First post to the forum! Question about oild drain plug specs.

[JohnGS850L]

Been lurking here for a couple weeks in preparation of purchasing a 81 GS850L that I picked up a couple days ago.

As is customary with any new vehicle, I changed all the fluids today.

It was a long day with multiple trips to the hardware store to replace the studs for the oil filter cap. In my frustration with what turned into a 5 hour oil change, I put the drain plug back in and filled her up with oil before checking the torque specs. I did the same thing for the secondary and final gear case oil drain plugs. Poor wrenching, I know :/


There is no specific torque mentioned in the manual for those, so I referred to the tightening torque chart: Do you know what thread diameter the oil drain plugs are for the motor oil, and both gear case oil drain plugs? They were all a 21mm sockets. I think they are either 16 (58-95 lb-ft) or 18 (94-137 lb-ft) mm thread diameter. Both those torque specs sound really high to me, are they correct?

I look forward to nerding out about bikes with you guys!

[DohcBikes]

Yes WAY TOO HIGH. My drain plug torque wrench is set to 18 ft lbs.

[roeme]

Yeah, don't overtorque those.

Currently fighting a PO-damaged oil drain plug. Really unnecessary PITA.

[Larry D]

Heck...just tighten it up so it doesn't leak.

[JohnGS850L]

Thanks, that's why I double checked. So there is no exact torque spec in the manual?

[ukjules]

Surely the workshop or haynes manual has a figure ? But agree sometimes not.

On my GS550 and GSX 250 I tighten to 19nm. By coincidence they are the same.... yours must be similar or identical surely.
I am a nerd and have tested this over the years to be correct and it does not leak and i don't fear stripping the threads.

(Be sure the threads are in good condition ........ as always, if not then its anyone's guess) Clean the threads with a wire brush ....

[mrbill5491]

When you do strip the threads in the oil pan ( and you will ) pull the pan and install a threaded steel insert to fix the threads. You pretty much eliminate the stripping problem. Believe me it works like a charm.

[JohnGS850L]

When you do strip the threads in the oil pan ( and you will ) pull the pan and install a threaded steel insert to fix the threads. You pretty much eliminate the stripping problem. Believe me it works like a charm.

Retap the threads or are you talking about something like this?

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/9444629563848832662?biw=1280&bih=623&q=threaded+steel+insert+for+oil+pan+drain+plug&oq=threaded+steel+insert+for+oil+pan+drain+plug&prds=paur:ClkAsKraX5snxuDmoDe2mNk-lJ26YB4-gkPgQquwMZ9L83iovlZepQ8utbLPkcCaZfqWYUkOMvxbRlroLNR0WXK2Gdlv2OAJiUwYTMpwtoW_-u1AOIAjt1Yz0RIZAFPVH70cPq294Mqs2WYw2qKcAdGYlXvwqg&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjK4OzQt-_QAhVBhbwKHXRFAa4Q8wIIwQIwAg