Crush Washer

[William K Denton]

Dave,

After the first use, leaking is not the issue.  Compression of the metal is 
the issue.  The stock crush washers on the GPz are aluminum and cannot be 
annealed for reuse like copper crush washers.  They should be discarded 
after being compressed once or twice and replaced with either fiber or 
copper crush washers.

I have reused copper crush washers up to five or six times after annealing 
and quench cooling.  I've even done this in a pinch with brake line washers 
with success.  To reuse the aluminum ones is to court disaster, aka an 
overtorqued bolt and a cracked oil pan.  I've seen it happen, right in Barry 
Bearden's driveway in July of 2002.

Bill in Yardley, PA
wkdenton at verizon.net
'96 GPz1100

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dave Daniels" <dwaynedaniels at sbcglobal.net>


> I've never put a new one on and haven't leaked yet.
>
> Jeffrey Markham <automan25 at yahoo.com> wrote:  The guy at the service 
> counter at the Kawi dealer said that I need to use a crush washer every 
> time I reinstall the oil drain bolt(s) on the GPZ. This is the first time 
> I've heard of this.