DS450 Engine rebuild (with pictures!)

[BigRon]

okay, i tried to drain the oil and my drain plug was stripped... FML! i had to pull hard with some vice grips to get it out, the threads are defiantly ruined. i was very gentle when i loostened it, then it just wouldn't back out. so... that's finally out.

it was pretty shocking at how much metal there was on the drain plug, and even worse was that huge steel piece on top



and here is the steel insert, in case anyone was wondering

[CANAMracerdad]

That is just one RACE WORTH OF METAL
WE AHVE THAT EVERY 2 HOURS ( SO YOU RIDE IT HARD , that is usually a good thing with woemen) LOL !
That is why we call her BESSIE ! we ride her hard and put her up wet ... because we washed her off! LMAO!

[hcomras]

Wonder how much of that is from stripping out the threads lol

[TNT]

That big steel piece cant be normal? Be glad that didn't end up at the wrong location. Look how that tab the swing arm bolt goes through is just sitting out there and will crack the small fillet adjacent to it. That whole area fill with epoxy or put a bead over it before it cracks.

[ZX11]

Quote: Originally Posted by BigRon

okay, i tried to drain the oil and my drain plug was stripped... FML! i had to pull hard with some vice grips to get it out, the threads are defiantly ruined. i was very gentle when i loostened it, then it just wouldn't back out.

What causes this? I mean, when during bolt removal, it loosens and then tightens back up (binds) while turning it counter-clockwise. I have had bolts that had to be forced out ruining all the threads. Last time it was on a fuel mixture screw that had to be forced out. The threads on the carb body and the screw wound up messed up.

The distroyed threads also happened on a brute force while removing a skid plate bolt. It had never been removed before. Did Kawasaki mess up while building it?

[fast507]

If the threads were installed dry, it's most likely a bi-metallic corrosion of the steel reacting with the aluminum. Another possibility is galling due to heat and vibration. Very common in aircraft applications. Most steel fasteners that are intended to be threaded into aluminum are coated with Cadmium (gold colored) which acts as a sacrificial coating to the threads. Cadmium degrades into a very soft oxide where as aluminum degrades into a very hard oxide. Once the thin plating wears away, and it doesn't take long, you have a very good possibility of galling and corrosion. Helicoils are a common fix for this but run the risk of galling or corroding in the same fashion making a very bad leak. Stepping up the threads to a 14mm and using a slightly larger plug does the same job, but with fewer pieces. Good thing you found this with the motor out of the frame!!!

A little dab of graphite grease, Moly lube, or Nev-R-Seez will stop this in the future.

[BigRon]

all the metal on the drain plug isnt from stripping the threads, its all steel.

could i use some other kind of drain plug? something softer than the aluminum so it strips the plug and not the case?

[fast507]

I don't think there's any option other than an aluminum bolt. Just use a tiny dab of Nev-R-Seez when you thread it back in, and you'll never face this problem again.

[TNT]

That bolt is magnetic got to be steel into a steel insert, not AL. Fast good post tho, I can't tell you how many times I've tried to explain dissimular metal corrosion. CAD plate, or we aluminum pigment or passivate steel.

[BigRon]

i took off the clutch cover today and found this!



now either my clutch exploded again, or those are whats left of the old clutch (much more likely). they were all sitting inside of the clutch cover, i haven't got to the crankcase yet, im sure there's much more to come!

i have to wait to get my FSM before i dare go further. the dealer said they should have it this week then they can ship it directly to me