XT600 Oil Filter bolt threads stripped

[steveloomis]

Since the oil filter cover bottom bolts strips out easily, I am looking for suggestions as to possible repairs. I fixed one years ago using a helicoil and it is holding fine. I tried to fix one the other day and the helicoil pulled loose and would not hold. I found a threaded insert that had external threads for a 10mm threaded hole and it had a 6mm x 1.0 threaded center. After drilling the required 10mm hole and attempting the thread it, the material around the hole was very thin and crumbled. Not good. I then ground the threaded external part off in a taper and used the filter bolt to pull it in from the back side. I then used JB weld to secure it. After letting it cure for a couple days I installed it. Upon tightening it, it never seemed to get very tight, like it was still moving or maybe twisting. I have not pulled it apart yet but instead ordered another cover from German eBay.

The one from Germany looks like it had a helicoil in it, maybe, but also had threads just inside the outer side of the bolt hole. I was able to thread a new helicoil from the same batch I had used successfully before. As soon as a new bolt arrives I'll see if it will tighten properly. If it does not, I need a better solution as I will have two covers with similar problems.

Anyone have experience like this, better solution? What about a short 10mm bolt through the cover with a larger hole and just thread the first 1/2 inch or so of the bore? I know I'd probably need to plug the back side where the 6mm bolt usually sits and could be done with JB Weld easily.

I have not figured out why this bolt is flooded with oil, where does this oil go. There is a passageway from inside the oil filter area to the bore the shoulder bolt goes through but what does it feed?

Thanks,
Steve

Posted on other forums as well.

[preachan]

Originally Posted by steveloomis

I have not figured out why this bolt is flooded with oil, where does this oil go. There is a passageway from inside the oil filter area to the bore the shoulder bolt goes through but what does it feed?

If I get you correctly when you remove the bottom bolt (and the little bolt with hex head on top of the filter cover) this allows the oil to drain safely back into the engine instead of out over the case when you take the cover off.

A had a similar problem before while travelling, the only thing to do was increase hole size, thread it and install a bigger bolt. When at home I wanted to helicoil it but the helicoil wall thickness was too thin - I would have had to use two so I loctited a bit of threaded bar in the hole - drilled the center of it and threaded it then drilled the first few mm again to accommodate the wide unthreaded part of the bolt. And of course the drain hole from the oil filter area to bolt hole again as the threaded bar I inserted now blocked it.

Finnicky time-consuming work making sure the holes were dead center and straight. I had to do the two upper bolts too and they come from a lot further out so have to be dead straight and centre but did the job in the end.

[leo56]

Hi,
I usually go from mm bolt up to next UNC or UNF thread, ie from 6 mm to 1/4 inch.
That is of course depending on what the bolt should hold but if there are no stress to the bolt it should work.
I did this on my oilfilter cover lower bolt.
Helicoil is good if you have enough material.

//
Lars

[steveloomis]

Thanks for the replies, oil drain back, never thought of that. Good idea but lots of trouble.

[chucky55]

I bought a 7mm drill & tap, approx $10-12, I then re-tapped the thread with lots of grease on the Tap, the grease is to catch the swarfe from the tap. Grease up tap, turn 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn then remove tap, clean swarfe, grease up tap and reinsert and repeat.

I hope you can follow, I did not want to strip motor to clean swarfe residue from motor. With this technique, I was able to repair from outside of motor with no swarfe inside the motor.

[xtrock]

Well at some point i think you gonna get some shit in engine oil doing this, specially at the drain hole.

[jjrider]

If a person can put a 6mm set screw in the back part(if it'll hold enough to stay), it would block off the only opening to get into the oil. The outer part can be blown out then. Just would be best to have the cover off.

[Crunchy Nut]

if you are talking about the lower bolt, there is an oilway behind this that i believe feeds the end of the crank (not sure, drunk!) any bolt longer than 25mm (from face of head) will impede oil flow, i have a m8>< 25mm bolt in mine no probs, if im wrong sorry, late saturday night here, good luck!

[steveloomis]

Well the cover I got from Germany and put in a new helicoil in the existing threads works perfectly with a new OEM bolt. Tightens up very tight.

I will re-work the old cover for a spare or sell it with the fix....

Steve