First Oil Change

[de002e2277@blue]

I decided to change the oil in the 1600 yesterday, swapping to synthetic and replacing the filter after 4000 miles.
What a job getting the old filter off ! How tight do the "Meckanics" consider to be hand tight ?
Now the free service period is over I will be continuing to do my own servicing.

[KawabungaOz]

That's happened to me twice before too. I recently bought a new oil filter removal tool for teeny oil filters, so hopefully I won't have to resort to the 'stabbing screwdriver' removal technique ever again.

Gary

[ChewyBravo]

My Mean Streak' s filter was tough to get off so the last oil change I started using a K&N oil filter. It has a nut welded into the end so with a 12mm drive you can get it off, no problem.

[de002e2277@blue]

I did try using various filter tools before resorting to the screwdriver technique, in fact it was a chain type tool that initially "Holed" the filter.
I don't think that I will have any problems in the future as I know that the filter on the bike now has not been fitted by a mechanic with gorilla hands

How much do you pay for your filters in the US ? and do you use Kawasaki parts. K&N filters seem a bit expensive on this side of the Atlantic.

[vulcan_dude]

I had the same thing happen to me the first time I changed the oil after the 600 mile checkup and oil change.

I now have a metal filter that attaches to a socket wrench and fits around the filter like a hat, gripping the edges of the filter. While this works better, the wrench gets stuck to the filter and is very hard to detach from the stupid filter, but at least it takes the filter off!

I pay around $10 US for a Mobil-1 filter.

[Bluemeanie]

Originally Posted by vulcan_dude

I had the same thing happen to me the first time I changed the oil after the 600 mile checkup and oil change.

I now have a metal filter that attaches to a socket wrench and fits around the filter like a hat, gripping the edges of the filter. While this works better, the wrench gets stuck to the filter and is very hard to detach from the stupid filter, but at least it takes the filter off!

I bought one of those to use on my 1500, however I can't get a ratchet handle on it when I put it on the filter, the goats belly is in the way. Guess I got lucky, mine finally came off using an old rubber strap wrench (and quite a few words). We won't even go into how tight the drain bolt was.... Guess they have gorilla's on both sides of the pond.