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Stuck Oil filter

10K views 34 replies 19 participants last post by  KitNYC 
#1 ·
So the dealership that did my previous oil change when i bought the bike some how manage to get my Oil filter tightened to hard. The dealership is pretty much gone.

Any suggestions to get it off? Those "band" wrenchs dont exactly fit, because my oil filter is flushed into the casing with little room. i tried the filter ends what attached to a socket but it seems to be "slipping'.

Any suggestions or other tools i could use? This is the first time iver ever run into a stuck oil filter in my life. Also what size (MM) is the filter?

thanks.
 
#2 ·
If all else fails you cold probably 'drift' it off with a hammer and suitable sized screwdriver.......

it WILL get messy though!!!!

I hate when people/shops do this.......next time, change it/oil yourself, very, very easy, and remember, only needs to be handtight plus about a quarter/third turn
 
#3 · (Edited)
Take your new filter to Walmart and match it up to a filter wrench that fits over the bottom and has a square hole in it for a socket wrench. You should be able to get it off with that. That's what I use on my bike. It's plastic and round and costs about $4.

I always just hand tighten oil filters and the "bad filter fairy" then comes along and tightens the heck out of them:D

I couldn't find the one I bought on the Walmart website, but I found this on ebay. I can't say this is the right one, but this is what it looks like:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/0922...Z320493792916QQptZMotorsQ5fAutomotiveQ5fTools

This type wrench works great, especially on motorcycles with the filter underneath the bike. It's too far up there to use a strap wrench on. I just took my new filter to Walmart like I said above and matched it up to the right size of that type of wrench. I believe it fit a 3/8 ratchet. It was still on there pretty tight, but I slipped a metal bar over my ratchet and it broke loose and I was able to get it easily.
 
#6 ·
This is what I do with a stuck oil filter. Dad did it for years with cars. Just make sure that you
1) pound the screw driver through in a location as to be safely back from the pickup side itself on the motor
2) Know that you'll likely need to pound that screwdriver through 2-3 times to get the filter loose enough (in most cases) to come off by hand.
 
#5 ·
When my dealer (or me--can't remember) put it on too tight, my plastic and metal filter socket kept slipping too. I had to take a grimy dishwashing rubber glove I had laying around and put it between the filter and the socket for grip. Then, and only then, did it break loose. I usually put mine on "hand tight" and don't have a problem getting them off.
 
#10 ·
LOL, I actually always did it this way on the Sprint because it was just impossible to get the filter wrench my dad had to grab on.

The Lil D doesn't have that issue though, plenty of nice clearance all around.

But Until last week I did the screwdriver method on the Jeep, then while at autozone I saw how cheap they really are and pryed open the wallet to get it. :D:D
 
#12 ·
Large channellocks have worked for me.
 
#14 ·
I've got one of these.



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EGZ5F0/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_3?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0002SR4Q8&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0XVG3F624DJQ9FKKBB0R



The only time it failed was when the filter was so tight that it literally tore the can from the base. I then had to use a hammer and punch to remove the base. But 99% of the time, this will do the job.
yup went and bought this, worked like a charm!!!
 
#22 ·
You can get these at Walmart, too. I also have a pair of those but find it difficult to get to the Sprint and zx600 filter with since they are underneath. Works great on the ex500 and my tractors and truck though. I really like the little round one that fits on your socket wrench. Like I said, I got mine at Walmart but if Triumph has one, too, that's great.

I could be wrong but I think once you get it hand tight, you turn just 1/4 turn, not 3/4.
 
#21 ·
For fitting & removing the filter I use the genuine Triumph tool. Quite cheap too. A socket fits to the bottom. Works everytime. The secret is..... Invest in a torque wrench & ..... Dont exceed the very low torque setting !!!!! Dont forget to fill the new filter with clean oil before fitment & run a smear of oil round the top seal fitted to thefilter.
 
#24 ·


As previously mentioned, big, long channelocks (leverage) never fail.
Be viscous, nasty and unforgiving (see attached photo) . If needed, have a helper prevent the bike from being knocked over by your bad self. ;)
 
#28 ·
I've used 1" x 12" (give or take a couple of inches) aluminum foil wrapped around the flat sides of the filter. The foil helps give a snug and tight fit when using a cap-type oil filter wrench (less slipping). I have both metal and a composite-type cap wrench. My last oil change used the composite-type.
 
#29 ·
YEah, thanks to all the help. Channel Locks and the Band Wrenchs wont fit up under the Sprint because the filter is recessed . That clamp tool worked though!
 
#30 ·
That's another reason to use the longer aftermarket filters. :D

Cheers,
-Kit
 
#32 ·
#34 ·
Automotive filters have a much lower pressure setting on the bypass valve. On a bike like the Saber 1100 you were pushing your luck, on the Sprint it would be deadly. The filter will be in bypass mode most of the time, so it will not be providing any filtering at all when that happens. Stick with motorcycle filters unless you can find the full specs and match them all exactly.
 
#35 ·
If you look at the California Scientific page I referenced, you'll see that both motorcycle and automotive filters that fit these bikes have a 14PSI bypass valve.

I had a massive oil bypass problem on my first motor after 9,000 miles with automotive filters, but I'm fairly certain the problem was actually caused the piece of cinder block that tore a hole in the sump.

I've put about 27,000 miles on the replacement motor with a combination of Supertech and PureOne filters. I've had my share of problems (and maybe a dozen other people's share as well :p ), but none of those problems have been oil filter related.

Oh, and I am overly hard on the throttle, and do ride in dusty areas! :D

Cheers,
-Kit
 
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