CBR-RR-XX-CESS Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 Nik,next time just think pussy and it will slow you down and make you much more patient :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbrxxquad Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 I think it is an 8 mm and you should be able to run it in by fingers. At least far enough to assure you are straight and when it gets tight by finger if it is a new tap work it in and out in the aluminum of the head by fingers and it will go farther each time you screw in in. "BY FINGERS" DONT USE ANY THING ELSE BUT FINGERS NIK That should be enough pressure to fix the threads. Use something to measure the depth of the hole and make sure you dont go to deep by fingers. Use wd 40 or antiseze and clean the tap after each time you go in the head to take the shavings off. Clean the hole with carb cleaner and blow dry and relube if you are not going to separate the nut from the stud. I would separate and locktite the stud in with removable locktite and antisize the nut. You should be able to hold the stud with a pair of needle nose in the middle where there is no threads and get the nut off. Run a tap in the nuts to clean so they screw on with your fingers and the antseeze lube and then tighten with a 10 mm box wrench snug. Retighten after it heats up a few times and cools down. I use two fingers on the wrench "ONLY" A NEW TAP IN ALUMINUM IS DANGEROUS!!!!! GO EASY AND LUBE WITH WD OR OIL,,, THE BEST THING IS TAP FLUID FROM MACHINE SHOP FOR ALUMINUM!!!! GO EASY AND FEEL IT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonW Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 I know you got a bunch of new tools, but you don't have to use all of them just to change the oil. :stickpoke: Seriously though, I don't want this to sound at all preachy or condescending, but ........ One very important thing to remember about doing what you're about to do, is that it takes some finesse. What you described about your "construction attitude" will absolutely not work when it comes to the mechanics of a motorcycle. Obviously it's not a life or death matter regarding a header bolt, but many of the parts you're going to deal with are. I know you know that, and it's obvious that you want to do things right by yourself. I just want to emphasize it since it seems appropriate. That being said, a tapered tap will probably be the easiest for this job, but remember that with a taper, it's really easy to get it going in crooked. It's really easy to cut new threads (or tear out the old ones) if it isn't straight. You'll know by how much (or little) it gives resistance if you've got it straight..........this is where the finesse part comes in. You've got to feel if it's in straight (like getting a bolt started into a hole), while cutting the messed up threads. Kind of hard to explain......but it takes a little practice and patience. You said that you didn't get too far in when it all went to shit, so you'll only have resistance where the threads are fucked. Daryl has a good point about cheap taps IF you are putting brand new threads in. In your case it shouldn't take much of anything to clean up the threads. If the threads on the stud are buggered, you can run a die over it (again, being very careful), or just replace them. Be careful ........the way this oil change has been going so far, removing the head will be the next step if you're not. Good luck! Edited to add- Excellent post trurotor!.....that's what I was trying to say in so many words.......I was obviously typing at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northman Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Just adding my $.02... When the tap does finally bite, and start to screw in, STOP! Remove the tap handle, leaving the tap in place. Eyeball the tap in at least two different directions to make sure it's going in straight, and keep checking it during the whole process. I also vote for removing the nuts from the studs prior to re-installation. Run a die over the stud, and a tap inside of the nut to clean up the threads. Use loctite on the studs when you screw them into the head, and anti-sieze on the studs when you screw the nuts on. Patience, Nik. If you screw this up, you may end up replacing the head :shock: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in PA Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Patience, Nik. If you screw this up, you may end up replacing the head :shock: HEED THAT ADVICE! Then you'll have no choice but to take it to the "professionals" you tried so hard to avoid. :cry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickrad Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 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. NeXXt time pay a pro to do it for you. Fucking rookie. :roll: j/k I hope it all "worked out" for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaXX Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Fuck that, this is all part of learning. YOu fuck up and hopefully you don't do it again. No one on here giving all this wonderful advice hasn't been in some STUPID FUCKING SITUATION LIKE THIS!!!! NO ONE!!! You will figure this out. No biggie. MaXX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartonmd Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 You're right Maxx... we've ALL done shit like that... Like stripping a tranny pan bolt the first time I changed a tranny pan gasket (car)... Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbrxxquad Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 been there ,,,done that,,,,got the t shirt,,,,learned how to weld,,,,yehaw got 200 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molson309 Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 I did the same thing with a spark plug on my '83 Pontiac many years ago. Stripped the first couple of threads when I tried to tighten the plug when it started cross-threaded. It was an aluminum head, and I had no choice but to try to run a tap down the hole to clean up the threads. I was shitting bricks thinking about what would happen if I screwed it up worse. Thankfully, I used a tapered tap, wiggled back and forth a little while I was turning it with finger pressure, and it was very evident when it was aligned with the hole - I used the tap wrench to finish the job, but it took very light pressure to do so. In the end, it was no big deal but this is definitely a job where you shouldn't have to apply a lot of force. There are also taps made specifically for cleaning up threads, Sears sells them. I've not had a lot of experience using these, but a friend swears by them, says that they don't screw up existing threads as easily as a normal tap can. Also, if the threads get really hatched, it's possible to Helicoil the hole. Aircraft engines use these for the spark plugs, and they are quite durable. Good luck on your project! