[scgeneral]

I did an oil change successfully once. This time everything went wrong. The oil sprayed all over from the filter cap on the test ride. What did I do wrong?

I took off drain plug and dumped oil. Tightened screw with new washer.
Then I took off oil filter cap, dumped oil and put new filter on. I did not change any rubber o-rings. Sealed it up again. Everything was hand tight, nice and snug.

Filled crankcase up with oil. Turned it on. Let oil fill filter area. Then re-fill crankcase based on sight.

Went for test boot and pow the oil starts spraying everywhere. (BTW There was still lots of oil in crank and filter cap)

To make things worse, I started all over again. This time I tightened the filter cap with my giant torque wrench and pow the cap split in three pieces.

What did I do wrong???

 

[Delta107]

I think you overfilled the oil. Then over torqued the cap. I could be wrong we will let the grease monkeys pitch in on this.

 

[sharrokor]

torque value for the filler plug and filter bolt are 14.5ft/lb I think. when you sight the oil in the glass dont have the bike on the side OR center stand.. just kneel down and lean it over on you perpendicular to the ground. be careful

 

[Blue Ghost]

First you need to know the proper torque values and have the proper torque wrench. The most common are a dial indicator and a breaking or click type torque wrench. Make sure you have the torque wrench set properly. A giant torque wrench is not necessary, but if it is all you have, use it with caution. If you have a click type torque wrench, you will feel a very, very light click or break at the ratchet when the correct torque is reached. Always hand tighten first then tighten with the wrench very slowly. Torque measurements can be set a few different ways. If your torque wrench does not have a setting for ft-lbs, you will need to set it to N-m or kgf-m. These are the torque values you need to know for an oil change;

N-m kgf-m ft-lb

Oil Drain Bolt 19.6 2.0 14.5
Oil Filter Mounting Bolts 19.6 2.0 14.5
Plug 19.6 2.0 14.5
(If your torque wrench has inch lbs increments, set to approx 174 in-lbs)


You only need about 1.8 quarts of oil to be full with a filter. A whole 2 quarts is too much. You have to have the oil a least 3/4 of the way full in the oil sight glass, which is located just below the oil filler cap, with the bike level.

 

[scgeneral]

Thanks guys.

When I buy a new oil filter cover and I will buy a smaller torque wrench and use it.

I think I solved the initial leak problem. Ready for this: watching some YouTube videos I realized that the washer was stuck to the old filter!!!

That means I did not install that washer in the filter assembly. Could that be the reason? I really need to know if that washer could have caused that leak because if it didn't, I'm not sure I want to try this again.

If it is the washer, what is the correct order of the parts? One video has it on top of the spring, as follows: spring, washer, filter, element fence (filter cap). Another video has it on top of the filter, as follows: spring, filter, washer, element fence. Owner's manual does not specify order. I think it is washer on top of spring.

Please help.

 

[Blue Ghost]

Spring, washer, filter, element fence. The spring and washer help push the filter up to leave a small gap between it and the cover. Can't really be sure if this would have caused oil to overflow the oil fill hole. Just make sure you check your threads and make sure the oil pump ports (inside where the filter goes) are not blocked or clogged.

 

[spooph]

scgeneral, where was the oil spurting from? From the filler cap? Front the drain bolt underneath the bike? Or from the oil filter cap underneath the bike? Did it leak any oil standing still while you were filling it? When you say all of a sudden a bunch of oil leaked out, what does that mean? All 3quarts just exploded out of the bottom of your bike? Or you had a steady stream of oil from somewhere, or you had a slow but steady dribble from somewhere?

Oh, and I don't even have a washer between the spring and filter anymore, so it's not that important.... Ghost is right, you should always thread both the oil filter cap bolt and drain bolt by hand, as it spins into the threads, freely. Any binding and there's a prob. Once they bolt heads get close to the surfaces they are seating against (or in the case of the cap, the cap gets close), then you can start to use the torque wrench. To give you an idea of 14.5ft/lbs - it's about as much as you pulling the front brakes, slowing down from 60mph with a hurry, with 2 or three fingers... I think you applied like 3 cajillion times too much force. Hopefully you didn't destroy the threads....

My initial reaction to the post is that you had cross-threaded the oil filter assembly, which means it didn't seat all the way, and you FUBARED your crank case. Let's hope that's not the case... More info please.

 

[scgeneral]

spooph:

From the filter cap underneath the bike. It did not leak while it was standing still while filling up. It did not leak standing still at low idle. It only leaked on the test ride.

