Oil Pan Drain Plug
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2012
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From: almost there
Oil Pan Drain Plug
Went to change my oil and the drain plug unscrewed just fine but when I screwed it back in it never even began to tighten. Where can I get an oil pan for a 97 WG?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: NW AR
I am not real familiar with that type, but if you can get the pan off, take it to a welding shop and have the hole TIG welded up solid, then drill and tap it and you'll be good. Or, buy an oversize drain plug.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 6,570
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From: almost there
Thanks for you insite Dr Hess it's much appreciated. I may have to do that but if I have to take it off I would like to put a new pan back on. My old pan as a pretty good scrape on the bottom of it. I have always worried about a major leak going down the road and not knowing it. Great timing, I had planned a week in the mountains.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2013
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From: Vermont
That s a pretty heavy cast pan on your bike...dont worry to much about scrapes and dings. Just get and oversized plug for now. The pan will come out with a little cussing. I even did it with out taking the wheel off ...but it aint easy.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2012
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From: almost there
I took the drain plug out again to check the threads and out comes the helix coil in 1/4" pieces. The last owner installed it. I dont want a helix where the plug will be removed several times for oil changes. Just going to install a new pan. Tig welding was gonna cost $100, then Tap $___ ETC. I bought a new oil pan for $200. Cost wise not much diffrence and all is new.
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From: Coromandel Peninsula New Zealand
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: central Mississippi
When I first changed oil in my '95 Ultra, the threads in the oil pan and transmission case were both stripped. I called the Harley dealer and ask what was the easiest fix. He said a "one" over size plug from AutoZone would take care of both problems. He was right. That was three years ago. The over size plug cuts new threads.
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: Brighton, MI
When I first changed oil in my '95 Ultra, the threads in the oil pan and transmission case were both stripped. I called the Harley dealer and ask what was the easiest fix. He said a "one" over size plug from AutoZone would take care of both problems. He was right. That was three years ago. The over size plug cuts new threads.
The only cost would be for a tap and new drain plug.
Maybe a couple quarts of oil (or use your old oil if it is still around) to flush the bits of aluminum out, but if you grease the tap and run some low pressure air into the oil fill spout while tapping new threads, I doubt you will get any bits in the oil pan. YD
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 359
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From: central Mississippi
You're right Dog. After I screwed the oversize plug in, I removed it and poured a couple of cans of sea foam through it to flush out the chips. Friend of mine just bought an evo with the same problem, oil pan threads stripped. Seems to be a common problem with aluminum in these old bikes, but with heli-coils, time-serts, and over size drain plugs, we can fix all these little problems.