Hitchcocks Forum

Just changed the oil in my EFI. When removing drain plug a little curl of thread detached itself. I assumed the worst. My fears confirmed when I came to replace the plug as it felt "soft" under the spanner. I proceeded with extreme caution, and the plug seemed not to tighten, failing to "nip-up." Put some oil in, and worried all night with thoughts of helicoil, engine out, vast expense etc. Woke early this a.m. and went out to big shed before 7.00 in my pyjamas (Bloody cold up here in Pennines!) and sure enough big pool of oil. Rats! Then thought,"nothing to loose now" put a socket on and, blow me, it tightened good as gold! Moral of this tale: Just because it is a Royal Enfield don't assume the worst and: Faint heart never did win fair lady! I'll go make the wife a copy of tea, and tell her the good news. I know that she will be thrilled (not!).

Beamish, don't be such a cad. Make the wife a REAL cuppa tea, not just a copy . . . .

I bought my 08 efi 3 years ago with about 2500 on the clock and, as with any bike I have no service history on, I did an oil and filter change along with a few other servi e bits and bobs. When I took the drain plug out it had PE tape on it and as soon as I tried to tighten it once oil drained out I knew it had previously stripped as would only take hand tight holding the very head of the socket wrench.
I repacked with PE tape and did it up verrrrrrry carefully and it held fine for that first oil change so have done same ever since. Although the drain plug always has a drip of oil on it there is never enough to drip onto the garage floor and the plug never seems to loosen between oil services - as you can imagine, I check it quite frequently.
I keep meaning to get it helicoiled but never quite round to it and bike now on 8600 miles and used all year round so it will probably wait now until motor needs serious work, if and when then after happens.
Fingers and toes crossed ; )

It isn't that big a deal if you stip the thread, generally you can buy either oversize plugs or the next size up (or occasionally a change to an imperial or metric thread size will give you the additional size without requiring a major intervention. If you do need to go one size up then screwing in a tap with the flutes packed with grease will ensure that you don't lose swarf into the engine. I tend to avoid helicoils as I've often found that they create a different and bigger problem down the track.