Hi everyone, 

I wish my first posting here was about something cool or interesting but instead, I need help with a stupid mistake I made. I have a Honda Montesa Cota 4rt260 and while changing the oil, I misread the torque value for the bolt that holds the oil filter cover retaining plate In place and snapped that bolt off. I am going to try an easy out for the broken bolt but before doing so, I would like to get everyone’s opinion on how necessary the retaining plate is. The oil filter cover sits tightly in place and is covered/kept in place by the crankcase cover. The alternative to the easy out is removing the engine and taking it to a machine shop which I really don’t want to do. Please let me know you thoughts. Thanks!

I know some who did similar with a trail bike and used a dremmell and made a small slot in the snapped off bolt and then used an engineers screwdriver with a spanner on the end to remove it simply. 

 

Any my chance you'd be able to do the same!

Try a sharp scriber to see if you can unwind the broken part.

The snapped part may not be that tight if it hasn’t bottomed 

I would buy a left handed drill bit set. While drilling you might get lucky and the bolt just come right out. Throw away the torque wrench. The only place on a motorcycle to use one are the cylinder head bolts.

Thanks for the suggestions! After buying everything to drill it and use a speed out, I tried using the sharp scribe as Jimmyl suggested and it worked. I couldn’t be happier. I have the new bolt on order and as long as I don’t screw anything else up, should finish the oil change in just under 4 days time. That might be a new record for my slowest oil change ever. Thanks again for the suggestions!

3 hours ago, Jeremy4rt260 said:

Thanks for the suggestions! After buying everything to drill it and use a speed out, I tried using the sharp scribe as Jimmyl suggested and it worked. I couldn’t be happier. I have the new bolt on order and as long as I don’t screw anything else up, should finish the oil change in just under 4 days time. That might be a new record for my slowest oil change ever. Thanks again for the suggestions!

Fantastic news.  Glad you where able to get it sorted without having to go to drastic measures. 

11 hours ago, Jeremy4rt260 said:

Thanks for the suggestions! After buying everything to drill it and use a speed out, I tried using the sharp scribe as Jimmyl suggested and it worked. I couldn’t be happier. I have the new bolt on order and as long as I don’t screw anything else up, should finish the oil change in just under 4 days time. That might be a new record for my slowest oil change ever. Thanks again for the suggestions!

Always worth a try first  -one you start with drills and things you are kind of committed to drilling out and tapping as the bolts tends to swage out and go tight unless very gentle.

As the bolts are steel and the casing are ally the drill can easily wander of center.

Good to hear you will soon be back on the road /track/hill.

PS  - make sure you get the end plate with the spigot seated nice and square before doing up the little tag the offending bolts -it easy to be slight off set and then the spigot is a few mm out of line and the casing will not line up on the dowels.

PPS  - if not already  -do the job with bike laying on its side on the ground and refill with oil before potting the casing back on  - its sooooo much quicker

 

 

 

Thanks for the tips. I’ll definitely do it with the bike on its side. Thanks again!