Crush Washer on 1600 classic???????

[Man O Fire]

Hey all,
Changing the oil on a 1600 classic and thought there should be a crush washer for the oil pan plug. There appears to be a washer on the plug when I unscrewed it but can't tell if it is machined with the plug or just a crush washer stuck on. The crush washer I purchased from the local shop are a little bigger outside diameter. Help!!!!!

[agentfox1942]

I don't have a crush washer on mine. Just a standard metal type washer. I usually drain it via the filter bolt anyway, on the side.

[GreenDragon]

Mine's a different model, but it just has a standard metal type washer as well..

[Man O Fire]

Yeah, I have a standard washer as well. I guess my main concern is that when I took the plug out, I did not notice any other washers. On the plug itself there appears to be a smaller washer, but I am assuming this is the flange to hold the crush washer on?

[Koz]

Yes it should have a crush washer. The crush washer metal is soft and it can get hung up on the threads of the drain plug when it gets crushed. Just hold the drain plug with a wrench or socket & back the washer down by holding it with jawed pliers and unscrew it. You may have to give it a pulling motion as you back it down. A real crush washer will do that even with only 14 ft/lbs of torque, if memory serves me. Never re-use them, especially when bent. They serve the purpose of NOT letting the drain plug seize on the pan, which can happen over time & the heat of the motor.

[suegip]

there isn't a crush washer on your 1600, just a standard type washer. I've never changed mine even after dozens of oil changes on my 16 and previous 1500. Unless its damaged or something you should get many, many, oil changes without needing a new one.

[Koz]

Well, you folks can perform the maintenance on your machines anyway you want, I've restored cars, turned wrenches etc. for almost 40 years. I always get a service manual and consult it when I need to or when someone asks me a question. I never try to steer them wrong and let them decide what they really want to do. The service manual refers to the crush washer as "the drain plug gasket" and states in the "Periodic Maintenance Procedures" section, emphasized with a star "Replace the drain plug gasket with a new one." To me, fifty cents is nothing when I pay $8 a liter for my synthetic oil. Perform your routine maintenance in any many that you choose, I simply answered this thread by what Kawasaki recommends.

[V2K_CCTX]

i always have a couple spares in my "ditty bag" for each bike...better to have a spare and not need it than to be stuck without it....make a little kit with all the 99 cent parts and washers and o rings, so when you need one, its available now, and not after you have to go order on tuesday, while your bike sits this saturday cuz you dont have a 30 cent o ring or washer

[agentfox1942]

Koz...before you start throwing stones about how "we" do maintenance, I sugest you read the subject of this thread - it is for a 1600, not a 900 or ZL900. On the 1600 there is no crush washer on the oil drain plug. In my shop manual, there is one listed for the Oil screen plug. this is located on the left side of the engine, along with an "O" ring. (Pg. 2-24 in the Kawasaki VN1600 Service Manual)

I'm so glad you answered this thread for us and cleared up the confusion.1

[Freedom1600]

My 2003 1600 has a crush washer! Was on there when I got it new and I replace it every other oil change.

[brent4a]

My 2004 does, its a kawasaki part i get from the dealer. It seems to me to be aluminum but cant say for sure.

[suegip]

Originally Posted by agentfox1942

Koz...before you start throwing stones about how "we" do maintenance, I sugest you read the subject of this thread - it is for a 1600, not a 900 or ZL900. On the 1600 there is no crush washer on the oil drain plug. In my shop manual, there is one listed for the Oil screen plug. this is located on the left side of the engine, along with an "O" ring. (Pg. 2-24 in the Kawasaki VN1600 Service Manual)

I'm so glad you answered this thread for us and cleared up the confusion.1

thank you

[freightshaker]

There is no "Crush" washer on the 1600. Normally a Crush washer is used on brake calipers with the banjo bolts and usually made of copper. However the 1600 as well as other bikes & cars uses a metal and rubber washer, cheap enough to replace when changing oil. I however never change my oil via that plug since I don't want to join the many others here that have stripped it. Instead I use the bolt holding the pre-screen in.

[Utah Motorcyclist]

Both my 1600 have had some sort of washer, but I have re-used it 10+ times without any linking. Not sure if it is a crush washer or not.....

[freightshaker]

Originally Posted by Utah Motorcyclist

Both my 1600 have had some sort of washer, but I have re-used it 10+ times without any linking. Not sure if it is a crush washer or not.....

It's part #92065 (630037-001): GASKET,DRAIN PLUG MSRP is $0.34. It's steel with a rubber inside. A "Crush Washer" is aluminum or copper and is used primarily in brake lines, most commonly on the ribbed banjo bolts attaching the line to the caliper. The ribs bite into the soft aluminum or copper and creates the seal.

[Cruising]

Check your manual everyone! There is a crush washer for the 1600 Classic. Maybe you really don't need to replace it every time. . . But, I do. Costs less the a buck.

Jim