The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2

Technical Discussion => BMW Technical Q&A, Primarily R65 => Topic started by: BooG on January 03, 2009, 12:06:01 PM

Title: Bevel box drain plug
Post by: BooG on January 03, 2009, 12:06:01 PM
Happy new year!
My bevel drive drain plug is turning in its housing without tightening or loosening, so i am assuming the thread has stripped either on the plug or in the casing. I will have to extract it somehow. Whats the best way to do this?  There is no leak and the oil level is correct, but it needs changing. Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: Bevel box drain plug
Post by: montmil on January 03, 2009, 06:18:31 PM
Quote
Happy new year!
My bevel drive drain plug is turning in its housing without tightening or loosening, so i am assuming the thread has stripped either on the plug or in the casing. I will have to extract it somehow. Whats the best way to do this?  There is no leak and the oil level is correct, but it needs changing. Thanks in advance.

If you really want to get the drain plug out, I'd suggest gripping the head with something like a needle-nose pair of what we Yanks call Visegrip pliers. Apply straight line extraction pressure and turn the pliers CCW. lefty loosey-righty tighty You will probably catch a thread and it should come out easily.

You will likely need to install what we Colonials call a HeliCoil. A steel insert threaded on the outside and inside. Hand snug is a good rule for laying a spanner on the drain bolt during refit. Do not use the BMW manual's torque specs -as someone may have done to you scooter- as they will strip the aluminum case, fork leg slider, etc.

Will leave it up to you as how to remove the chips generated by drilling out the case prior to HeliCoil install. A tought... if the case does not have an OEM steel insert, I be planning on screwing in the HeliCoil without the oversized drill work as speced in the instructions. The insert will cut its own threads and you're good to go. Use some Red LokTite during installation. If you must drill and tap, some heavy grease may capture most of the junk. If it's aluminum, doubt you'll have a concern as to interior damage from debris. My 2 cents worth.

Hope this helps. Should not be a difficult fix. Visualize the task, then do it.

Monte "I ain't no Yank"
Title: Re: Bevel box drain plug
Post by: Justin B. on January 03, 2009, 06:42:21 PM
Monte, me thinks you are describing a threaded insert instead of a Heli-Coil...
Title: Re: Bevel box drain plug
Post by: BooG on January 04, 2009, 09:16:52 AM
What's the difference?
Title: Re: Bevel box drain plug
Post by: montmil on January 04, 2009, 10:43:53 AM
Quote
What's the difference?

Danged if I know.

When I recently replaced a stripped thread in my 81s cylinder head -the valve cover center hold-down- I purchased a package of metric-sized HeliCoil "inserts" and a new install tool at the local AutoZone. Think we're talking same all-same all here...

Did the same thing back in the day on my 650 Bonneville's sparkle plug holes. Recall I bought HeliCoil products then, too.

Monte  
Title: Re: Bevel box drain plug
Post by: Justin B. on January 04, 2009, 07:33:21 PM
Heli-Coil is actually a brand name but people use it to generically describe all kinds of thread repair gizmos.  What is usually called a "Heli-Coil" looks like a stainless steel spring that you wind into a specially tapped hole.  A thread repair insert is an actual cylinder/sleeve of metal with threads on the inside and outside.  You drill, tap, and then screw the insert in...
Title: Re: Bevel box drain plug
Post by: nhmaf on January 04, 2009, 08:42:09 PM
Yes, one of the thread repair items are called "Time-serts":
http://www.timesert.com/