srx4 oil change

[turpitz64]

hi in the srx6 workshop manual it says that when draining engine oil to undo nut on oil tank and on the crankase ...I located the crankase oil drainage nut on my srx4 as described in the manual but it wouldnt budge.  Has anyone else had this problem or do they not bother draining the crankase oil, or is it only specific for the srx6 ? I hope this made sense..

[Martin Giddings]

hi in the srx6 workshop manual it says that when draining engine oil to undo nut on oil tank and on the crankase ...I located the crankase oil drainage nut on my srx4 as described in the manual but it wouldnt budge.  Has anyone else had this problem or do they not bother draining the crankase oil, or is it only specific for the srx6 ? I hope this made sense..

There is no point changing the oil without emptying the crankcase as this is where all the damaging particals will settle if not picked up by a filter. Have you tried lengthening the tool you have used to get more pressure? You may find it is just tight. A breaker bar is ideal but I have used two spanners (connected ring end to open end) when nothing else was available.

Always tighten bolts slightly before undoing them this will help prevent snapping bolts/threads that may be welded by corrosion. A snapped bolt makes a simple job a nightmare.

Check there is no sealent around the plug, this may have been used if the O ring was worn, and would act as a glue. It will come undone but be gentle. Good luck.   

[turpitz64]

hey thanks for the advice martin...just as you said lengthening the socket bar sorted it out....again many thanks

[guest295]

When I was working for Honda, I was told to always whack the drain plug with a hammer before removing it. That breaks the bond between the threads. If the drain plug hex got rounded off and there were no hammer marks on its surface I had to pay for a new one.

[turpitz64]

there seems to be small amount of oil weeping past the drain plug now...wishing i had replaced the washer!!!!!!!!! this might seem a really silly question ..but will any sort of washer of similar size do the job?

[themoudie]

Aye turpitz64,

Depends what the washer you have, is made from.

Soft aluminium washers eventually deform and won't seal, so a light smear of a quality gasket 'goop' on the base threads of the drain plug and inner surface of the soft washer after cleaning, may extend its working life and ensure the plug stays put. [Torque 30ft/lbs or 30Nm]

If you have copper washers, they should be annealed (softened, all the atoms aligned the same way) before re-fitting. Heat to a cherry red all over then quench by dropping in cold water. You may still care to apply the goop and do apply the same torque when tightening. The same procedure can be applied to aluminium but you maybe left with a 'blob' of molten metal quicker than you expected!

Steel washers won't do the same job as they are too hard. I have never used fibre washers for this job, but others may have found them satisfactory.

Enjoy the wee beastie!

Regards, Bill.

[turpitz64]

excellent advice all round many thanks everyone

[Steve Lake]

and.....if you want to replace the washer, without losing a whole load of new oil, then lay the bike over on it's right side as far as you can (a friend comes in handy here, to hold the bike) this'll stop any oil coming out when you remove the plug. I obtained copper washers from my local engineering supplies company, these seem to do the trick.