Is a torque wrench absolutley necessary to use for an oil change?

My Haynes manual says to use one, but they are expensive. 

If I do need one, are there any craftsman torque wrenches with a lifetime warrenty (any brand is fine; I'm not picky as long as it's money well spent)?  I don't want to waist money on something that will break, that is my main concern.

I am going to start doing my own maintenance, I already bought a 155pc craftsman mechanics tool set.

Any advice is greatly appreciated as I am going to do the 4000 mile maintenance myself before college starts up.

Quote from: myfirstluv on January 11, 2008, 04:52:59 PM
Is a torque wrench absolutley necessary to use for an oil change?

For an oil change?  I'd say NOT necessary.  After getting the drain bolt "finger tight" by hand, use your 1/2" socket wrench to give it maybe a 1/4 to 1/3 of a turn.  Same goes for the oil filter cover nuts ... only use your 1/4" socket wrench.  Don't go overboard!  "Snug plus a little" is all you need.

For other stuff?  Yeah, depending on what you're "torqueing".  But it sounds like that kind of stuff can wait for now.

I use this $25 Craftsman 3/8 drive torque wrench for bikes, 0-75 ft-lbs.  A 1/2 drive torque wrench is too big for bike engines.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Mechanics+Tools&pid=00944690000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Torque+Wrenches&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes

I rarely use a torque wrench for anything but engine work and never have used one for an oil change.  Just take it easy like Kerry suggests.

Thanks guys, that's really good advice. 

I was just overly worried about breaking something.

What are good tools that I will always need and use for maintenance that doesn't come in a tool set?

I can't think of a whole lot of specialized tools that I've needed for maintaining my GS.  Wait ... maybe I can! 

Distilled water for the battery





Something to bleed brake fluid into (3 possible options )







Hose and couplers for draining & transferring fuel





An "auxiliary fuel tank" for engine & carb work





A decent multimeter



Extra cotter pins for the axle nuts



Snap ring pliers for removing / installing the front sprocket



A fork seal changing kit  (see me after class  )



A valve clearance kit



Blue Loc-Tite



A "rotary tool" for sundry stuff





C-clamps (used only a time or two so far)



Home-made spark checker tool (used only for one major electrical problem so far)



Soldering stuff, heat-shrink tubing  (used only rarely so far)


Crimper and connectors (used a little more often)



Tap & die set (only used for the hole shown in this picture ... so far  )



PS - As far as a torque wrench, gsJack and I have had a somewhat different set of experiences ... he has obviously done more engine work than I have!   The only engine item that I could have applied a torque wrench to, but never have, is the bolts on the valve cover (as seen in my current avatar image).  Why?  'Cause I've never figured out how to get the torque wrench in there.... 

On the other hand, I always use a torque wrench when I tighten things like:

Axle nuts


Rotor bolts







Brake caliper mounting bolts (being loosened in the photo)


Nuts on engine mount rods (not pictured)

Any other large, easily accessible nut or bolt for which I can find a torque value in the service manual.  (Handlebar clamp bolts, fork crimp bolts in the upper and lower triples, etc.)

take what kerry says as gospel here

However you don't really need to worry too much, ive never used a torque wrench on anything other than some agricultural machinary - well the combines because theyre picky but i just do it by hand. What feels good for the application.

>myfirstluv:

I did an oil change a few weeks ago, it was my first oil change on this bike.
+1 on a torque wrench not being strictly necessary, I used it to tighten the oil drain plug only.
Your hand will be enough. But be VERY careful not to overtighten, it can be a real PITA.

May I give you a useful hint...Before warming the engine up to drain the oil, unscrew the drain plug and the three acorn nuts securing the oil filter cover. Just to "unlock" them, since they'll be kinda stuck after 4000+ miles of riding. Then, snug them up again (not tight, just snug) and warm up the bike.
This because the exhaust pipes being *hot* during warmup, it's not comfortable at all fiddling around with tools and your hands near there.
After that, it will be much quicker and easier to unscrew the drain plug and the domed filter nuts.
I did it like this and found it very useful.

