Can I use this drain plug?

[Sicarii]

http://www.cgenterprises.com/drain_plugs_oversize_repair.htm
Plug 1030

Went to change my oil and the pan is stripped out.  The aluminum threads came out with the plug.  So I am wondering if this plug would work, it looks like a simple enough idea but is there enough clearance inside the oil pan for it?  I don't really want to take off the oil pan just to find out...

[GeeP]

I would be afraid that the plug would work loose and drain the oil out.  That would not be a good thing, since it will coat your rear tire.  The engine running out of oil would be the least of your problems!

I like the idea of an oversize piggyback drain plug.  Their website says they are self-tapping.  I don't remember what thread the GS oil drain plug is and I don't have a spare around.  Measure the OD of your plug and the thread pitch with a metric pitch gauge available at any hardware store.  Then see if they have a plug to fit.  Alternatives include drilling and tapping your drain pan out to a larger size or replacement.

Let me know what the plug size is, I have an idea.

[GSRider]

I'll be able to tell you thread pitch and sizing after work tomorrow...I have them in stock at my shop.

[Sicarii]

Thanks for the replies guys.  I think I'll probably just end up taking it in to get it tapped for an oversize plug, since I have to get some tires mounted anyway.  I thought that one might work, but I guess its probably not worth the risk.  The current plug actually does hold oil, but it just slowly drips.  It loses maybe 1/8 quart per week.  Its so slow that I have been parking it over an oil pan and just making sure I check the oil every time I ride.

[The Buddha]

Take off the pan and either replace it or tap it to a valid next sixe which you can get a bolt for and use that as your drain bolt. On an EX 500 I have tapped it to take a 1/2 inch (I think) pipe thread block off fitting.
Cool.
Srinath.

[Turd Ferguson]

Yeah, we commonly used 1/2"-20 bolts for drains at the shop I used to work at.  Just make sure you are left with enough shoulder around the threads for a sealing surface.  Toss in a coper washer and go nuts!

That 3/4" drain bolt head is deffinately going to throw off the next owner though

-Turd.

[ducati_nolan]

I've had my oil pan off before to replace a leaky gasket and it's no big deal. You should remove the pan and tap the hole out to the next sive, metric or standard, dosn't really matter. You could tap the pan with it still in place but it would be harder to do a good job and you'd get a bunch of chunks of metal in your oil too. That isn't a very good thing either.

If you don't have a tap, you could either just buy one in the sive that you need and do it yourself (it's super simple) or take your oil pan into a machine shop/garage and have them do it. They'd probally charge $5