The proverbial has hit the fan... LT230

[Jojo]

Hi all,
big trouble... Tried to change the oil in the TC today. When I tried to remove the drain plug the stupid thing came out, well, only one half. The top (i.e. the tip with the magnet) is still in the hole. Tried to tap it out, albeit to no avail. I even managed to damage the thread in the hole during the attempt.:twisted:
Now, the first question: will I be able to access the plug from the inside when I remove the cover plate? Or will there be a drive shaft or similar in the way?
Next question: what thread does the plug have? Doesn't look metric to me anyway...

Any advice greatly appreciated!
Cheers

[Tank]

If the plug is plastic I would just punch the remainder through into the box and take of the plate and remove it, the thread is either a Gas/Water pipe plug thread usually BSPT "T" is for tapered either 1/2" or 3/4", may be wrong, can buy the plugs at your local hardware/Plumbers supplies, iron or brass, Regards Frank.

[Bush65]

Not all LT230's have the same drain plug - 2 different sizes that I know of.

Generally the low range (large dia) gear is above the drain plug, so access from the inside could be difficult without pulling the centre diff and final drive gears.

[ashtrans]

Hi the thread on earlier boxes is 12mm X1.5 (normal 12mm pitch is 1.75) it is common for this to happen when the drain plug is overtightened. As you note the threaded portion is left in the hole, if you punch the center with a 3mm punch to drive thr magnet into the gearbox the thread will come out with an easiout. Problem is you must now take the bottom plate off to retrieve the magnet or it will attach itself to the gears with a resulting crunch. regards

Ian Ashcroft

[Jojo]

Hi the thread on earlier boxes is 12mm X1.5 (normal 12mm pitch is 1.75) it is common for this to happen when the drain plug is overtightened. As you note the threaded portion is left in the hole, if you punch the center with a 3mm punch to drive thr magnet into the gearbox the thread will come out with an easiout. Problem is you must now take the bottom plate off to retrieve the magnet or it will attach itself to the gears with a resulting crunch. regards

Ian Ashcroft

Thanks a lot for the info! Now, if I should succeed in removing the remainig part as described, will I be able to use a new plug without rethreading the hole (since I damaged the lower layers during my frustrane attempts to tap out the tip)?
And will there be sufficient space for me to locate and retrieve the magnet after removing the bottom cover plate? Forgive my ignorance, but I have never opened the gear box before.

Cheers
Johannes

[buzz66]

Hi the thread on earlier boxes is 12mm X1.5 (normal 12mm pitch is 1.75) it is common for this to happen when the drain plug is overtightened. As you note the threaded portion is left in the hole, if you punch the center with a 3mm punch to drive thr magnet into the gearbox the thread will come out with an easiout. Problem is you must now take the bottom plate off to retrieve the magnet or it will attach itself to the gears with a resulting crunch. regards

Ian Ashcroft

Good info for all thanks Dave:cool:
Oops sorry Ian!

[slug_burner]

Or is that Ian!
:)
Just make sure you have the correct pitch thread, clean up the damaged section of thread. If it leaks just bang some thread sealent in or use some teflon tape.

[123rover50]

Hi the thread on earlier boxes is 12mm X1.5 (normal 12mm pitch is 1.75) it is common for this to happen when the drain plug is overtightened. As you note the threaded portion is left in the hole, if you punch the center with a 3mm punch to drive thr magnet into the gearbox the thread will come out with an easiout. Problem is you must now take the bottom plate off to retrieve the magnet or it will attach itself to the gears with a resulting crunch. regards

Ian Ashcroft



OK old thread but thought I would keep it together.
First oil change on this second hand box.
Tried to undo the drain plug and it just kept spinning around.
Drilled it out as far as I could then jammed a screwdriver between the magnet and the gear and with a bit of work with the die grinder got it out.
Now helicoil time.
I have a 12mm 1.25 Recoil set from a previous job but this thread is not that. The above post mentions 1.5 and 1.75 so thats three different 12 mm thread pitches. How do I measure this thread of mine. ?
I have pitch gauges in TPI but not metric

Keith

[Gordie]

Ahh, this popped up coincidentally a the right time....

Was changing my TC oil yesterday, drain plug loosened off as normal, then got tight again, wound it out, some thread came with it. When reinstalling it would tighten up until the last bit, then spin loosely, obviously last bit of thread was damaged. Had a light-bulb moment...put some thread tape on and put another washer on as a spacer so that it tightens up nicely on the thread that is there. Seems to work.

Question is...the only washer I had available was a spring washer, is that going to be ok or should I put a similar thickness flat washer on it? And should I be investing in one of those gearbox plug repair kits seeing as I have lost thread?

[123rover50]

Would not use a spring washer, it seals on the flat not the thread.
Use a new copper washer , but it sounds like it might be too far gone.
Might have to helicoil like I am.
You dont want it coming loose and dropping the oil.
Hopefully someone will come along and tell us the thread pitch.
Keith

[123rover50]

A bloke down the road has a metric thread pitch gauge.
Mine is 12 x 1.5 as is the spare plug I borrowed off another T,box.
I can order the Re- coil kit now[smilebigeye]

Keith

[Gordie]

Reading back through this, and considering that you are referring to a SI....mine is for an 86 county, the thread looked fairly course, so I am thinking that I will be after a M12 x 1.75. Can anyone confirm that?

[123rover50]

My LT 230,s Suffix E and D are both the same 12mm x 1.5

I just ordered this
METRIC THREAD REPAIR INSERT KIT M3 M4 M5 M6 M8 M10 M12 M14 M16 HELICOIL SET TOOL | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/301530201668?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&var=600443080140&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT)

[Gordie]

Must buy myself one of those thread measure tools...but in the meantime I printed this off and used it, confirmed 1.5. cheers.

https://www.boltdepot.com/fastener-information/Printable-Tools/US-and-Metric-Thread-Sizes.pdf

[Gordie]

Well the M12x1.5 helicoil kit arrived at 2pm today...so I was straight into it. All went well and I was feeling like 'quite the mechanic' having tackled my first helicoil.....then after removing the tab it appeared that the helicoil had gone too far and stretched itself out somehow...disaster, I thought I was in big trouble.....put a big screwdriver up there to wind it out and it wound back nicely into its rightful place....drain plug in...oil in, around the block for a spin...no oil leaks....beauty!!