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Oil Filter Change/Maybe this will help

3K views 22 replies 17 participants last post by  Rad_nuke 
#1 ·
I don't know about anyone else, But I have always struggled getting the two bolts back in that secure the bottom of the radiator after changing the oil filter when the engine is hot. Yesterday I drained all the hot oil, but waited until today to put it back together. The bolts went back in with no issue. I can only guess it is because the metal was cool and everything lined up better that way. Hope this helps someone else.

Uncle Fester
 
#3 ·
Don't need a jack, don't need to loosen the two bottom bolts, just need the correct filter wrench (cap style) for the stock filters.
 
#4 ·
Not so if you have a big hand. I wear the largest glove size out there, size 11. Even using a lift and a cap syle filter wrench, I can't squeeze my big mit in that small space to get the new filter to engage the first few threads. It is way too easy to unscrew the bottom of the radiator so you have some room to work. I won't risk cross threading that filter just to save that step.
 
#11 ·
I ended up taking the bolts off AND jacking it up, but that is because the old filter was torqued on by the idiot who changed it before me. I tried repeatedly to turn that thing off of there with brute force.

It was on so tight that I had to go buy some oil filter pliers from Auto Zone. I love those things. The cap style filter wrench stripped out on the filter, but the pliers man-handled that thing out of there with no problems. For $10, I don't think I will ever have a garage without those pliers again.
 
#13 ·
The problem with those is getting them around the filter in that space. The pliers definitely rocked for this job.
 
#16 ·
I was tempted to do that, but it was torqued on so tight I was afraid it would just tear and make a bigger mess. That's usually the way my luck runs on those kinds of things. :banghead:
 
#17 ·
Stay tuned folks I have something in the works.

give me a week...
 
#18 ·
I jack mine up w/small block of 1x strip of wood at the back of the jack so gravity will pull the oil out faster. It's all physics!! The taller the bike is in the air the faster it will drain! :stilpoke: :bash: :stooge: :D :D
 
#22 ·
I use a front wheel chock to store my bike when I'm not riding it. The bike sits straight up & down while parked in it, no need for the kick stand. Next I use a 3/8 long extension along with a metal cap oil filter wrench from HD. I can get my oil filter off in 15 seconds. This is the only way I've ever changed my filter & oil. I don't know of any other way.
 
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