Help! Stripped a thread in the crankcase

[blowerbike]

1/4x20 SAE bolt and keep on rockin.

[KC1908]

Pete,

I have used 1/4 bolts before. It does work especially if it is in an area where you won't be undoing it again for awhile.
I have the 6mm helicoil set sitting here. Just checked and there are at least a half dozen coils with the tap and tool. Let me know if you want to get a loan of it and we can meet up somewhere in town. 0403224156
Flying to Sydney Wednesday afternoon and riding another EFE (GS1150) back on Thursday. Back in the office Friday if all goes to plan. Hope the rain stops. A wet 1000k's isn't going to be fun.

Ken

[pete]

1/4 bolt sounds like it would be easy except that this bolt has the shoulder for the shift selector, so I'm guessing that rules that option out right?

Ken i was thinking your offer was best at the moment, but then I spoke with one of the guys at work today who drives (or rather used to drive) a Micro sprint car, and he has a mate who should be able to do it for me for $20 - $25 as he does it all the time, I just need to take the crankcase into the office.

I'll be flying down to Sydney myself in a couple of weeks time, but pity I won't be returning with another GS!!

Thanks again Ken, if it doesn't work out I'll let you know.

In the meantime, the link below will show you why the guy from work doesn't drive Micro sprints anymore:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5u_P1GMPBQ&feature=player_embedded

With his kid and everything he reckons he was just a tad too close to landing cage down on those seats, and if the bands on the fence snapped... well...

[Suzuki_Don]

Yep, I did, not good.

Started reassembling my engine yesterday, and got as far as the second bolt before striking trouble.

It tightened up, but the torque wrench didn't click, so I kept going, then it got loose, then I realised what was going on

The manual says torque of 11 - 16.5 foot pounds, I set the torque wrench to 13 which I figured was safe.

I'm not really sure how I managed to overtighten due to the torque wrench, but with my luck, I'm not surprised.

Hey PETE I think you stuffed up big time. I have the exact same setup on my 550, same bolt, everything. Check out the torque specs for the 550 below, yours would be similar if not identical.

I have circled some wrench specs for the 6mm and 8mm bolts. It looks to me as if you set the wrench for an 8mm bolt and not the lower setting for as 6mm bolt which should be 5-8 lb-ft not 13 that is more like an 8mm bolt.



So if you take 6 lb-ft as the standard for a 6mm bolt then 12 lb-ft is double that and you had it set to 13 lb-ft. Are you surprised it stripped. If you were in Sydney I would pop around and do the job for you, but a thousand kms is just a bit too far. Sounds like you've got it sorted though.

Good luck.
.

[pete]

It's quite possible Don, but I just triple checked and I definitely got it right according to my manual.

I only have the Haynes manual and it's actually for the 250's and 400's with an addendum for the 450's and sometimes gets quite confusing.

Both the normal 250/400 and the addendum 450 sections have the "Gearchange stopper arm pivot bolt" listed with 11 - 16.5 lbf ft, so I haven't got that side of it wrong.

If it was supposed to be 5 - 8 then I wouldn't have even used the torque wrench as the lowest setting is 10.

Is yours the genuine real deal? I have searched before and never found a source for a genuine one for mine, maybe I should bite the bullet and ask the dealer...

Forgot to say I'll be in Sydney in a couple of weeks, but I think the crankcase will probably kill my baggage allowance

[blowerbike]

on any small fasteners you must use an inch pound torque wrench.
also,
the 1/4x20 SAE i mention will work if you add a spacer to make the shoulder that the factory bolt has.

[Suzuki_Don]

Yes Pete I have the original GS550 manual in the flesh, I also have Cliffs downloaded copy which is good if I need a couple of sheets in the shed when working on the bike. I then throw them in the bin when I've finished. But nothing beats having the original Suzuki manual from 1977 in your hand when doing these jobs.

BTW Did you say HAYNES, was that HAYNES you said, you're not telling me you have a HAYNES manual, and that you actually read a HAYNES manual. Pete wash your mouth out. What has happened to you is the very reason we don't use HAYNES manuals.

[Nessism]

I agree with Don. 6mm bolts should only be torqued to 8 ft-lbs or so. And yes, an inch-lbs torque wrench is needed for small bolts like that. If you don't have one, just use a 1/4" ratchet handle and torque till snug. Also, apply loctite on all those internal engine screws since you don't want them coming loose.

[pete]

Thanks guys, my torque wrench is only ft lb's, not a real expensive one but all I could justify spending $$$ on at the time.

I'll stick with the smaller socket driver from now on for the small bolts and just snug them up tight with my thread locker.

I apologise for offending you all with mention of the <BRAND DELETED> brand manual, and I shall not mention <BRAND DELETED> brand again

Don, got your PM and downloaded and it works, so I shall refer to that from now on

Thanks again all and I will hopefully have more success and less damaged threads from here on in...

[pete]

So, after perusing the newly acquired PDF from Clymer, I have discovered the errors of my ways... no more using <BRAND DELETED> manual, full stop.

The Clymer manual is obscenely better than the other, and I feel like burning it actually it is that misleading.

Anyways, I'm going to try to purchase a Clymer as the PDF version is a little awkward due to no contents/index etc. that links page to page, although it looks like everyone here in Aus wants $69.95 for it. I might go visit the print shop tomorrow near work and see what it would cost to print and bind it...

[Suzuki_Don]

So, after perusing the newly acquired PDF from Clymer, I have discovered the errors of my ways... no more using <BRAND DELETED> manual, full stop.

The Clymer manual is obscenely better than the other, and I feel like burning it actually it is that misleading.

Anyways, I'm going to try to purchase a Clymer as the PDF version is a little awkward due to no contents/index etc. that links page to page, although it looks like everyone here in Aus wants $69.95 for it. I might go visit the print shop tomorrow near work and see what it would cost to print and bind it...

Pete even though there is no contents page at the front of the manual I sent you, the last three pages of the manual have everything you will need in the index. So the procedure is when looking for something go immediately to the back of the manual, find the page number for the subject you want, go to top left of PDF page hi-lite 1 and type in the number page that you want, press ENTER and you will be within a couple of pages of where you need to be in the manual.

Hope this helps.

[pete]

Aaaaaah I hadn't scrolled all the way to the end yet! Should've known that

Thanks again Don, very much appreciated.

I'll still see what the printing shop will charge for printing and binding it today as I still find it easier to have something to flip through away from the computer.

Mind you, I saved my ancient laptop and put it on the work bench for just this sort of thing also.

[Suzuki_Don]

Aaaaaah I hadn't scrolled all the way to the end yet! Should've known that

Thanks again Don, very much appreciated.

I'll still see what the printing shop will charge for printing and binding it today as I still find it easier to have something to flip through away from the computer.

Mind you, I saved my ancient laptop and put it on the work bench for just this sort of thing also.

Pete what I usually do is just print out the 2 or 3 pages (or 6 to 8 usually) and take them to the shed with me. Doesn't matter if they get oily finger prints on them because I just throw them away when I'm finished.

[Charlie G]

Pete,

I have a Suzuki Service Manual for the 450, if you need a few pages scanned, send me a PM.

cg

[pete]

Cheers Don, that was my next thought. Haven't gotten to the print shop at the moment, but I'll try on the screen to start with and see how I go.

And cheers also Charlie. So far it looks like the Clymer will give me what I need but I'll let you know if anything's lacking.

The Clymer actually tells you how to get the gear shafts in neutral also, whereas the <BRAND DELETED> just says ensure it is in neutral... so helpful...