Practice what you preach, Cutting open your OIL FILTER

[FinalImpact]

Practice what you preach. . . .

OK - for many of you I've said you have a strange noise and you're worried about the innards of the FZ doing something strange; "cut your oil filter apart and see what you find" I say.
Well, that is the case with mine. I don't care for the agricultural thrashing sounds the Fizzer makes so I cut open the oil filter to see if there is any evidence of the engine/transmission harming itself by a bearing or something coming apart. Below are the results of this chop job!

You need a drill 3/16" dia, drill two holes about a 1/2" apart right next to the end of the filter. With a pair of Tin Snips, cut between the two holes and continue around the filter until the element comes out. With the element out, you can inspect it.

What i didn't expect: Breaking into Fort Knox of oil filters! Holly Cr@p, WIX filters ARE WELL CONSTRUCTED!!!! They are Very heavy and now I see why! Lots of steel reinforcement and potting. Take your time and make cuts and roll the tin like a tuna can to open and expose the element. Roll it out and see what you find.

- 3/16" or bigger drill bit
- Tin Snips
- Pliers
- maybe a screw driver if WIX made filter
- Gloves, cause one slip and you'll be cut open

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The Good News, after spreading the pleats out I found like 6 tiny specs of metal which I am not concerned about. Obviously I can't see the lead and copper if the main/rod bearings were going bad but thats not the concern as its not a rod knock or anything like that. I have some piece of mind that nothing huge is going down so I'll continue to ride it like I stole it.

 

[FinalImpact]

FWIW:

The spring which keeps the media in place.
View attachment 45294

The filter has the drain back valve in the main body and I didn't open it. Its in the bottom near the threads here.
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The By-pass spring should the filter media plug, this opens and lets oil into circulation.
View attachment 45295

The exposed filter media.
View attachment 45296

Now I can sleep better. . .

 

[ChevyFazer]

Good write up! I've cut open quite a few and I've found the easiest way to get in is to use a cut off wheel and go around the bottom.

 

[FinalImpact]

Good write up! I've cut open quite a few and I've found the easiest way to get in is to use a cut off wheel and go around the bottom.

I too have done that in the past and its great in the shop. Actually this worked well and took less than 5 min to open. Plus it can be done with basic hand tools. Getting at the filter media, that was something else!!!

I dumped the oil on the New to me Mazda 6, V6, chop chop to the filter on that today too. Both were clean but both had metal in the pan that either won't go through pickup screen or is too heavy to get there. . . 1st oil change on the newer car so I had to know how it looks. Also, cold start on an empty filter and the rods DON'T rattle is good sign! lol

What was sad; I feel like the car gained about 12HP just by changing the oil!!! It accelerates so much smoother too! IIRC the bike did that when I went to Amsoil!

 

[FinalImpact]

A quick observation: Anyone notice the the OEM FSM states:


• Replace: Engine oil filter cartridge every other oil change? i.e. change oil every 4000 miles. Change cartridge every 8000 miles or once a year! :spank:

 

[regder]

A quick observation: Anyone notice the the OEM FSM states:


• Replace: Engine oil filter cartridge every other oil change? i.e. change oil every 4000 miles. Change cartridge every 8000 miles or once a year! :spank:

Yeah, a lot of manufacturers say the same thing.

My theory is filters are so cheap that you might as well replace them every time, the little extra insurance can't hurt

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Yeah, a lot of manufacturers say the same thing.

My theory is filters are so cheap that you might as well replace them every time, the little extra insurance can't hurt

+1, ^.

Why dilute nice, new fresh oil with the old oil in the old filter. No, its not a lot of oil in the filter, but for a little bit of oil, to do a full oil change, why not?? I pay a bit more for full synthetic, I'm not cutting corners on a filter.

(BTW, I have a re-usable, cleanable SS internals, billet aluminum, K&P filter so the filter doesn't get replaced, but inspected, very easily, everytime and just a quick cleaning)..

Custom Oil Filters - Reusable Oil Filters - Cleanable Oil Filters - Green Oil Filters

 

[FinalImpact]

+1, ^.

Why dilute nice, new fresh oil with the old oil in the old filter. No, its not a lot of oil in the filter, but for a little bit of oil, to do a full oil change, why not?? I pay a bit more for full synthetic, I'm not cutting corners on a filter.

(BTW, I have a re-usable, cleanable SS internals, billet aluminum, K&P filter so the filter doesn't get replaced, but inspected, very easily, everytime and just a quick cleaning)..

Custom Oil Filters - Reusable Oil Filters - Cleanable Oil Filters - Green Oil Filters

^^ Looks like a great way to stay in touch w/ the bike!

Anyway - I was not advocating following the every - other - OCI filter change. Just posting something from the FSM that I found entertaining.

 

[FinalImpact]

Maybe not the most likely place to post a how too, but here it is all the same.

In short, with the help of Kellogs or any chunk of card board box, you can successfully get that old oil in the pan without spilling a drop!

• Set bike on side stand.
• Gather extension w/17mm socket & ratchet.
• With an old cereal box cut a 10" X 12" piece and bend it into a U shape.
• Shove it between the header and the transmission and walla!
• Remove drain plug and w/out making mess!
• Carefully stand the bike upright for a minute and return it to the side stand. This allows the internal sump to dump a bit more oil into the lower sump/pan area. Be careful not to knock the pan away or drain shoot off. A safe bet is to seat the plug for moment and then stand the bike up.

Here I'm holding the disposable drain shoot during the initial dump so it doesn't do something crazy like fall off. Its that easy....

Tags:
OCI, oil change, oil change interval, Filter change, Dino oil, synthetic oil, 10-40;
Mega tag: exxon valdez, oh sh$t, oil spill,

A very Good Post and more details on oil changing: http://www.600riders.com/forum/how-tos/18531-how-change-your-oil.html

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Maybe not the most likely place to post a how too, but here it is all the same.

In short, with the help of Kellogs or any chunk of card board box, you can successfully get that old oil in the pan without spilling a drop!

• Set bike on side stand.
• Gather extension w/17mm socket & ratchet.
• With an old cereal box cut a 10" X 12" piece and bend it into a U shape.
• Shove it between the header and the transmission and walla! No Mess!
• Carefully stand the bike upright for a minute and return it to the side stand. This allows the internal sump to dump a bit more oil into the lower sump/pan area. Be careful not to knock the pan away or drain shoot off. A safe bet is to seat the plug for moment and then stand the bike up.

Here you me holding the disposable drain shoot during the initial dump so it doesn't do something crazy like fall off. Its that easy....

Tags:
OCI, oil change, oil change interval, Filter change, Dino oil, synthetic oil, 10-40;
Mega tag: exxon valdez, oh sh$t, oil spill,

A very Good Post and more details on oil changing: http://www.600riders.com/forum/how-tos/18531-how-change-your-oil.html

Good idea but I let mine drain for at least a half hour, my old arms would get tired... Besides, nothing like the smell of oil burning on a header!