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Stuck oil filter!

13K views 40 replies 26 participants last post by  GySchmit 
#1 ·
So I decided to save some money and do the 500 mile service myself. Turned out that wasn't the best idea. I warm up the bike, drain the oil, and go to take the oil filter off when the stuff hits the fan. I have a three pronged oil filter socket attachment that gets tighter as you turn it, all that did was dent the filter and actually put a hole in it. Since the hole was in it already I decided to try the old hammer in a flat head and twist. All that did was end up tearing off the part closest to the ground and cause oil to go everywhere. Any suggestions on how to get half a stuck oil filter off? Thanks in advance!
 
#3 ·
Wow! The factory air wrench must have gone wild.

My advise: drive that screwdriver in somewhere and twist counter clockwise from the bottom. You know things are backward looking down? Were you drinking beer on the first attempt? I find booze and wrenching is only a slightly worse idea than booze and riding. Both costly, only one deadly.
 
#4 ·
At least next time if the filter is stuck you'll only have yourself to blame. There's no excuse for a filter to be that stuck. I'd try and get something through closer to the base.


Sent from my iPhone;)
 
#7 ·
The very first removal of the oil filter is tough. The factory for some reason or the other puts them on WAY to tight.
I haven't run into that problem since 2005, and there is no way I can remember what I did to get it off. Just wrote this to let you know it's only the first oil change that is hard to do. After that just put the filter on 1/4 turn past tight or whatever the filter manufacturer recommends and your good to go the next change.
 
#8 · (Edited)
I ran into the same thing when doing my 500 mile service, but was lucky to have a pair of large curved pliers that broke the filter lose before destroying the canister. It appears that the engine builders don't apply a thin film of oil or grease to the gasket before installation which is bad for (2) reasons. The amount of torque required to turn the filter the 1/2 to 3/4 turn after contact would be much higher w/o lubrication and the gasket tends to stick to the bare aluminum after it's heated. None of what I wrote will help you get the filter off, but at least you'll possibly know why it happened.

I'd guess the dealers have a heavy socket style wrench (not stamped sheet metal) that spreads the load out - less apt to crush the housing. Also, I used a Bosch 3323 filter instead of their 3300 because it's almost an inch longer, holds more oil, has more filtering surface than the factory filter and sticks down to where I can grab it w/ a band wrench if things get stuck again.

Jim
 
#9 ·
I ran into the same thing when doing my 500 mile service, but was lucky to have a pair of large curved pliers that broke the filter lose before destroying the canister. It appears that the engine builders don't apply a thin film of oil or grease to the gasket before installation which is bad for (2) reasons. The amount of torque required to turn the filter the 1/2 to 3/4 turn after contact would be much higher w/o lubrication and the gasket tends to stick to the bare aluminum after it's heated. None of what I wrote will help you get the filter off, but at least you'll possibly know why it happened.

I'd guess the dealers have a socket style wrench that spreads the load out - less apt to crush the housing. Also, I used a Bosch 3323 filter instead of their 3300 because it's almost an inch longer, holds more oil, has more filtering surface than the factory filter and sticks down to where I can grab it w/ a band wrench if things get stuck again.

Jim
That's funny cause we have the same exact bike judging by your icon and I decided to go with the Bosch 3323 too. The stock filter is flush with the bottom of the frame and I found that rather annoying when I first started this venture last night so I went ahead and bought a longer one.
I also figured the factory didn't lube the gasket. I'm guessing my filter is practically welded onto the bike. Guess it's time for me to custom fab a tool tomorrow.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Out of curiosity, besides having a hole in it, how badly is the filter case damaged? The very bottom of the filter housing (as it's installed) does it still have its original shape and the flats still flat?

+++EDIT+++: I just reread where the bottom of the filter's gone - sorry. I went out to the garage to see if any thing jumped out at me & it's even more cramped than I remembered. Unless you have a centerstand and removed your carbon canister, looks like you'll need something like in that video.
 
#17 ·
Mine was the same way, but I was able to get it with the screw driver/hammer trick. My wife's 2011 Sonata was a bitch too. First change I ended up having to take all the plastic shroud off of the bottom to access the stuck filter and finally got it with the screwdriver/hammer deal, after tearing my arms up on all the plastic edges around it.

I read somewhere that the filters are put on dry and no oil in the cars or bikes, then they are shipped to the dealers. Then oil is put in a set up time, so telling how long from when the filter was put on. That, and the fact that they probably over torque them anyway at the factory, causes the rubber o-ring to fuse to the engine. Not sure if accurate, but it kind of makes sense.

