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Oil Plug Flew out

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ChiroRick

Member
A friend of mine helped me work on my bike yesterday...we put on a new derby cover, timer cover, grips, installed the smart siren, and did an oil change.

I took a 50 mile ride today...about 10 miles before I got home, I stopped at a local biker hangout and chilled for about an hour. Got back on the bike, everything looked good. Got to my house, shut off the bike, and oil was spewing out of the bottom of my bike...the oil drain plug was gone! There was a trail of oil about a block or so long...so it must have finally came out as I got home. Bike ran fine...no problems the whole ride. Oil light never came on. Going to run by the dealer tomorrow and get a new drain plug.

I have two questions...
1: what is the best way to get the oil off the bike?
2: should I be worried about any damage? (It looked like about 2 or more quarts poured out when I shut the bike off in my driveway, so I'm thinking everything should be fine.)
 
Wow...guessing the oil plug didn't get tightened - good thing it didn't shake loose @ freeway speeds then this could've been catastrophic. I'd say, if no oil light @ low speed, you're motor's fine. Best way to get oil off is hot water w/dish soap. Douse everything well & suds it up - should rinse away.
 
It was easier to see the oil trail with my high beams of my truck at night. I traced the oil back about 1 mile. Amazing, because when I shut the bike off in the driveway, it looked like at least 2 or more quarts poured out.

I am not sure about brake cleaner on the chrome parts...

I bought some GUNK engine degreaser, and was gonna spray it all over the rear wheel and tire, swingarm, and pulley. That looks to be the extent of where the oil got on the bike. No harm in using Gunk degreaser, right?
 
Check the warnings on the lable. I'm don't know about using Gunk on rubber. Dish soap will cut the oil and grease just fine.
 
Regular dish soap ,
Dawn etc, Will cut grease/oil better than anything. Thats what it's made for' to remove grease/oil. And do it without damage to surfaces. Even if you get oil on clothing it will get it out better than any stain remover can.
 
I have used Gunk brand foaming engine de-greaser on my Dyna for 19 years with no ill effects. Rinse very well. I don't intentionally spray it on the paint, but it gets all over painted parts anyhow. Dawn is also very effective.
 
Whew!! Lucky guy. Could have been catastrophic.

Cleaning: I suggest mixing up a 1:3 ratio dishwashing soap to HOT water. Enough to fill your hose end sprayer. Set the dial on the sprayer to 8 oz./gal and then apply liberally to all the parts of the bike that are oily, greasy or just plain dirty. Let soak about 15 min., then reapply. Do this a couple of times. Hit it one last time and then scrub with natural bristle scrub brush. Rinse and see how it looks. If really caked on, you may have to use a degreaser. I buy it in spray cans from OReilly's. Spray on, let sit, then rinse and dry.

TQ
 
Like my earlier post (and another recommendation)...Dawn dishwashing liquid - cust grease w/o harmful chemicals.

Man, good thing you didn't throttle-up on the oil slick...could've made the oil mess worse w/bike damage...
 
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