oil drain plug

[marzzy]

I am looking for the oil drain plug. I see nothing on the bottom. There is a bolt on the side but I am thinking it is so high up not all the oil will drain out. Also. Is there a compartment to put my registration into??

[music man]

go to this thread and download the service manual to find the drain plug viewtopic.php?f=3&t=27 (http://www.gz250bike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=27).


And there is a compartment under the seat, it locks with a key, that is where my registration is, along with as many tools as i could cram in there (which is alot more than you think)

[patrick_777]

While you're getting the service manual, download the Owner's Manual and read it thoroughly. You'll learn more from there than you think.

[adrianinflorida]

While you're getting the service manual, download the Owner's Manual and read it thoroughly. You'll learn more from there than you think.
His owner's manual may very well be in his as yet undiscovered underseat compartment.

:)

[marzzy]

Thank you all for your replys. As for a compartment under the seat, that is the first place I checked but there is nothing at all under the seat. My gz250 is 1999. I wonder if it is missing? Perhaps I shall tape the registration onto the underside of the seat. Service manual next to find the "real" drain plug.

[patrick_777]

Can you actually see the fuse box? If so, then the box may be missing. You might want to go to somewhere cheap (a dollar store for instance) and pick up a kid's pencil box from the school supplies aisle and velcro or in other ways attach it in there. Don't forget to keep any papers in a ziplock though.

It's also a good idea to keep a copy on your person when you ride as well...preferably with an emergency contact information sheet. In a crash, motorcycles are not always left in one piece conveniently placed right beside their riders.

[GZ250]

here is a picture of the drain hole and as you can see it has a special metal area with a slight depression and it is directly behind and underneath (difficult to see). there is a nut slightly above that is easily visible. either put a mirror or lie down and carefully slide your head down to see that nut. in the other picture i have put an arrow. at that location if you slide you hand and try to touch the nut with your fingure you will feel it. the tools are also visible in the picture that make the job easier, i do not need anyone else to hold or tilt the motorcycle. use a pan to drain oil, lot of oil comes out of the filter area and after the bulk of the oil had drained out i put a ball of paper towel in the filter area so that oil does not spill on the floor and tilt the motorcycle on this side to remove as much as possible the old oil from the drain hole and i see some oil coming out.

Rotella T is a different story. today for the first time i used rotella T and i really feel the difference in gear shifting and smoothness. may be just because it is fresh oil, will tell more about the difference after some miles.

Thanks






http://www.postimage.org/aV2xTXM0.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV2xTXM0)

http://www.postimage.org/Pq2DdU0J.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Pq2DdU0J)

[marzzy]

Hello again commrades! I put a mirror under the motorcycle and found the the drain plug. I found the appropriate socket with an extension and tried as hard as I could to loosen it. I have also sprayed liquid wrench onto it and is not yet working either. The problem seems to be that the plug is so shallow that the socket keeps jumping off of it
(17mm). I stopped at the local motorcycle shop this morning and they told me $75.00 for an oil change.yikes! Why??? Any suggestions?
:??:

[Water Warrior 2]

Gotta ask the obvious. Are you trying to turn the drain plug the right way. It isn't too hard to get turned around when you are almost standing on your head.

[music man]

75 BUCKS for an oil change, Holy Rip Off Batman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop: :jawdrop:

[marzzy]

I thought about the fact that I may be turning the wrong way, but I looked at it straight up while laying on my back thinking "lefty lucy" then when I put the socket onto it I continued that direction. Like I said the drain plug is frozen stuck and a very shallow plug so the socket constantly jumps off. I gave up after about 30min and bandaged my bleeding fingers. By the way, I live in So. Cal. I should have become a motorcycle mechianic. Labor is $70.00 per hr.

[music man]

. By the way, I live in So. Cal. I should have become a motorcycle mechianic. Labor is $70.00 per hr.


I don't recall right off the top of my head which way to turn that plug but when it is upside down like that, lefty loosy righty tighty doesn't always apply, there is the upside down factor, and reverse thread (I HATE that shit) factor.

And that is probably how much the Suzi shop here charges per hour too, but a damn oil change don't take an hour, it damn sure better not take a motorcycle mechanic an hour with his fancy lifts and all that. One more thing, that drain plug gets stripped easy because of the whole socket slipping off thing, it probably has nothing to do with it being "froze" on there.

[marzzy]

I did try both directions to no avail. This bike runs very nicely . It is 1999 with 1550 miles on it...it is probably the original oil the motorcycle came with. It was stored indoors, but about 8 miles from the ocean. I guess I could take it to the shop to just get the oil plug and and filter plugs loosened. How much could that cost? $100 It is just terrible going into these places . They seem to take advantage of the fact that I am female. That is prcisely why I started to change the oil in my cars myself..No trouble since then and quite easy.

[music man]

They seem to take advantage of the fact that I am female.


Ah now we are getting to the root of the problem, yea most mechanics see a woman coming they see $$$$, bloodsuckin' pricks.

[patrick_777]

Ah now we are getting to the root of the problem, yea most mechanics see a woman coming they see $$$$, bloodsuckin' pricks.

What do you do again, MM? :redflip:

[music man]

[quote="music man":3t2fwuxy] Ah now we are getting to the root of the problem, yea most mechanics see a woman coming they see $$$$, bloodsuckin' pricks.

What do you do again, MM? :redflip:[/quote:3t2fwuxy]



:owned: :poke2:

[GZ250]

in the earlier post on the picture i have showed the direction to open the nut, as the place is tricky and low so you have to keep the socket and lever really straight otherwise it would surely slip. no offence, ask any male to help you. this nut might be over-tight.

