I just changed my oil and replaced the oil filter.  I'm getting a leak at the bottom of the oil filter cover so I think it may have something to do with the o-ring.  My stupid question is can I take off the oil filter cover without a lot of oil coming out?  I'm pretty sure that if I take that cover off all the oil in the bike will come out.  So anyone want to help a retard out?

I'm afraid there's no way to take the cover off without pouring lots of motor oil on the ground...
Yes, probably there's an issue with the oil filter O-ring, worn out and/or misplaced.
Just guessing, since I'm a recent owner and haven't changed the oil on my GS yet.

Hope it helps.

You'll get about 3/4 of a quart of oil when you take the cover off.  A $0.50 foil baking pan 8x8x2 will solve the problem.

On a related note, I had the same problem over the weekend.  I have been using NAPA powersports filters, and find that the O-ring form gasket is slightly small for the O-ring groove.  If you don't heat the thing up with a hair dryer and stretch it out, it will not stay in the groove while you install it.  The O-ring is molded with a slightly smaller profile than the groove.

Unfortunately, it is not immediately obvious that something is screwed up.  My bike even passed a leak check  The pinched O-ring gave way as I left the driveway for the second time that morning, and I was 15 miles from home when I finally noticed the oil leak at the first stoplight.  By some miracle, the O-ring adjusted itself in the groove to block the majority of the flow after several seconds.  If that had not been the case, I would have pumped the sump dry before I reached the intersection a mile up the road.  When I checked the oil I was right at the bottom edge of the dipstick.  A few more miles and I would have been looking for a new engine.

ok, thanks for the help guys.  I'm going to pick up a new o-ring and some paint to repaint the side panels and tank.  I'll be sure to heat up the o-ring with a dryer before installing it so thanks for that tip.

Heating up the O-ring and stretching it only applies to the NAPA brand filters.  The Fram filter I used in the past had an O-ring that was the perfect size.  Unfortunately for me, I bought a bunch of NAPA filters.

I use the Suzuki filter and have used the same ring three times.
Had a Fram once and it was not as thick as the Suzuki ring.

i just changed mine at work(suzuki) and my ring was ok but if i was doing it at home i always keep a couple around just in case.

Don't forget the wonderfull turkey baster. You can use it to remove a decent amount of oil, say if you were to overfill the case. You can even get really nifty and siphon a little off with one. Don't re-use the old oil. Once the magic is out, you can't put it back in

I'm using Fram filters and the o-rings are not thick enough to seal the cover unfortunately.  I'm blasting the o-ring in the cover with a hair dryer now and I think it's working, but its slow going.

I seriously screwed up and broke one of the bolts off of the oil filter cover.  I've checked around and they're pretty easy to replace.  Has anyone ever had to replace the bolts that hold on the oil filter cover?

Quote from: tripleb on August 12, 2007, 04:55:49 PM
I seriously screwed up and broke one of the bolts off of the oil filter cover.  I've checked around and they're pretty easy to replace.  Has anyone ever had to replace the bolts that hold on the oil filter cover?

I JUST had that happen a couple weeks ago. Over-tightened and snapped one of the lil' caps clean off. I freaked out too...until I realized the post coming out are screwed in...not forged. Simply unscrew the post, back it out. I used needle-nosed pliers. I replaced it with an Allen-headed screw of the same size...so it goes thought the oil filter cover straight into the block.

tripleb, that's a common user maintenance problem with the GS.  Order a new stud from Suzuki.  Use Vise grips to remove the current stud BEING VERY CAREFUL not to snap it off inside the engine case.  Work the stud in and out if necessary to help loosen it up.  DO NOT force it to come out.    

Install the new stud by taking two metric nuts of the correct size and running them onto the fine thread.  Tighten them together by holding one while tightening the other down.  Use the top nut to drive the stud to depth, then un-jam the nuts.

