Sump screws...kinda loose...

[YellowDuck]

Just got back from my first long tour on the V7 850 - 2000 km round trip the Montreal Grand Prix.  Honestly the bike was a dream in the hills and sweeping curves of the roads around Bancroft, Ontario.  And it survived the uniformly shit roads in Quebec without complaint, so there's that too.

I did notice a bit of oil misting on the very lower right side of the motor, so I investigated as soon as I got home.  Turns out, all 10 screws securing the sump were loose!  Is this just a case of someone having a bad day in Mandello, or does this thumpy motor regularly try to shed parts?  Feeling like I should go over the whole thing with a torque wrench.

[DesertPilot]

I imagine it was just someone at Mandelo having either 1) a bad day or 2) a great night the previous night.  But some of the smaller bolts do occasionally start to vibrate loose on these engines and need to be retightened -- this may be part of their charm.

[n3303j]

I always finish sump screws with a torque wrench. They are in an awkward position and the torque wrench removes any variability in securing induced from working out of position. Cheap insurance that all is correct and secure.

[Dukedesmo]

Coincidentally when I found that my LM2 brake pedal was 'missing' on Saturday (linkage retaining clip went AWOL and pedal swung downwards), I noticed an amount of oil over the back of the engine.


When I got home I checked the sump bolts and they were all slightly loose - now when I fitted the new external filter sump some years back, along with a windage plate and new gaskets, I torqued them up to spec and haven't touched them since so as they weren't drastically loose, I assume that the paper gaskets (2 required, 1 either side of the windage plate) have compressed slightly over time due to heat/vibration/oil etc.


I 'nipped' them up again and hopefully all will now be OK but at the next oil change I'll remove the sump and refit but with the addition of a smear of threebond because, that should fix it.


But the moral of the story is, check yer bolts...   

[kingoffleece]

I fit stainless lock washers to the sumps. 

[Kiwi_Roy]

I will watch this thread for sure.

What is the torque setting for the 6mm bolts?

Update
Went and checked my V7, all tight or at least all the ones I could reach on the side stand

[n3303j]

I will watch this thread for sure.

What is the torque setting for the 6mm bolts?

I use 60 inch pounds.

[Kev m]

Is everyone on the same page here?

I mean the OP and Kiwi are talking about new smallblocks.

There's no real reason to take the sump off smallblocks unless you're fixing something or adding a spacer.

Are some of the other posts mistakenly talking about big blocks?

[YellowDuck]

I will watch this thread for sure.

What is the torque setting for the 6mm bolts?

I checked the manual and it says 11 - 13 Nm for the sump screws.

[kingoffleece]

Nope.  I take them out one at a time and you know the rest............... ..

[n3303j]

I checked the manual and it says 11 - 13 Nm for the sump screws.

6 mm bolt torque was the question.
60 inch lbs is for 6 mm DRY threaded into aluminum.
12 nm is 106 in lbs.
That will probably tear 6 mm screws out of aluminum.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Am I the only one annoyed by people using the wrong units for torque


Pound-force should not be confused with pound-mass (lb), often simply called "pound", which is a unit of mass; nor should these be confused with foot-pound (ft⋅lbf), a unit of energy, or pound-foot (lbf⋅ft), a unit of torque.

[n3303j]

Am I the only one annoyed by people using the wrong units for torque


Pound-force should not be confused with pound-mass (lb), often simply called "pound", which is a unit of mass; nor should these be confused with foot-pound (ft⋅lbf), a unit of energy, or pound-foot (lbf⋅ft), a unit of torque.

https://ibb.co/sd1RHzyT

All a matter of colloquial usage.
Scale on my USA Torque Wrenches marked Inch - Pounds (Foot - Pounds). So that's how it's described in the States.

[Kiwi_Roy]

https://ibb.co/sd1RHzyT

All a matter of colloquial usage.
Scale on my USA Torque Wrenches marked Inch - Pounds (Foot - Pounds). So that's how it's described in the States.

The Foot - Pound is a unit of work 550 Ft lB to the horsepower
It should be Pounds Feet, so many pounds of torque at the end of a 1 foot lever.

[Dukedesmo]

Quote from: Kev m on June 17, 2025, 09:12:29 PM

Is everyone on the same page here?

I mean the OP and Kiwi are talking about new smallblocks.

There's no real reason to take the sump off smallblocks unless you're fixing something or adding a spacer.

Are some of the other posts mistakenly talking about big blocks?

___________________ ___________________ ______

Well, yes I was referring to an old big block but it's still a sump and the bolts were loose enough for a small amount of oil to be leaking out the back so comparable to some degree IMHO.

Now that I have the outside filter sump on mine, I have no need to remove the sump except, maybe to clean the pickup filter? but I'll be removing it next oil change to get a better seal with modern methods.   

Now, I've not seen a new small block Guzzi sump so it maybe a completely different design and therefore the above not relevant but thought it might be worth adding my experience.

[n3303j]

The Foot - Pound is a unit of work 550 Ft lB to the horsepower
It should be Pounds Feet, so many pounds of torque at the end of a 1 foot lever.

Would have, could have, should have.....
Just telling you how the scale is marked on the quality tool.
https://ibb.co/8LWWLq9c
Also note the designation on this fastener torque chart.
That's just how the remainder of the world specifies the figure.

Don't feel bad. I'm still gagging every time I see the word orientated used in place of oriented. One attends an orientation to become oriented.

[DoubleGuzzi]

..
That's just how the remainder of the world specifies the figure.
..

Sane people, not stuck with antiquated measurements use Nm, so there is no ambiguity.