Motorcycle Repair: Front fork drain plug, nighthawk 650, drain plug

Question
Hi there,
I changed the oil on my forks and now the drain plug on the left side fork for my 82 Nighthawk 650 won't tighten for some reason, it seems to get to a certain point and then spin past it. It also seems to leak a bit. Is this due to the gasket being bad or is it a bigger problem like a stripped out thread in the hole? Also, would it be possible to put a little bit of RTV sealant on the threads first while tightening the bolt to help secure it and form a better seal? Thanks!

Answer
Ryan, it sounds like the threads are stripped.  It's possible to helicoil it but that's difficult for a guy to do at home.  I'd recommend that you tap it for a 1/4-20 bolt.  I would not recommend RTV because without the threads, there's not much to hold the bolt in except the sealant so it could blow out.

Regards
Rich