Tip:  When you reinstall the cover, use a 1/4" ratchet held loosely between your thumb, index, and middle fingers.  Hold the ratchet head between these three fingers and turn the ratchet by using your ring finger against the handle using wrist motion, not by pulling the handle with your arm.  Run all the nuts up finger-tight, then begin applying the ratchet.  Run the nuts up a little bit at a time, don't run them up to final torque in one shot, this will help you feel the O-ring compress and provide an even preload between fasteners. 

As you turn the nut with the ratchet, feel for the increase in torque.  The torque will slowly rise as the O-ring compresses, then rise rapidly as the cover bottoms on the case.  Stop about a quarter  turn after cover bottoms.  This is part of learning "mechanic's feel".  More torque is not necessarily a good thing.

Quote from: Suzuk-E on August 12, 2007, 05:38:17 PM

Quote from: tripleb on August 12, 2007, 04:55:49 PM
I seriously screwed up and broke one of the bolts off of the oil filter cover.  I've checked around and they're pretty easy to replace.  Has anyone ever had to replace the bolts that hold on the oil filter cover?

I JUST had that happen a couple weeks ago. Over-tightened and snapped one of the lil' caps clean off. I freaked out too...until I realized the post coming out are screwed in...not forged. Simply unscrew the post, back it out. I used needle-nosed pliers. I replaced it with an Allen-headed screw of the same size...so it goes thought the oil filter cover straight into the block.


Yea i did that a year ago.  Right before a mojor ride.  I had to go down to a nut a bolt shop.  they hooked me up with some sockethead bolts that went all the way through.  I havent had a problem with them yet.  Those studs torque out and strech too much.  I wouldnt order anything from suzuki like that. They will charge you too much.  Take one of the studs down to a bolt shop and they will measure the thread diameter and angle.  Just tell them how long you need it.  Much cheaper that way.

If you can't grab it with a needle nose or vicegrips.
Hit it an an angle with a nail set.
Works on lots of things that break around here in the shop.

Good advice on getting the stud out.  I had to do the same when I broke it.  The bad thing is that I even knew I wasn't supposed to over tighten it!

For the o-ring, I got some of that high temperature gasket material in a tube.  You can pick it up at any auto parts store.  The O-ring I got was a bit on the small side and wouldn't stay fully in place.  So I used the sealant on top of the O-ring to keep it in place and it hasn't leaked for 1000 miles.

That was my next question, when you change the gasket do you put any grease to hold it in place? Also GeeP, if you use a torque wrench what what would you torque it up to 7 lbs?? Kind of hard to find a 1/4 torque wrench around here but I wake up in sweats about breaking those little bolts. Which brings me to another question do you use an anti-sieze on the bolts.

Quote from: Dan02GS on August 13, 2007, 12:46:04 PM
That was my next question, when you change the gasket do you put any grease to hold it in place? Also GeeP, if you use a torque wrench what what would you torque it up to 7 lbs?? Kind of hard to find a 1/4 torque wrench around here but I wake up in sweats about breaking those little bolts. Which brings me to another question do you use an anti-sieze on the bolts.

Hi Dan,

You could use a little grease wiped on the O-ring to hold it in place, yes.  I find that when I have a good O-ring it tends to stay in place if I wet it with a bit of oil, but a smidge of grease would increase the staying power. 

The Clymer's manual specifies a torque of 3-5 ft-lbs on 6mm unmarked fasteners.  If I were to use a torque wrench I would start there. 

I don't use anti-seize on the nuts, but I ride enough to change the oil every two months.  Keeping those fasteners in motion helps prevent rust, but there's no reason why you can't use it.   

I can turn the remaining bolts as much as I want and I think they're just spinning in place.  I've pull on both of them with various types of pliers and even laid the bike on its side to get to them easier and still no dice.  Any ideas?  I'm just about ready to take it to the dealership.  And the worst part is that I don't have a trailer so I'd have to pay to have them come and tow it there.

Hmmm, spinning in place and not coming out at all? You sure? It's kind of a long bolt with close threads. You could be making progress and not think so.

Or maybe your not getting a good grip?

I guess I mistakenly said bolts but I meant the nuts.  They are just turning and turning.

Do you think that the entire bolt is slowly coming out?