Quad bike sump repair

[blenkie1]

Had a customer bring a Honda TRX350 quad bike in (got it off e-bay i think) with an oil leak! Somehow someone has managed to strip the sump plug, which can be easy done, but they have also managed to crack the cases beside the sump plug. The sump plug had been bodged in and covered with liberal amounts of bodge. When I got all the bodge off I pulled the plug out with my hands!! There are 2 cracks leading from the sump plug hole and leading off into the cases.

The sump plug will just be helicoiled an easy enough fix but as I have no AC tig, the cracks in the cases are a different matter. Not sure what people think of fixing it with durafix rods. They are not big cracks. Are these up to doing the job? And should I fix the cracks first and then helicoil? I would prefer to tig the cases but he is needing it in a hurry and plus I have the durafix rods already

 

[gordon stephenson]

I have had some good results with Durafix/Thechno weld etc. V it out a bit first, Might be a problem getting the cracks oil free,

 

[Windy Miller]

As Gordon says, Durafix should be fine if you can get the oil out of the cracks. If you decide to use brake cleaner as a degreaser, read up on the dangers. I think there are a couple of threads on here about it. When it gets heated it produces phosgene gas (I think that's what It's called anyhow). SERIOUSLY nasty stuff. Well worth a bit of research before you get it hot!

 

[Tiggy_dorset]

I had a very similar job to do on New Years Eve. A taxi driver took her car in for an oil change, where the garage in question overtightened the plug and cracked the sump. They tried claiming that it had been repaired before and the old weld had given way. My welders eye could easily see that this was not true. They had not used a sealing washer, so I presume overtightened it attempting to create a seal.

Anyhow, clean, clean and clean again. Use oxy/acet or propane to heat the crack and burn off any oil residue (I could see the oil seeping out from the crack during heating) then clean with acetone or similar evapourative cleaner. Then as suggested, cut a 'v' along the crack to allow a guide and decent penetration. I did however use Tig, so cannot comment on the Durafix option. My repair went very well and allowed the taxi driver to fix her car in time for her busiest time of the year.

 

[blenkie1]

Thanks for that I will have a go Sunday and see how it goes. Think I will weld it first and then helicoil in case the heat distorts anything. Not sure how much of a 'v' i will get but i'll give it a go

 

[Shox Dr]

I hope you're are charging him. I find jobs like this just aren't worth the hassle.

 

[gordon stephenson]

the beauty of using Durafix etc is that you are not melting the parent metal, So not making things any worse if things don't go right straight away.

 

[500e]

Do you have sump off, if not be care full about heating with gas.
Had a sump leak around plug boss it was braised in foreman drained sump left for a few hours to drain as much as possible, then proceed to re braise, the flame caught me on the face & neck at15 ft small wo0mph & down the hospital to have burns treated.
All ways boiled alloy in bio washing up powder to remove oil

 

[Tiggy_dorset]

Do you have sump off, if not be care full about heating with gas.
Had a sump leak around plug boss it was braised in foreman drained sump left for a few hours to drain as much as possible, then proceed to re braise, the flame caught me on the face & neck at15 ft small wo0mph & down the hospital to have burns treated.
All ways boiled alloy in bio washing up powder to remove oil

Thats probably a good point. The pics seem to show a vertical split crankcase. The sump I fixed was horizontal and I told her she needed to take it off for me to do the job.
There is also gasket in the pic, close to the sump plug.

 

[blenkie1]

Never thought about the gasket. The main crack is maybe 10-15mm long the worst is that it goes in to the thread. You are right shox dr maybe more hassle than its worth although he did say what ever it costs. Its not a farmer so it will not get the usual abuse they get. His main job is repairing historic buildings (hadrians wall and such like) and its just to get tools and equipment to the work.

Try this first if not its splitting the engine......not keen!

 

[CompoSimmonite]

If you have to split the engine then simply source another, good, casing and save all the hassle. In fact I'd do that anyway seeing it has the potential to be a PIA job and in the end might not work out any dearer.

Paul H