Another stuck oil filter thread (and how I solved it)

[PcH]

I thought I'd share my experience of trying to remove an oil filter from the previous owner's work from my 2005 FZ6.

I started off by trying to find a "number 5" oil filter wrench. Couldn't find it anywhere online and some auto stores said they never even heard of it. Cycle Gear claimed they had it, but after trying it, it didn't fit the current filter on there. I tried wrapping a towel around the filter and then using the wrench, but that didn't work either.

So I bought a pair of pliers (the kind designed to remove oil filters). It started crushing the filter and I accidentally tightened it instead of loosening it. Ugh. Again, I tried with the towel but this time with towel + pliers. Still didn't budge. What kind of gorilla torqued this down?!

I was ready to give in, but didn't and decided to hammer through it with a flat head screw driver. It WORKED. Make sure you hammer the flat head all the way through both sides of the filter and turn. If you don't hammer all the way through, you'll just start ripping the filter as you turn.

I did this using only the side stand, because I found the center stand prevented me from getting an extra couple inches per turn. I had to stab all the way through about 3 times to get the filter to the point of easily removing it with my bare hands.

Oh yeah, and definitely invest in the K&N oil filter with the hex nut on the end. It was SO easy to install and I can only imagine it being super easy to remove.

Here are the results on my work:

Let's begin..

Getting worse..

Wow, is this even removable?

SUCCESS

 

[sxty8goats]

I had a new filter in my hand, (Had ordered on line) walked into Autozone and fitted it to the wrench on the shelf. I think the wrench was @$5 or so. Cup type with a 3/8th drive cut into it to fit a ratchet. Worked the charm. It is just too tight in there to try to turn it by hand.

 

[Norbert]

EDIT: whoops. already been said.

 

[necrotimus]

I used this type of adjustable wrench on mine the first time when it was stuck:

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Hopkins-FloTool-10617-Adjustable-Wrench/dp/B000EGZ5F0/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1280247110&sr=8-18]Amazon.com: Hopkins FloTool 10617 Adjustable 3 Prong Wrench: Automotive[/ame]

Came off easily

 

[Tailgate]

...and some applicable oil filters are slightly smaller in diameter than others to further complicate removal matters. At any rate, maybe there should be an "Oil Filter installation 101" class, huh? Oil filters are torqued down on a thick, soft, juicy, and pliable rubber o-ring/gasket. Ain't gonna vibrate off and even a dainty, delicate, chick's hand (w/o filter wrench) can torque it down just fine. No need to have a caveman, pissed-off, NFL San Francisco 49'er 350 lb. linebacker working a massive 1 inch breaker bar attached to a filter cap/wrench and torque it down to 400+ ft/lbs while a 5 foot long leverage pipe is fitted over the breaker bar. Contrary to widespread rumors, this oil filter installation business isn't comparable to plugging holes in a defensive line on the 1h yard line. Just because this is a motorcyle application doesn't mean that everyting has to be torqued down 1,000 times the normal standard. Personally, I've never experienced or even heard of oil leakage from a filter not being torqued down enough. If anything, it's always the reverse: the filter is so frickin' overtightened that it almost takes a NASA caliber ad hoc engineering crises team to troubleshoot and execute a solution to remove an oil filter while on-lookers are pulling out their hair in frustration.

 

[PcH]

...and some applicable oil filters are slightly smaller in diameter than others to further complicate removal matters. At any rate, maybe there should be an "Oil Filter installation 101" class, huh? Oil filters are torqued down on a thick, soft, juicy, and pliable rubber o-ring/gasket. Ain't gonna vibrate off and even a dainty, delicate, chick's hand (w/o filter wrench) can torque it down just fine. No need to have a caveman, pissed-off, NFL San Francisco 49'er 350 lb. linebacker working a massive 1 inch breaker bar attached to a filter cap/wrench and torque it down to 400+ ft/lbs while a 5 foot long leverage pipe is fitted over the breaker bar. Contrary to widespread rumors, this oil filter installation business isn't comparable to plugging holes in a defensive line on the 1h yard line. Just because this is a motorcyle application doesn't mean that everyting has to be torqued down 1,000 times the normal standard. Personally, I've never experienced or even heard of oil leakage from a filter not being torqued down enough. If anything, it's always the reverse: the filter is so frickin' overtightened that it almost takes a NASA caliber ad hoc engineering crises team to troubleshoot and execute a solution to remove an oil filter while on-lookers are pulling out their hair in frustration.

LOL this post is epically true

 

[Evitzee]

So I bought a pair of pliers (the kind designed to remove oil filters). It started crushing the filter and I accidentally tightened it instead of loosening it. Ugh.

------------------------------------------------

:tard: :shakehead: Next time please remember ...... Righty tighty, Lefty loosey.

 

[seb101]

lol i belive it's international thing of using too much torque on the oil filter i was pissed when fiting with one on my bike
Here it is how i did it, the "old fashion" way... with a hammer and a screwdriver

http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-technical/31231-easy-way-remove-your-oil-filter.html#post327732