As I was riding, I noticed the back wheel would slip. when I got home, I noticed a trail of oil. It was a spray of oil coming from the filler cap area. It wasn't all at once. It wasn't a dribble. It was a spray. it is all over the back wheel. BTW, I put in just under 2 quarts of oil (not 3).

I don't tthink I crosss threaded the assembly. It was spinning freely and easily. I did tighten by hand until contact. In fact, when I did it again the second time when it broke, it spun freely until contact. I don't think the threads are FUBARED.

Why do you say it couldn't be the washer? Are you sure?

Maybe by over-tightening the large o-ring useated itself?

Any ideas from my detailed answers?

 

[Blue Ghost]

I've read of the oil drain case (cover, first filter) (where the oil drain bolt goes in) in another post crack. Maybe your filter cover was one of those rare cases of a bad casting and broke from too much torque.

http://www.newninja.com/general-tech/cracked-oil-drain-plug!/

.. It did not leak while it was standing still while filling up. It did not leak standing still at low idle. It only leaked on the test ride.

The reason it did not leak until you rode it, was that the pressure was too low (14 - 21 psi @ 4 000 rpm is the standard pressure for test purpose). Heat and vibration probably finished weakening the hair line crack you didn't and couldn't see.

 

[spooph]

scgeneral, Ghost is right on the pressure and hair line crack thing.

With new info, you are correct, threads sound to be fine. Did you "click" the bolt into the oil cover cap before you started screwing it in? I've found that it's difficult to click it in one you've put the oil filter assembly back on, and especially if you've put it back into the bike.... It seems like to bind if it's not "pre-clicked".

Also, did you wipe all surfaces on the bike and parts to make sure you get a good clean seal - no dirt or pebbles or things in between the cap and crank case? No crunching when you tightened it down?

Once you have your new parts, I'd give it another shot if I were you and do these things:

1.) clean up all the oil-filter assembly parts, like as in, not a spec of anything on any of the parts - you can reuse the filter that's in there now. Assemble the whole thing (fom bottom to top) - bolt, cap, spring, washer, filter, retaining cap.

2.) wipe down the sealing edge on the crank case where the filter assembly bolts onto, and where the drain plug bolts into.

3.) hand thread oil filter assembly and drain bolt into crank case.

4.) if you hear any crunching, take it back out and reclean surfaces.

5.) tighten down with correct torque value.

I know you know some of these things, if not all of them, just thought I'd give a comprehensive run down. Good luck and let us know how it work out, eh?

 

[scgeneral]

Thanks guys. I'll give you an update. Part has been ordered. I get it Wednesday.

 

[scgeneral]

I just installed the new filter cap. Followed all instructions by spooph and the bike is back to normal.

I couldn't find a torque wrench with settings under 20, io I set my giant one at 20 ft*lbs (the lowest setting) and slowly tightened. I figured it is better than guessing by hand.

Filled her up with oil and fired her up. All good idling in driveway. Test ride went perfectly - I hit 12K a times and this time no blow out. A lot of smoke from burnt oil underneath though.

One more question: how do I clean the oil that sprayed all over the back wheel. It's dangerously slippery.

 

[Blue Ghost]

You can use plenty of Dawn and plenty hot water. Some degreasers may dull plastic and painted surfaces.
BTW, even at the lowest setting on a big torque wrench, you can still over torque, so use caution. Even though most big torque wrenches have low settings, they are ideally designed for higher torque values. Some torque wrenches can be calibrated for accuracy. Most big torque wrenches that I have used that had to be calibrated, the lower torque values were always off. You may be good just to snug it up with the ratchet.

 

[spooph]

great idea Ghost!

I was gonna say, and you posted before me...

good good, glad it worked out. yes, oil on tire is a very bad thing. Simple green or any non-corrosive degreaser will work. You want it to dissolve the oil off the tire, but not the tire off the rim, eh? Purple power is sometimes too much...

I definitely wouldn't use engine degreaser, carb cleaner, or something like that. If push comes to shove you can use gasoline, but I'd try to get that off with a hurry if I were you...

 

[scgeneral]

Thanks Ghost and Spooph. I have Simple Green. Don't have Dawn. Will try SG.

 

[spooph]

you don't have dish soap?

 

[Delta107]

Dish soap is for normal people!

 

[scgeneral]

Ghost, I'll tell you why I felt ok with 20 on the big torque wrench. When I cracked it in three the wrench was set at 80. It didn't break when the wrench did its snap. I kept going and that's when it broke. I most have been pushing 100 lb*ft. I figure the difference between 15 and 20 or even 25 if its off is not that great. I tightened very slowly so that only the bolt moved, not the filter cap.

 

[scgeneral]

Any dish soap will do?

 

[Delta107]

Any dish soap will do?

Yes!