Hope it helps.

That list and pictures of tools are amazing!  They help a lot.  I will probably print them out and add them to my haynes manual.

Thanks for the time you put into it

I've heard more than one story of an oil drain plug coming loose and dumping oil at speed  ... this is obviously not good for rear-wheel traction 

My point is, there's definitely no harm in using a torque wrench.

Quote from: beRto on January 19, 2008, 07:17:14 PMI've heard more than one story of an oil drain plug coming loose and dumping oil at speed  ... this is obviously not good for rear-wheel traction 

My point is, there's definitely no harm in using a torque wrench.

Nope, certainly no harm in it!  You know, I think the main reason I have never used a torque wrench on the oil drain bolt is because there's no way to see the scale on my non-clicker type wrench when it's upside-down.   (OK, maybe I could rig up a mirror or something, but I'm not that paranoid. )

If I had a clicker-type wrench I would probably use it on the oil drain bolt.  (Looks like the recommended range is 20 to 25 N-m.)  But I'm not going to push myfirstluv to go out and buy a clicker-type torque wrench just to change his oil....

I have been reading around on the forums and it seems like the $30 torque wrench from sears, http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00944690000P?keyword=torque+wrench is the recommended one to get, same as what kerry has in his pictures.

I was contemplating getting that wrench but their seems to be confusion everywhere I read, whether or not it has a lifetime warrenty.

I am planning on doing my maintenance this sunday and monday before college starts up again, so I'll be buying most of my stuff this weekend, according to what I need in the haynes manual and everyones suggestions.

That's the one I use, click on specs on your link:

General Warranty: Guaranteed forever 

This sucks 

I can't find any oil filters in the stores or any crusher washers/gasket, which by the way know one even knows what they are.

Could someone tell me where I can get the drain plug sealing washer (gasket/crusher washer)?

The size I found that I need from the bike bandit website is 14.1x18x1.5: COULD someone please confirm the size?

I guess I'll go to a dealer on tuesday and get all the stuff.... sigh!

I can't confirm sizes for ya 'til I get home tonight, but I have a question.  Are you looking for a new crush washer because your old one is really beat up?  I bought one or two before my first oil change ... because the manual said to replace it.  But I never have replaced it, because A) my original one still works just fine, and B) I've never figured out how to get the original one off! 

Anyway, if you really need one and you can't find one and I can find one of mine and you can wait a few days (whew!) I'd be glad to send you one.

I've never changed one of those drain plug seals in over 360,000 miles of riding and I've always changed my own oil.

I get the Fram oil filters from a local bike place most of the time but have found STP filters to fit the GSs at AutoZone. 

Fram CH6000 filter.
STP SMO-00 filter.

Quote from: gsJack on January 21, 2008, 02:27:20 PMI get the Fram oil filters from a local bike place most of the time but have found STP filters to fit the GSs at AutoZone. 

Fram CH6000 filter.
STP SMO-00 filter.

myfirstluv ... the oil filter powers-that-be hopefully fixed their supply problems long ago, but just in case you might want to read [these two posts] so you'll be armed with some hard-earned knowledge before you go shopping. 

Quote from: gsJack on January 20, 2008, 07:13:02 AM
That's the one I use, click on specs on your link:

General Warranty: Guaranteed forever 

I read on the Sears website that the bar type torque wrenches have a lifetime warranty.  However, the "click" type only have a 90 day warranty.  Go figure. 

DLW

I got a beribboned torque wrench for Valentines Day.  Hubby got roses - I won, torque wrenches are forever!

Ya I got that bar torque wrench with the lifetime warrenty.

BTW, sears/craftsman is having a 15% off sale (whatever you can fit into their paper bag), and since I'm practically tool-less, I kind of went a little crazy.  Two paper bags on two seperate days, worth of stuff.  You should go before the sale ends!

As for the drain plug seal, I only wanted one because the haynes manual says to replace it, I haven't checked yet because I don't want to open anything up without all the parts I need.

Also, how do I know if the drain seal plug is damaged or needs to be replaced?