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New bike --- Oil filter is totally, utterly stuck

5K views 33 replies 11 participants last post by  Bubba in TX 
#1 ·
Hi guys. 2011 Nomad purchased as a new leftover 10 days ago. Runs like a dream. But...first oil change (600 miles). Oil filter is stuck. An I mean stuck. Regular oil wrench (those crummy round things) just slips. Purchased channel lock-like oil wrench. All it did attempting to turn it was break the filter. Yes, it's really, really stuck.

Need advice. Maybe a heat gun?

If I can't get that sucker off, I'll have to tow it to a shop, as it is now sitting in my garage with no oil and a broken filter.

:frown2:
 
#3 ·
From the left side, take a large flat screwdriver and gently (!) tap the bottom on the end (torque in the direction you want to unscrew it). You don't want to strip the threads so don't hit it too hard. You just want to break it loose. Try that a few times, and if it still doesn't move, so what TS Tinker said. You can tap on that screw driver also to try to break it loose.

A heat gun would probably only make it worse. There is a lot more metal to heat in the engine than the filter, so you will just expand the filter against the housing making it tighter still.
 
#4 ·
"Purchased channel lock-like oil wrench. All it did attempting to turn it was break the filter."

When you say it broke the filter do you mean crushed in on the end or the filter cover ripped loose from the base?
 
#5 ·
Also, when you get that sucker off, replace with one that has the nut on the end like a K&N. I always use them on My Voyager since the 1700 is up in there in a small space. Yes tinker those channel lock things are also too large. I have a set too. LOL They are good filter squashers though.
 
#9 ·
I think I now see the light on this an will go with the K&N in the future. It was a royal pain in the butt getting that sucker off with no tools that fit well.
 
#7 ·
So the regular wrench slid, the channels locks tool didn't really fit and just broke a hole in the filter trying to get leverage, but the old fashioned way was the ticket. I drilled a hole through the filter and then drove a screwdriver through it. Still couldn't budge it with steady force (not a lot of torque, since the screw driver wasn't that long given the space), but eventually some not so light taps on the screw driver handle loosened it. The threads and everything looked find---no rust or anything. I think this was just a case of the gasket having become one with the rim over the course of a few years.

Now that those few hours are out of the way, hope it never happens again. It shouldn't. I won't over torque the filter, and the oil changes will be frequent enough given how much I ride.

Thanks for the help.

Happy and safe riding,
Dan
 
#15 ·
K&N Oil filter



What's wrong with it? I'll search the forum, but given that you bed raised it, ???

Thnks
 
#13 ·
This makes sense to me. However, the service manual says to torque the filter to 13 foot pounds! That seems very high to me---13 lbs of force on the end of a 1 foot lever? Isn't that way too tight?
 
#20 ·
Yep, got it off an hour after the post following TS Tinker's suggestion. Actually, I drilled a hole before driving the screwdriver through so I would be less likely to damage the threads. I still had to tap the screwdriver with a hammer. It was a bit messy, but it's done.
 
#24 ·
same thing happened to me , last oil change was done by the dealer.
last sat. went to change the oil S_O_B that sucker was on there tried the screw driver technique ripped a nice slot in the oil filter, then I ran to advance auto bought 2 styles of oil filter wrenches, when i got home surely it will come off now. nope they slipped went back to the screwdriver and finally got that little sucker to move. K&N is now in place
 
#25 ·
Glad you got your filter off. In case anybody else has the problem...
You can wrap a belt around it and the harder you pull the tighter the belt will get.
I've had success with that on other equipment. There is also tool called a strap
Wrench used for tightening pipe. It's the best I've seen for stubborn filters.

My $.02
Jimmy D
 
#26 ·
Jimmy I even tried pieces of rubber under the oil filter wrench and It would just slip. I think there is a strap type deal with a 3/8 drive that would work with a socket wrench just because I think the handle on a reg. strap wrench is too long ( I have a table lift thats why) it is a very tight area on the vaq. But all that said, this WON'T happen to this kid anymore:grin2:
 
#27 ·
I use only Kawasaki filters, air and oil.
I use the Kawasaki oil filter wrench to torque the filter to spec and to remove the filter, never had an issue. The wrench has a 19mm hex and a 3/8 square hole so can use either a combo wrench or a socket or just a socket extension. It is much stronger than the typical filter wrench from the auto parts store.
 
#30 ·
Where did you get the Kawasaki wrench? I have one of those autostore cyllindrical wrenches with the socket hole on the end, but the fit on the filter was not tight enough to keep it from slipping given how married given how tight the gasket was against the housing. It seems possible to me that a better wrench would have gotten it off, although maybe not given how fused it was.
 
#32 ·
I think the 13 foot pound figure in the manual may be responsible for these foibles. They're probably being conservative because bikes vibrate enough to rattle it loose sooner that it might on another vehicle (maybe). I went with the manual. I hope I can get it off in another 2900 miles. At least if I have trouble again, I know what works.
 
#31 ·
Not sure about this. I don't think the threads were fused at all. I think the gasket was effectively glued to the housing.
 
#33 ·
Got it from my Kawasaki dealer, # 57001-1249
I've had it for many years and I expect it will cost more than the $6 autoparts store version but it is much better quality.
 
#34 ·
This is the only type of oil filter wrenches to have. I have 3 different sizes. It fits the flutes on the end of the filter and you can crank the crap out of it....

Had them about 20 years and between the three I have never had a oil filter they did not fit. Do not remember where I got them. (probably Harbor Freight or such)

Tool Metal
 
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