cbcanada
Banned
If you crank an oil filter.. Are you just going to damage the filter? Or can you damage the bike?
Over tightening an oil filter?
- Thread starter cbcanada
- Start date
If you strip the threads on the filter, it could theoretically blow off later on when subjected to oil pressure from the engine. Oil on tires = crash. No oil pressure = engine kaboom. Your choice. It would take an awful lot of overtightening far beyond spec to do that, though.
More likely, nothing bad will happen right away, but when it comes time to take that oil filter off at your next oil change interval, you will curse your very existence.
More likely, nothing bad will happen right away, but when it comes time to take that oil filter off at your next oil change interval, you will curse your very existence.
It's important to read what your owner's manual says about filters.
On the Suzuki V-Strom (and I suspect many of Suzuki's other bikes) the correct way to tighten the filter is to first moisten the o-ring with oil. Then gently turn it until the O-Ring on the filter touches. Then turn it two full turns.
..Tom
I was very specific. The V-Strom manual states Two turns of the oil filter from when it first makes contact.
A Torque specification is a way to get something to clamp a given amount. Two turns is much more precise than what a torque wrench would give in this situation as it defines an exact amount of compression independant of forces that might give a bad torque reading (for example not lubing the O-Ring enough or an imprecise Torque wrench.)
Of course you can do it any way you want but its worked well for me for 265,000km woth of oil changes on my two Stroms.
..Tom
btw this is only for the factory Oil Filter as it has a round O-Ring.
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That's not specific, because the decision of when contact is made is arbitrary. If you are off, you will strip out the aluminum threads, or under-tighten.
20N-m of torque is very specific. Torque values is how good mechanics and all engineers measure how far to tighten.
Torque values are very important and reliable when working with a properly calibrated Torque Wrench on hard materials like nuts and bolts. They are very consistant in the amount of force required and since the diameter of the nut (or bolt) is relatively small you can be very consistant in the amount of force needed.(Although for the average person at home using that torque value to tighten an Oil drain plug can often lead to stripping the engine casing threads.) Its a lot less precise when the torque required is by determined by the resistance of a soft O-ring that is around two inches in diameter and a proper seal is a result of how much a round cross-section O-ring is compressed. Two turns of the filter compress it exactly the amount the manufacturer recommends for a proper seal. Its pretty easy to gently hand spin the filter. If you do it gently it stops when it makes contact. A mark on the side on my Oil Filter tool let's me track two turns after that.
It's worked on My Stroms for over 260,000 kms, and likely on millions of KM's of other Stroms.
Anyway, my point for the OP was to read what the Owner's Manual says for his bike, and even then it will only be completly meaningful when using OEM parts.
..Tom
cbcanada
Banned
I ussually just do hand tight and 1/4-1/2 turn.. But the reason i asked.. Was my first oil change on new bike and the previous owner torqued it like his life depended on it. I has to use a screw thru it to take it off.. Thats why i wondered if you can damage the bike or just filter
I saw this handy tip in another forum for removing an oil filter that had been installed too tightly and couldn't be removed....
Get a large worm gear clamp that will fit around the filter and tighten it on the filter close to the engine. Use a socket wrench to tighten the clamp - when it is tight, remove the ratchet, place an extension piece on the socket, then tap the end of the extension piece with a hammer or mallet (in the correct direction, of course!) to loosen the filter. The writer indicated that gentle taps were all that were needed - no need to whack away at it with a 4 lb sledge.
Sounds like a handy tip!!
Get a large worm gear clamp that will fit around the filter and tighten it on the filter close to the engine. Use a socket wrench to tighten the clamp - when it is tight, remove the ratchet, place an extension piece on the socket, then tap the end of the extension piece with a hammer or mallet (in the correct direction, of course!) to loosen the filter. The writer indicated that gentle taps were all that were needed - no need to whack away at it with a 4 lb sledge.
Sounds like a handy tip!!
I've found that hand-tightening works fine. Clearance around most screw-on oil filters is limited and the housing is usually smooth, so unless you're a gorilla, applying excessive force is unlikely. No leaks in my case and if anything the heat/cool cycle of the engine seemed to tighten the filter further--removing them always required a cap wrench.
Once properly threaded, firmly twist the filter on until it slips more than it turns (clean hands!). It should be difficult, but not impossible, to untwist, if you want to check. That's less than the two full turns recommended in the service manuals but no issues after fifteen or so oil changes.
I'd be more concerned with making sure the o-ring surface is smooth and clean than with exact torque settings. If it's not finger tight and not stripped, you're good.
Once properly threaded, firmly twist the filter on until it slips more than it turns (clean hands!). It should be difficult, but not impossible, to untwist, if you want to check. That's less than the two full turns recommended in the service manuals but no issues after fifteen or so oil changes.
I'd be more concerned with making sure the o-ring surface is smooth and clean than with exact torque settings. If it's not finger tight and not stripped, you're good.
-Maverick-
Well-known member
Owner's manuals and factory service manuals have been known to contain errors.
If you have a spare filter lying around, can you measure the thread pitch and gasket thickness and post them here? I bet that would reveal the craziness of 2 full turns.
Right now I'm riding around with one of those plastic oil filter tools stuck to the oil filter. I'd explain but it's kinda complicated.
My Suzuki also said 2 full turns in the manual back in 97 Suzuki has been using this spec for years
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Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4
-Maverick-
Well-known member
This is just crazy. Perhaps little Japanese hands have to crank them on, but a big north-American lad could bust the male end off of the engine block by hand if he wanted to. It's only aluminum! One full turn from contact is plenty. Tight is tight!
This is what the manual says for my 97 gsxr 750.
Although I just spin it on to the tightness I've always used. Hand tight has worked for me and I doubt it is 2 full turns after contact, despite what the manual says,
