[Spok]

I just changed my oil, no biggie there. Is it typical that I would almost break a wrench trying to get the drain plug off because of its tightness? Also, I have a belt type oil filter wrench that when used this time caved in the oil filter, I nearly didn't think it was gonna come free. Is it me or did the tech at my 600 mile checkup use an impact wrench to put these back on?....

GESH!

 

[Stuart]

yeah, the torque wrenching isn't a suggestion

 

[rednek426]

i did my own 600 mile service on my 500r... i had to stab a screwdriver through the filter to get it off, it was on there so tight. and my drain plug was insanely tight too.

you don't need them that tight on a car, let alone a motorcycle.

 

[ZX-2R]

TIP

If you wipe the gasket area clean and then don't put a thin coat of oil on hte new gasket (just screwing on the new filter) the non oiled rubber against the non oiled seal will do just what you are talking about. Put just a thin coat of oil on the filter BEFORE installling it. The plug is just plain silly. I would take my torque wrench with me next time to the shop andcheck the torque, or even better yet ask to watch and as the mechanic (?) is wrenching it on ask him what the torque value of the drain plug should be. Know before you go...I would then have a very serious chat with not only the Service Manager but the Owner. We all pay good money and expect professionals to do a proper job, or we could just stay home and do it ourselves...I'm not in the least embarrased about having a chat with any whiteshirt about a bike that I own, and that they are supposed to be properly maintaining as per their specifications. Whewn a guy just grabs a socket or a wrench and doesn't set the torque value in...I start asking questions. I went to a local "We sell them all" (Kawasaki, Suzuki, Honda)shop and I asked if I could wander around as long as I stayed out of the way. I was told yes so I wonderred into the back room as they were doing a drain plug and asked the question about the drain plug and got" we tighten them up by hand and we've never had nay complaints..." So when I was ready to leave the store later the Owner asked me if I was ready to buy anything and if there was anything hat found interesting. I don't think he was ready for my answer, or the Servce manager standing within earshod when I told him...so I haven't been back to their shop, and I wouldn't buy a bike from them now if they sould match Beartooth Kawasaki's price. I'd rather go an hour and a half away to a true Kawasaki (only) shop and get service done. I still want a Beartooth bike though.

 

[Spok]

I'll be doing my own work from now on so this shouldn't be a problem in the future. I did put oil on the filter seal and wipe down the seat on the block before I reinstalled the new filter.

I agree it is plain silly for a drainplug to be that tight.

 

[Tobydawg]

I had these problems too doing my 4k service on my 500r. But instead of taking a screwdriver to the oil filter...i simply and quite gracefully bent the heck out of it and twisted it off with a big wrench. Afterwards i jumped up and down in the most gleeful manner in my triumph over said oil filter.

 

[Spok]

Afterwards i jumped up and down in the most gleeful manner in my triumph over said oil filter.

GAWD, do I know that feeling. Still have that caved in bent up filter out in the pan in the garage. I'll toss it later this afternoon.

 

[Tobydawg]

GAWD, do I know that feeling. Still have that caved in bent up filter out in the pan in the garage. I'll toss it later this afternoon.

I think I'll maybe nail mine to the wall so I can daily pay omage to my victory and to also send a messege to all of the oil filters that will visit my garage in the future.
:lol:

 

[Spok]

oil filters will tremble at the sound of your name eh? :lol: :lol:

 

[rednek426]

"factory spec, every bolt!"

thin'k i'll paint that above the door to my shed where i work on mine, my sister's, and my dad's bikes.

the people at my dealer up here are idiots... when my sister got her bike, the upper stem bolt was lose... not even finger tight. a few weeks later me and a friend went to the same dealer, and out of boredom we checked the bolts on the bikes we sat on.... at least 25% of the bikes in there had lose stem/other bolts on them. yah, floor manager got spoken to, and he said something about final inspections of bikes before they are rolled out the door, so i told him about my sister's bike... he didn't know what to say to that.

one short rave about having a bike possibly fall apart in the show room and getting sued over it due to injuries of the customer sitting on it, and i left.

went back a few weeks ago, and couldn't find a lose bolt. :twisted:

 

[Spok]

you might've saved a life rednek. One of the reasons I had the dealer do my 600 mile check is that my bike was freshly taken out of the crate when I bought it. It hadn't even been on the showroom floor yet and I wasn't sure if it had received the "final inspection" yet...so, they did the work and didn't find anything loose. I have gone back and checked some to the torque settings on the major bolts and they are all fine.

I plan to do the scheduled maintenance on my bike when possible, I'm not a Joe Wrench type but can do simple maintenance according to the schedule, afterall, my first car was a '76 Chevy Vega...enough said. Just don't ask me to tear an engine down and rebuild it.

 

[rednek426]

i was moderately pissed that day...

i dislike the attitude that when it rolls out the door, it's no longer their problem. they will not be doing any work on my bike any time soon, unless i'm baby sitting the mechanics.

lucky for me i know how to do most everyhting on the bike, and what i don't know how to do, there's a better mor friendly local chop that can.

