Lost crankcase coolant drain plug.

1440 Views 43 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Buddy, 9 mo ago

MMMotorcycle

Discussion Starter · 9 mo ago

Hi guys,
I’m pretty worried here and I’m hoping you all can help me out. So a couple of weeks ago I noticed my coolant reserve tank was very low. It has stayed constant at the full mark since I’ve had the bike.
I filled it up and went for a medium length ride. I smelled coolant the whole ride. When I got back home same thing. low level.
I changed the thermostat, and the radiator cap hoping the lost coolant was from the cap. Filled ip the reserve, checked the level in the radiator and went on another ride. Still smelled radiator fluid.
The next day I drained some oil to check for coolant in the oil, and it was clean. Next I was going to check the coolant for oil and looked for the drain plug on the crankcase pan and it was long gone.
No idea when it happened but at no point did the bike even approach overheating.
Today I drained and flushed the radiator and which was full.
While flushing, water only drained from the radiator drain plug and not from the crankcase.
How screwed am I? I’m supposed to receive a new plug and crush washer in the post today and have no idea how to proceed.

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21 - 40 of 44 Posts

Knifemaker

· #21 · 9 mo ago

It’s fairly important now given the age of these bikes to have at least one service manual if you own a Vulcan 700/750. (I’ve got one on a CD somewhere)
That and an owners manual. You can download the service manual here:

www.mediafire.com

VN750_Vulcan_Service_Manual_Parts_Catalogue

MediaFire is a simple to use free service that lets you put all your photos, documents, music, and video in a single place so you can access them anywhere and share them everywhere.

www.mediafire.com

Many times it will be referenced here, especially for photos of specific parts. I don’t mean to offend, but I suggest you learn to use one and not rely on others to do the work for you. 😉

Reactions: 1

mmart

· #22 · 9 mo ago (Edited)

OminousDarkness said:
I wouldn't even know what to look for. Or which section. It's much easier just to ask someone here.

I have to disagree with that approach. I’ve been on the forum about 3 1/2 years and I still consider myself “green” but I’m OCD about asking questions that I can find out about myself.
If my father heard you say “it’s easier…” he go on a tangent lol.
I feel like this is a forum rather than a help desk, and although there’s some resident experts here I still don’t think it’s their job to help me.
I’m not trying to give you a hard time, just throwing a few jabs think of it as teaching a man to fish vs giving him a fish to eat.

O' Darkness

· #23 · 9 mo ago

Knifemaker said:
It’s fairly important now given the age of these bikes to have at least one service manual if you own a Vulcan 700/750. (I’ve got one on a CD somewhere)
That and an owners manual. You can download the service manual here:

VN750_Vulcan_Service_Manual_Parts_Catalogue

MediaFire is a simple to use free service that lets you put all your photos, documents, music, and video in a single place so you can access them anywhere and share them everywhere.

www.mediafire.com

Many times it will be referenced here, especially for photos of specific parts. I don’t mean to offend, but I suggest you learn to use one and not rely on others to do the work for you. 😉

I do have both, and I've read through them. (By the way, I don't get easily offended.)

However, I have no clue what I'm even supposed to look for. I changed my coolant and flushed the radiator months ago, and I don't recall anything in the manual about a hole in the crankcase where coolant will eject spontaneously. Otherwise, I wouldn't have asked the question to begin with.
But thanks, I've got it figured out now.

O' Darkness

· #24 · 9 mo ago

mmart said:
I have to disagree with that approach. I’ve been on the forum about 3 1/2 years and I still consider myself “green” but I’m OCD about asking questions that I can find out about myself.
If my father heard you say “it’s easier…” he go on a tangent lol.
I feel like this is a forum rather than a help desk, and although there’s some resident experts here I still don’t think it’s their job to help me.
I’m not trying to give you a hard time, just throwing a few jabs think of it as teaching a man to fish vs giving him a fish to eat.

Nah, it's all good. I just posted a comment where I pointed out that I wouldn't even know where to begin to look in the manual for this hole thats being discussed.

It's a simpler to ask where the hole is than to leaf through a manual for an hour trying to figure it out.

mmart

· #25 · 9 mo ago

As I mentioned “section 3 Cooling System” then sub section 3-7 for flushing the system.

Spockster

· #26 · 9 mo ago

You can learn a lot just reading repair manuals, even if it's for something you don't own. I started doing that when I was a kid. By the time I got my first car at 15, I was swapping engines and transmissions.

