Oil drainplugs shouldn't fall out right?

Val · 07-27-2009, 10:37 PM

My bike is just over a year old (2007 Model, new out of the box in 2008). I took it in for its 1000 km service last year then 2 weeks ago at 6000 km. I've never had a problem with it.

After riding about 300 km after the oil change, the oil drain plug fell out and the bike started dripping oil. I was about 1/2 km before a nearly 90 degree curve. Not knowing I was driving on an oily tire, I slowed and started through the curve and needless to say the bike did a nice 3 point slide on the left handlebar, footpeg and rear turn indicator. I continued onto the gravel shoulder. I stood up right away, hubby came back, neighbourhood residents came out. No more damage on me than on the bike. Hubby followed the oil drippings back to where they started and retrieved the oil plug from the side of the road, replaced it, tightened it, filled it up again thanks to a resident and cleaned off the back tire with cleaner, and we continued on to lunch.

Next day I talked to the shop owner, who said that his mechanic couldn't have left it untightened because all of the oil would have been pushed out right away due to the extreme pressure. ?So I rode it for that long and it spontaneously loosenned and popped out?

Any ideas? :??: Can something else have caused this, other than the plug not having been tightened properly after the oil change. (I don't have enemies, and my kids and hubby are NOT after the insurance money, so I don't think it was sabbotaged.)

Thanks

Easy Rider · 07-27-2009, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Val

Next day I talked to the shop owner, who said that his mechanic couldn't have left it untightened because all of the oil would have been pushed out right away due to the extreme pressure. ?

Bald face lie. There is NO pressure in the bottom of the oil sump.......and properly tightened, they do NOT just come loose on their own.

At the very least, find another shop. I'd be tempted to inform the incompetent asses that I was doing it too.

What kind of oil did you put back in it? The wrong kind can be bad for the clutch.

Val · 07-27-2009, 11:26 PM

Hubby did it, but I think 10W30 which is going to be changed out tomorrow when he picks it up after work. I had a good read on this forum about oil and oil changes.

Water Warrior 2 · 07-28-2009, 03:55 AM

Glad to hear you and the bike did not suffer much damage/injuries. Sounds like some one was in a hurry to finish the oil change. I did the same hurry up procedure on my Vstrom a while ago. Plug was finger tight only and I just had a brain fart and neglected to check after all was said and done. 2 weeks later I noticed a small puddle under the bike where it was parked. I was very lucky to catch it before disaster struck. Chalk up another point for my Guardian Angel.

patrick_777 · 07-28-2009, 06:30 AM

I totally agree with Easy here. That mechanic was trying to cover his ass and keep you from suing for damages. The plug worked out because it wasn't tightened properly and that's what caused your accident.

I might be unprovable, but I'd DEFINITELY take my business elsewhere, and DEFINITELY let them know about it.

mrlmd1 · 07-28-2009, 09:20 AM

If there was any damage at all to the bike, to your clothes, or to you, I would ask them to pay for it, and the cost of the oil replacement(s).
Ask them nicely and tell them your lawyer will be getting it from them if it's not volunteered.
There's no reason you should bear the brunt of that and you could have been seriously injured because of someone's negligence.
You can remind the shop it will cost them less in money and time and aggravation to compensate you than it will to pay their lawyer, your lawyer's fees, and the court costs when they lose the suit and have to pay you anyway.. Or you could just take them to small claims court if you have those up there.

Val · 07-28-2009, 11:23 AM

Windsor is not that big, and there just aren't that many Bike sales and service businesses here. Word of mouth can go a long way here. My husband and I ride with Southern Cruisers, and on the forum, I haven't yet named the business, waiting to see if integrity and fairplay will balance the mechanic error. I would love to report that I was fairly and respectfully treated, and am giving the guy a chance to think about this, so we'll see today if he's thought about things any differently.

I still won't go back there again, though.

bonehead · 07-28-2009, 11:53 AM

Being a mechanic, I know "things" happen, but a loose drain plug is a ROOKIE mistake. It should have been caught!!!

music man · 07-29-2009, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bonehead

Being a mechanic, I know "things" happen, but a loose drain plug is a ROOKIE mistake. It should have been caught!!!

I agree, I have done all kinds of "Oops" kind of things working on small engines, but something that could cause catastrophic damage like that, NEVER. And If I did do something like not put oil back in a mower or leave the drain plug loose and all the oil drained out, and say it burned up the engine, I guarantee you the people that owned it wouldn't have to ask for a new engine, they would just automatically be told to bring it back in so we could put a new one on...... and then I wouldn't get a paycheck for a couple of weeks, if at all.

mrlmd1 · 07-29-2009, 10:45 AM

I had that happen to me with a year or two old BMW 535i that I brought into a very respected dealership for routine service. Part of it included "changing all fluids", like that in the rear differential. The only problem was that after I picked up the car and drove less than 5 miles towards home, there was a lot of smoke coming out of the rear, then an awful grinding noise coming from the rear, then the car just suddenly and literally ground to a stop. When I got out to look at the rear end, the smoke was coming from a small amount or oil dripping on the muffler and pipes. When the car was flatbedded back to the dealer and they put it up on the lift they found out that the drain plug of the differential was not there, there was no oil in it, and it had burned up and seized. They found the plug actually sitting on the lift where the mechanic placed it after he took it out. Needless to say, they fixed this real quick, gave me a loaner car, profusely apologized, and promptly billed BMW of North America for a new differential, labor, etc, (maybe $25-2600 back then) saying to them it was faulty and under warranty. So sometimes even reputable people screw up but that justifies nothing.

