I hate it when $50 turns into $400...

Danny500 · February 20, 2009, 10:18:28 PM

So my oil drain plug threads stripped out on me the other day. The bike is a 2000 and it's got 11,000 on it... so, you do the math, the oil's probably been changed 6 times in it's life... 3 times by me.

Never have I had a problem removing the bolt until this last time. I simply put the 17mm on it, turned left and *KOINK* knuckles hit the exhaust and the bolt starts leaking. So I figure, "wow, that was on tight"... but no. I go to unscrew the bolt the rest of the way and it simply wiggles out of the hole....

Upon closer inspection every single groove in the bolt has aluminum thread from the pan in it... almost as if they were fused together. I did manage to save the bolt, however the pan was F'd beyond repair/re-tap (there's no meat to put a thread saver or re-tap the hole to).

Now, threadsaver kits are 40 bucks... on BikeBandit.com the new oil pan is 50... so, avoiding frustration I got a new oil pan, and a new bolt, a new gasket, and a new washer... all of which coming to about 55 bucks.

Here's where I started trouble for myself... My throttle tube (the white plastic) is cracked up under the grip and the previous owner shaved the lip down to receive a heated grip... so add another 20 bucks. Then, I forgot that I snapped the frame plug to access the upper rear shock bolt when trying to re-install it... another 4 bucks...

Then I thought well, I did have to remove the exhaust, so why not snag a new set of gaskets... 9 bucks.

Then I did something terrible... I actually looked at the Vance and Hines exhaust.

*sigh*.... well, I ordered the damn thing finally... better now than never.

So that... my friends, is how 50 turns to 400... Just thought I'd share... Lol.

bobthebiker · February 20, 2009, 10:42:12 PM

Its a vicious cycle. I'm the same way with engines. constantly buying another Concours 1000 motor or two to rebuild with a ZX transmission to run my 1000R. its a PITA I tell ya.

Danny500 · February 20, 2009, 10:56:09 PM

Well.. damn... lol. That IS a vicious cycle... lol.

Mdow · February 20, 2009, 10:57:03 PM

sorry its going to get more exspensive you forgot you need to rejet now

and buy oil.

and might as well do a filter

shiznizbiz · February 21, 2009, 01:03:51 AM

Quote from: Mdow on February 20, 2009, 10:57:03 PM
sorry its going to get more exspensive you forgot you need to rejet now

and buy oil.

and might as well do a filter

yup yup yup.

Danny500 · February 21, 2009, 06:16:17 AM

Well I did have the oil and filter and gasket before I even placed wrench on bike... so i won't deduct that just yet...

And I did blow a whopping 8 bucks on a few jets from Charpal Racing. 2 127.5's... should get me in the ballpark.

Susuki_Jah · February 21, 2009, 07:12:42 AM

ah man I guess people were right when they called motorcycles money pits. I just spent over 1000$ on my bike in the past few weeks , to get into a wreck and have to rebuild it all over again.
good luck with it all and dont let it get you down!

Danny500 · February 21, 2009, 07:47:44 PM

Bah, the money doesn't let me down... it's out of my tax refund, so I figure it's either going to pay for the bike or get blown on something stupid... like college loans... lol. Nah, I was wanting to do the exhaust for a VERY long time... not for a boost in performance, but the sound of it. I hate not hearing MY bike when riding with my friends... 2 of which have Harleys with V&H systems, and the rest are running Akriprovic (sp?) and Scorpion cans on their CBR600 and SV650's...

Lol... but it's not all about the willy-waving contest.

These videos really REALLY made me want to get it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdL0lVfaiRU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wudSEWiLbII
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxFK1LnS2VE

I don't think the guy in the last video jetted his bike to match tho... maybe it was just cold.. who knows.

shiznizbiz · February 22, 2009, 12:17:39 AM

Quote from: Danny500 on February 21, 2009, 06:16:17 AM
Well I did have the oil and filter and gasket before I even placed wrench on bike... so i won't deduct that just yet...

And I did blow a whopping 8 bucks on a few jets from Charpal Racing. 2 127.5's... should get me in the ballpark.

im sure he meant air filter. When you do an exhaust and rejet its smart to get a performance type of filter also to help optimize the air fuel ratio. These bikes dont auto adjust. theres no ecm computer thing a bog to regulate and adjust accordingly for you. You got to make sure you put the right components on. woooooooooot!!!!!!!!!!

ohgood · February 22, 2009, 06:12:18 AM

Quote from: Danny500 on February 21, 2009, 07:47:44 PM
Bah, the money doesn't let me down... it's out of my tax refund, so I figure it's either going to pay for the bike or get blown on something stupid... like college loans... lol. Nah, I was wanting to do the exhaust for a VERY long time... not for a boost in performance, but the sound of it. I hate not hearing MY bike when riding with my friends... 2 of which have Harleys with V&H systems, and the rest are running Akriprovic (sp?) and Scorpion cans on their CBR600 and SV650's...

Lol... but it's not all about the willy-waving contest.

