off tomorrow PM me if you need further assistance

[GNTurbo6]

Hammering a in nice strong torx socket is probably the best way to go. I've had to do it on my rotor bolts. I don't know how much room you have under the bike though.

[golden chicken]

If you are going to use a dremel, you can try cutting flats for a wrench. Or, you can try to cut off the crush washer to alleviate the pressure on the threads.

[ptk-napalm]

Is this drain bolt a "Torx" bolt or is it a "Allen" bolt? Also where did you get the tool from your bike's tool kit? I have found tool kits from bikes are of poor quality. The best tool Company I have found for allens & torx is "Wiha" they are made with tungsten so the edge of the tool stays sharp & doesn't round off the bolt.

Someone here suggested to take a sacrificial Allen/torx wrench & using JB weld on it. I would recommend you buy a socket torx/allen tip instead and JB weld it in. Of course you will need to use something to support that tip in the bolt while the epoxy is drying for 24 hours. A cheap hydraulic bottle jack would work great. Now you will have the ability to add a ratchet extension on that tool to get it at a comfortable distance away from your exhaust pipes, probably a 6" would be about right.

I have never seen JB weld give way, just make sure you clean the surfaces to be glued with alcohol.

Good luck!

[DoyleOil]

I was about to write ..... the same response as mike did!

I do this a lot on car brake rotors, when they have small screw that hold the rotor on. It also sometimes helps if you drill a small hole thru the center of the bolt. Go slow and easy and don't break the bit, and just make sure you go through the middle and not near the threads. Obviously this is going to drain the oil, but it should relieve pressure and give the bolt a bit of room to compress when do the dremel idea (if it doesnt work right away).

[2v2Ducati]

I had same happen to my 900SS. I used a chisel and hammer, made a notch near edge of circle and slowly tapped the chisel until i loosened the plug.

[mojobreakfast]

Appreciate all the advice guys. I put the bike back together and I'm just going to see about having Seacoast take care of this for me. I know I'll pay for it, but I'd rather not get myself potentially in further over my head on a 3 month old bike...

[SteveM]

I'm not sure how the Italians are about this, but the Germans would take the bike away from you and tell you that you cannot have another one as you are unworthy of their engineering.


The folks at Seacoast are great and will take care of you. Make them smile by telling them you'd like to enter the knucklehead of the month competition. I've always found that beginning with, "Hi, I'm Steve and I've done something really stupid. Can you help me?" works pretty well.

...and I've said it more than once!

[golden chicken]

[FalArAk]

I recommend replacing the bolt with this if you can,when you get it out.

http://www.stahlbus.com/info/en/prod...l-drain-valves

[DoyleOil]

"Thus, the oil change makes fun!" - from the product above. Ive come across some different variations of things like that during work, none of them ever had leak.

[01xj]

get your angle grinder (or a Dremmel) with a thin cutoff wheel... grind/cut a slot clean across the center. (You already need a new drain bolt). Just be careful not to cut too deep and into the case. Imagine you're trying to create a surface for a REAL big flathead screwdriver. What you want is a nice clean groove so you can tap it loose with a hammer and a (sharp!) punch... Line it up so you're tapping the bolt counter-clockwise (remember it's upside down) and use the hammer/punch to tap it loose. Work close to the edge of your groove... The further away from the center is where you have the most torque.

I've probably done this 100 times. It's VERY effective when done right. The only downside is your punch possibly deforming the groove so much that you start slipping every time you strike the punch with the hammer. That's where a nice, sharp punch helps. It bites instead of slips. Also remember that one groove gives you two edges that you can use to tap the bolt counter-clockwise. If you trash both edges another groove perpendicular to the first one gets you two more. In my experience I've never needed more than one. The technique really works on the type of bolt pictured. It's due in a large part to the shock provided by the hammer strike. Most often that bolt just needs to break free... once loose it spins right out.

Came here to say the same. I have used this technique a few times as a last resort. Give yourself a nice clean cut and make sure your flathead tool has a nice big "bight" into the slot so you don't strip it a second time.