Never owned a Rambler or Studebaker but I know about trunions.

That hole doesn't randomly eject antifreeze, it's a drain with a drain plug. It's there to get sediment out of the water pump.

O' Darkness

· #27 · 9 mo ago

mmart said:
As I mentioned “section 3 Cooling System” then sub section 3-7 for flushing the system.

Yeah, thanks for that, but by then I'd already followed Spockster's tip and found it.
Additionally, I don't ask these questions just for myself. If someone else were to stumble across this post, it might be incredibly helpful to them to have a quick reference point to understand exactly what the conversation is about.

This is no different than when I had asked which type of oil I should use, or which tires were appropriate. I'm not going to dig through the manual to find that info. I'd rather see the responses from the people here who know the information, AND can be trusted, whereas that manual has been notoriously wrong in the past.

O' Darkness

· #28 · 9 mo ago

Spockster said:
You can learn a lot just reading repair manuals, even if it's for something you don't own. I started doing that when I was a kid. By the time I got my first car at 15, I was swapping engines and transmissions.

Never owned a Rambler or Studebaker but I know about trunions.

That hole doesn't randomly eject antifreeze, it's a drain with a drain plug. It's there to get sediment out of the water pump.

With all due respect, Spockster, I don't have the patience for reading repair manuals. If I want to learn about something, I'll usually try to find a YouTube video, or I'll seek out the information from other people. I learn much better by seeing something versus reading about it.
I cannot be trusted to assemble furniture. That's just how I am.

I flew radio controlled helicopters for well over a decade, and I can't recall ever looking at a manual when I needed to make adjustments or repairs. I became an expert at the intricate mechanics of helicopters without ever reading a single manual. I learned everything from other RC helicopter enthusiasts that eagerly offered assistance or advice when asked.

Spockster

· #29 · 9 mo ago

OminousDarkness said:
With all due respect, Spockster, I don't have the patience for reading repair manuals. If I want to learn about something, I'll usually try to find a YouTube video, or I'll seek out the information from other people. I learn much better by seeing something versus reading about it.
I cannot be trusted to assemble furniture. That's just how I am.

I flew radio controlled helicopters for well over a decade, and I can't recall ever looking at a manual when I needed to make adjustments or repairs. I became an expert at the intricate mechanics of helicopters without ever reading a single manual. I learned everything from other RC helicopter enthusiasts that eagerly offered assistance or advice when asked.

But you don't know what you're missing.

Info in manuals can be priceless. You can miss out on important info by ignoring the manuals.

For instance, had I not read the manual, I wouldn't have known that the throttle on a piece of equipment was set at the factory to not go to full throttle. On a machine that's supposed to run full throttle. After the break-in period it's up to the owner to reset the throttle, or forever flounder on low power.

Many times I've found features that I wouldn't have known without the manual.

There's an acronym... RTFM... READ THE FRIKKEN MANUAL.

I've seen plenty of errors in YouTube videos, as well as manuals, but I still read the manual.

O' Darkness

· #30 · 9 mo ago

Spockster said:
But you don't know what you're missing.

Info in manuals can be priceless. You can miss out on important info by ignoring the manuals.

For instance, had I not read the manual, I wouldn't have known that the throttle on a piece of equipment was set at the factory to not go to full throttle. On a machine that's supposed to run full throttle. After the break-in period it's up to the owner to reset the throttle, or forever flounder on low power.

Many times I've found features that I wouldn't have known without the manual.

There's an acronym... RTFM... READ THE FRIKKEN MANUAL.

I've seen plenty of errors in YouTube videos, as well as manuals, but I still read the manual.

BUT I DON'T WANNA READ THE MANUAL!!! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!
😭

Reactions: 1

mmart

· #31 · 9 mo ago

This is when you embrace Acrobat and it’s search capability. I hate manuals, can’t lie. I’m in tech I’ve seen more manuals than I care too. But if I can’t locate a stock part on a manufacturers diagram than they have the issue not I.

O' Darkness

· #32 · 9 mo ago

mmart said:
This is when you embrace Acrobat and it’s search capability. I hate manuals, can’t lie. I’m in tech I’ve seen more manuals than I care too. But if I can’t locate a stock part on a manufacturers diagram than they have the issue not I.

So, not to go into too much detail, but I don't use any software that isn't created specifically for Linux.

