WARNING: Oil plug & torque specifications 16 ft lbs max

[Johnny Fuel]

EDIT: Proper TQ settings is 16 ft lbs/22 NM max. The original service manual TQ setting instructions are wrong. -Admin

 

Just wanted to let you folks now I had an interesting and disappointing situation with my new Tenere. Last week I reached my 600 mile break-in so I changed the oil. The drain plug from the dealership was on really tight. After draining the oil I put the plug back in. I followed the instructions in the service manual which called for 32 ft/lbs of torque. However, I managed the strip the threads and partially squash the strainer cover assembly (the OEM name). Of course, I was surprised and horrified.  

 

I rechecked my torque wrench about 10x and it was set to only 30 ft/lbs. Suspecting the wrench failed I checked it against another and it seemed to be okay. I did not "calibrate" the wrench, but merely checked it against the "feel" of another to determine they about the same. 

 

I brought the bike to the dealer for repair and explained the story. In the meantime, I checked the torque specs on other motorcycles: KLR650 (17 ft/lbs); Husqvarna 350 (15 ft/lbs); Triumph Tiger (17 ft/lbs). Why does the Tenere call for 32 lbs? Seems like a lot by comparison, even if the bolt is big. I can't send a picture because the bike is in the shop right now. 

 

Long story short: Yamaha agreed this was too much torque for this plug, and said they will no longer recommend 32 ft/lbs. Yamaha will cover the cost of the part and the repair, but unfortunately, the part is on backorder with no ETA at this time. Bummer since the riding season is quickly coming to a close. I wanted to warn other Tenere riders to be careful with the plug.

[MeefZah]

Excellent info.  Thank you.  That does seem like a helluva lot.

[UtahJack]

@Johnny Fuel

So what is the updated torque setting?

[Johnny Fuel]

I don't know the new torque specs yet. They didn't say, and I suspect they haven't nailed down a number yet. If it were me, I would snug it up by feel and watch it for a couple days. If there's no leak, you should be good. With any luck I'll get a new torque recommendation when I pick up the bike later this month. 

[Alain2]

I noticed the high torque on the drain bolt few days ago when I did my first oil change. I mentioned it in another post (Oil-change-how-to post) that I found the specified torque quite high. 
 

Crazy thing is that; I don’t think the recommended spec is a typo as they recommend 31 ft/lbs for fz and mt. It appears they are also cracking and stripping engine cases.
 

Some people are suggesting the spec is good if you use a new aluminum washer, not sure how this would help.

[OU812]

Thanks for sharing! 

[whisperquiet]

I posted in May that the oil drain plug torque was way high....I used 30 ft lbs at my 600 mile check and will reduce it to about 21 ft lbs at the 4000 mile oil change.  

 

 

Edited September 10, 2020 by whisperquiet

[TimmyTheHog]

it does seems high

 

however, my old Shadow (M14 thread) & friend's africa twin drain bolts are 22 ft.lb (M12 thread)

 

and GS was 42NM which is 31 ft.lb. (M20 thread)

it seems FZ07 & T700 use M14 thread.

Wonder what torque will be updated to?

Edit: to add to data, my brother's Ninja 650 is 22 ft.lb (M12 thread)

Edited September 10, 2020 by TimmyTheHog

[rumrum]

About to go out and do my first oil change shortly today. That torque seems absolutely ridiculously high. I put a new piston in my old KLR the other day and spec is 2/3 the required torque for the head bolts.  Will just be going by feel me thinks.

[Cruizin]

3 hours ago, Johnny Fuel said:

Just wanted to let you folks now I had an interesting and disappointing situation with my new Tenere. Last week I reached my 600 mile break-in so I changed the oil. The drain plug from the dealership was on really tight. After draining the oil I put the plug back in. I followed the instructions in the service manual which called for 32 ft/lbs of torque. However, I managed the strip the threads and partially squash the strainer cover assembly (the OEM name). Of course, I was surprised and horrified.  

 

I rechecked my torque wrench about 10x and it was set to only 30 ft/lbs. Suspecting the wrench failed I checked it against another and it seemed to be okay. I did not "calibrate" the wrench, but merely checked it against the "feel" of another to determine they about the same. 

 

I brought the bike to the dealer for repair and explained the story. In the meantime, I checked the torque specs on other motorcycles: KLR650 (17 ft/lbs); Husqvarna 350 (15 ft/lbs); Triumph Tiger (17 ft/lbs). Why does the Tenere call for 32 lbs? Seems like a lot by comparison, even if the bolt is big. I can't send a picture because the bike is in the shop right now. 

 

Long story short: Yamaha agreed this was too much torque for this plug, and said they will no longer recommend 32 ft/lbs. Yamaha will cover the cost of the part and the repair, but unfortunately, the part is on backorder with no ETA at this time. Bummer since the riding season is quickly coming to a close. I wanted to warn other Tenere riders to be careful with the plug.

Good tip, moving this to the tech tip section.  

[Richo]

what about the tracer 700 or the mt 07 specs?

