I am barely believing this, just reassembling after tappet clearance adjust, and I have been trying to finagle the timing cover bolt on for about 3 hours all up. That's the bolt that you remove to turn the engine.

No matter how carefully and gently I try to screw it in while keeping it square it immediately wants to go on cross threaded. When that happens I don't force it, as soon as I feel some resistance I back off and try again. I've been able to hold it square and keep gently turning it but it behaves as if it is reverse threaded, that is then screwed on the right way it just won't bite, when it does bite I can see that it's in at an angle and cross threaded.

Spent about two hours yesterday and thought I'd try it fresh today, with no luck. The threads on the bolt look fine, the threads on the stator cover look fine, I've brushed both out with a toothbrush but I'm stumped.

Is there some trick, has anyone else encountered this? I've not had any problem the previous few times with this bolt. Not sure what to do here.

Oh and I also dropped the speedo seal down the starter black hole, but this is the least of my problems at the moment. Update, just discovered how easy it is to get the starter motor off, thanks to this forum, what a lifesaver, so that's fixed.

All I need to do is get this friggen timing bolt back in and I'm out of ideas.

OK thanks, yeah the bolt is fine so if there's a problem it must be on the stator cover. But I don't understand how as I just screw it in by hand and you can't get much torque on it as you can only hold it by the edge. I ran a pointy tool around the female threads but it didn't help.

Rotate it CCW until the start thread drops into place. Then, gently start with the CW direction

You can eyeball the male threads on the plug. If it's dinged and distorted, a small triangle file should solve that.
Eyeball the female threads in the case. Surely you haven't dinged that, but, if you don't see a problem with the threads on the plug, where else can IT be?
The o-ring is seated flush?
The CCW till it falls in place start is something I use on some things. Just because it didn't work out doesn't mean it's not your best bet.

The start thread is a Make or Break thing. You're describing a problem that could easily be nothing but a slight deformation of the very last thread on the End of the plug.

thanks everyone. The male plug threads are definitely perfect. I tried to get some macro close up shots with my iPod but I'd have to have the bike up on a ramp to be able to photograph the female threads all the way around!. Just sent the gf up to the bike shop with the hole covered with some cardboard and taped up. Maybe I'll just keep the cap and get a new bike to fit.

eau de sauvage wrote on 06/18/17 at 17:46:16:



Good idea! I'll take the old one off your hands. I won't even charge you too pick it up