Dealer Labor Problems?

xtetra · Post by **xtetra** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 3:58 pm

So I'm doing my first oil change on My Bud. I had it in the dealer for the warranty service at 500m. I'm the first person to remove the oil drain plug since the mechanic at my dealer replaced it. Something didn't quite feel right when I was removing it and sure enough there were shavings on the threads of the drain plug.

I didn't panic as generally my dealer has a good rep. I thought perhaps it was just a spot of the silver anti-seize compound some folks use. That was optimistic. When I went to replace the drain plug there was clearly something amiss with the threads. It will tighten and hold oil but there is a very small spot where it holds and if you go beyond that then it gets loose again.

I saved the little coil of shavings safely in a plastic bottle w/ a bit of tissue paper to show the dealer AND took some digital photos of them and the odometer. I'll give them a call in the AM but I'm not sure where this is going to go....

Have any of you had this problem? What did you or your dealer do to fix it?

Thanks!

John

BlueMark · Post by **BlueMark** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 5:02 pm

I did that to my gear oil plug. So after completely draining the oil I cleaned out the hole and the plug, and reset it with plenty of blue locktite all the way around - that should prevent any leakage or vibrations loosening the bolt. I was obsessive about checking to see that the bolt did not have any leakage around it and hadn't moved (dab of fingernail polish on the side as an indicator) - and I checked the level (with a home made dip stick made from a curved piece of heavy wire), it never leaked.

That might work for the main engine oil drain bolt, but I would only use it as a temporary fix. Talk to your dealer, a new drain bolt might be sufficient, if not the drain hole will need to be re tapped.

xtetra · Post by **xtetra** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 5:45 pm

Thanks Blue,

I just took a ride on the wild side and went about 2 miles at low speeds. Everything seems to hold so far. I'm going to take it up with the dealer and see what he says. In the meantime, I'll take up your advice with the blue locktite.

Just hate not having my Buddy up and running. Its my daily commuter most days for one, but its also a huge check valve for the blahs!

Thanks again!

ScooterDave · Post by **ScooterDave** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:56 am

I would not trust Loctite. I would go with a Helicoil if it is stripped.

Dave

BlueMark · Post by **BlueMark** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 2:12 am

ScooterDave wrote:I would not trust Loctite. I would go with a Helicoil if it is stripped.

Dave

Right now he is using nothing at all. Loctite is short term insurance until the bolt is replaced - and/or the thread is retapped, with or without a Helicoil.

I see that you can buy Helicoil thread repair kits - is this really something a non-pro should even attempt?

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 7:48 am

Are you sure the shavings came off the threads or could they have been in the oil?

How many miles on the scoot?

Best bet is to call your dealer.

BlueMark · Post by **BlueMark** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:58 am

ericalm wrote:Are you sure the shavings came off the threads or could they have been in the oil?

How many miles on the scoot?

Best bet is to call your dealer.

From his description it is definitely stripped:there is a very small spot where it holds and if you go beyond that then it gets loose again.

xtetra · Post by **xtetra** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 6:33 pm

There was a spring or coil shaped shaving that came off the drain plug after it was removed which corresponded with the threads. (I actually "unscrewed" the shaving from the drain plug.)

The scoot has just hit 1500 miles. The last service was done by the dealer at 500 miles.

A friend of mine is a retired maintenance machinist and he said he'd tap the hole out for me. It would be MUCH easier to have him do it then get to the dealer.

Stripped threads aside, is it possible to over fill the gear oil? I'll make a long story short and say that I couldn't find anything really good to use to fill the gearbox and ended up with a funnel/hose/measuring tool from AutoZone. Gear oil is so thick its hard to tell how much of what I measure out actually gets into the gearbox. (I'd guess a good 10ml clings to the walls of the funnel and hose etc.) If I ended up with a few extra ml would this be catastrophic?

Thought I might better ask and make sure.

Thanks!

Sudsie · Post by **Sudsie** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 7:47 pm

xtetra
I don't know how may ml's it takes to be catastrophic but it can be. When I took my Buddy in for it's first gear oil service, my dealer said it wasn't necessary to change it that soon. Normally they don't but he would change mine. This was February and about a week later was a warm day 80's. I drove back to the store (10 miles) and my rear tire looked like a tie dye shirt. Gear oil had been sprayed EVERYWHERE from the center of the wheel all the way out to the tops tires. If I had taken a corner too tight, I would have gone down. Be very carefull.

xtetra · Post by **xtetra** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 8:43 pm

Thanks Sudsie,

Where did the oil come from? Did the drain plug fall out and get oil everywhere or was the gearbox over-filled and cause seals to blow?

Sudsie · Post by **Sudsie** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 5:46 pm

According to the mechanic, the seals weren't blown. He was baffeled at how "that much oil came out". When I told him the manager serviced it he asked how much oil and was shocked that he put about the same amount that is for the regular oil. Sorry, my first scooter, not yet savy on parts. I still had the drain plug, it didnt fall out. The Mechanic guessed that there was just so much pressure and that it got hot it came out. At least that is the story they were sticking to.

xtetra · Post by **xtetra** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 7:23 pm

Thanks Sudsie,

Wow, thats kind of weird. But you know, I was talking to my friend who was a maintenance machinist for over 30 years and he told me that most automatic transmissions and gear boxes are vented. So perhaps if there is a vent in our gearbox as well thats where all the oil came from? I'm sure that someone who knows here on the forum can tell us.

Glad you got to the dealer safely! That could have turned out pretty bad.