Don't you hate it when...........

[Jed]

A five minute job turns into a nightmare.

Decided it was time to give the bike an oil change yesterday. Took it for a quick spin the warm up after work.

Drained oil. I had noticed that the sump plug had a very small seep/leak. Anyway, oil all out, put sump plug back in, didn't even get to a tight spot and just keep spinning. The thread in the sump is stripped. AAAAARRRRRGH.

I am very lucky that I still have the 750 motor I took out sitting in the shed so I can swap the sump over.

That will be tonights job.

[DCRacing]

very average, good thing you have spares, I generally think at least 2 whole bikes are sufficient for spares still can't convince the wife tho.
I am never surprised when i hear about sump plugs stripping, and the trouble with older bikes is you never know how many other monkeys have swung a spanner on them

[ALBI]

either that or take the sump plug to ur local thread bloke and buy an thread sert kit and repair? $approx 380 for kit or just get a mobile thread repairer out and he will fit an thread sert ""do not use helicoil"" generally costs $80 including call out!!
far beeter than a tear down mate!

[Jed]

I've only got to take the radiator and headers off. Not too much of a hassle

[Tim]

dont worry your not the only one

Offered to change the chain and sprocket on a mates shitty little old cruiser before i had really seen it(should be a quick job and couldnt be harder then any other bike?... wrong)

changed the rear sprocket removed old chain without a problem and then got to the front sprocket, "aah shit" had to remove the full exhaust... to do that you had to remove the radiator/front frame cradle. and in the end i ended up snapping a exhaust stud as the nut was seized..

if anyone asks you to work on their old el250 please tell them to sell it for your own sanity.

[oldskool]

With an EL250 the mid section of the headers comes out with out having to touch the studs, sorry to give you this news now.

[Tim]

didnt seem to on this one(1994 model?) i sweared i'd never touch it again. but maybe im the over tired idiot...

[Jed]

All back together now. I thought I could get away with just dropping the radiator with the hoses still attached, then drop the headers enough for clearance. But, as you could guess had to take it all off.

Turned out to be a blessing in disguise though as I found that 3 of the 8 header fasteners/bracket/hold on thingys (until just now I have no idea what they are called - mental blank) had snapped. I love having boxes of spares.

Anyway, all ready for the drags on Saturday night now. YeeHaa

[EFE 1230]

.........you spend $350 on ceramic coating a complete top end to match your $350 ceramic coated cases and the top end ceramic coating doesn't match the ceramic coating on the cases and you can scratch it off with your fingernail.

[Jed]

I must have the curse of the black jelly bean on me this week.

I have been playing around with the ignition advancer settings. I thought I would give it a quick tweek this morning before riding to work. There are 3 little hex bullet head screws to loosen. undo the first 2 and the third, the head of the Hex tool snaps off in the screw FARK.

How do I get that out????????????

Hex tool was a Sidcrome as well. They're not supposed to break.

[oldskool]

Seal pick will get it out after a tap.
Sidcrome is old duffa crap get some real tools man!

[Jed]

Seal pick will get it out after a tap.
Sidcrome is old duffa crap get some real tools man!

What's seal pick????

[Jed]

Don't worry - I just Googled it. Looks like a Dentist's tool.

Thanks, I'll give that a go

[BANDITROD]

or a magnet maybe

[ozzy1100]

id look at the pick but if you dont have, a center pop in the opp direction to losen will do the trick

[Jed]

Thanks Ozz. turned out to be pretty easy. Hit it with the centre punch and it basically fell out.

[ozzy1100]

to easy