OH NO! What did I do?!

Well I was playing around with my new "toy" as my fiancee says. I was gonna change the oil so I pulled off the filter cover.. no filter in there Thats another subject though. I couldnt find a drain plug.. so I pulled out the little flat plug right below where it says YICS on the right side (the one with the big allen key) I dont know what this is but when putting it back in apparently I over torqued it and it snapped in half. What does this plug do? I could jbweld it back together but if it holds a fluid of any sort i guess that wouldnt be a good idea. Even worse if there IS supposed to be a fluid in there it wasnt. So then I would guess I got more serious problems. Someone please help. Tell me what this plug is. Also where is the oil drain plug? Thanks

 

Oil drain plug is directly below the oil filter cover on the front, should be right infront of the exhaust shield.

 

Alright I found the oil drain and got it drained. Gonna pick up more oil when I go out. But that still leaves the question of what is that plug that I broke? Im hoping its just a dust cover of sorts or something. If theres supposed to be fluid in there i think Im screwed.

 

can you post a pic - I can't visualize it.

edit:

This one?



I'm not sure what is behind it but I'd guess it has something to do with holding the case together... looking for fiche.

 

That's an Oil Gallery Plug. Needs to be > Oil tight < ... look around for somebody parting-out an engine and get a used one to put-in there.

Then, take a break on doing anything until you get oriented on what's-what. Find any Owners Manual for an Asian inline 4 and read it.

ALL the inline four's share a great deal of commonality. Don't lay another wrench on that bike until you are absolutely sure of what the part is and does. You should have checked-in, here, first! We'd have saved you on that one ... for sure!

You'll find one. There's loads of 'em. Get a new one if you have too.

 

Im guessing its not nearly as serious as taking it to a dealership to get oil changes. Im not a complete moron.. I dont come to these forums to be told to take it to a dealership.. or maybe that guy at jiffy lube will know more than me. The bolt obviously had problems before if I could break it with a 3 inch long allen key and my hand. Anyway here is a pic that might help determine what it is. Someone who wont tell me to take it to a shop to get this bolt replaced please chime in. Im guessing I could replace it with a bolt and some gasket maker but wondering on your opinions. I refuse to let some 7 dollar an hour tech fix my stuff. I am perfectly capable of fixing it myself. Just because im kinda new to bikes doesnt mean Im new to motors. I am not a complete moron. Ive done frame off restorations on cars and anything from head gaskets to transmissions to new motors etc etc etc. I am not a complete idiot. SOrry to anyone offended but I want advice on the broken peice not advice telling me not to touch the bike. Thats is NOT an option. If im not welcome at this forum because I ask for advice on my own rather than advice on not working on it so be it. Cancel my account and ill move on. Otherwise thanks for any advice anyone can offer.

 

Sorry forgot the pics. Here is a couple of pics of the peice im talking about. These might not be very friendly to those not on broadband.

Pics removed.. heres links if anyone in the future wants to see em

Pic 1
Pic 2

 

I didn't order you to take it to a dealer. I didn't mean to suggest you shouldn't do your own work; either. You made NO reference to your background or experience. Now that we all know you can spin the wrenches ... you'll be happy to know that these are fun bikes to work on.

I just didn't want a self-proclaimed "Neebee with a new toy" to further complicate matters. We can both pardon the misunderstanding.

Grab a light and look at the underside of the engine, just above and to the rear of where the two inside header pipes enter the exhaust collector. You'll see a 19mm Hex plug with a slotted cross-head screw in it's center. That's the Oil Drain Plug.

 

Hmmm ..I'm looking at yr Pics and I cannot see a damn thing.
So I have no idea what 'plug' yr on about except perhaps the big circular hex keyed oil gallery plug that IS visible in yr first photo but nowhere else.
Possibly you just snapped a Clutch cover bolt ? Certainly that's one visible directly in front of the Brake pedal.

 

Welcome to the site Kavey, I don't think anyone was telling you to take your bike to a "shop" for repairs. This whole forum is built around do-it-your-self repairs, we just like to help out before something goes "wrong".

