[Flywheel]

Blue Burg turned 40! Thousand kilometers, that is. Tiny spot of wear on the pulley stopper bolt, dieselling away happily, drive belt hasn't snapped yet. :tongue1:

Anyway, did the engine/trans/final oil change and just couldn't get the engine oil drain bolt to seal properly. The bolt was a bit chewed up, though nothing dramatic. It sealed fine in the past. Naturally, I always use new crush washer, copper ones, since that's all the local retail stores seem to have.

After noticing drips and replacing the copper washers THREE TIMES over a few days, I managed to track down aluminum M14 crush washers. That and a saints-be-praised M14 drain bolt with the rarer 1.25 pitch. No drips this morning, fingers crossed for later.

So what do you think, Burgers? Does copper seal less effectively at the lower torque values used on bikes? Now that I think of it, I've NEVER seen a copper washer in the tool boxes of my local mechanics. Sadly, the closer ones have shut down (or have odd hours), so I've been relying on Canadian Tire for supplies.

 

[MJR]

Suzuki uses steel crush washers, Cummins diesels use copper, Hyundais use aluminum, my older Jeep 4.0L uses aluminum, newer Jeeps use a drain bolt with a built in rubber/eurathane gasket.

Oh and on the dieseling noise get the Polish Adapter, you'll love the new found quietness.

 

[Bolzen]

Copper is harder -- may require more compression.

 

[TwoWheelTim]

A bit off topic, but crush washers are problematic, and seem to invite more than the spec'd torque especially for the DIY mechanic. I run an very light ring of RTV blue or any good silicone on each side of the washer and torque to spec. Never leaks, ever! Don't over do it, you don't want a lot squeezing off the surface into the threads. No re-torquing required either.

Just a slight clean up of the washer/bolt upon removal an the next oil change.

I have the same success using washers with rubber seals in low heat area, oil pan of a car. NO leaks.

Re-using crush washers seems to cause problems too.

 

[Buffalo]

I'm still using the washers that came on the drain and fill plugs on both my 07 650 and my 06 400. I just torque the bolts to spec when I reinstall them. No leaks to date.

 

[miken6mz]

Same as Buffalo with my K4 -- never a hint of a drip from the crankcase drain plug (but it's in new condition also).

 

[MJR]

I'm still using the washers that came on the drain and fill plugs on both my 07 650 and my 06 400. I just torque the bolts to spec when I reinstall them. No leaks to date.

Same on my '03 and '09.

 

[DougInKY]

I have always changed the crush washer with each oil change on all the motorcycles I have owned. This may be because I owned a 69 Triumph back in the early 70's. That thing piddled oil everywhere.

Doug from Kentucky

 

[osbornk]

I'm still using the washers that came on the drain and fill plugs on both my 07 650 and my 06 400. I just torque the bolts to spec when I reinstall them. No leaks to date.

I don't change the washer on anything and I don't have leaks. That includes scooters, motorcycles, cars, trucks, generators, etc. I may just be lucky since I didn't start until 1962.

 

[lipster]

^^^
This.
Even though my Toyotas and Subarus say to ALWAYS replace at each change.
I have spares, but never use them. Actually, I do have a Fumoto valve in the Subaru.

 

[Flywheel]

So the solution is to be a cheapskate? Man, now I really feel dumb for using a foot- pounds AND and inch-pounds torque wrench to check the bolt! :confused2:

Well, at least I have enough crush washers for another 11 oil changes. No drips today, thankfully. I've read that annealing coppers before you use them is a good idea, JIC. No idea how true that might be, though.

 

[osbornk]

So the solution is to be a cheapskate? Man, now I really feel dumb for using a foot- pounds AND and inch-pounds torque wrench to check the bolt! :confused2:

Well, at least I have enough crush washers for another 11 oil changes. No drips today, thankfully. I've read that annealing coppers before you use them is a good idea, JIC. No idea how true that might be, though.

It's not that I am a cheapskate (thought I am and proud of it). It's just that I changed oil in many things for 25-30 years before I heard that the washers should be replaced and torqued (something else I never do). I figured that if it worked that long for me, why make a change. I got a batch of crush washers that came with a bunch of BMW motorcycle filters several years ago and some that came with a bunch of Kia filters I got from Ebay.

 

[Buffalo]

I've got a spare set of washers in the parts bin. Bought them before the first oil change. If they ever start leaking I will change them out. But if they have not started leaking after the 28 oil changes I have done so far I suspect I won't be using those washers any time soon..