'91 ZZR250 Sump Plug Not Tightening

[deleted111]

As title suggests.

Recently bought a really good example of a ZZR250, gleaming machine. Turns heads and gets compliments everywhere I take it, "no way is it 20 years old!!".

ANYWAY.

Some goon has overtightened the sump previously, it would appear.

I went to do an oil change, tightened the sump up (finger tight plus a quarter turn, ish)

All seemed well, until my dad came outside "Sure it's tight??"

"Yes, check it if you want"

So he did... and it wasn't even finger tight. It had gotten tightish when i did it, apparently, but then just started spinning.

SO, the thread is fubar'd on the sump itself...


...Helicoil?

I'm trying to source a sump gasket but can't find one anywhere... my plan is to remove the sump, get it helicoiled and refit it with new sump gasket... saving a load of ballache from garages having to remove it etc.

BUT obviously, I'd much prefer a fix that wouldn't include stripping the bike down.

Any other ideas, anybody?

Many thanks in advance,

Cheers,

Steve.

[Kickstart]

Hi

I think you have the right idea.

A sump gasket should be easy. I wouldn't be surprised if it is the same as the 250 Ninja one.

As a bodge job you could tap out the thread in the sump to the next size up without removing the sump (cover the tap in grease to trap as much of the debris as possible) and use an over size sump plate. Done this once in a car before now (getting the sump off was a nightmare on that engine), but not something I would chose to do.

All the best

Keith
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[calyx]

Last year I fixed my thread without removing the sump. Kind of a bodge job but it is doable.
First I bought this;

https://www.wemoto.com/parts/picture/MA-7239312/ (yours might be different size though)

Then drained the oil and put the bike gently on its side. Afterwards helicoiled it using loads of grease. Put the old oil in, drain the oil, new oil. Job done. (tbh I shat couple of bricks in the process)
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Boris - London

[chris-red]

Does it look like this?


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KAWASAKI-ZXR250C-ZXR250-C-LOWER-ENGINE-CASE-SUMP-PLUG-/380340784433?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item588e13cd31
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[unitynotsocri...]

try bunging a few extra washers on it until you can repair/replace the sump.
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nearly a normal tax paying tosser.......with ferrileness suzi100,cg125,cb125scb100n,cb175,cd100,cj250t,kh250,c15,125 bantam,super 6,rickman gs750,xt500,250rs,dt175,lifan125,dolomite1850,metro,Morris220ld,morrisfg,leyland princess,range rover,corsa,vw camper .now struggling with legs. MORE ORDER = MORE CHAOS

[temeluchus]

Smear some JBweld or similar on the sump plugs threads, tighten it up finger tight and leave overnight to set. Then tighten it down properly, this should last until you can locate another sump plate or have the time to repair the current one properly.
____________________
Some shite cruiser. Now with guns and FREEDOM!

[ZRX61]

[unitynotsocri...]

Most knacked threads still have a lot of bite,so by not tightening up all the way and adding a few washers it gives you a little time to sort it out.
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nearly a normal tax paying tosser.......with ferrileness suzi100,cg125,cb125scb100n,cb175,cd100,cj250t,kh250,c15,125 bantam,super 6,rickman gs750,xt500,250rs,dt175,lifan125,dolomite1850,metro,Morris220ld,morrisfg,leyland princess,range rover,corsa,vw camper .now struggling with legs. MORE ORDER = MORE CHAOS

[Kickstart]

Hi

You still need it as tight, but the only effect of using washers will be that there will be less threads in the sump for the bolt to grip on. As the threads are already stripped, gripping on less of the stripped threads will be of no benefit.

Exception to this would be if the bolt has a cut back section with no thread near the head so you might have a couple of mm of thread still remaining in the sump. Using washers then would space it so the thread on the bolt caught on the little bit of thread on the sump.

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[MarJay]

[Bezzer]

[MarJay]

[Bezzer]

Don't think so on the Buells with the oil tank/drain in the swingarm, there's been some problem with them stripping threads, they just use a normal helicoil/timesert to fix it and reuse the original sump plug.
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I used to be indecisive but now I'm not quite so sure.

[Nexus Icon]

A bit of PTFE tape might get you out of trouble short-term.
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Greetings from Shitsville!

[MarJay]

[calyx]

[Pete.]

[deleted111]

I've PTFE'd it with some tape provided to me by one of the engineers at work. I'd never even heard of the stuff. Only using it to carefully take my bike to a garage tomorrow...

Rang around loads of garages and one place quoted me £160!

Then the cheapest thereafter was roughly £50

Rang a small independent place this morning, about 8 miles from home, and they were like "Bring it down some time tomorrow, have a waddle around town for a while and come back, we'll have it done for you... £20 okay?"

Snapped his hand off... bike should be sorted tomorrow


Cheers guys!!

[temeluchus]

Thats good, wouldn't be much cheaper if you did it yourself.
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Some shite cruiser. Now with guns and FREEDOM!

[deleted111]

Little bit more than the quoted £20 but job done!

9am this morning. Got a new sump plug and washer, 2 litres of oil and a helicoiled sump, for £30!

Suits me just fine.

Happy days.