As RickCoMatic said above that's the main oil gallery plug, you will find another one on the other side of the engine.

Check with Yamaha for a replacement or again as RickCoMatic suggested, find someone parting out an engine.

 

Yep, that's the oil galley plug and I have one if you don't get it from anyone near by. I'll just pull one off of my old engine.
BTW, how did you get a pic that big posted in a forum?

 

Kavey, I'm going to echo the oil gallery plug. If it broke leaving threads behind, you should invest in a set of easy-outs and get those old threads out. By the sounds of it, you inherited a problem given no oil filter and a "ready to snap" oil gallery plug. Hope you didn't throw too much money down on this one. As for the suggestion Rick passed out, it was a very good suggestion given what background information we had on you at the time. No one here will just throw you to the dealer because they think someone is stupid, it is a viable option in certain instances. No one here is questioning your abilities, no offence was intended. We are most certainly here to help you get where you want to be with this machine. I think the best advice I can give you at this point is to get your mitts on a maintenance manual (factory, Haynes, what have you). One, it will give you details as to what part is what and two, the all important torque values (to avoid the dreaded "snapped parts" syndrome). Another option for parts identification is the Yamaha website. They are (so far) the only manufacturer to post their entire parts breakdown on-line for free (God bless them for their consideration). I will also suggest that you might get the parts you seek at BikeBandit.com. I've had very good service from them. Best of luck to you on your entrance to the XJ world, I think your going to love your machine! Please throw out any questions you may have, there is no such thing as a dumb question!

 

Thanks everyone and sorry rick. when I posted that I had just come home from the DMV for 2 and a half hours to get a motorcycle permit and plate for the bike. Was incredibly aggravated.

As far as threads still in there I just backed the bolt out it broke right where the cap meets the threads. I JB welded it back together and it seems ok but Im gonna call around and see if I can find a new one anyway. Yeah I could have taken on a problem but I dont have much in it. I paid 300 bucks for the bike and a nolan full face helmet. I dont have more than 50 bucks extra in it with the piddly stuff ive done so far and it appears to run good.

As for the pics I apologize for the huge pics but I have no software to resize them right now. ALl my computer junk is packed up cause im moving real soon. I never reinstalled photoshop since I reformated my computer.

The guy I got it from forgot to give it to me but he has the factory manual on it and is mailing it. That should help when it gets here im sure.

Blue maxim how much would you want for your plug shipped to st louis?

 

I had to take time off of work to stand in line for an hour and a half at the DMV to get my plate, only to get to the counter and have their "computer system go down." Ooooh I was pissed. Later that week I had to take even more time off work to wait in line for another hour.

If you have a M$ based pc, you can resize photos with mspaint. Just open paint ( start -> run -> "mspaint" or start -> programs -> accessories -> paint ), open the image in paint, then goto image -> stretch/skew and stretch it to 50% both horizontally and vertically.

 

Paint wont open them.. they are jpegs. Since weve determined what it is though ill remove the pics. Thanks

 

Well, it depends... If you have Windows XP, support for .JPG ( among other formats ) was added. Any previous version of Windows ( 2000, ME, etc. ) only support .BMP

 

I scanned you post kavey, but couldn't find the answer, what bike is this again? I have a maxim 750 service manual...

 

its an 81 xj 550 maxim

 

If it's anything like my old GS550E, you'll be running about 70-80 psi of oil pressure, so I wouldn't trust anything held together by JB weld, especially given the instantaneous loss of oil pressure and massive oil leak that will result if it goes under load.

 

If I understand what you need, these guys sell them Power Parts Plus.

Looks like the plug and o-ring run about $10/side (+shipping I'm sure).

I think they are item numbers 35 & 36 on the parts list for the crankcase.

 

Almost bought one there till I saw it was 13 bucks to ship an 8 dollar bolt. Ill pass on that.. if I cant find one used Ill make one out of a bolt and some gasket sealer. Thank you though.