Help! Can't get the engine plug out!

Thanks Chacal. Yeah, I'm thinking kind of what Franz also suggested but cut closer to the threads then collapse the pieces out with pliers.

Gary H.

 

Chacal is right the hacksaw method outlined above is the best idea in the circumstances, good luck hope you get it out Joshua.

 

I can't even look at it right now. I may need a pro to get it out.

 

You MIGHT need or be able to just 'chase' the threads instead of having to re cut....BUT, I have NO idea what size those metric threads for a bolt this size would be......I would after you have done that, re fill with ( cheap) oil run and drain the motor/ oil filter....just in case...maybe twice...cheap oil is still cheaper than the cheapest motor!!

 

Not to sound rude but I have to admit I'm not exactly sure what you mean. Why should I fill and drain with oil? What's the purpose of that?

 

AFTER you have chased/re cut the thread, just in case some swarf has gotten into the oil gallery.......I would

 

you need a Dremel tool and a few burrs. cut a slot in there wide enough to see the bottom good and i think when you get to where the threads are joining you'll see it.
your biggest problem the will be to get the crap out of there, stuff a rag in there right now. when your done pull the rag and tip it over and drain the oil through that hole, maybe it washes out

 

Ladies and Gentleman the extraction was a success! It was a scary and emotional day. I thank you all for the support. This is my first bike and it was sold to me under the idea that it was an easy project. Nothing could be further from the truth. But rather get rid of it I took on the huge task of restoring it and it has been an enormous test of my character. This previous experience has been one of many obstacles I have come into with this bike. It's nice to have a little success.

In a nutshell my buddy first took a crack at it with a heat gun and chisel. He didn't get very far. I then took a drill and thin drill bit and just started smoothly and slowly shaving it off. After a while the metal got so thin that it started to flake off. I used my buddy's small chisel and pick hammer and tap tap tapped lightly and eventually a little piece broke off. The rest just followed. Casualties were evident but luckily minor. The new plug was tested and we're good to go.

Again, thank you so much for all your help and support. I'm really glad this website exists for us nomads who have stumbled upon the peculiar and need I say challenging world of the XJ.

Next task: replacing the two mufflers that have been welded to the swing arms which have coincidentally prevented me from changing the super worn out shocks. It just doesn't get any better folks. Ride safe.

Josh

 

how is that even possible

 

Great Joshua glad you got it out. Make sure there is no metal inside the oilway as you don't want that getting into the engine. You will learn a lot restoring your bike and that knowledge will be invaluable to you in the future.

 

Yes must be welded to the frame. PO did it.

 

Joshua can you upload a photo of the welded mufflers so we can see how PO did it?

 

Some of us may want to take a whack at such a modification................

 

Not me l will keep my bike standard lol.

 

With pleasure.

 

For the longest time I couldn't diagnose a clicking sound that would happen ONLY when I sat on the bike. My buddy pretty much figured out that because the muffler was welded stuck to the swing arm when I would go to sit on the bike there would be a natural bend to the exhaust causing an air leak.

The good news is that I stumbled upon an old Kerker 4 into 1 exhaust that was used on another Seca 550 (pictured). It's incredibly light. I have to get a new baffle for it. I have a picture of the old baffle and I was wondering if you think the new one I'm planning on buying will work (also pictured). It doesn't extend throughout the entire muffler like the original one. I'm a little worried that it might be way louder then what I currently have on the bike because the original muffler is located under the bike plus the two outer mufflers can dampen the sound quite a bit as oppose to just a single muffler. What do you think?

 

Wow, that has got to be the dumbest PO “repair” I’ve ever seen. I thought for sure you meant he welded to the frame somewhere but they actually welded the mufflers to the swing arm.

 

You need to cut this off , with a zizwheel or slow method hack saw but look at the swing arm close , hopefully the PO did not blow thru the swing arm = rust magnet once opened to elements .

 

I'll bet that bike was exhausting to ride.

 

Those pipes are truly shocking!