Need to solder a circlip?

I've run across allusions to soldering a circlip (oil strainer?) lest bad things happen.

Can someone direct me to more information on this subject?

thanks - Brian

That's in reference to the round wire circlip that holds the washer and oil screen in the sump plug. Supposedly, they have on occasion come out, letting the circlip, washer, and strainer bounce around in the crankcas doing damage. I don't think that's a high probablility, but the groove in the sump plug is pretty shallow, so maybe it is a risk. I used to put a bit of solder on the tails of the circlip, flowing it into the circlip groove, just in case. I used a large electric soldering iron, which was high enough wattage to heat everyting up properly, so the solder would bond to the circlip and the washer. I don't do that now. I replace the wire circlip with a flat cross-section internal snap ring, which has a lot more spring force holding it in the groove.

Ken Canaga

Thanks Ken. I'll look into this next oil change.

The manual advocates soldering it in. GP had some shots of a bottom end where it came out. It wasn't pretty.

Arggh! Another thing to worry about! Can I use the same solder I use on electrical connections, or does this require something else? Thanks.

Rosin core is always best as as acid remains active after you've done the soldering. You need to heat the plug area enough to melt the solder so you should use a big iron or a torch heated solder tip. You may even have some old solder to remove first. You have to have it very clean then tin the plug by melting a thin coat of solder on the surface of the groove where the circlip will locate. The flat tin washer could also be tinned with a thin coat of solder. Position the circlip and reheat everything and apply more resin and solder. If you only have a small solder gun you'll need patience and a steady hand. You could place the plug on the stove top and heat to 200'F and use the solder gun for the added heat needed to melt the solder.

Got it, thanks Rennie - Brian

A local Norton gru suggested to me that a dollop of silicon sealer would work to keep the wire in place, but I like the sound of Ken's fix a lot better and think I'll go with that. Thanks Ken

sidreilley said:

A local Norton gru suggested to me that a dollop of silicon sealer would work to keep the wire in place, but I like the sound of Ken's fix a lot better and think I'll go with that. Thanks Ken

Click to expand...

I would be hesitant to put a dollop of silicone in the engine. A guru, huh?

I realized that the clip had let go on my 750 in '74 when I pulled the barrels and found the washer jammed in between the cylinder sleeves! I couldn't find the clip and decided to just put it back together. Well, I was 25 at the time, so not a mature judgment. I soldered the new clip and moved on. I just soak the entire assembly in gas during every oil change & blow it out since I retrofitted a real filter to the 71 awhile ago.
I tore it down completely this year and found the clip under the camshaft. Lucky it decided to live there the past 34 years!
The con rods were a little pitted, but they'll clean up with a little attention.
Definitely do something to secure the assembly. Either solder or use a real snap ring as Ken advised. There's minimal spring tension with the wire clip.

don

Any direction as to where one would go to get this more secure ring, the size, what type of store?