I took my Road King with 103k miles in for routine servicing at a dealership at which I have done business for the past ten years. While I have gotten competent work from them in the past, the dealership changed owners about six months ago.

Yesterday, they called me to tell me that they discovered that the oil plug was stripped, and the technician had to use a lot force just to unscrew it. I asked if their technician may have over-torqued the plug on the last service, but they claim it was probably due to normal wear and tear.

I don't really buy their claim of normal wear and tear, for I thought the reason torque wrenches were used were to prevent this type of problem. But, I confess I know just enough about mechanics to be dangerous, so I pose the question to this forum.

Do you believe they are being straight with me?

 

Need more info before we start bashing the dealership, but sounds like BS.

If it was stripped that would mean he couldn't get the plug back in, threads are gone etc. That plug is a hex head type, 5/8" or 3/4", you are not stripping the head of that plug. You would be destroying the pan and the threads in the pan long before that plug gave.

And none of that explains why they need to exert "a lot of force". Are they claiming the thing was maybe cross threaded and they couldn't get it back out?

If you have service records and they did the last couple (or all) oil changes I would think, based on what you have posted, that whatever happened is on them.

I do not see an oil drain plug needing to be replaced due to "normal wear and tear". Good luck.

 

Oil drain plugs do not wear out. They can be damaged, as can the pan the oil plug threads into. When they are damaged, it's the fault of the person who put it in. Torquing the plug way too tight will tear threads out. Cross threading it will damage the threads.

If this shop has been the one doing all the oil changes, they almost assuredly created the damage. Will they own the damage? Doesn't sound like it.

But, if you've had other shops working on it and doing oil changes, it then becomes all but impossible to figure out with certainty which shop did the damage.

 

I agree with all the above. The Dealership needs to step up and acknowledge it.

 

Oil drain plugs don't strip or crossthread themselves. It takes a ham fisted mechanic to cause that. If they have been doing the work continuously or even just did the last oil change I would stand my ground. That's not normal wear and tear. If they really try and ding you on the cost take them to small claims court. If they tell you it's wear and tear just divide the total mileage by the amount of oil changes. You can't wear that plug or drain hole out by using it 30 or 40 times.

 

Btw, a stripped drain plug is the last of your worries here. It's far more likely the softer oil pan is stripped. The pan can be fixed with a thread insert, but I'm sure they'd rather sell you a complete pan at higher parts cost and labor.

However, if they just run a new drain plug into the stripped pan, there's a fair chance that plug will fall out somewhere down the road because there are no threads to securely hold it in place.

You do not want to be riding and have the plug fall out, dumping motor oil on the ground in front of your rear tire. You'll be darn likely to down if this happens.

Regardless of who pays, you do want it fixed correctly.

 

Oil plugs don't wear out unless damaged by putting them in wrong or over tightening. Sounds like your dealer is taking you for a ride.

You will probably need another oil pan or some type of repair as well.

 

and by the way nobody, I repeat, no professional mechanic uses torque wrenches on any drain plug, and most bolts for that matter. Head bolts, case bolts, clutch hub not, comp bolt, that most likely it. everything else is by feel. I have been doing this for so long that I can get as close to a proper torque than you most likely could with a torque wrench.

depending on what happened with your bike, if it is from overtightening, I bet they had some rookie do your bike and could have done the gorilla move on the plug

 

I agree to the "rookie" theory. They were doing a thriving business when the King was in for service in October, so they likely brought in some green technicians. Nevertheless, not a good way to treat a loyal customer despite the fact the dealership is under new ownership.

I am going to insist on their making it right, but this will be my last trip to this dealership.

Thanks to all who responded.

 

Give them a chance before you write them off. Mistakes happen. If they take care of it for you, that's actually a very good thing. In fact, it's not really bad that they already told you there's a problem. More than once I've seen a drain plug stuffed in with permatex or such holding it in place. The customer none the wiser.