N1K Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 Oil pan on. filled with oil no leaks. Header on. 7 of 8 bolts went in fine. 3 of the pipes are torqued down.. 1 bolt didn't thread properly. I thought it was just a smidge of leftover loctite in the thread or something. Started tightening and it just didn't feel right. So I stopped. Removed the bolt. Only went in about 3/32 of an inch and the threads weren't lined up. Stripped the first 3/32nds of thread. I still have PLENTY of good thread. How do I get the bolt in now? Without destroying more thread? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrdxx Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 Step back, take a deep breath, and relax. You still have time to finish and ride this weekend. Take the header off, to get it out of the way. Use a tap to clean the threads on the head. Replace the bolt, or run it through a die to clean it's threads. In any event use a bolt with good threads to go back into the suspect hole. Don't tighten any bolts on the headpipe until all bolts are started, and threaded in at least a couple of turns. Rather than Locktite, I would recommend an anti-sieze lubricant for this application. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demon Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 Bolts? Did you replace the studs sometime? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXFirefighter Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 Bolts? Did you replace the studs sometime? Sometimes the studs come out... So it looks like a bolt, other times just the head comes out... I had about 50/50 on my bike when I did the headers on my bike... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB4XX Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 SELL IT!! Buy a Harley! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N1K Posted April 15, 2005 Author Share Posted April 15, 2005 Take the header off, to get it out of the way. Sometimes the studs come out... Sorry, that's what I mean. On mine, 2 studs stayed in, 6 of the 8 studs came off with the nuts still on them. Use a tap to clean the threads on the head. Do I go all the way in, of just far enough to get past the part that is mashed? Is it possible to do this with the header on? I already torqued down the other 3 pipes and I don't have any more new header gaskets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motobeagle Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 I wouldn't worry too much about the exhaust gaskets. I'm sure their still pliable enough to seal since you didn't run the bike. I too would recommend removing the header again. Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matey_peeps Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 A 40-pc. metric tap & die set is $8 at harbor freight. It was one of those things I never thought I'd need when I bought it, but I've used it quite a few times and it has definitely paid for itself in saved time and prevented headaches. Chase the tap in until it bottoms out. Be very careful to get it started squarely in the hole. And one more thing. On a casting of this size, just start the bolts a few turns until you have all them all in. This will give you some additional wiggle to align it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GimPin Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 I wouldn't worry too much about the exhaust gaskets. I'm sure their still pliable enough to seal since you didn't run the bike. I too would recommend removing the header again. Sorry. for safety measures you can pick up a can of copper spray at any auto store this will help the gasket reseal after using it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porterb123 Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 Nik, I happen to have a spare stud and nut....remember I just did the header thing. Let me know if you need one? Oh yeah, you really do need a spare nut, don't you Porter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N1K Posted April 15, 2005 Author Share Posted April 15, 2005 If anyone has any other pointers about tapping a thread please pass them on. I've never tapped a thread before and I'm nervous as shit now about having my bike be the guinea pig. How hard is it to make sure you are prependiculare to the opening? I've been trying to do some internet research and have read that they have tapered, plug, and bottom taps (if I remember correctly) In a standard tapping set, what kind of tap is it? I'm thinking a tapered tap would be best since I already have a thread and just need to fix the first 1/8" of thread? Will a tapered tap help keep itself perpendicular also? My 15 minute oil change has turned into a fucking nightmare and I really want to get this tapping thing right. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porterb123 Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 Most inexpensive tap sets come with a taper tap. You should be able to start the tap into the threads by hand easily...just like a bolt, so you can feel if it is cross threaded...don't freak, its easy to tell...if it threads in, your good. Starting a tap in a piece of metal that has no threads is where it gets hard to hold and start the tap straight. Porter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GimPin Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 My 15 minute oil change has turned into a fucking nightmare and I really want to get this tapping thing right.Thanks. did I miss somthing? why did you take your headers off to change your oil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N1K Posted April 15, 2005 Author Share Posted April 15, 2005 did I miss somthing? why did you take your headers off to change your oil? long story. Went to changed oil. Cracked the oil pan at some point. Might have been when I went to loosen the drain bolt, which had set so tight I was practically tipping the motorcycle off the center stand to get it to come loose. Because in any rate, when I replaced the bolt I had a small leak (which might have been the cracked pan already) So I tightened the bolt a bit more in an attempt to stop the leak which I thought was coming from the plug and stripped the oil pan. But I assumed it was the bolt not tight enough because of being stripped. Went and got an oversize drain plug bolt and put that in. STILL leaked. That's when I looked under the pan and saw the crack. So either I cracked the pan breaking loose the bolt in the first place, or the oversize plug split the pan. (I'm thinking it was getting the bolt loose in the first place.) So I ordered a new pan, and you have to remove the headers to get the pan off/on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N1K Posted April 15, 2005 Author Share Posted April 15, 2005 Anyone know what size stud/bolt the header bolts are? