please help me with simple machining ques

[canadanick]

Hello I have a question and found this website I hope im asking an appropriate question. I need to try and make the mating surfaces of an oil drain plug meet true with the aluminum block on my atv. I was changing oil in my quad and tightened the drain plug up too tight and cracked the block whoops. I took the quad to a local welding shop and had them weld it up but now where the plug meets the block there must be a slight high spot and it is still leaking oil a little bit. There is not much room to use a file so i cant see this working. People have suggested using a die grinder but have no idea how to be that precise with one. There is a small copper washer on the plug. Is it possible to replace it with a rubber, plastic or fiber washer or will the plug work its way out when heating and cooling. Please help as new block will cost me 2000 $

[nervis1]

If it is leaking because of stripped threads how about re-coil / helicoil?

Most auto parts stores sell a replacement drain plug that looks like a rubber wine cork with a compression fitting built in, squashes the rubber for a friction fit, cost is like 4 bucks so that may be worth a look as a low cost attempt. I used one of these on a street bike to get it to the dealer after I did the same thing to a street bike a few years back. Luckily I just had to replace the oil pan.

[vladdy]

Easiest, and possibly the crudest way, to make the mating surface on the bottom of the block flush, is..
get a bolt that fits in the drain hole, aand about an extra inch or so longer,
get a nut that is larger than the bolt so it 'spins' without too much slop,
take a hacksaw and cut 'slots' the top face of the nut,
thread the bolt and nut up snug, and use a wrench to turn the nut,
while gradually snugging up the bolt..


the slots cut into the nut will remove 'small' amounts of metal every time you turn the nut, and will reduce the 'high' or uneven spots

cheap and nasty, and 15 minutes of backyard mechanic work..

enjoy..

[jphagen]

Wow! What a good idea..