Oh yeah, I second the k&n with the nut on the bottom.
 
#18 ·
The K&N isn't worth its cost for the sake of that little nut on it. I've read stories of the flimsy nut on the K&N being torn off or mangled when the filter was stuck.

If you install the filter properly, you'll not need anything other than your hand to take it off.
 
#24 ·
I just today ran into this case with the K&N on my wife's bike. Whichever of us put the filter back on last time must not have oiled the gasket and it was fused tight. The nut on the end of the case rounded badly and the socket just slipped right off it. I wound up getting the filter off with channel lock pliers around what was left of the shape of the nut - the filter finally turned right as I was sure I was going to tear what was left of the nut part of the casing clean off.

Jeff
 
#19 · (Edited)
Been using the k&n for three years every 3000 miles thats 6 filters and never once had a problem with it and its cheaper than the triumph one.a wee smudge of oil on the seal,hand tight and a little under a quarter turn with spanner....sweet as..


Bikerpiper
 
#20 ·
You may also need a way to warn up the remaining filter section... Using a blow torch very carefully would warm up the threads to make it easier to extract the remaining filter. A torch helped loosened a stubborned filter on my RT... Remember that metal expands with heat!
 
#21 ·
The proper Triumph oil filter wrench costs very little and makes the job as easy as getting water out of a tap :) Can't understand why anything else is used.

The official tool is part number T3880313 for the later bikes with the small filter, T3880312 for the earlier bikes. The tightening torque is only 8 to 12 Nm (6 to 8.8 Lbs/ft), little more than hand tight really.

 
#22 ·
If a filter is THAT tight it can only be due to the rubber seal fusing to the metal, as some have suggested. I like to think outside the box, so I'm going to suggest something other than big tools and brute force... How about cutting through the rubber seal with some fishing line, Dacron or perhaps piano wire? I'm pretty sure that as soon as the seal is cut the filter (or what remains thereof) will spin off effortlessly.
 
#26 ·
My filter was stuck on when I went to do the first oil change in my garage. Dealer did the first one.
When my strap wrench would not get it off, and the filter began to cave in on one side I stopped trying.

Solution: Treat the situation like any stuck fitting/bolt. Apply PB Blaster or the equivalent to the seam between filter and block, tap it a few times, wait a day and repeat. Several days later, and after taking delivery of the factory oil filter tool, it came right off.
Tool is T 3880313 as noted above by our esteemed colleague.
 
#27 ·
I'm with Forchetto on this I always use Triumph filters and their removal tool. A smear of new oil on the seal before fitting does the trick. I buy a job lot of filters from Sprint Manufacturing at around £8.00 each, they are sealed so will keep for year's.

Sent from my GT-I9100P using Motorcycle.com Free App
 
#28 ·
Stubborn removal!



This is my version of the triumph removal tool. Nut is cut very thin on inside of old cut down filter. A tight push fit.



This is probably the easiest and cheapest to make and will budge even the tightest filter. Just an of cut of strapping as used in timber framing and a pair of small vice grips (space requirements). The other straps are for a tractor and a small jap car. The one with the handle is what the idea is based on. There is not a lot of space but if clamped up tight a couple of small bites will loosen for hand removal.
 
#29 ·
The Triumph tool is just a standard oil filter tool, any filter that will fit will work with the wrench, and you don't need a Triumph brand tool to work on OEM filters. I bought mine at PEP Boys. Cheap. But I use OEM filters every time; why cheap out on an inexpensive part you don't need very often anyway?
 
#33 · (Edited)
Try a thin coat of Dow Corning DC-4 silicone grease on the filter gasket before installation. I've been using the same tube of DC-4 on bikes, planes and boats for more than 30 years and it's still half full.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/dc4.php

Also FAA approved :HappyRoll
 
#35 ·
I still have a tube of Dow Corning DC4 silicone grease that I nicked from work nearly 30 years ago and it's still as fresh as the first day.

It can be used for insulating, lubricating, heat transfer, dielectric compound, etc, etc.

Whenever you remove things like car water coolant hoses, vacuum pipes, etc smear a bit on the connection. Years later they come off without effort.

If you really hate someone, smear it over his windscreen, it's impossible to remove completely...:D

http://cpc.farnell.com/1/1/42871-silicone-compond-dc4-2793695-dow-corning.html

 
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