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrdxx Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 If you have a manual, look at pages 1-14 and 1-15. It doesn't call out a torque value for the stud. Instead, it appears to call out a seating depth of 1.52 to 1.54 inches. The expanded, unthreaded center of the stud bottoms in the hole in the head until the seating depth is reached. A tapered tap should work fine. Just measure the depth of the hole with a Q-tip and place a wrap of tape around the tap at the same distance, and don't exceed the distance when you run the tap in. Use WD-40 or light oil like 3-in-one to lubricate the tap and clean out the hole afterward. Get the header out of the way so you can make sure you're perpendicular to the head when you run the tap. If the threads on the nut stud are really bad, don't try to reuse it. Get a replacement. Studs are 8mm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vetteman Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 if you buy a cheap tap and die set you may find yourself starting a thread titled "shit, how do i remove a broken tap from my cyl head". sometimes cheap tools are ok, sometimes not. taps are one time that they are not. i've had the cheap sets and most of them are broken. at the very least get a craftsman or vermont. you dont have to buy the whole set if you dont want to part with that kind of cash. just buy the tap you need. if you want to practice first, buy a couple of extra nuts and put them in a vice to practice on. its really not that hard. also a square socket or a tap socket will help you keep the tap running straight. they work better than the little tap wrench you get in a set. good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N1K Posted April 15, 2005 Author Share Posted April 15, 2005 If you have a manual, look at pages 1-14 and 1-15. It doesn't call out a torque value for the stud. Instead, it appears to call out a seating depth of 1.52 to 1.54 inches. The expanded, unthreaded center of the stud bottoms in the hole in the head until the seating depth is reached. I think if you go to the exhaust removal section 2-24 or something like that, they give a torque spec of 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrdxx Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 The torque is for the nut that attaches to the stud. Since the nut and stud in question seem to be fused together, if you can't get them separated, you might want to replace both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N1K Posted April 15, 2005 Author Share Posted April 15, 2005 , if you can't get them separated, you might want to replace both. At this point I'm ready to throw the fucking bike down the driveway and go buy a new one. If I miss another weekend of riding waiting for new bolts to come in it would all be a moot point cause I'll be suicidal by monday. All cause I tried to change my own fucking oil edited to add... Please don't take my sour-ness directed at you Jim. I totally appreciate your advice. I'm just so fricken sour about not being able to ride I just want to get back on the road. Daryl, I plan to stop at Sears on the way home and pick up a quality set. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Krypt Keeper Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 All this over a oil change :shock: I don't wanna know what happened the first time you had sex, or drove for the first time. A simple tap and die set should clean them up if you wanna reuse them. If not maybe a parts store like Napa or Advance might have something that matches up.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N1K Posted April 15, 2005 Author Share Posted April 15, 2005 I don't wanna know what happened the first time you had sex, or drove for the first time. The first time I had sex I busted my girlfriends hip... First time I drove a car I stripped the steering wheel off the column. I thought it would turn sharper if I just kept cranking it.... Seriously though... I think my problem is with construction, you just rough stuff in. You go fast, and you can't really fuck anything up. You bend a nail, you grab the next one out of your pouch and pound it in next to the previous. You've always got the finish work that goes over the top of everything. That and I'm impatient. I guess this is a couple hundred dollar week-long lesson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willxx23 Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005  My 15 minute oil change has turned into a fucking nightmare  This is why I always let a professional handle it. :stickpoke: Seriously though I could totally see this happening to me I woulda took the bike to the dealer after I cracked the pan. Good luck. :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N1K Posted April 15, 2005 Author Share Posted April 15, 2005 This is why I always let a professional handle it. Fuck if there were 'professionals' around here at the stealership I would have. The only advantage to taking it to a dealer would have been that I had someone to blame other then myself if something fucked up. But I hate to think what other things the dealer would fuck-up on my bike in the process of normal maintenance. They did enough damage just changing my tires for me. I guess I have to seek out the positives... At least noone on the board will ever ask me to help them fix their bike! :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobicus Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 Nik: I've got plans tonight, but tomorrow if you need help, I could head your way. RE size of th tap to get, etc... bring one of the bolts with you. Find a nut that fits it, buy the same size tap Put oil on the tap.. Motor oil's fine. Run it half a turn, then back a quarter, then forward a half, back a quarter... until it bottoms out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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