 

[ipscshooter]

"factory spec, every bolt!"


the people at my dealer up here are idiots... when my sister got her bike, the upper stem bolt was lose...

Must be a common problem in Arizona.

My dealer idiots gave me my brand new bike with loose throttle cables. Oil changes on my previous bike seemed to be a great challenge for them.

There is a car dealer (forget his name) in the Phoenix metro area and he has motorcycle dealerships all over the valley. Everything, metric, HD, BMW, Triumph. I guess he thinks he has a lock on things so he doesn't have to provide decent service, etc.

I have been to three of his stores and all the sales people I see are dumber than a box of rocks. You come in looking for a particular bike and if they don't have it they try to get you on anything, just to make a sale. If the manufacturers knew how bad these people were they would be all over this guy.

 

[ZX-2R]

Dealerships reported to importer

You get several phonecalls and emails to the importer and you see just how fast this guy hires and fires his so called people. The Importer gets to many complaints and they not only give them a letter in writing and a phone call to the owner/dealer, but should htere be followup complaints, they will get a nice visit from a white shirt or two an dthey will go through the entire dealership. They will want to see Certificates for mechanics schools, the will observe and conduct interviews with the sales people even the parts people and should they have Clothes as a speciality they will even take them in for an interview. It's not pretty. They have a way of making the knife twist and people turn on each other to cover thier own butts...the business will be weeded out. I managed to see a car dealer lose his 4 lots of cars and is no longer in business, at least not in the local area anyway. I also saw a bike business shut down because of their bad practices and in adequate equipment. So complaining is a good thing. You told them and they listened...documentation is the key to these guys that rob us and give dealers a bad name. Sometimes it's only a couple of guys in one area...but the Importer will seriously look at what ever you send in and then they also have documentation. I have no problem calling the manager, owner and dealer people in when they make serious mistakes or act like it's not important to properly torque oilplugs, spark plugs, an dleave things loose and or greasy after they are done with the bike. Good job, but you should follow through on hte report on the defective dealer or other s will get either ripped off or maybe even Killed...neither of which we need...

 

[rednek426]

those are good suggestions zx-2r... none of which i thought of at the time >.<

 

[ZX-2R]

There is nothing like the present to send a letter

Send a letter anyway. save your documentation and have a certified person or a witness observe your torque settings...basically let them continue to mess up and you can continue to send letters (as well as fellow bikers) to both the dealer and Importer. Kick some butt. Take charge of the situation and demand perfection from the professionals...even if it is killing you to watch them mess up your bike 5 times in a row...

 

[ipscshooter]

ZX-2R

All good suggestions.

My previous bike was used and came with a dealer 3 year service deal. Fortunately, all the bike needed was the periodic service. I did have them install Vance & Hines pipes and jet kit and they did a good job. I think they sometimes relegate the less difficult jobs to mechanics with less experience. Guess it makes sense. Gotta get experience somewhere.

It really ticked me off receiving a new bike with loose throttle cables, makes you wonder about the rest of the set up. I did my own 600 mile service and found all to be okay. A few loose bolts, but not on major parts. Don't know if the were the result of riding or not.

The dealer sales manager sends a postcard survey a few weeks after you take delivery and ask about your experience. They do this in preparation to you getting a survey from the manufacturer. I let them have it pretty good and he called to discuss with me. I went and personally talked to him and really hammered the service department. I told him he lost a service contract sale because of my experience. He said they were aware of problems and in the process of fixing and that he would be talking to the service manager. He apparently did, as I got a free oil change certificate in the mail a few weeks later from the service mangaer. I guess at least this guy is trying. They still haven't fixed the sales staff problems. Apparently the sales guys only make money if they make a sale, so the turn over is extremely high and they have a hard time getting people. That, I am afraid is an owner problem that the manager will have a tough time fixing.

 

[ZX-2R]

Good job!

Good job on the Local Level...still, though you are leaving the Big Boys out of the loop. Sounds like they need a serious sales guy that reads and is on the computer all the time with facts and can influence with his knowledge...lots of knowledge will definately help sway customers especially if you know the advantages over the competititon...Anyway good job...

 

[ipscshooter]

Re: Good job!

Good job on the Local Level...still, though you are leaving the Big Boys out of the loop..

Thanks.

I did get the manufacturer survey and was not entirely kind. :twisted:

 

[ZX-2R]

Dealers

I just don't like being taken advantage of and have to listen to the dealer tell me things that are wrong. I had a list of things to consider doing when I received my "S" bike that wouldn't run. I wasn't very happy about the siruation so I asked the dealership about checking the bike out and perhaps replacing a couple cables while they had the bike apart...
"We don't work on bikes that old." Those are the exact words! Sure they sold me the parts that I needed but even with that, they wouldn't even look at it! I won't go back to them! If they wanted me to EVER come back, those were the wrong words. Olathe Suzuki, in Olathe, Kansas can keep their bikes, parts and I no longer have any use for them, other than to pass on my bad experience.