Advice,help !!!!!!!

[rmick15]

Hi everyone, its been awhile since I posted. I hope everyone is doing good. Here is my question. I have a 03 600 gixxer and my drain nut threads are stripped on my oil pan. To take the full exhaust off to replace the oil pan do I have to take off my radiator? Secondly, do I have to replace the gaskets on the exhaust or can I just reuse them? Or isnt there any gaskets. What happen was I notice I had a small oil leak, I brought a new drain plug hoping that would fix the problem. When I did that, I found the pan itself was stripped. I probably done 7 oils changes on the bike and I must have been over tightening the nut. Over time it finally strippered.

Thanks,
Mickey

[The CyberPoet]

(A) I don't know about the GSXR well enough to know if the radiator has to come totally off, or if you can just loosen it and the exhaust will clear.

(B) The exhaust system has to come off to get at the pan.

(C) The exhaust gaskets can normally be reused with no issue.

(D) You have several options on what to do with the pan. You can:
use an over-sized drain bolt designed to cut a new thread into the pan. This is the cheapest solution available, but I've never seen this kind of bolt with a magnet integrated.
Have the drain threads in the pan welded and then retapped. If you weld, it makes sense; if you don't, I wouldn't suggest going this route.
Replace the pan with an used one off eBay. This is usually the cheapest option.
Order a brand new replacement through a dealer. This is usually the most expensive option (price varies by bike -- some bikes have much cheaper pans than others).

(E) In the future, use a torque wrench and a crush-washer when reinstalling the stock drain pan bolt, and always start the process by hand-threading it in (too easy to cross-thread it if you start with the tool).

(F) Finally, if you replace the drain bolt on the new pan with a Fumoto Oil Drain valve (an one-time exchange), it will never happen again, because that drain valve doesn't get removed again (it has a petcock mechanism that permits you to open & close it to drain the oil).

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[paulos]

Why don't you just use something called a Helicoil kit which comprises of

-Drill bit
-Oversized Tap (for helicoil insert)
-Helicoil inserts
-Insert tool

You have to drill out the old thread with the drill provided, tap the hole, screw in the helicoil using correct tool.

Using this method it means you can still use the original sump bolt. Also once this method has been used it is almost impossible to strip the helicoil thread.

Hope this helps

[rmick15]

I dont want to retap it or drill anything. I dont want to risk shavings in the pan. I'm sure there are already some in there. So for sure the pan is coming off.

Cyber, do they have a Fumoto Oil Drain valve that will fit my bike? How would I go about finding one. Would my dealer have one.

[paulos]

If the pan is coming off then why can't you drill it?

[tzortn]

If the pan is coming off then why can't you drill it?

Good point. A helicoil kit should not cost too much money and the pan will be better than new because now you will have steel threads in place. You will not have problems with dis-similar metal corrosion and binding.

Personally I would replace the exhaust gaskets if they are not outrageously expensive. Why risk a leak to save a couple dollars.

[slayergsxf1]

why don't you just try a helicoil,might be cheaper and easyer.

[nurider]

I stripped the pan. Had to remove the exhaust completely to remove the pan. I used a helicoil set (with an intent to install a fumoto at some point; yes, CyberPoet, I haven't forgotten).
I got a new pan gasket, and a new bolt (although the latter wasn't necessary).
Regarding the helicoil, people say it comes loose with repeated oil changes as the bolt has to be removed and reinstalled.
So far, so good. Pretty cheap fix unless the above happens. Easy way around that issue is to never change the oil again!

Damn pan seemed like it would never stop leaking, but the first ride took care of the leak! The gasket must have settled in nicely.

[The CyberPoet]

Cyber, do they have a Fumoto Oil Drain valve that will fit my bike? How would I go about finding one. Would my dealer have one.

You can order them directly from

http://www.fumotovalve.com/

What you need to know for sure is exactly what size your OEM drain bolt is -- both in mm and in thread count (for example, the 98+ Kats use 14mm x 1.25, which is part number F111 for the fumoto valves, although their site says most Suzuki's use a 14x1.5 thread).

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet