Hi all,


I've just finished rebuilding a basket case XT600E (2003)and I'm really pleased with it, EXCEPT when I was changing the oil filter I noticed that two of the oil filter cover bolts were tight but the third was loose. When I removed the bolt the thread came out with it! The previous owner had obviously stripped the thread.

I have now changed the oil and the stripped bolt has just enough traction to hold in but it obviously needs repairing. Everything else on the engine is fine and this is so frustrating as the bolts go right through into the crankcase. To have a Helicoil repair will I need to strip it right down and split the crankcases or can a Helicoil repair done with just the engine out and sidecases removed or even done with the engine left in the frame and just the sidecover removed?

Any other ideas for repairing the thread or avoiding a complete stripdown?

Tap a bigger thread and go up a bolt size? No dismantling necessary. There's not a lot of metal there, but you might get away with it - it's not a high-stress application.

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Richard
Blog: http://goingfastgettingnowhere.blogspot.com/

either try a slightly longer bolt ,there is more thread or just remove clutch cover and use a heli coil no need to remove engine from frame when my went i used a longer bolt many thousands of miles ago still there

Dont use longer bolts, I've heard stories about people blocking the oilflow that way.

I think its a "easy" fix. Without knowing, helicpils should work, theres not much torque on the bolts.

hi there on a few xt,s ive seen studs prosumably held in place on the iffy threads with some kind of high strenth loc tight or simmuler thread bond. you then use nuts on the end of the studs . not the best looking solution , but if you use dome/acorn nuts it would look ok . just make sure the studs and caseing threads are clean and dry and go easy with the loc tight etc . if you can repair the thread you have it would be better , but iv,e seen the stud idea on a few xt,s so it must work. good luck . this only aplies to the two top long bolts , not the bottom one .zigzag

if its one of two top bolts thats stripped (the ones that usally failure ) there isnt a problem using a longer bolt as there isnt a oil passage

There have been some other threads about this. I have an 89 and the lower bolt just stripped. Since I'm in Moldova (from USA), don't have all my tools and labor is cheap I had the "bike shop" fix it. They put in a longer stud and a nut on the outside. It seems OK, but I'm still getting some seepage.

My question is about the comments related to the oil flow to the crankshaft being blocked by a longer bolt. Can anyone confirm if that is actually the case? I went for an 80 KM ride last night and the motor didn't blow up on me....

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...olt-hole-27334
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...l-filter-22255

I wonder where I can find a helicoil here?

Ryan

My TT600 recently developed a hefty oil leak, oil running down at the cylinder gasket (next to the oil filter housing). I was thinking it could be my cylinder gasket, but after close inspection i found that the top left bolt stripped. When I start the bike, i see nothing at first, but then after a minute or so i see oil. I looks like it is filling the cavity between the oil filter housing and cylinder, and then running along to the front. Could all this oil be from one stripped bolt?

That's exactly what mine is doing -- but mine is coming from the lower bolt. There is pressure in there.

Ryan

Thanks Ryan, I will get it done professionally.

Jaco

The lower bolt on the oil filter cover has two functions:
1. Keep the cover in place
2. When you remove it it opens a passage for the oil in the oil filter cavity to drain into the engine, which makes removal of the filter less messy.
But, no problems to replace that bolt with threaded end and a nut.

Auke

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Auke
http://aukemarieke.blogspot.com

Thanks! That makes sense. I've ridden a bit more and the motor hasn't launched yet! :-)

I put synthetic oil in... never should have done that... even tougher to seal up the leak...

Ryan

I had to "iffy" bolts on my cover. One at the top and the bottom one. The top one was a simple helicoil job ( I had the side cover off as I was fitting new clutch) but the bottom one was a bit tricky. To helicoil you have to tap the enlarged hole a little deeper than the helicoil because the tap does not cut right to the bottom of the hole. The problem is that there is only about 1.5 diameters (std helicoil length) from the bottom of the hole to the oil drain drilling from the oil filter chamber. What I did was to drill right through to end (was only 0.7mm wall thickness) tapped and fitted helicoil (only just cleared drilling) and then patched the end with Devcon (to stop pressurised oil flooding back into crankcase). Of course this was all done with the side cover off.
Dave

I popped the threads on two of the three screws on the oil filter cover (just a little more... just to "be sure").

Helicoils are easy to use, and it's easy to take off that side of the case. Mine work fine now.

I would not recommend tapping out to a bigger size, a little laziness now could cost you more down the road. Just have someone do it right or do it yourself.

I have the same issue on a 84 XT. Previous owner glued the two top bolts of the oil cover on, I tried to removed it but the threads cam out. Can someone please tell me what Helicoil kit to get to repair the two top holes on the oil cover? I have never workes with helicoil kits before so I have no idea what to buy for those two threads.

Thank yo very much.