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demon Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 That's right, We ALL have done things like that. I've done it too many times to remember. The first one always sticks in your head. I dropped a wing nut down in a carb while taking off a velocity stack. Problem was that it was having carb trouble, trying to keep it running, and my friend was in the seat reving up the engine. It luckily went through and came out the headers. I about passed out thinking that I'd have to take my engine apart to fix a major problem with a wingnut stuck in a piston. Then I heard it strike the wall behind the car. Priceless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBR-RR-XX-CESS Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Nik we all have been there. My advice on tapping,get a piece of metal drill and tap a few times so you get the feel,wrenching is about feel just like riding. I think we should have a weekly workshop training excersise to help Nik get the most out of his new tools. Bet your women did the same thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N1K Posted April 16, 2005 Author Share Posted April 16, 2005 Hey, I finished my oil change! Thank-god... Bike is back together. Just like it was before the fuck-up. Spent about an hour tinkering with the thread/tap. Then another 2 hours putting the slip-ons and fairings back on. One little thing... Lost one of the black push-pins plastic studs. Do you guys just pic those up from teh stealership or order a handful from ron ayers? Anyway... Went fine. Did have a little water leak. Drip Drip Dripping down the radiator and onto the floor. Little twist on the screw holding the water hose and it stopped. Back in BUSINESS!!!!! Lets RIDE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demon Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Good Deal Nik. That was an outrageous oil change. What else could have went wrong? I've had entire months that have worked out like that and you just want to die. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N1K Posted April 16, 2005 Author Share Posted April 16, 2005 Good Deal Nik. That was an outrageous oil change. What else could have went wrong? I've had entire months that have worked out like that and you just want to die. You know, I just had this dreadful feeling that I was going to piece by piece destroy the whole bike. What started out as a stuck bolt, turned into a stripped pan, turned into a split pan, turned into a stripped header thread.. Fuck... It was like getting a paper cut, and it getting infected and pretty soon you are amputating your f'n arm. Speaking of which... I have a metal sliver in my thumb... I hope that doesn't poke me when I am wacking off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demon Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 close your eyes Nik and when your polishing one off, think of it as some chick with big teeth. Hurts so good :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceman_40 Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Hey Nik, Those nice shinny new tools for sale yet?¿? :twisted: :twisted: I'm FAR from good but I'm learning, (anything more than oil changes, and basic maintenance was over my head) but I kinda lucked out. One of my best friends is a small engine mechanic. I go over and work on the bike at his place, something if it's truly over my head or I just have no idea what I'm doing he'll show me how to do it. Makes my repairs and upgrades go much smoother otherwise I'd have had to go to the dealer allot.... :shock: Just look at it this way, in the past week you learned how to fix at least 2 or 3 things that you never would have known other wise. Doing it yourself will pay off in the long run. Practice makes perfect keep at it, you'll save tonnes in the long run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbrxxquad Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 I have always looked at any project that probably needed some profesonal to do as a great excuse to learn, to buy more tools, build a shop, buy a trailer,or anything that it takes. Most of the time I learn a skill get tools to do other things and save money over the pros cost. I have learned how to do most anything which gives me confidence to do more things. I think fear is like that, in that if you don't know what is comming you fear. But, after a few times doing what you were afraid of "not knowing" does not scare any more. I expect you will have many more trials and gain confidence with your new tools. The only thing to fear is fear it's self. So when you ordering the turbo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaXX Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Congrats on finishing the oil change Nik!!! Regarding the metal splinter, just get a razor blade out and cut that bitch down. They are usually pretty clean holes!!! MaXX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvking Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 Glad to see everything worked out. Is it one of the push pins in the bottom? I have some I can bring to MiXXt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N1K Posted April 16, 2005 Author Share Posted April 16, 2005 Yeah, the black plastic push-pins. Do they they have those at auto parts stores? Anyway... Rode today. SOOO good to have the bike back together. God I love motorcycling. Hmmm What to do today. I think I'll change the oil in my boat!!!!!!!!!1 :mrgreen: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demon Posted April 16, 2005 Share Posted April 16, 2005 I use regular bolts in my fairing at the bottom to hold them together. Bolt with 2 flat washers and double nutted. Works well so far for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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