Decided to do oil change tonight for the first time by myself. Got everything I needed from the dealer and I think a got screwed. See the list of items and prices:

GASKET, Drin Plug 1.41
Genuine Kawasaki oil filter 15.62
2 liters kawa mineral oil 17.50

total with taxes 39.34

How much do you usually pay for doing it by yourself (in canada)?

Over that the old oil filter was stuck and I was not able to unscrew it. Decided to use a screw driver. That worked fine. See below.



I then hand tighted the new filter so it is easier to remove next time. Anyone got leakage issue with hand thigting the oil filter?

Which tip do you use to unscrew stuck oil filter?

I bought a 5L jug of Mobil1 synthetic 15w-50 for around $25 on sale at Can. Tire, oil filters (SuperTech ST7317) less than $5 each at Walmart, and several 1/2" or 12mm copper washers (which I re-use, after heating them to red then quenching in water) for about $2. The oil filter wrench came from Walmart too, and I tighten them to what's written on the filter.

So - roughly $17 per change reducing by $2 when I re-use the washer.



And if you DON'T use synthetic, you can probably do it for $10 per.

IF a filter is stuck I do what you did....

I then hand tighten the new filter so it is easier to remove next time. Anyone got leakage issue with hand tightening the oil filter?

Better to use Oil Filter Ranch, so you dont have any mid way leakage.

I had trouble the first time. Did the screwdriver thing and got it off. Bought one of these at the auto parts store.... (Strap wrench).



All you do is wrap it around the filter and us a ratchet in the end of the square end and the filter comes right off. I suggest everyone buy one to have in the toolbox. Works better than all the other wrenches with teeth etc...

That's the figure I was looking for doing it by myself

Is the mobil 1 synth oil JASO-MA? JASO-MB could be rough on the clutch on the long run (that's what I have been told).

I think it is recommended that you use dino oil for the first few oil changes, but there are many opinions on that. I didn't do the first oil change, but I had to use a screw driver on the second one. I never change the washer and mine has never leaked a drop of oil. I use synthetic oil now and have started buying the 5L jugs of oil too. There is a Mobil 1 motorcycle oil. http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...4T_10W-40.aspx

So how is Mobil 1 for passenger cars different from Mobil 1 for motorcycles?

First, let's be clear about Mobil 1's overall benefits compared to those of conventional motor oils, whether for passenger cars or motorcycles:

Superior long-term engine protection.

Superior high-temperature stability.

Excellent low-temperature starting.

Outstanding engine performance.

Low volatility/low oil consumption

It's a little hard to generalize about the difference between Mobil 1 passenger-car motor oils and Mobil 1 motorcycle oils. That's because not all viscosities of Mobil 1 passenger-car oils have the same levels of zinc and phosphorus, and there are even greater differences among the three Mobil 1 motorcycle oils. In general, Mobil 1 motorcycle oils have:

Additive packages balanced differently for motorcycle engine and transmission operation. For passenger vehicles, fuel economy and emission system protection are higher priorities. These require low phosphorus systems and the use of friction modifiers. Motorcycle oils do not require friction modifiers for fuel economy and for better clutch friction less/no friction modifier is optimum. Motorcycle oils allow the use of higher levels of antiwear additives such as ZDDP (phosphorous).




Here is a Mobil 1 rebate offer I ran across.
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...romotions.aspx

For those who are interested, the CalSci website (the same ones that has the windscreens) has some very good information about oil and filters. It's worth a few minutes to read.....

Car or bike....I have always just used my bare-hand to tighten the new filter.
But even then you can over-tighten. (don't forget to use some of the new oil to lube the filter "O" ring and fill the filter too, so as to avoid a 'dry start').
I just snug'er up, then one last li'l 1/8 turn or so......there are torque specs if you want to be precises (13 ft-lbs ).
No leaks, ever; but if you do....just tighten a wee bit more. (you will get the feel for it).
Same for the oil plug...I go by feel but [22 ft-lbs] is the torque spec. I've never changed plug washers but I DO make sure every mating surface is completely CLEAN before re-assembly.
Done and Done.

The oil filter should be tightened to the Oil Filter Manufacturers Spec, because only they know the composition of their gasket and exactly how much it should be compressed (both to seal and to not vibrate loose).