[Adventure6965]

I've just checked the torque settings from a few of my manuals :

BMW R1150GS adventure 32Nm.

Kawasaki KXF 450 15Nm.

KTM 450 EXC 20Nm.

Audi Allroad 25Nm largest bolt of them all & with aluminium sump.

[roy826]

My drain plug was extremely tight the first time oil change. I looked up the torque spec and was surprised it was so high at 32 ft lbs. Seems to be a miss print is what I passed it off as and put mine in tight to snug like all my other bikes. Never had a issue doing so. I do not use a torque wrench on the oil drain plug. Never have in the past. To much there that could go wrong imo. Having said that in 40+ years I have never had one fall out either. While road racing for 17 years we were required to safety wire the oil drain plug. Very easy to do and it is not coming out or loose. I suspect true torque value on that drain plug is no more than 16 ft lbs.

[Tazmool]

32 ft-lbs torque on a drain plug, going into a cast aluminium sump?   OUCH!  no wonder it stripped right out!  I'd say 12 ft-lbs max maybe? 
Thats definitely some kind of manual misprint, glad they are doing the right thing and fixing it under warranty. 

 

As others have posted, I've been doing oil changes for decades and always just go by hand tightening both the filter and drain plugs.  Only engine I go by the factory specs is a certain Rotax 912 that I mess with (that one has safety wire too, and even calls for a thermal compound on the sparkplug threads!) 

 

Tazmool

[Johnny Fuel]

I have always gone by feel in the past too, but this being a new bike I was trying to do it *right*—but I got punished for it.

[PJS]

I did also react to the high torque. With new washer I just tightened it by "feel".

[nelsonccc]

2 hours ago, roy826 said:

My drain plug was extremely tight the first time oil change. I looked up the torque spec and was surprised it was so high at 32 ft lbs. Seems to be a miss print is what I passed it off as and put mine in tight to snug like all my other bikes. Never had a issue doing so. I do not use a torque wrench on the oil drain plug. Never have in the past. To much there that could go wrong imo. Having said that in 40+ years I have never had one fall out either. While road racing for 17 years we were required to safety wire the oil drain plug. Very easy to do and it is not coming out or loose. I suspect true torque value on that drain plug is no more than 16 ft lbs.

I did my first oil change last weekend. Screwed it in by hand then gave it a good crank. No torque wrench needed just by feel. There's no way I was doing it to 32lbs.

[TimmyTheHog]

8 hours ago, Richo said:

what about the tracer 700 or the mt 07 specs?

don't know about tracer, but MT07 also has super high 31 ft.lb.

[MghtyThor69]

I would say that 12 - 15 ft lbs. of torque should be enough for that plug. I try to use a new crush washer every time as well, that way you won't get any leaks or seepage. The KLR's had a drain plug that was prone to strip if you were not careful, torque was 15 ft lbs with the eagle mike plug. 

[vilageidgit62]

@Johnny Fuel,was a new a drain bolt gasket used?

same gasket (part # 214-11198-01-00) is used for MT09,FJR 1300 according to manuals torque is 43nm/31-32ft lbs

 

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/196524/Yamaha-Fjr1300.html?page=62#manual

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/838966/Yamaha-Mt09.html?page=61

 

also used on Super Tenere drive shaft drain and fill bolts

recommended torque: 17ft/lbs

not sure if same torque can be used since different operating conditions

Edited September 10, 2020 by vilageidgit62

[Matth]

You did store your toque wrench unwound??I learnt the hard way on expensive engines, i don't use a torque wrench for steel to alloy components  as they always read over, experience has taught me where it needs to be.

head bolts yes and such like but anything else im careful. 32 is way to high even with a new crush washer.

Norbar 3/8 drive seems to be the most accurate but half inch drives are too powerful. 

 

i feel your pain buddy.

 

i was doing a RR phantom 3 V12 starter studs and associated brackets. All bar two sheered and stripped, stud pack £340 and should have been 60 lbs on torque. Frustrated i wound down to make a point to 50. It still sheered. 

You get the feel when it reaches the ultimate point 

Edited September 10, 2020 by Matth

[350rizzer]

 

From: https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/torque-lubrication-effects-d_1693.html

[Johnny Fuel]

On 9/10/2020 at 11:45 AM, vilageidgit62 said:

@Johnny Fuel,was a new a drain bolt gasket used?

Sorry for the late reply... Since it was a 600 mile oil change I didn't have a new crush washer / gasket. I re-used the existing one.

[Johnny Fuel]

On 9/10/2020 at 12:18 PM, Matth said:

You did store your toque wrench unwound??I

I did not know that was a "thing" until now. However, I since checked the torque wrench against another and it seems to be functioning fine. From what I can tell, the problem wasn't the torque wrench.

[Johnny Fuel]

On 9/9/2020 at 6:24 PM, UtahJack said:

So what is the updated torque setting?

According to the dealer, they recommend about half the printed torque specs, so instead of 32 lb/ft it should be about 16 lb/ft. That's certainly what I'm going to do next time!