These videos really REALLY made me want to get it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdL0lVfaiRU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wudSEWiLbII
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxFK1LnS2VE

I don't think the guy in the last video jetted his bike to match tho... maybe it was just cold.. who knows.

the V&H + K&N setup sounds the best with a set of SparkPlugs brand earplugs in yer noggin, runnin about 5,000 in 3rd/4th gear, with a 15t front cog.

if you can hear your V&H over a HD with straight pipes, they've changed the supersport system a ton. or you're riding AHEAD of the HD's.

i'm going to play in a fwe minutes, take some cool pictures (hopefully) and will be wearing earplugs/headphones. the wind noise is what really irritates me, not the exhaust note. all day with a V&H / K&N will make your head hurt though, if you have acceptable haering to start with

rock on with the $400 addiction- it's a really cheap version of what your buddies do with their $1400 akropovic ti systems. rejetting a carb'd bike is soooooo much cheaper/easier than messing with all the computer crap on a EFI bike imho. besides, if you chicken up the setup, you can always re-sell your stuff on gstwins

Danny500 · February 22, 2009, 11:20:10 PM

I totally hear you guys on the noise-level there.

I'm NOT doing a performance air-filter yet... soon enough, maybe during the summer. As for now I'm running the stock airbox and filter.

I want to do the upgrades step-by-step, not only for monetary purposes, but for being able to tune to the change as I go.

I don't want to throw in a K&N, Pipe, and gear change all at once. For instance, if I do all at the same time, and I'm unsure what gains in power the parts would give me I may be unhappy with the gearing I chose... etc.

I could go off everyones advice, or what's posted in the wiki... and I have, as far as jetting information... 130 is too big for JUST an exhaust change... so hence, starting with the 127.5's..

If it's not right, jets are cheap... and going UP another size isn't a big deal. But if I had everything above installed all at once, it may take a hunt and peck method to get the right jets, washers, and air/fuel mix.

Baby steps

.

shiznizbiz · February 22, 2009, 11:27:17 PM

f%$k baby steps!!!! I was walking at 8months and I havent slowed down since yO! You either jump in with both feet or you get hung up on the ledge. lol. i dont know what that was about.

Danny500 · February 22, 2009, 11:33:34 PM

Lol... dude, that's funny you mention that, my mom just found a pic of me walking at about 8 months too! Haha... random.

shiznizbiz · February 23, 2009, 01:24:58 AM

awesome. off topic but on sub topic. apparently I climbed otu of my crib at 4 months ans ym parents couldnt find me. I was laying in the laundry basket that i landed in. lucky me. And They said i walked before i crawled. When i say i was walkign at 8 months, i dotn mean like 2-3 steps. My folks said I was actually full blown walking. its crazy how some children develope certain abilities faster than others but in the end, they all kind of even out.

Danny500 · February 23, 2009, 09:20:55 AM

Wicked nice! Lol, my parents said that I actually never crawled forward... that I would crawl backwards everywhere and look over my shoulder. We had a really old couch that was up off the ground a bit and i would back myself under there like I was in a parking garage. This was all at about 3-5 months, then one day I just stood up and started walking forward.

Pretty weird how development works. My boss has a 13month old and my co-worker has a 14 month old. Just on how they're brought up the 14 month old can barely walk because she's with her mother all the time and is being held alot, where as my boss's girl has been walking since 9 months because she's with her father all the time and he's been putting her on the floor and letting her explore more...

Kids are cute... when they're not mine. Lol. Maybe someday...

Baby steps takes on a WHOLE new meaning.

bill14224 · February 23, 2009, 10:55:06 AM

Hi Danny. Glad you're up and running again, and you won't regret getting the V&H system, until you change the oil. It's not a big deal, as long as you're more careful than you've been in the past. As you probably know, you have to remove the V&H headers to get at the oil filter from now on, and with your track record with the oil pan, well, you don't want to be stripping the header bolt holes in the engine, do you? When you put the oil plug in last time you cross-threaded it because you didn't turn the bolt counter-clockwise until you felt the bolt thread drop into the start of the thread in the pan. You just screwed it in clockwise with your ratchet, not checking for the feel of the start of the thread, causing it to cross-thread, DIDN'T YOU? Admit it or I'll pull out some Yanni records and make you listen to them!

Danny500 · February 23, 2009, 09:47:07 PM

Quote from: bill14224 on February 23, 2009, 10:55:06 AM
Hi Danny. Glad you're up and running again, and you won't regret getting the V&H system, until you change the oil. It's not a big deal, as long as you're more careful than you've been in the past. As you probably know, you have to remove the V&H headers to get at the oil filter from now on, and with your track record with the oil pan, well, you don't want to be stripping the header bolt holes in the engine, do you? When you put the oil plug in last time you cross-threaded it because you didn't turn the bolt counter-clockwise until you felt the bolt thread drop into the start of the thread in the pan. You just screwed it in clockwise with your ratchet, not checking for the feel of the start of the thread, causing it to cross-thread, DIDN'T YOU? Admit it or I'll pull out some Yanni records and make you listen to them!

Wow... lay off the coffee and redbull.

No... I... meaning ME... I did NOT cross thread the bolt when I re-installed it. Because I... meaning ME.... I am not a moron. However... what I DID do... rather, what I didn't do... was put the freaking copper washer/gasket on... thus, when I tightened the bolt, it moved past the point that it normally stopped with the washer, causing to jam the threads.

That's my only guess as to what happens. I even put anti-seize on the bolt before re-installing. Which I do with pretty much all bolts that go into aluminum. Always have and have never had a problem.

This was just a freak problem.... And I've done a lot of research on the V&H and am aware of the pros/cons of the system.

Thanks tho, champ.

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I hate it when $50 turns into $400...