Thoughts on stripped oil drain plug

[raptormeat]

My RD350 has a stripped oil drain threads. The plug isnt stuck or anything. But I cant torque the bolt above 15 ft/lbs before it "slips" back down a thread. being OCD, this isnt gonna fly. I believe the bolt itself is 14mm with a 17mm head.

Anyway what do you guys suggest?
Drill and re-tap for a 16mm oil plug or JB Weld the case, drill and re-tap for the original 14mm plug?

 

[hillsy]

JB Weld the case? No....


Depending on how much meat there is on the case, re-tap to 16mm or helicoil back to 14mm.

 

[trek97]

tapping may not help if crack extends out much. weld or replace may be only options.

 

[goldy]

Get a Helecoil kit to re-thread it to original size. Or take it to a competent machine shop for them to do it for you.

 

[teazer]

It's a solid boss on those motors and if it's just a stripped thread, I'd do a helicoil repair unless the motor has to be stripped for other work. In that case, get it cleaned and welded and re-tapped. If you do it in situ, grease load the flutes of the tap to make sure that no swarf ends up inside the trans.

15 foot pounds is a heck of a lot of torque for a drain bolt. It carries zero load and should not need to be that tight. That's the problem with most stripped bolts - people over do them. Ignore standard torque tables for bolts. It's big to allow oil to drain - not because it carries any load. I have no idea what the F.S.M. says, but if it says 15 Ft Lbs, it's wrong.