07-27-2009, 10:37 PM	#1
Val Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Windsor, Ontario Posts: 13	Oil drainplugs shouldn't fall out right? My bike is just over a year old (2007 Model, new out of the box in 2008). I took it in for its 1000 km service last year then 2 weeks ago at 6000 km. I've never had a problem with it. After riding about 300 km after the oil change, the oil drain plug fell out and the bike started dripping oil. I was about 1/2 km before a nearly 90 degree curve. Not knowing I was driving on an oily tire, I slowed and started through the curve and needless to say the bike did a nice 3 point slide on the left handlebar, footpeg and rear turn indicator. I continued onto the gravel shoulder. I stood up right away, hubby came back, neighbourhood residents came out. No more damage on me than on the bike. Hubby followed the oil drippings back to where they started and retrieved the oil plug from the side of the road, replaced it, tightened it, filled it up again thanks to a resident and cleaned off the back tire with cleaner, and we continued on to lunch. Next day I talked to the shop owner, who said that his mechanic couldn't have left it untightened because all of the oil would have been pushed out right away due to the extreme pressure. ?So I rode it for that long and it spontaneously loosenned and popped out? Any ideas? :??: Can something else have caused this, other than the plug not having been tightened properly after the oil change. (I don't have enemies, and my kids and hubby are NOT after the insurance money, so I don't think it was sabbotaged.) Thanks Login or Register to Remove Ads
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07-27-2009, 11:26 PM	#3
Val Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Windsor, Ontario Posts: 13	Re: Oil drainplugs shouldn't fall out right? Hubby did it, but I think 10W30 which is going to be changed out tomorrow when he picks it up after work. I had a good read on this forum about oil and oil changes. Login or Register to Remove Ads
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07-28-2009, 03:55 AM	#4
Water Warrior 2 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Squamish B.C Canada Posts: 11,409	Re: Oil drainplugs shouldn't fall out right? Glad to hear you and the bike did not suffer much damage/injuries. Sounds like some one was in a hurry to finish the oil change. I did the same hurry up procedure on my Vstrom a while ago. Plug was finger tight only and I just had a brain fart and neglected to check after all was said and done. 2 weeks later I noticed a small puddle under the bike where it was parked. I was very lucky to catch it before disaster struck. Chalk up another point for my Guardian Angel.
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07-28-2009, 06:30 AM	#5
patrick_777 Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 1,763	Re: Oil drainplugs shouldn't fall out right? I totally agree with Easy here. That mechanic was trying to cover his ass and keep you from suing for damages. The plug worked out because it wasn't tightened properly and that's what caused your accident. I might be unprovable, but I'd DEFINITELY take my business elsewhere, and DEFINITELY let them know about it. __________________ ]I am hiding in Honduras. I am a desperate man. Send lawyers, guns and money. The shit has hit the fan. Login or Register to Remove Ads
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07-28-2009, 09:20 AM	#6
mrlmd1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Crawfordville, Florida Posts: 2,853	Re: Oil drainplugs shouldn't fall out right? If there was any damage at all to the bike, to your clothes, or to you, I would ask them to pay for it, and the cost of the oil replacement(s). Ask them nicely and tell them your lawyer will be getting it from them if it's not volunteered. There's no reason you should bear the brunt of that and you could have been seriously injured because of someone's negligence. You can remind the shop it will cost them less in money and time and aggravation to compensate you than it will to pay their lawyer, your lawyer's fees, and the court costs when they lose the suit and have to pay you anyway.. Or you could just take them to small claims court if you have those up there.
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07-28-2009, 11:23 AM	#7
Val Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Windsor, Ontario Posts: 13	Re: Oil drainplugs shouldn't fall out right? Windsor is not that big, and there just aren't that many Bike sales and service businesses here. Word of mouth can go a long way here. My husband and I ride with Southern Cruisers, and on the forum, I haven't yet named the business, waiting to see if integrity and fairplay will balance the mechanic error. I would love to report that I was fairly and respectfully treated, and am giving the guy a chance to think about this, so we'll see today if he's thought about things any differently. I still won't go back there again, though.
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07-28-2009, 11:53 AM	#8
bonehead Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: elgin,tx Posts: 907	Re: Oil drainplugs shouldn't fall out right? Being a mechanic, I know "things" happen, but a loose drain plug is a ROOKIE mistake. It should have been caught!!! __________________ Standing with the PGR until they stand for me.
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07-29-2009, 10:45 AM	#10
mrlmd1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Crawfordville, Florida Posts: 2,853	Re: Oil drainplugs shouldn't fall out right? I had that happen to me with a year or two old BMW 535i that I brought into a very respected dealership for routine service. Part of it included "changing all fluids", like that in the rear differential. The only problem was that after I picked up the car and drove less than 5 miles towards home, there was a lot of smoke coming out of the rear, then an awful grinding noise coming from the rear, then the car just suddenly and literally ground to a stop. When I got out to look at the rear end, the smoke was coming from a small amount or oil dripping on the muffler and pipes. When the car was flatbedded back to the dealer and they put it up on the lift they found out that the drain plug of the differential was not there, there was no oil in it, and it had burned up and seized. They found the plug actually sitting on the lift where the mechanic placed it after he took it out. Needless to say, they fixed this real quick, gave me a loaner car, profusely apologized, and promptly billed BMW of North America for a new differential, labor, etc, (maybe $25-2600 back then) saying to them it was faulty and under warranty. So sometimes even reputable people screw up but that justifies nothing.
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