I've stripped the crankcase plug that is right next to the oil pump on my 76 sportster. The plug spins and spins, wont back out and doesn't tighten enough to stop it from dripping. Any suggestions on how to fix it?

 

Depends ... are you looking for the right way, or the "easy" way?

H-D puts these plugs in various places in various years and engines. Invariably people use them as a drain plug which is not the purpose for which they were intended. In most cases they are there to allow machining work on the cases during manufacturing - i.e. drilling an oil passage or similar operations.

Anyway, the right way to fix it would be to tear down the engine, split the cases, and have the hole professionally repaired. Suitable options include welding, drilling to the next upsize and re-tapping, or a good quality insert like TimeSert. There is not enough room in the cases without a teardown to allow many operations without potentially damaging the flywheel or other sensitive parts. Chances are your bike needs other repairs too (cracks around the crank boss are common) so this is a good time to get some of those done. Sorry, I know you don't want to hear this but it's part of owning an Ironhead. Remember that any value in an Ironhead comes from a good title that matches the VIN on the cases and frame (on years that had frame numbers). Keep this in mind when you explore options.

I do understand that there's a 95% probability that you will ignore my advice and try something else. If you are going to do that at least do something that won't make things worse. You can try to coat a bottoming tap (has no taper so does not need to extend past the hole) with grease to capture the metal chips and re-tap to the next size. If drilling is required, likewise dipping the bit in grease and going SLOW might work. There are also "slightly oversized" plugs available in automotive stores that work sometimes without cracking the cases. Another option that won't potentially ruin the cases is a liquid thread repair (not sealant) - several companies sell them and they occasionally work. At best these will prolong the inevitable and at worst you can do more damage. It's up to you.

Good luck with it.

 

Before you can fix this problem (and you absolutley must) using any one of the methods possible the plug has to be removed. Get the plug out first and then asses the situation. There are a couple of ways to resolve your problem but you have to know how bad it is first.

 

That isn't any drainplug, so before you teardown your engine you can temporary fix it:
clean plug and surrounding area spotless! remove plug clean treats both plug and hole
with an solvent. I think plug is 3/4" so you can drill a hole into plug and make 1/4" treat
in it . Glue plug back into crankcase with some (loctite 648) locking glue..
let it dry...one day put new 1/4" plug and seal into new treat...
When you teardown you engine you can repair it RIGHT way

 

I did that very same tarfu back in 72. The bad thing was H-D didn't do anything to harden the threads so all you had to do was to just TURN it with hardly any torque at all on the damn thing. I guess they thought nobody would ever remove it! No shop would touch it without tearing-down the engine so I just had it welded in place. Years later I could have used Form-A-Thread. but I don't think it was around back then.
Let us know what you do.

 

I finally got around to fixing the plug and I did it the easy way instead of the right way. I used some JB weld and its held for about 100 miles so far. Thanks for all the input. Someday I'll fix it right.