How important is it to replace the washer on sump plug? Anybody know where to get the washers for cheap in the correct sizes? £4 for the genuine part is ridiculous...I bet I can get a bag of 20 for that in a plumbing shop or something if I just knew the sizes. Don't understand why they don't just have rubber seals?
never bothered putting a new one on in over 40 years of biking, if it isn't buckled or totally banjaxed I don't bother never had a problem. I always service my own bikes and cars. :whistle:
I've never replaced them on either Bee or Cat. Still got all my oil. I think its just good practice to change them, seeing as the nut is off
Copper has a characteristic of age or work hardening. When this happens the coppers molecular structure changes making it hard and brittle. You can restore it to its original state by annealing it. Heat the copper to a cheery red colour then quench it immediately, be careful to hot and it will disintegrate before your eyes. Note this is not the same as annealing steel where you heat it till bright red the let it cool slowly. Lot easier to get a new one but it works.
Its good practive to replace any consumables like coppes, fibre washers, circlips, roll pins etc They should be single use items. For the cost of one washer from a dealer you can get a box of assorted sizes from screwfix
^^ What Martin said. Copper is a soft metal. When sitting between the head of the sump nut and the sump face, it compresses when the sump nut is torqued up. This creates an effective seal between the underside of the sump not head and the sump face, keeping the oil in. To effectively use the same washer again it needs to be compressed further in order to great a seal again. This means over-torquing the sump nut. Do this repeatedly and you'll either fail to get an effective seal or worse - you risk shearing the head off the sump nut. If you're servicing and looking after the bike properly you'll be paying £25+ for oil, along with an oil, air and fuel filters, chain lube, tyres, brakes, etc. I don't see the point in then skimping on the cheap bits like a new sump nut washer! You can buy copper washers from B&Q, Screwfix, plumbing suppliers, Halfords, etc. The cheapest will probably be the likes of Screwfix and plumbing suppliers, but like Martin says just buy a pack of 10 for a few quid - that'll last you longer than you'll probably keep the bike!
I'm just wondering how i'll know to get the right sized washer. cheapest I can find is this: http://www.screwfix.com/p/copper-washers-copper-470-pieces/18756# lol
I always replace them fella... take the old copper washer to diy shops and try match it up. Sent from my Galaxy Tab2 on the bog
mesure the internal diameter and i'll give you a couple if youre out at weekend. ive got shitloads of the fkers lol, in fact i kicked the box over before and theyre all over the garage floor lol
Well for this one change I might just use the same washer but measure it when its off. Otherwise I'll be draining the oil & measuring the washer...then leaving the bike sitting dry overnight and finishing the change on the Sunday haha too much fecking about so I'll just hope the current washer is in good enough condition to re-use. Might take u up on the offer of a few washers once I know the size though
If it's a crush washer change it. If not, check it's condition. If it has a rough surface this means that you will have a rough surface on the sump as well so clean it up. I've only ever changed em if it is distorted or crushed by some muppet with a gorrilla's spanner and never had a leak in 30 odd years. The torque on sump bolts is only around 20nm at most. Having said that if I am working on someone else's bike I do like to replace them as I have no idea of the history. Thats where having a tin full of washers helps. It won't be 'dry' leaving it without the oil in, it will take months for the 5 micron layer of oil to drain from all the surfaces. For your bike about half a thimble of oil is all that is needed to lubricate it.
Right.. Just did me filter and oil ect, went for a washer to screwfix they only sell 470+ so asked a fella that's in the car game(friend) he said leave the sump plug with him for a day.. Next day comes back with a washer with like black plastic on it.. What it does is melt round the thread ect when bike gets to temp and seals it that way!
Pity nwb site doesn't have a shop I'm sure some of us would use the it Emgine -Oil - filters that kinda thing !
Never heard of them. If it melts round the thread it will melt onto the sump as well making removal fun. My guess would be its a washer known as a Dowty washer it looks like 2 lip seals. These seal to both the sump and sump plug and can be reused acouple of times.
Just for anyone looking for these bits, they're usually crush washers requiring replacement and they're available at most motor factors for 20p a pop. Worth replacing as they squash down, and re use can result in stripped threads even at the correct torque.
