Oil change fiasco

ese12105 · August 09, 2013, 04:13:54 PM

So I went and change my oil and filter today and everything seemed to be going well... I finished up and started the bike to get the oil moved around to check the oil level. I walk away for a minute then go back to check on it and there is oil everywhere... It was spewing out if the cap for where the oil filter goes in. I run and grab my wrench to tighten the nuts, but they just keep spinning. The bottom one and one of the top ones just keep spinning. One works fine. So oil keeps spilling everywhere and is making a huge mess so I clean it up the best I can. Now I'm letting all the oil drain out, but I have to go to work. So much for riding the bike to work right after I put some new bar end mirrors on. Sigh.

So are the bolts stripped? Will I be able to get the nuts off? If I have to replace the bolts, how hard is this going to be? This happen to anyone else? I tried searching, but couldn't find anything yet. It seems like on every project that I do, I fix one thing and another thing goes wrong. I'm pretty pissed right now at my bike... lol

Any help would be much appreciated... Thanks guys!

Big Rich · August 09, 2013, 04:26:05 PM

I want to say the studs snapped, and the crooked cover stopped them from coming off all together.

There are plenty of threads about replacing the studs (and a video on YouTube by BaltimoreGS), I recommend checking them out.

It sucks, I know......but it's definitely not the worst thing that could have happened.

fetor56 · August 09, 2013, 04:43:07 PM

This could help:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aE_bntq_iE

jacob92icu · August 09, 2013, 09:02:07 PM

I feel your pain, i really do. I just finished my rebuild and now i have to start all over again. Like big rich said, definitely not the worst thing that could have happened. Pictures are always nice btw, but it sounds like the problem has already been identified.

ese12105 · August 09, 2013, 11:02:53 PM

I'm gonna check it when I get home from work. I ran out of time so I just let the oil drain out. We'll see in a few hours...

ese12105 · August 10, 2013, 02:20:53 AM

So I'm sitting here trying to get the nuts off of the studs over the oil filter. If they are broke like we were thinking, why can't I pull them off even with pliers? I'm pulling pretty hard and they're not going anywhere. When I try to unscrew the nuts, they just spin. I'm kinda at a loss. I don't want to screw it up and break something, but I'm not quite sure how to get the cover off...

Big Rich · August 10, 2013, 03:11:23 AM

That is odd......

Try unscrewing them by hand while pulling the nut away from the motor? Only thing I can think of is the threads are buggered up, but the nut is still catching on them.

ese12105 · August 10, 2013, 03:15:45 AM

Yeah I tried pulling out and turning with pliers but nothing happened. I snapped the cover off the end of the nut and I can see the stud now. It's not spinning when the nut is spinning... Guess the threads have to be torn up. Just gonna have to cut the nut/end of stud off somehow tomorrow I guess.

Big Rich · August 10, 2013, 04:47:04 AM

They are studs - just to clarify.

Try putting 2 normal nuts on a stud, and back out the inside one. It should grab the outside nut which will make the "stud" a "bolt". If the threads are messed up and you cant do it that way, post back and ask.

Bluesmudge · August 10, 2013, 09:47:09 AM

In the future, be real careful with those studs. If my memory is correct, the manual only calls for ~8 foot pounds of torque on those studs. There is a nice gasket that doesn't need much help to keep the oil in.

ese12105 · August 10, 2013, 10:07:26 AM

That seems real loose... Lol. I probably did tighten too much. They don't work loose? Should I use some loctite? Or lock washers? Gonna work on getting them out today after work and hopefully I can find some new studs that will fit in the hardware store.

Big Rich · August 10, 2013, 03:04:48 PM

You'd be surprised how little effort it takes to hold those nuts on. You don't need lockwashers or loctite, just that tiny bit of pressure.

ctjacket · August 10, 2013, 06:47:22 PM

When I changed my oil, I hand tightened until I couldn't do it anymore, and then just tightened maybe 1/4 turn more with a socket and it was all good.

Kerry · August 10, 2013, 11:48:06 PM

Quote from: ctjacket on August 10, 2013, 06:47:22 PM
When I changed my oil, I hand tightened until I couldn't do it anymore, and then just tightened maybe 1/4 turn more with a socket and it was all good.

+1

DrtRydr23 · August 11, 2013, 06:26:05 AM

Quote from: ctjacket on August 10, 2013, 06:47:22 PM
When I changed my oil, I hand tightened until I couldn't do it anymore, and then just tightened maybe 1/4 turn more with a socket and it was all good.

I did that the last time I changed the oil and got a little leak from the cover. Went through and torqued them down a bit more, maybe another 1/4 turn, and it seems to have stopped it.

oz353 · August 11, 2013, 07:15:19 AM

i prefer to use my 1/4" ratchet with a 3" extension. i grip the head of the ratchet and use ring finger and little finger pressure only until snug

Kerry · August 11, 2013, 02:14:32 PM

Quote from: oz353 on August 11, 2013, 07:15:19 AM
i prefer to use my 1/4" ratchet with a 3" extension.

+1 to that, too!

ohgood · August 11, 2013, 03:20:36 PM

ok, for the torque wrench challenged and not quite sure of your hands yet crowd...

attach 1/4" ratchet and socket, with a cheater pipe on it, total length from socket to end of pipe = 1 foot, to the oil filter cover nut which you've finger tightened already and

hang a gallon of milk on it.

that's tight enough.

anything more than compressing the oring is risking a failure, either now, or very soon.

if you want to practice finger torque guestimation, do so with nuts and bolts in a vice, vs the gallon of milk for calibration of the fingers.

keep in mind, some specs are FOOT lbs, some are INCH lbs, and that tighter is not better. tighter is only, tighter.

ohgood · August 11, 2013, 03:22:31 PM

oh, and have some oreos or nutter butters on hand.

I prefer nutter butters because of the peanut buttery goodness, and,

it reminds me of what suzuki makes fasteners out of.

Janx101 · August 11, 2013, 04:47:54 PM

Quote from: ohgood on August 11, 2013, 03:20:36 PM
attach 1/4" ratchet and socket, with a cheater pipe on it, total length from socket to end of pipe = 1 foot, to the oil filter cover nut which you've finger tightened already and

hang a gallon of milk on it.

that's tight enough.

full fat or skim milk? ... what if you have litres? .. and Imperial or US Gallon? ...

and while i know the basics of torque wrenchistry .. that gallon weight ... what would that equate to on an actual torque wrench? ... bearing in mind that i dont see why anyone needs to use a torque on the filter cover to start with? .. doesnt anyone revert to "that'll do" for light weight bolts anymore?

.. edit ... and ummm ... what BRAND of milk .. different producers may use a container of differing thickness or structural integrity.. changing the final weight ... or should a standardised alternative container be used.... which container?... is there a 'better' standard that should be used?

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Oil change fiasco