Hello everyone, Boo here.
Today I'm replacing the oil drain plug on my BMW G650GS.
The G650GS drain plug has a 24 mm hex head, but the head is thin (there isn't much for the tool to grip), and it's on the underside of the bike, so it's hard to put force on it.
As you can see in the photo, the head already shows signs of starting to round off.
Looking at information from more experienced owners online, the drain plug from the F650GS (800 cc twin) is interchangeable, and a few people have swapped to it.
The F650GS (800 cc twin) drain plug has a 10 mm hex socket, as in the photo, and seems less likely to round off.
So I decided to replace the drain plug.
Left is the G650GS plug, right is the F650GS (800 cc twin) plug.
Sorry, left and right are swapped between the photo above and the one below, which makes it confusing.
Left is the F650GS (800 cc twin) plug, right is the G650GS plug.
I judged the thread size, diameter and length to be close enough to use, so I decided to replace the drain plug.
If you replace your drain plug based on this post, you do so at your own risk.
Now for the actual job.
When removing the drain plug, press the tool firmly against the bolt towards the bike and apply force carefully.
The bolt loosens anticlockwise (counterclockwise).
You're probably thinking, "Why is he stating the obvious?"
But with bolts like the drain plug, which sit on the underside of the bike or somewhere you can only reach from an awkward position, don't you get confused about which way to turn them?
To avoid trouble from that confusion, I always use a ratchet tool unless I can't.
And before fitting it on the bolt, I always check which way the bolt needs to turn and set the ratchet to that direction before I start.
If you strip the drain plug thread or damage the crankcase, you're looking at a tow and an expensive repair, and I think that would break my heart.
To avoid that, I'm especially careful with jobs where mistakes would be expensive to fix.
With all that preparation, here's the plug I took out.
There are a few metal particles on it. It's done about 3,000 km since the last oil change.
I don't know whether this amount of metal is normal, but I'll keep an eye on it at the next oil change.
There were a few metal particles on the drain plug I removed.
An oil change is probably the first maintenance job most people who ride bikes or drive cars take on.
An oil change is just removing the plug, draining the oil, refitting the plug and filling with oil, but one mistake can lead to serious trouble such as a damaged crankcase or a seized engine.
It's your precious bike. Work carefully, or if you're worried, leave it to a professional.