Hi Folks,
I'm new on here, so please excuse me if this has been answered before.
I have an '03 FXST which has been dealer serviced (warranty) until now.
I'm changing the fluids for the 15,000 service and note that the primary drain plug was screwed in flush with, or below, the level of the casing.
The manual says it should be proud by 0.16-0.18".
Clearly, this was the way it was left at the last dealer service.
After I drained the fluid, I screwed the plug back in by hand, to the position specified in the Manual, but it's only finger tight, really loose, and will vibrate back out in no time.
Question is, if the plug isn't torqued against a stop or shoulder, what's to stop it vibrating out?
What happens when the dealer screws it in too far....? Could they have damaged the primary cover?
My view is that it wouldn't be specifically mentioned, and have a dimensional tolerance, unless it was important....
Appreciate any solutions to this!
There's two types of drain plugs. The one you reference in the pic is a pipe thread which is tapered. A wrap or two of teflon tape neatly on the threads will alter the depth of the plug. Over tightening it can damage the primary cover or even possibly crack it. That's why there is a dimention for it above the case as shown in the picture. The later plug is similar to a bolt with a shoulder on it as you said here (if the plug isn't torqued against a stop or shoulder) which should have a torque spec for it.
Depending on which plug you have will determine what the proceedure is for it.
Be forewarned that the tapered plug if inserted too deeply can contact the clutch basket which hits the magnet and removes the magnet from the plug and can cause you some grief when it travels around in the primary case freely.
If your drain plug has an o-ring seal at the base of the threads, you only need to snug it up enough to seat the o-ring firmly. I don't reckon I'd use teflon on that type of plug. These small plugs are easily stripped out so use caution.
Thanks guys. I'm just heading home from work, so I'll take another look when I get home.
However, I'm pretty sure it's a simple threaded plug. There's no O-ring or anything on it, and no bolt head or such that would mate up wiith the casing.
Looks like what we'd call a grub screw over here, but not sure if you use the same term....
Thanx for the tips guys. It seems mine has the tapered plug, and for whatever reason, the dealer's left it tightened further in than the manual says.
This is what it looked like before I took it out:
This is the plug itself. It does seem to have a tapered thread, from about .4025" down to 0.3825" at the nose.
No apparent damage to the magnet, so I guess all they've done is stretch the threads on the casing a bit (or maybe the fit wasn't too good when it left the factory?).
Just seems odd to me that the manual should be so specific about this clearance, unless it's pretty important.
When you took it out did it have any tape on it ?
If it were mine I would rap some tape on it go by the book leave it out the .018"
If you want something done right do it yourself.
Thanx folks: guess I'll just bolt it back together with some tape, and see what happens.
I did send an e-mail to the dealer, with a photo, to ask for their 'explanation'....
Just for future reference, this was the answer from the dealer:
THAT’S JUST THE WAY THESE PLUGS SEEM TO GO , WE TEND TO USE PLUMBERS TAPE ON THE PLUG BEFORE REFITTING AND TIGHTENING UP
Primary Drain Plug
