Modern Vespa

the oil drain bolt on my gt was put on too tight last oil change (my fault). my socket wrench is only rounding off the edges and making it worse. i have a replacement bolt to put on so i don't mind destroying the old one if i have to. does anyone know the best way to get this thing off?
thanks!!
-ryan

A Sears Craftsman "bolt out" kit should work for you.

Or try a set of locking pliers. The kind with the dial on the end of the handle so you can really clamp the piss outta that bolt. It'll muck up the head but you've got a new bolt like you said

If the stuck-plug is the silver colored, factory one (made of pot-metal) just do as VP1 says, grab it with some vise grips, and replace it with the replacement one, which is hopefully made of brass? Those pot-metal ones suck, and the brass ones are great, availabe at Motorsport Scooters for 11 bucks. I would avoid putting a "new" silver pot-metal one as a replacement)

yeah, i'll try the vise grips. the old plug is definitely one of the silver pot-metal kinds, but the replacement is a shiny brass one. can't wait to get it on!
thanks for the advice everyone!!

Mate, Make sure you don't over tighten that bolt (again) i repaired my friends last week. I used my heat gun and bolt out's from sears. he rounded his also Make sure and you a spanner next time, "just snug is the word"

The engine cases are not titanium you know
Goodluck mate.
Cheers

i screwed up when i tried to change my oil on my newer stella for the first time and let the drain plug out before the fill plug (i've changed my oil on other bikes before and never had a problem). the fill plug was on so damn tight i couldn't get it off. we tried heating it was a heat gun to see if it would loosen and it wouldn't. i thought i was fvcked when someone told me to get some vise grips and a rubber mallet. it was the best advice. two wacks on the vise grips with the mallet an i was all loosey goosey.

I'm having the same exact issue right now! Only I did not overtighten mine the last time I changed the oil (I've been changing the oil on my cars since I was 18, so I know to be careful) and the stupid thing still stuck. I, too, rounded off the corners, even though I was being very careful so that would not happen. that's pretty soft metal they use for something so important.

A customer at work, who is a truck driver, recomended getting a product called CRC Freeze to help unloosen the bolt. And he said to use a 6 point socket instead of a 12 point. I have not tried these yet because I have not got a replacement drain bolt, MotorSport Scooters' website says they're out right now. Has been for about a month. I'm going to my dealer on Tuesday, when they are open next, to see if they have any.

Good luck. Let us know what works for you.

Yes, use a 6 point socket and you will not have any problems. I used a 12 point socket the first time and it started to round off the corners .

Tom

Really good point Tom, "You are only as good as your Tools"

Cheers

my fill plug is round to begin with, there are no squared off edges and the vise grips totally worked. liquid wrench didn't work for me either.

good luck.

So the vise grip is holding onto the bolt, but the damn thing still wont budge!
There doesn't seem to be enough room to whack it with the rubber mallet I bought, and the fact that I have to pull up on the wrench instead of push down on it seems to be preventing me from getting enough leverage to put all my strength into it. I have some cool blisters and scrapes on my hands though, and a smashed thumb nail...
Am I doing something wrong here?

We've all done this, so please don't be offended: You ARE turning it (attempting) counter-clockwise, eh? (sometimes easy to get turned around...)

i always have to repeat righty tighty left loosey sometimes too just so i do it right.

That's all I'm saying....

Hi,

If the nut is already destroyed, drill a hole through the head of the bolt and put a rod through it (measure the rod 1st and drill an appropriate hole). The rod stck will give you the leverage you need to loosen the Fill bolt.

In the future, as already mentioned, use a 6-point socket and a Breaker Bar to give you sufficient leverage. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim

Try a large channel lock pliers.

Tom

When installing the new plug, you might put a little 'Never-Seize' on the threads. It is used on aircraft spark plugs to prevent seizing. If you use it, re-check that the drain plug doesn't loosen.

I think they use a soft metal so the engine case doesn't get damaged. Better to bugger up the removable/replaceable part.

I do the right-hand rule exercise - On your right hand, when you turn in the direction of your curled fingers, the bolt moves in the direction of your out-pointing thumb.

RIGHTY TIGHTY
LEFTY LOOSEY

It's out!
That thing was STUCK. Vice grips did nothing. The crazy bolt extractor bit I got from Sears and a super heavy duty power drill only managed to leave a nice hole in the middle of it. It finally took a mechanic friend with a chisel to break it out...
We cleaned out the little pieces of metal, replaced the old plastic filter in there, and the new bolt slipped on perfectly.
Oh and yeah I was turning it the right way (righty tighty!)

Don't overtighten when you re-install. Sounds like that was the original cause of the previously stuck one. Check it a few miles afterwards just to be safe. Ride on.

Hi,

Glad you got it out. FYI, there is a torque spec for this bolt. It is: 17.7-22.1 ft.lbs. or 24-30 Nm. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim