Author Topic: Oil/filter change advice  (Read 11708 times)

Offline Red01

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Oil/filter change advice
« on: March 12, 2005, 12:02:15 AM »
Oil/filter change advice
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velosapiens
(8/28/01 11:18 pm)
oil/filter change advice for a spodely type

Ack! i've been doing all the work on my klr650(23k miles) and my klx300 (2k dirt miles), and now i have to learn a new bike. i've got a bit over 300 miles on my machine, and with a new engine, the oil was starting to get yucky looking, so i figured i'd change the oil and filter early. naturally, the stock filter is not the same shape as the fram replacement so the cheesy little plastic filter wrench i got was useless. i didn't have a strap-type wrench to break it loose, so i ended up using the screwdriver through the filter method, which made a bit of a mess. putting the new filter on, it seems like the cheesy plastic wrench was marginal for getting it tight enough. here are my questions:

1. what kind of filter wrench are people having success with?

2. why didn't anyone tell me that air-cooled 4-cylinder bikes get significantly hotter than water-cooled singles? i burned my fingers in a few places  .

3. will i ever stop being such a fumbling idiot? if i can't even change the oil without trauma, how am i supposed to check the valves, drill out the mixture-screw caps, and synch the carbs next week?  

-mark

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Red01SuziB12S
(8/29/01 2:02 am)
Re: oil/filter change advice for a spodely type

 1) a filter wrench I picked up from NAPA... but I don't use the POS Fram, so I don't know what wrench fits it best. (If you really love your bike, you'll run a better filter than the Fram - see some of the other topics here on the subject.)

2) Well, DUH!  (Your lawn mower gets hotter than those Kawis, too - so be careful when you work on that too.)  

3) Buy a service manual?

BTW, you can use a belt for a strap wrench in a bind.

Paul W

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velosapiens
(8/29/01 11:07 am)
Re: oil/filter change advice for a spodely type

I have the manual on order.

I personally am unaware of any problems with fram oil filters. I was under the impression that filters are pretty much all the same. I searched on this site and could't find any info that would indicate otherwise. what are you using?
mw
 
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Red01SuziB12S
(8/29/01 12:59 pm)
You asked for oil/filter change advice?
I've been buying the Per-Forms thru Holeshot, but if you don't like the expense or inconvenience, you can opt for the Suzuki, STP or Purolator versions, they are all better than the Fram. Seems Fram is also making the Castrol and Penske filters, so I'd avoid them, too.

Here's some P/N's for the B12's oil filter:

SUZUKI OEM 16510-06B01
Emgo Black 10-55660
Emgo CHROME 10-55670
JC Whitney Black - 06AD3165B
JC Whitney Chrome -06AD3166P
Note- JC Whitney filters are said to be EMGO and EMGO are said to make
Suzuki OEM filters. They look identical, with a "O" ring instead of a
flat gasket surface.
Per-Form J-509
Purolator ML6818
STP SMO-18
FRAM 314-6018 or PH6018 - - - this is a Crap Filter- use as last resort.
NAPA Gold 1359
ProPart Black 01-0029
BIKE MASTER BLACK 314-0025
CYCLE POWER 314-1919
VESRAH Sf-3007

While on the subject of oil/filter changes, here's some interesting reading on what kind of oil to use, written by a retired chemist for a major oil company... this is from a Honda VFR page, but the info is still relevant.

www.yft.org/tex_vfr/tech/oil.htm

And their bit on oil filters:

www.yft.org/tex_vfr/tech/oilfilter.htm

Here's some more reading on the oil topic:

www.nightrider.com/biketech/oiltest1.htm

www.vtr.org/maintain/oil-additives.html

Paul W

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velosapiens
(8/29/01 6:09 pm)
muchas gracias

Excellent. after I started perusing the maximum suzuki board, I found some of that same stuff. that's a little alarming. I guess I'm glad that Fram filter won't stay in there very long.

They must have a massive profit margin for dealers, cuz Fram is about the only filter I've seen at 3-4 different places. I'll try Napa, or just order some from dale.

Thanks for the help, and for taking the time to chase down those links.
mw
 
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Red01SuziB12S
(8/29/01 7:54 pm)
Re: muchas gracias

No prob, hombre!  

I had the links saved in an e-mail I had socked away, so it didn't take a lot chasing to find them.  

The Per-Form is supposed to be the best of the filters available, with the STP & Purolators right below them. (If I remember right, Purolator makes the STP filter.) I forget where the NAPA one fits into the picture. I thought I had saved a link where one of the Honda sites had cut a bunch of them open and compared. I remember the NAPA was the same as a couple of others, I just don't remember who makes it. Maybe a sharp NAPA counter guy/gal can tell you who makes their filters for them.

If you order from Dale, he'll give you a better price if you buy more than one. To me it kind of makes sense to buy a few - that way shipping isn't such a killer. I bought a couple from Dale when I ordered my slip-on.


Paul W

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texmikeb12
(8/29/01 9:48 pm)
Thanks for the list

Thanks for the filter list, Paul. I socked it away for future use.
I'm with you, Perform. I still have the Frams I ordered, before the hacksaw party- I may use 'em for target practice one day.  Nice to have that list though, and I did not know about the JC Whitney's. I've seen them in the CAT, but didn't look twice, since I didn't know the brand.
Thanks and Ride Safe,
TexMike
 
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PeteSC  
(8/31/01 2:14 pm)
Re: Thanks for the list

I have 3 of the J C Whitney filters in the closet I bought 2 years ago, and was told not to use them!

I may take a hacksaw to one this weekend, and see what it looks like!

I"ve been changing the oil every 2000 miles......usually get the dealer to change filters whan I have other work done. (Every 4-5000miles or so..)

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Paul
2001 GSF1200S
(04/2001-03/2012)
2010 Concours 14ABS
(07/2010-current)