[Easy Rider]

Like I said the drain plug is frozen stuck and a very shallow plug so the socket constantly jumps off.

This has been discussed here before but might be hard to find..................
The problem IS that the head of the drain bolt is THIN for some stupid reason. To make matters worse, most sockets are tapered slightly INSIDE the socket to make it easier to get on a bolt "by feel".

So....there are 2 solutions: A box wrench, 6 sided not 12 OR take your socket to the SIDE of a grinder wheel and grind it down until the taper is gone. Had I kept my GZ, I was going to look for an equivalent bolt with a fatter head.

P.S. Be sure to use a crush washer if you end up doing it yourself. Not having one on there now may be a large part of the problem.

[marzzy]

I am basically retired.
at this point I think I have basically chewed up the the interior of 2 sockets. I can't understand the mentality of having that bolt so shallow. Repalcement is in order if I ever get it off, but first things first. Unfortuately most men I know Have absolutely no idea what a socket wrench is. I won't be riding until I can get this plug off and the oil changed.

[adrianinflorida]

The only option, if the drain plug will absolutely not come out, is to remove the entire drain "pan". The round part that the plug screws into. You should be able to get the plug out with a box wrench, like Easy mentioned, or even a good pair of channel lock pliers.

[marzzy]

I did notice the drain pan removal but there is so much other stuff in the way to get a socket onto them. I cannot get clearance to use a box wrench or channel locks. That is why you need the extension on the socket wrench.

[GZ250]

there is another way to loosen the nuts if oil does not work, use a hammer to tap the bolt from down and from the sides but you have to be careful not to hit hard and do not break any thing. do this a couple of times and it will free loosethe bolt to some extent and one last try would work. i do this even with bottle caps when they get tight if some kind of salt based solution is stored in a bottle (from my lab experience).

[GZ250]

Get to know your tools. click the Tool school :)

http://built2build.com/home_page.asp

[marzzy]

I did hit the plug all around after applying liquid wrench...
I would like to take a torch to it but I am afraid of blowing myself up.

[Easy Rider]

I cannot get clearance to use a box wrench or channel locks. That is why you need the extension on the socket wrench.

That's rather odd. I changed mine twice, using a box wrench both times; it WAS tight but do-able.
Did you catch my earlier post about squaring off the sholder on a 6-point socket? That should work too.

[adrianinflorida]

I cannot get clearance to use a box wrench or channel locks. That is why you need the extension on the socket wrench.

That's rather odd. I changed mine twice, using a box wrench both times; it WAS tight but do-able.
Did you catch my earlier post about squaring off the sholder on a 6-point socket? That should work too.
IIRC, You should be able to get a wrench in between the exhaust pipe and bottom of the engine, I did that when my drain plug was a bit too tight when I first got the bike.

[marzzy]

Hello again, yes I took the socket to the bench grinder and ground off the beveled edge...still no luck.
I give up

[music man]

Hello again, yes I took the socket to the bench grinder and ground off the beveled edge...still no luck.
I give up


Just turn your bike upside down and let it all drain out that way :lol: .

[marzzy]

I thought about opening up the oil filter area and laying the bike down on a slight slope!
any other good ideas???

[adrianinflorida]

I thought about opening up the oil filter area and laying the bike down on a slight slope!
any other good ideas???The plug below the filter on the side of the engine (Forward of the sight glass) will help drain some of the oil, maybe you could syringe the rest out with some tubing in that hole.

[Easy Rider]

I thought about opening up the oil filter area and laying the bike down on a slight slope!
any other good ideas???

I wouldn't exactly call THAT a good idea. :shocked:

Yes, visit your dealer and have them break the bolt loose.....or just let them change the oil once and specify that you want a NEW drain bolt BEFORE you take it in so they can have it on hand. And next time use a flattened 6 point socket and you should be fine. :tup:

[primal]

You know, I never had a problem with keeping the socket on the bolt. Are you sure you aren't going at it cockeyed?

I went to the local Advance Auto and bought this: http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp ... RP2078____ (http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_RATCHET-DR-OFFSET-1-4%22-Ampro_9010000-P_N3416_T|GRP2078____)

Works like a charm, and its small enough to throw under the seat for the road.

[marzzy]

If I don not have the socket exactly "right on" it will no torgue at all...just slip off right away. I like the "offset ratchet except that it is 1/4". I think I will stop by at a not so local honda/susuki dealership and speak with someone in the service department....I like the idea of ordering a new oil plug!!!! I am eventhinking about ordering the whole thing.....(((oil pan /bolt)) then I would have everything on hand for them.
Everyone of you has been great!

[music man]

If I don not have the socket exactly "right on" it will no torgue at all...just slip off right away. I like the "offset ratchet except that it is 1/4". I think I will stop by at a not so local honda/susuki dealership and speak with someone in the service department....I like the idea of ordering a new oil plug!!!! I am eventhinking about ordering the whole thing.....(((oil pan /bolt)) then I would have everything on hand for them.
Everyone of you has been great!



Since it is already all messed up, you could use a pair of vice grips on it, just lock them on real tight and turn it, then put in a new oil plug, i would do that before I spent all that money on it, because like i said, you have already gotten to the point of replacing it anyways, so you have nothing to lose at this point.

[marzzy]

Unless they are offset visegrips I cannot get clamped onto it. I am sure to try clip on vertically is useless and stupid as that plug must be 1/8" or less in height.