First Part to Rattle Loose While Riding

[foggyhelmet]

Well, I was thinking nuts and bolts might be a worry to rattle off in traffic.....

Last night the oil dipstick disappeared altogether! Must have just kept working itself loose. It was tightly fastened coming out of the oil change.

Seems to me the worst possible non-wheel thing that is positioned to come off is the dipstick. Apparently the oil empties quickly, turns the exhaust into one huge charcoal.

I still love my PCX but hot damn these tiny things are adding up.

Any suggestions on what I can do to keep the oil sealed while I order up a new one?

[iceman]

Yours is the 1st I've heard of this problem - and my commute is strewn with bumps, dips and all kinds of large pot holes and I've not had issues with the dip-stick coming loose, nor it seems do most people. Not sure your replacement will sit any better if the 1st came loose.

[Mel46]

I can't think of a single case on this forum where someone lost their dip stick while riding. Once it is screwed in, if you make it snug it should be fine. Did someone change the oil for you?

[gn2]

Only thing I can think of is a perished or missing sealing o-ring.
This does two jobs, it seals and acts as a locking device.

[honkerman]

Only thing I can think of is a perished or missing sealing o-ring.
This does two jobs, it seals and acts as a locking device.

I was wondering the same thing. If the O-ring had disappeared there would be nothing to hold the plug snug.

[Jge64]

One year in, 2000 miles on the pcx and no loose parts, however once a month when I de-iron the wheels from brake dust, everything in sight gets checked, so far never found anything loose. On any mod I did bolts were tightened with red loctite.

[Tom192]

Kids nicked it?

[foggyhelmet]

I replaced everything exactly the way I found it when I did a basic oil change. I will not rule out my own novice skill, but I took great care.......that being said, it wasn't exactly part of the daily inspection routine.

Always possible vandalism, and can't watch it 24/7. If I know when something happens, maybe I can talk to people or see if a camera was running...but this one did not manifest until around Sunday at midnight after a long days work. If I didn't exit the highway where
I usually do would have experienced this all on the highway as I didn't spot it until I was on regular roads.

When inspecting it in the future, at least I know about the O-ring and how it locks down.

I know I haven't liked 100% how the saddlebags set on the PCX. Visualizing a hard leather corner poking at the dipstick cap thousands of bumps....again it should be locked, but this may be a variable where I am one of a handful of guys with this brand of saddlebags setting on this brand of moped.

I'll maybe snap some photos this afternoon. Really felt like Ghost Rider out there, smell of burning saddle bags at midnight. Crazy.


And thanks for the suggestions everyone! It helps.

[iceman]

Kids nicked it?

That's along the lines I'm thinking - someone took it. foggyhelmet - are you sure it came off mid-rid and was not missing one time before you set off?

[foggyhelmet]

Here's a picture of what the dipstick probably looked like -except black.

[foggyhelmet]

Kids nicked it?

That's along the lines I'm thinking - someone took it. foggyhelmet - are you sure it came off mid-rid and was not missing one time before you set off?

Can't be sure of anything as there were no signs anything was askew until midnight. No sounds, operational discomfort, smoke.....nothing.

Could have been nicked. Could have come off. I only base the conjecture of it coming off mid-ride because that is the only time it would experience forces strong enough to even come close to manipulating the dipstick.

These terribly kept roads manipulate my personal dipstick from time to time, unseating it, so I could see how plastic could also get unseated. Joke/no joke.

[Tom192]

I can't see how it could fall out without doing some serious jumps off kerbs etc the stick is prob ten centimetres long into the port so it won't just fall off

[foggyhelmet]

Well, the ruts and potholes are so widespread they might as well be curbs.

This ain't San Diego.