So, if it says (as many of them do), “Tighten 3/4 Turn Past Contact”, do just that. Don’t forget to put some oil on the gasket – and if you can’t achieve their tightening spec by hand, use a wrench.

The `Cup’ wrenches work well if they fit properly – and there are a lot of different sizes & number of flutes.

Strap wrenches work well but keep it right near the closed end of the filter (away from the engine). When placed in the middle of the filter they can crush/buckle it inwards (and may do so without your noticing).

Before you put it on: pour some oil into the new filter... let it sit for a bit to absorb into the filter material... and repeat until it stops being absorbed. You don’t need to `fill it’ (it’ll just pour out when you tip it to install it) but you do want to pre-saturate the element so that there’s no delay in oil flow when you first fire it up.

The manual says 2 Quarts for a Change w/Filter. Mine takes 2 Qt. + 6 Oz. but that may be because I’m draining more out of it than Kawasaki anticipates...

I put it on a rear paddock stand and then put a block of wood under the front wheel so that it’s dead level (Left/Right & Fore/Aft). I add 2 Quarts... Start it... Wait for the oil light to goes out... Bring it up to 2,000 RPMs for 10 seconds or so... Shut it down & let it sit for several minutes‡ and then it takes another 6 Oz. to bring it up to the exact center of the sight-glass (including after additional Run/Sit Cycles).

‡ Note: I’ve seen some folks say that you have to wait hours for the oil to fully settle for an accurate reading... but mine doesn’t change perceptibly between sitting for 5 minutes and sitting overnight.
.

Thanks everyone for your good advises!

I went this morning to get the required wrench to apply the required torque, but there were none left. The person who served me told that he just manually turn 1/4 (seems too little) of a turn pass contact with the oil filter (cars/motorcycles). So I just headed to work without doing anything else as I did turn as much as I could do last night. Then checked midway for leakage and everything seemed fine. Will keep an eye on it for a couple of days.

FWIW

IMHO

CLEAN oil is the life blood of your engine. For myself I would have cleaned the seal area between you engine and filter before removing the old filter. But that is just me.

YMMV

: )

I'll certainly do that next time.

I've run Mobil1 synthetic in ALL my motorcycles for YEARS (including 10w-30 ENERGY CONSERVING in my '03 Suzuki Bandit 1200 with 104 HP). NEVER had problems, and the synthetic sure smooths out the shifts!

(OVER 80,000 kms).

I get Rotella 15W40 dino or the Motomaster 10W40 Motorcycle oil when it's on sale at Cdn Tire. The bike seems to like it. Price-wise, it's about $8-9 for 2 litres. I have also been getting a HiFlo filter from the local dealer for about $10 (I think)...it's cheaper than the OEM, in any event.

Just my $0.02,
Dave C

Try getting an oil filter cup. Cost about USD 2.50 here. Very handy used with a torque wrench.



Also see K&N oil filters. They have a bolt on the filter's top.
http://www.knfilters.com/search/prod...x?Prod=KN-303C
http://www.knfilters.com/search/prod...px?Prod=KN-303

I had the same problem. I tried the cup wrench but the lip hit the block and wouldn't seat fully. So I ground the lip off but still couldn't get it to work. Tried a couple of strap wrenches and a plier type wrench but no luck with them either. Then from the cobwebs of my 53 year old brain an idea that I had read on a forum somewhere surfaced at the right time: Large hose clamps. I had 2 of these puppies laying around and strapped them to the filter and cinched then up so the screw heads were side by side. Then with a small block of wood and a hammer I tapped on the screw heads was able to loosen it up with no drama.

















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IMG_0120 by weljo2001, on Flickr

How do you like that filter? I have been thinking about getting one. They are expensive for a filter, but if they work it might be worth it.

Take into consideration the close proximity of the oil filter to the exhaust pipes on the V and that the increased surface area of the cooling fins can work (as a heat-exchanger) in either direction, i.e., while at speed they would probably transfer heat from the higher temperature oil to the lower surrounding air temperature — but at low speed or stationary it might very well have the reverse effect.
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X10, X10, one of the best tools in my tool box!