Ohhh, my my my, what a mess, what a mess!

[YamaDuck]

Well being the fine, well educated, expert on motorcycle engines that I am (NOT!!!!) I have developed another oil leak. I solved the first leak by finding some loose bolts over the second chrome cover (smaller one) on the left side of the engine. There were three bolts on top of the engine block behind the rear cylinder that were loose. Well the leak is back but not as bad. Well being the genius that I am I figured the smaller chrome piece on the left side was just a cover and I needed to take it off in order to see what was under it so I could check and make sure the bolts are all tight. WRONG! As I was taking the bolts out I started on the left and went counter clockwise until I got to the one at 6 o'clock. My allen wrench turned freely. No big deal since I thought it was just a cover that I would take the bolt out and tighten it when I put it back in. When I took the bolt out I noticed unlike the other bolts it had a copper washer on it. Now I'm thinking to myself why would this bolt have a copper washer and the rest not. Almost like it was trying to keep something from leaking. Well I srugged my shoulders and said to myself I'll worry about that later. I started to pull the cover off and man o man did the oil start rushing out. :yikes: I quickly pushed the chrome cover back on and started cleaning up the mess. Well I think I found my leak. I will put all the bolts back in and cross my fingers and hope that was all it was. Now for the final question. Do you think it would hurt to use the blue Lock Tight on the bolts to keep them from coming loose again. The one with the copper washer is the main one I am concerned about.

 

Harry:doh:

[MikeWa]

Loc-tight on aluminum is a dangerous thing.

Mike

[kevin-vic-b.c.]

WOW.... I have never done anything like that before.......

[YamaDuck]

Loc-tight on aluminum is a dangerous thing.

Mike

You see. You see what I have to work with. It's a good thing I got you guys to keep me straight.

 

Thanks

Harry

[Dano]

That is the middle gear cover you took off, the lowest bolt with the little "washer" on it is an oil drain for that area as it will not drain directly back to the oil pan. You must have that crush washer on the lowest bolt to keep it from leaking. But of course you already know that now!

[YamaDuck]

That is the middle gear cover you took off, the lowest bolt with the little "washer" on it is an oil drain for that area as it will not drain directly back to the oil pan. You must have that crush washer on the lowest bolt to keep it from leaking. But of course you already know that now!

Thanks. Yea I found out the hard way.

[Jerry W]

I kinda' lean toward anti sieze on aluminum.

[YamaDuck]

I kinda' lean toward anti sieze on aluminum.

Thanks I'll pick some up tomorrow on the way home from work. Sound like a plan I can stick to.

[dingy]

The service manual shows Loctite being used in numerous places in conjunction with aluminum parts.

 

One notable example is the attachment of the rotors to the rims.

 

You can use Blue (nut locking) or Purple (screw locking) safely on aluminum.

 

Do not use Red (stud locking) on any part that may be disassembled. It requires heat to break the bond which will then cause problems. If you try to remove fastener without heat you will either break fastener or pull out the threads.

 

Anti seize is not something I would personally choose to use on a safety related fastener just by its nature. Its purpose is to prevent corrosion and seizing of metals. It often contains a lubricating carrier. This lubrication reduces friction between mating parts thus allowing vibration to cause part to more easily loosen.

 

 

Gary

[skydoc_17]

I have had good luck putting a single wrap of Teflon plumbers tape on a screw or bolt that keeps finding it's way out. The Teflon tape also breaks the electromagnetic field that develops between dissimilar metals when they are fastened together. The white "dust" you see on aluminum parts that are fastened with steel fasteners is the aluminum decomposing due to electrolysis.

Earl

[Sylvester]

You must have had such a good time at the M&E Saturday, to have felt like working on your bike on Sunday.

 

[YamaDuck]

You must have had such a good time at the M&E Saturday, to have felt like working on your bike on Sunday.

 

I did have a great time Sat. at the meet and eat. I wonder how many other VentureRiders were there? The weekend before I had ridden my Venture and I noticed one drop of oil under the bike. It was not under the vent tube but I had moved the bike so I wasn't sure it didn't come for the vent tube. This Sat. when I got back I parked the bike and later that night I notice a bigger oil spot. So I jacked up the bike and started looking and found the bolt with the copper washer loose. That was the only bolt that was loose on the cover. So hopefully When I tighten that bolt down it will quit leaking.

[YamaDuck]

:puzzled: Now I'm really confused, blue or purple Loc Tight, anti seize, teflon tape. The teflon tape sounds like a good idea to me. It may also seal a leak if I have one there. I think I will just clean the bolt off real good and put teflon tape on it and tighten it down real good and keep an eye on it. If it gets loose again I'll try something else. Thanks again for all the help guys, the VentureRider family is the best!

[MiCarl]

I think I will just clean the bolt off real good and put teflon tape on it and tighten it down real good ...

 

Be careful on the "tighten it down real good" part. I don't have the book in front of me but I believe the torque spec is 7.2 lb-ft. 7.2 lb-ft is "snug". Go any more and you risk breaking the bolt or pulling the threads out of the engine case, neither of which is fun to fix.