I abandoned for-profit operating systems and software about 5 years ago, and haven't regretted it. I'm also using a custom open-sourced version of Android on my phone. It's great never getting virus, malware, spyware, ads or glitches. Adobe is one of the worst offenders, and that's why I don't have (nor would I use) Acrobat.

The PDF reader on my laptop works great, and does have search:

Rectangle Organism Font Line Parallel

See less See more

mmart

· #33 · 9 mo ago

For transparency’s sake, I actually view pdf’s on my phone (iPhone ) and MacBook in Dropbox. Acrobat was just an example because it’s well known.
I didn’t realize it was a “trigger” word for you lol.
At an earlier point in my technical career I may have engaged in a well versed conversation on such a subject, but the dazzle of SW and tech has faded for me. I just use what works for whatever I need.
ANYWAY….. how’d you get locked on that detail? You said you didn’t want to read the manual. I’m saying in todays world use the search function.

So with all that said did the OP ever get squared away? We’ve really been meandering as a whole of late.

Green1

· #34 · 9 mo ago

Most every manual will have a Table of Contents, Index and sometimes +a Glossary. That is where I start. Seeking the opinion of others on equipment or asking for an idea that may help in solving a problem is not the same as just asking "what tire do I buy?" As I mentioned in one of my posts in this train wreck, I also forgot about the drain bolt/plug. I actually looked for it in my Clymers Index under Cooling System and while the glossary indicated information starting on around page 347, looking on page 347 "system check' led me to Chapter 3 and the rest of the information provided above already.
Reading the books can help me solve other problems when they pop up as it helps familiarize me with how the machine is built.

I really don't like E books though. Grease and antifreeze mess up my key board.

Green1

· #35 · 9 mo ago

I had a cockroack get in a shop manual once and I got rid of it by closing the book really hard. No viruses though. Paper books rule.

Buddy

· #36 · 9 mo ago

I have always used engine ice and I have had good luck with bike never overheats. I change it about every 4 years I flush it out and pour a mixture of half vinegar and half distilled water I run the bike till it’s hot let it cool down a bit drained everything out including the crankcase as well as the cylinders both on either side I flushed it runs clean I flushed with distilled water and then slowly add the engine ice so I don’t introduce any air bubbles never had a problem with it

Spockster

· #37 · 9 mo ago

If anyone has to deal with Dexcool sludge, I found out vinegar won't dissolve it.

Cascade dishwasher powder does work, just need to dissolve it in some water before putting it in the radiator. I drove a couple of hours with Cascade and water, then flushed.

I did the same thing with the white vinegar and a week later the heater core was clogged with a huge clot of dexcool mud.

Vinegar is great for a lot of cleaning, I use it a lot, it just can't cut the dex mud. Vinegar is also great for soaking carbs

MMMotorcycle

Discussion Starter · #38 · 9 mo ago

Spockster said:
If anyone has to deal with Dexcool sludge, I found out vinegar won't dissolve it.

Cascade dishwasher powder does work, just need to dissolve it in some water before putting it in the radiator. I drove a couple of hours with Cascade and water, then flushed.

I did the same thing with the white vinegar and a week later the heater core was clogged with a huge clot of dexcool mud.

Vinegar is great for a lot of cleaning, I use it a lot, it just can't cut the dex mud. Vinegar is also great for soaking carbs

Man I feel like I dodged one. I found the right size bolt and flushed it again, it was all nice and clean. Pressure test was good. No rust, no sludge. Went on a decent ride and everything was fine. Temp was perfect the whole way. I was imagining bad things.
Manuals are your friend, as are these forums when there is no answer to be found after days of hand wringing.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Reactions: 1

Spockster

· #39 · 9 mo ago

MMMotorcycle said:
Man I feel like I dodged one. I found the right size bolt and flushed it again, it was all nice and clean. Pressure test was good. No rust, no sludge. Went on a decent ride and everything was fine. Temp was perfect the whole way. I was imagining bad things.
Manuals are your friend, as are these forums when there is no answer to be found after days of hand wringing.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Was it the 900 plug that ended up fitting?

MMMotorcycle

Discussion Starter · #40 · 9 mo ago

Spockster said:
Was it the 900 plug that ended up fitting?

I didn’t end up buying it because a friend of mine found a fit in his bolt stash. I tried every bolt that I have that looked close to no avail.

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