Oil drain mod?

[gcarter95]

The oil drain plug on my 6.5 hp clone sits about 4" back from the end of the engine plate. So when I drain the oil, of course it makes a mess.

I was thinking about extending it to the edge of the engine plate using pipe fittings and a petcock.

Problem is, the plug bolt is a M10 fine thread straight bolt.

I can't seem to find any fittings or adapters that will fit this hole. Does anyone know if / where such a creature exists?

The other thing I was thinking, slap me if I'm being stupid, was to re-tap the threads to 1/4 NPT. They are pretty close in size, so I am thinking a wrap or two of teflon tape on the pipe thread should seal it ok.

Thoughts?

TIA

 

[Doc Sprocket]

I've used 1/4" NPT on american engines. It never dawned on me that my GX was anything else. Duh! Since you mention it, how does one drill for pipe taper. Is there a tapered drill bit?
And yes, if it's feasible, I'd do what you propose. Maybe not the petcock though. Probably a simple pipe cap.
Failing that, drill/cut a decent sized hole in the engine plate directly below the drain hole for less-messy oil changes.

 

[gcarter95]

You just use a regular drill bit, the NPT tap cuts the threads progressively deeper as it goes in.

I had a M10 coarse nut in the garage, so I just ran the 1/4 NPT tap through it. The threads actually don't look too bad.

Different thread pitch on the hole, though, so I am still waffling.

 

[Russ2251]

Big box hardware stores have metric, so do most of the locals.

 

[gcarter95]

Actually came back from Home Depot and Princess Auto just before posting.....

Nothing.

 

[Russ2251]

Actually came back from Home Depot...Nothing.

Very odd. Place near me does. Brass or steel piping, bolts, nuts, etc.
Try a foreign auto parts shop.

 

[gcarter95]

There is a reason why we Canucks always seem to wind up ordering from the US.

It is really quite a pain getting any kind of hardware here. I needed a replacement locknut for one of my front spindles - 3/4-16. Had to go to an industrial fastener supply house and buy a box of 10, could not find it at retail - couldn't even find a castellated nut.

Different tack, I was just thinking that rather than re-tapping the block for NPT, I could just use a die on a pipe nipple. Cut the existing thread off one end, and re-thread for M10-1.25.

Probably simpler and lower risk.

 

[TOO FAST]

Try a John Deere dealer if there is one near you

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Different tack, I was just thinking that rather than re-tapping the block for NPT, I could just use a die on a pipe nipple. Cut the existing thread off one end, and re-thread for M10-1.25.
.

If that's doable, then yes. No shavings in the block.

 

[anderkart]

How about simply jacking up the kart first so the draining oil flows off the edge of the motor mount in whatever direction that's both easy to clean up and completly drains the engine?

 

[gcarter95]

Of course I could. But there would still be oil to clean up.

Maybe I'm just lazy......