Oil filter question...

Damn Yankee · June 11, 2008, 02:33:24 AM

At a friends house for a wrench session, changing the oil and filter, and DOH! I forgot the filter socket so I can torque it to the 7 ft lbs prescribed by the operator's manual.

A friend who knows his way around motorcycles just wrenched it down and said to re-torque it when I get home. So I loosened it (but not to the point where I could lose oil) then tried to re-torque it, but the filter socket now slips off. Even with a different socket. So now it's tight enough where I can't really move it with my fingers. A quick test run on a nearby freeway up to 5000 rpm showed no problem.

Question here: Should I loosen it again and just tighten by hand, like it says on the FRAM filter? Find another filter wrench I can torque to spec? Or just leave it alone and worry about something else? I'm inclined to leave well enough alone right now.

When you change the oil, do you just tighten the filter by hand or do you torque it?

Magnum Magna · June 11, 2008, 02:42:22 AM

Someone may correct me but I put a little oil on the gasket then get it as tight as my hand will get it.

Jerry G Turner · June 11, 2008, 04:44:51 AM

I have never torqued a filter on anything just hand tighten and I have never had a problem.

roboto65 · June 11, 2008, 05:33:59 AM

Smae here hand tight and probably a little less if you read the filter tighten to the gasket touches and 1/2 turn more or something like that but me I just tighten it hand tight and never had a problem !!!

rjb/AKA Bob Barram · June 11, 2008, 09:40:44 AM

I agree, little oil on the gasket and hand tighten it (man hands!!!)LOL.

Justin · June 11, 2008, 09:40:59 AM

Quote from: roboto65 on June 11, 2008, 05:33:59 AM
Smae here hand tight and probably a little less if you read the filter tighten to the gasket touches and 1/2 turn more or something like that but me I just tighten it hand tight and never had a problem !!!

Same oil up the rubber gasket on the filter hand tighten till the gasket touches 1/2 turn more never had a problem.

Damn Yankee · June 11, 2008, 12:47:42 PM

...and that's what I do when I change the oil filter in the cars... skim oil on gasket, 3/4 turn by hand, done.

Being a rookie at motorcycle maintenance, I figured you can't go wrong by following the op's manual. But, admittedly, torque specs for oil filters is anal-retentive.

My brother had the oil blow out of his car after an oil change. As I recall, that was for not lubing the gasket and putting the filter on too tight...and the gasket crimped. I just didn't want to do anything so fundamentally stupid that would leave me shipwrecked on the side of the highway.

But I took Maggie to work and back on the freeway this morning...no runs, no drips, no errors.

Thanks once again for your input and reaffirmations...next crisis, please.

Sledge Hammer · June 11, 2008, 02:15:19 PM

You didn't say whether or not you use Honda filters. I do, and they are more examples of irritating engineering at work. The last time I bought oil filters, not only had the P/N changed but so did the number of flats on the outside of the filter so that my filter socket no longer fit. (Speaking of fits, I had a good one over that.) On my truck, I handtighten the filter (can't get a torque wrench on it regardless of extension), but on my Magna, I play it safe and use the torque wrench. Yet another entry for the annals of retention...

Justin · June 11, 2008, 04:42:46 PM

Don't even bother with the OEM replacement filters from Honda its a waste of money.

Buy a K&N high performance oil filter http://www.knfilters.com/search/product.aspx?Prod=KN-303 or http://www.knfilters.com/search/product.aspx?Prod=KN-303C if you prefer a chromed oil filter

I don't know what you'll pay in the states but it costed me less then 15$ out the door for the chromed version KN-303C.

Magnum Magna · June 11, 2008, 05:09:34 PM

I use Mobil 1 M1-110 Or WalMart SuperTech ST7317, about $2. Made by Champion.

info
http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/Filters.html#OilFilters

Cross Ref
http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/FilterXRef.html

Damn Yankee · June 11, 2008, 08:53:53 PM

QuoteYou didn't say whether or not you use Honda filters.

Actually, I roll with a Fram PH6017A...$7 at Murray's, always in stock.

Just converted to synthetic oil for this change....I can already tell the difference. But, that's another thread page.

BA · June 13, 2008, 12:43:03 PM

I've been told to avoid the Fram filters. Something about the filter material breaking up and cloging the oil passages in the engine. I use the Bosch 3323 filter on mine. About $6 from AutoZone.

Justin · June 13, 2008, 12:57:09 PM

I've also had Fram filters Crush/Implode on me, but thats on performance Smallblocks and Bigblocks, i don't think the V4 has enough gumption for that, but I avoid Fram at all cost anyways.

Sledge Hammer · June 13, 2008, 01:52:48 PM

I've seen the web sites which frown upon Honda's filters, but not one of them has presented any specific details to justify the statements. In the case of FRAM, I have seen opened examples of them, and they consisted of filter paper capped on either end with some roughly cut cardboard with ragged edges. I have never seen another brand of oil filter so cheaply designed and manufactured. How could it be better than the Honda OEM?