Removing GS850L oil pan,does the exhaust have to be removed?

[opiewontaylor]

I stripped out the oil drain plug hole on my '83 GS850L years ago. I've gotten by with a combination of sealing the hole, and sucking the oil out from the filler hole with a pump. But recently I found a like new drain pan, complete with plug, from an internet junk yard. I'd like to install it, but it looks like the exhaust might have to be removed. (it has that "collector" pre muffler) The thought of trying to remove an exhaust that has gone untouched for 21 years is a bit scary, to say the least. So..does anyone know if the pan can be "juggled" in and out without taking off the exhaust? It's kind of hard to tell just looking at it.

[Anonymous]

I'm afraid that you will have to remove the exhaust first..... :?

[bwringer]

The exhaust has got to go to get the oil pan out. Sorry.

Be EXTREMELY careful with the bolts holding the exhaust to the cylinder head. These bolts are EXTREMELY fragile, almost glasslike, and just love to snap off flush with the head.

Soak them with good penetrating oil (NOT WD-40) several times a day for a couple of weeks before you even attempt to put a wrench on them. Tap them once in a while with a hammer and punch to try and loosen the chemical bonds between the aluminum and the steel.

You might also try the candle wax trick mentioned elsewhere -- basically you get the bolt hot and try to get the melted wax drawn into the threads.

When the time comes, say a few prayers to the entity of your choice, kiss your socket and wrench for good luck, then gently apply the tiniest bits of torque back and forth. Wiggle back and forth in both directions until the bolt starts to move.

Don't get cocky when you get some motion, either. Take it gently and slowly, and keep laying on the penetrating oil. You may need to reverse direction a few times to help the bolt clean out its threads and resume progress.

When (not if) one of the bolts does break, do NOT try an EZ-out. It will break off in the head long before the bolt starts to move, and then you're stuck with paying a shop to blast it out with EDM. You'll need to drill out the bolt -- start with a smallish bit and slowly and gently work your way up. Once the bolt has been reduced to a shell, it will start to move and you can peel out the remnants.

When reinstalling, clean up the threads with a tap and use stainless steel allen head bolts with a good dollop of antisieze on the threads. Even if I don't need to remove the exhaust, I still give these bolts a half turn out and back in a couple of times a summer to keep them free.

[bwringer]

Also, you might want to have a Helicoil put in your new oil pan before you install it. These threads are also incredibly fragile, so you might as well head off the problem now.