Hi everybody,

I am new to the forum having recently required a RYCA 'bobbed' LS400. I'm no good at pics but the bike is on the RYCA site, (RYCAmotors.com), and it's the orange bobber near to the bottom of the customer builds page - built by Dave Theophilus in the UK.

The bike has supposedly only done 300 miles since the conversion but I decided to go for an oil change, especially after reading about the oil requirements of Savages on this site. We can't get Rotella or Mobil 1 V twin in the UK, but I did come across Mobil 4T Racing, which has a ZDDP rating of 1300 ppm. So armed with this, some East Coast ZDDP additive, a new oil filter and oil plug I was ready to start the job.  

First task - find the oil drainage plug. Nope couldn't locate this - so a quick scan of this site was required - and hey presto located in a flash. I then thought I should just check on any tips for removal. Once armed with these I thought I was ready and up for the task.

First attempt at removing the plug didn't work out too well as my socket wrench wouldn't fit into the gap between the plug and frame. So onto a combo spanner...

Using the 'ring' end I came to the conclusion that the drain pug was well and truly wedged and so may require a little more gentle persuasion - with a hammer.

Success! - or so I thought. The movement I was getting from tapping the spanner ever so gently turned out not to be the plug moving - just the spanner starting to round the bolt head. All stop! - and back to SuzukiSavage.com.  

Armed with further excellent info from this site I borrowed a variety of wrenches from the brother-in-law, (including a pipe wrench), and made a suitable construction so I could lie the bike on it's side. This was thrown together from a fishing chair, an old army kit bag, and the padding from a couple of sun loungers - and worked really well. I drained the fuel tank and carefully lay the bike on an angle using my makeshift support and started once again to attack the drain plug.

Most of the wrenches, however,  seemed too big to get a proper grip and even with the bike on its side a second attempt with a spanner yielded no joy.

End result a nicely rounded oil drain plug!  

So gentlemen, (and ladies), what do I now have to do to continue with my oil change plan? Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Cheers.

verslagen1 wrote on 06/27/15 at 10:52:25:


Cheers. The problem at the moment is that the grips I have available don't seem to fit in the available space, (even when I have the bike on it's side). Maybe I need to source a small vice grip?

I think I would like a very careful description of which way the wrench was being turned.

chzeckmate wrote on 06/27/15 at 16:46:48:


Thanks - is that a long nosed' vice grip?

Nice looking hardtail bobber off-road bike.....first one I have seen!



OK.....Here is my normal oil drain plug speech.

The drain plug should only be "snug"....not tightened down with both hands.  The plug only needs to be tight enough to seal, it does not hold the engine into the frame.  Tighten it with a single hand and don't really crank down on it.....and I have gotten rid of all my 12 point wrenches and sockets and I only use 6 point tools anymore.

If you fail to get it out any other way, you can try cutting, filling or grinding some flats on the head so the vice grips can get a better bite - or take it to someone with a welder and weld a nut or old socket onto the plug to get it out.

Thanks guys.

When I am in a position to fit the new plug I will certainly follow your advice! Am just on my way out to get my hands on some long nose vice grips.

And Dave - yes I'm sure this really is the first RYCA you have ever seen!  

Volume? Not certain.
A coupla flat spots filed, ground, however. Give those grips something to grip.

Cheers . I just wanted to make sure I had enough oil. I will put in 1.8 litres, (including ZDDP additive), and will then top up using the oil check window as necessary, (once I have the oil plug removed!).