Stubborn oil drain plug? (also NEW RIDER/MEMBER!!) (pics)

[pancakes]

i got my first bike about a month ago and decided to change its oil today because no telling when the previous owner last did it. but i couldnt for the the life of me get the oil drain plug off or even get it to budge just a bit. im 95% sure it was the right bolt but what could i use to possibly get it to loosen some

also its an 07 gs500f. i picked it up for $2300 cash off craigslist

[pancakes]

thought i would add, i did NOT put that GSX sticker on the side of the lower fairing. i guess the previous owner was ashamed that he was not on a > or = 600cc 

[pandymai]

try a longer wrench? and it's the only bolt that's on the bottom of the motor/oil pan so im pretty sure you found the right one.

if it's on that hard, i would worry about the condition of the threading and whatnots. oil pans dont like being overtightened.

edit: and welcome to the forum! =]

[burning1]

There's only one bolt on the bottom, but there are a couple on the sides that tech has mistaken for an oil drain bolt.

To the OP... Be very wary if it takes a lot of force to get that bolt out... The good news is that the GS engine isn't made of aluminum... But it's still easy enough to strip the drain bolt. If it's over tightened, the previous owner may have been ham fisted, or may have been trying to fix a leak using force.

[pancakes]

thanks for the replies. i checked my oil and it still has an amber color (not jet black like the oil in my truck was!) so i figured i could put it off for atleast another 1,000 miles or so. next time i'll probably hit it with some wd40 maybe? also when i was looking at the oil change faq on this site, it said the oil drain plug was a 21mm, mine is a 17?

[gsJack]

Leaning on a big wrench is a sure way to botch things up like rounding off the head of the drain plug.  I reach up between the header pipes with a deep wall 17 mm socket and use an L handle on it to break it loose and if it's really tight I rap on the end of the L handle (sometimes called a breaker bar but they aren't really that long if you're using 3/8 drive socket and bar) to break it loose just like an impac wrench would.  A six point socket is nice if you're already starting to round it.  If you don't have a deep socket a combination wrench should just slip in between the header pipe and engine sump using the box end on the drain plug and you can rap on that too.  Either way be sure to hold the socket or box end wrench tight against the engine so it doesn't slip.  If you're using an open end wrench I don't even want to watch.

They were 21 mm from 89 thru 2000 and have been 17 mm since 01.  I used an old 13/16" deep wall spark plug socket on my 97 GS 21 mm drain plug, fit a bit snug but worked nice that way.  Ya gotta be old to have one of those around.   

[Paulcet]

I used an old 13/16" deep wall spark plug socket on my 97 GS 21 mm drain plug, fit a bit snug but worked nice that way.  Ya gotta be old to have one of those around.   

Hey, I've got one of those!

[007brendan]

What's the spoon for?

[black and silver twin]

There's only one bolt on the bottom, but there are a couple on the sides that tech has mistaken for an oil drain bolt.

To the OP... Be very wary if it takes a lot of force to get that bolt out... The good news is that the GS engine isn't made of aluminum... But it's still easy enough to strip the drain bolt. If it's over tightened, the previous owner may have been ham fisted, or may have been trying to fix a leak using force.

The gs engine IS made of aluminum, I just tesed it (again) with a magnet. The magnet stuck to the steel frame, but not to the aluminum engine. If the engine was ferrous (iron, mild/hardened steel, ect.) the magnet would stick (unless it was stainless steel which is non-magnetic, BUT engines are not made of stainless, ever, the only two metals blocks are made of on a street vehicle is iron or aluminum.).

[burning1]

Thanks for the correction. For some reason, I recall a magnet sticking. I guess I was mistaken.

[redhawkdancing]

Just recently had that problem with my car oil plug. Sprayed it with WD-40 and tried it again the next day. Came off like butter!   

[Jeff P]

Every garage should have a can of proper penetrating fluid.  Get some Liquid Wrench/Knoc'kr Loose/etc.  WD-40 will work in a pinch but isn't the best for this.

gsJack's advice is correct, as usual.

jeff