Oil pan update. You wont believe this

[rmick15]

I posted a few days about about stripping my drain plug. Well I dropped the oil pan today and I found a 4mm hex bolt in the bottem of my oil pan. The only thing I can think is the mechanic dropped it while doing my valves. He's the only one thats been inside the engine. Here are some pictures. Is it possible for a bolt to find its way to the bottem of the pan from the top of the engine? Is the black plastic piece the oil return? Could it of came down from there? Also if you notice the bolt looks like it has locktight on it.

Mickey

[trinc]

thats the warranty bolt. if you take it in for warranty work they look to see if it's still there. ( if you've worked on the bike - you'd take it out and the warranty would be void )

sneaky aren't they.

tim

btw: thats why i do all the work myself

[Black_peter]

thats the warranty bolt. if you take it in for warranty work they look to see if it's still there. ( if you've worked on the bike - you'd take it out and the warranty would be void )

you're joking right??


Right?!?!?!

[The CyberPoet]

Yes, Trinc is joking.

Time to strip the valve covers off and find out where the bolt is from... Someone dropped it while working inside the engine. I hope it doesn't mean that you're missing it elsewhere. I'd also immediately call the shop and ask for the shop foreman -- get him in on the loop (feel free to point him to this thread).

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[Black_peter]

Yes, he's joking.

Wheeew!!

Do you inagine a screw that size making it to the pan??

[The CyberPoet]

Yes, he's joking.

Wheeew!!

Do you inagine a screw that size making it to the pan??

I edited my entry to clarify what I was saying -- yes, Trinc was joking (not RMick). I think he really did find the bolt in the pan. Unless it's one of the bolts surrounding the pan (to hold it in place) that somehow got mixed up, it's a definite screw-up. If he's lucky, it's from the oil pan pick-up screen. Otherwise it moved from the top down...

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[rmick15]

No I'm for real on this. The bolt didnt come from the oil pan. I think it had to come from the last mechanic dropping a bolt when he did my values. My wife likes helping me work on the bike, so when I dropped down the pan I was going to show her the crap on the bottom of the pan and look for metal shavings thats when I seen the bolt. You can imagine my face when I seen it. After a while I started to think how dangerous it could be. A poor mechanic could of cause an accident if my motor would of ceased and my bike become junk. I would love to go back to the shop that did the work, the problem is they are no longer in business. It was your standard Suzuki shop, not an off the wall shop. Things like this really puts fear in my trusting anyone to do work on my bike. Today i brought a service manual. I might get brave and do my own valve adjustment next time. So is it hard to do?


Mickey

[rmick15]

PS, the oil pan was really clean like the rest of the motor. You can see in the pictures no crude or build up. I'm pretty good at keeping clean oil in her

[The CyberPoet]

Today i brought a service manual. I might get brave and do my own valve adjustment next time. So is it hard to do?

It's a bit time consuming, and if I recall correctly your engine uses shims, so use of certain specialty tools ( MotionPro.com ) will make the process easier. But it's not brain surgery as long as you are diligent. When you do them, measure, rotate the engine by hand, remeasure, reshim as necessary, then rotate the engine by hand and remeasure them all again. The biggest deal is making sure you have shims available on demand (or a shop reasonably close to get some at).

PS - with workmanship like that, I'm not surprized the shop is closed!

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[squiggy]

Yes, he's joking.

Wheeew!!

Do you inagine a screw that size making it to the pan??

Just like passing a gallstone.

[sexwax]

I hate the mechanics at bike dealerships. I once wanted to get the training and all that, just so that I could be like the only honest motorcycle mechanic in the world .. and then I decided that would be like wanting to become a cop just so that I could change the dirty parts of the justice system from the inside. Then I decided money and fun was more important. *whew*

[rmick15]

Cyber,

Once again thanks for the info. Sure wish you lived next door to me. Feel like coming to Ca anytime soon? You could train me on doing valves.


Mickey

[The CyberPoet]

Once again thanks for the info. Sure wish you lived next door to me. Feel like coming to Ca anytime soon? You could train me on doing valves.

I don't think my plans put me in Cali any time soon (last time I was out that way was '95)... But if you want to ride or trailer over, there's a mechanics day at my place on the 3rd of Dec

I'm sure if you ask around the So Cal group, another of our members out there could give you a hand going through it the first time (PM TDRCom and ask him who else with KR affiliations would be up for it).

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[Range]

rmick...please post pics of your wife working on your bike....you know....all oily!

[rmick15]

HAHAHHAHA, if I had them I would. I have ones of her on the back of the bike though. Just for you Range. I know you would do the same for me.