 

I've never had a properly torqued fastener back out even with anti-seize on it. I don't have a problem using it on any fastener that DOES NOT require loc-tite. That 6 O'clock screw on the middle gear cover lives in an oil bath, I wouldn't bother with anti-seize there.

[YamaDuck]

Be careful on the "tighten it down real good" part. I don't have the book in front of me but I believe the torque spec is 7.2 lb-ft. 7.2 lb-ft is "snug". Go any more and you risk breaking the bolt or pulling the threads out of the engine case, neither of which is fun to fix.

 

I've never had a properly torqued fastener back out even with anti-seize on it. I don't have a problem using it on any fastener that DOES NOT require loc-tite. That 6 O'clock screw on the middle gear cover lives in an oil bath, I wouldn't bother with anti-seize there.

 

Thanks for the warning. I was fix'en to go home I put my back into it. I have a huge (1/2") drive torque wrench at home. I'll see if I can reduce it down to the 1/4" drive 4 mm hex head socket. I think I have all the stuff to do that with.

 

Thanks again,

Harry

[Squeeze]

Please, do us and yourself a Favour and NOT use 1/2" Torque Wrench on a 7.2 ft.lbs Bolt.

 

Even IF your Torquie is able to have a Range down there, it's not what you want to use, because the it's only a guess and the lower End of the Range. Just use your 1/4" Wrench and some common Sense.

[YamaDuck]

Please, do us and yourself a Favour and NOT use 1/2" Torque Wrench on a 7.2 ft.lbs Bolt.

 

Even IF your Torquie is able to have a Range down there, it's not what you want to use, because the it's only a guess and the lower End of the Range. Just use your 1/4" Wrench and some common Sense.

You want ME to use common sense. Oh boy you don't know what your asking. Did you read my first post. If I had any common sense I would have put that bolt with the copper washer back in as soon as I noticed it was different from all the rest. But I'll try. But I notice that the bolts that hold down the chrome valve covers also use 7 ft lbs for torque. Does anyone make a small torque wrench for light torque applications:puzzled:

[Squeeze]

You want ME to use common sense. Oh boy you don't know what your asking. Did you read my first post. If I had any common sense I would have put that bolt with the copper washer back in as soon as I noticed it was different from all the rest. But I'll try. But I notice that the bolts that hold down the chrome valve covers also use 7 ft lbs for torque. Does anyone make a small torque wrench for light torque applications:puzzled:

 

Torque Setting usually apply only to dry Threads if not noted else.

 

Since this Bolt is going into a oiled Environment, you usally can divide the Settings of a fitting !! Torque Wrench (1/4") by Ten.

 

I guess, you better develop a steep learning Curve with your Wrist-o-Meter... :bluesbrother:

[Flyinfool]

I just finished a job on my bike that had all of the engine covers off.

After a quick trip to the tool store I now have a set of 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 drive clicker type torque wrenches I already had the 1/2. I lucked out and they were on sale at Harbor Freight for $19 and $14.

for the last 45 years I have been using my calibrated wrist to torque thing with great success, nothing ever came apart and I never broke a bolt. I never realized just how little 7 foot pounds really is, or at the other end, just how much 100 foot lbs is.

 

Time to go shopping.

[YamaDuck]

Yea I'm calibrating my wrest right now. I should have it calibrated by the time I get home tonight.

[Condor]

When you put the middle gear cover back on use a new crush washer.

[skydoc_17]

I have attached two pics below of the method I use when tightening smaller fastener's. My Dad called it the "Rule of Thumb". While holding your wrench or ratchet in the palm of your hand, place your thumb over the head of the fastener. While rotating clock wise, you will "feel" the fastener head come in contact with the mating surface you are trying to retain, (the "sweet spot") once you have contact, you're done! Works every time for me. Take a moment and try it, when holding a wrench in this way, it is "almost" impossible to over tighten a fastener. (I say almost because some of you monkeys out there have the paws of a BEAR!)

Earl

[YamaDuck]

When you put the middle gear cover back on use a new crush washer.

I'll have to wait until tomorrow for the Yamaha stores around here to open. They are all closed on Sunday and Mondays around here. Thanks that's great advise.

[YamaDuck]

I have attached two pics below of the method I use when tightening smaller fastener's. My Dad called it the "Rule of Thumb". While holding your wrench or ratchet in the palm of your hand, place your thumb over the head of the fastener. While rotating clock wise, you will "feel" the fastener head come in contact with the mating surface you are trying to retain, (the "sweet spot") once you have contact, you're done! Works every time for me. Take a moment and try it, when holding a wrench in this way, it is "almost" impossible to over tighten a fastener. (I say almost because some of you monkeys out there have the paws of a BEAR!)

Earl

I'm going to assume that this method will work with a allen wrench or a 1/4" drive socket? I can't get a wrench on the bolt.

[skydoc_17]

Hey Harry,

You can use this method with a Allen Wrench, a Ratchet, even a crescent wrench! Don't be in a hurry, and don't "reef down" on the bolt you are trying to tighten. When you feel the "sweet spot" of the bolt head coming in contact with the material to be fastened, you will smile! That smile is like the "clicker" on a torque wrench! Try it, you will be surprised.

Earl