Oil tank thread stripped

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Falcopops · #16 Post by **Falcopops** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 2:42 am

I was able to get a little pack of helicoil type stuff with all the bits you need to do the job and good instructions.

Piece of piss to use and excellent results, plus there's a load of inserts in the pack that came in handy when I stripped the front tank mount holes.

buggered if I can remember the make now, sorry.

#17 Post by **mangocrazy** » Wed Nov 09, 2011 9:12 am

I must admit I was intending to get either a helicoil kit (£20-£30) or even splash out for a Wurth Time-Sert kit (around £90!), but when I found out Manhattan can do the Time-Sert insert on my tank it was a bit of a no-brainer.

The trouble with all of these kits is that they only cover one thread size. The Falco tank plug is M8 x 1.25. Sod's law says that if I bought an M8 kit, the next thread to strip would be an M6 or an M10 or an M5...

blinkey501 · #18 Post by **blinkey501** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 6:53 am

Have you looked to see if it will tap out to M10 and fit a bigger sump plug? You could look and see what bike has a sump stud that big and fit it to your tank, to tap it out to M10 the drill size you need is 8.8 mm. Its a cheaper option

#19 Post by **mangocrazy** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 9:28 am

I have got a full set of taps and dies, but I'm very leery of trying it. I prefer the idea of having a carbon steel insert instead of cast aluminium to screw into (oo-er missus...)

blinkey501 · #20 Post by **blinkey501** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 9:46 am

ok no worries

#21 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 12:46 pm

I took the tank into Manhattan M/cs today, and they said they'll do what they can, which is fair enough. I know that the aluminium on the base of the tank where the oil drain plug is located is not very thick (which is why the bloody things strip so regularly), so it may be 'challenging' to get hold of a Time-Sert that is short enough. It has to thread into the ali over its full length otherwise it just doesn't grip and work.

So I may yet be taking up one or other of the kind offers made above. But hopefully not...

#22 Post by **mangocrazy** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 7:10 pm

Just picked the tank up from Paul at MM, and the job is very definitely a good 'un. Carbon steel Time-sert inserted up the oil tank's rectum and is now ready for a good screwing and oiling (oo-er, missus...)

£28 including vat and an aluminium crush washer. I reckon it won't just be as good as new, but better...

blinkey501 · #23 Post by **blinkey501** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 7:36 pm

glad you are happy with the results, and no more hassle

HowardQ · #24 Post by **HowardQ** » Thu Nov 17, 2011 12:27 am

Sounds very good to me.

#25 Post by **mangocrazy** » Sun Nov 20, 2011 12:19 pm

Got round to fitting the tank on Saturday. The thought had occurred to me that Manhattan would have fitted the Time-sert without flushing the tank to remove bits of swarf (inevitable when drilling the tank to take the insert), so I flushed it out with petrol and was glad I did. A fair bit of ali swarf came out.

It also gave me the opportunity to check the strainer fitted to the tank (bottom hose fixing, big 27mm socket needed to remove), which was clear of any rubbish, so that was good.

Fitted it all back together with stainless hose clamps, and then came the moment of truth; torquing up the drain plug. I put a couple of drops of Loctite on the thread and off we went. Once the bolt was home it was immediately obvious I was threading steel against steel. None of the previous 'mushy' feel; as soon as firm resistance was felt, the torque wrench went 'click' and it was job done.

One thing I did notice was that to refill the bike and get the oil level to the mid-point between Min and Max on the sight tube took more than 4 litres. OK, it wasn't by much (probably less than 4.1 litres), but it definitely wasn't the 3.9 litres I've read about.

So now it's off for its first MoT. Can't believe I've owned it for 3 years. Doesn't time fly when you're having fun?