Tank Slap - Motorcycle Forum

This is more of an aide memoir for me for next time.

This is a decent guide [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHtijvOAgwM[/video]

Put the bike on a rear paddock stand. Loosen the oil filler cap but don't remove it.

The sump bolt is 17mm. There's not much room between the sump and the floor, so find something other than the oil bucket when you undo the bolt. When the oil comes out it flows quite quickly and with force so make sure you've put the oil catcher towards the front of the bike,

Let the oil drain out then give it a few minutes.

Before you loosen the oil filter put something under it. I used an empty pop bottle and cut it in half then scooped it under the oil filter. It needs to be a snug fit but even then there will still be some leakage. The side fitting is a bit strange but at least the filter isn't exposed to road crud so it should come off without any problem.

There is enough room to work on the filter without moving the fairings.

Remove the old filter. Get the new one. I used fresh oil to run around the top. As the filter is a side fitting I put some oil in the filter (not much) and swilled it around. This should prevent the need to "burp" the filter. Don't bother using a tool to put the new filter on with. Hand tight is more than sufficient.

Before replacing the sump bolt put some fresh oil in via the filler. Once you see the fresh out come out of the sump you know it's flushed out.

Replace the sump bolt.

Fill up with fresh oil. Use 3 litres at first. Wait about 10 minutes. Do nothing with the bike. Check your oil level. If it's over the minimum then start the bike up. If it's below then put in about 0.3l.

Once the engine has run and warmed up switch it off and check the level. Then I left it to cool again. Top up as needed. I used just under 4l in the end.

It's a job you can do in 10 minutes if you want to but I liked doing the job slowly to give the old oil chance to get out and the new oil chance to settle.

When you next take the bike out for a spin after the ride check the oil level, the tightness of the oil filter and the sump bolt to make sure nothing has worked loose.

I put in slightly more this time. Different filter but that shouldn't make any difference.

Remember to check your oil filter a couple of days later, just to make sure its not vibrated loose. You certainly don't want to do a 35 mile ride home with oil being thrown over your back tyre, do you?

Kwacky wrote:Remember to check your oil filter a couple of days later, just to make sure its not vibrated loose. You certainly don't want to do a 35 mile ride home with oil being thrown over your back tyre, do you?

NO

I only noticed when I went to chain the bike and saw all the oil on the floor.

Kwacky wrote:This is more of an aide memoir for me for next time.

This is a decent guide [video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHtijvOAgwM[/video]

Put the bike on a rear paddock stand. Loosen the oil filler cap but don't remove it.

The sump bolt is 17mm. There's not much room between the sump and the floor, so find something other than the oil bucket when you undo the bolt. When the oil comes out it flows quite quickly and with force so make sure you've put the oil catcher towards the front of the bike,

Let the oil drain out then give it a few minutes.

Before you loosen the oil filter put something under it. I used an empty pop bottle and cut it in half then scooped it under the oil filter. It needs to be a snug fit but even then there will still be some leakage. The side fitting is a bit strange but at least the filter isn't exposed to road crud so it should come off without any problem.

There is enough room to work on the filter without moving the fairings.

Remove the old filter. Get the new one. I used fresh oil to run around the top. As the filter is a side fitting I put some oil in the filter (not much) and swilled it around. This should prevent the need to "burp" the filter. Don't bother using a tool to put the new filter on with. Hand tight is more than sufficient.

Before replacing the sump bolt put some fresh oil in via the filler. Once you see the fresh out come out of the sump you know it's flushed out.

Replace the sump bolt.

Fill up with fresh oil. Use 3 litres at first. Wait about 10 minutes. Do nothing with the bike. Check your oil level. If it's over the minimum then start the bike up. If it's below then put in about 0.3l.

Once the engine has run and warmed up switch it off and check the level. Then I left it to cool again. Top up as needed. I used just under 4l in the end.

It's a job you can do in 10 minutes if you want to but I liked doing the job slowly to give the old oil chance to get out and the new oil chance to settle.

When you next take the bike out for a spin after the ride check the oil level, the tightness of the oil filter and the sump bolt to make sure nothing has worked loose.

Maybe stating the obvious but in a genuine attempt to help this should be torqued to the correct setting circa 22Nm and then you wouldn't have to check its tight or worry about leaks.

Other tip is always replace the sump washer. Most are aluminium and are crush washer. If you don't replace them after a while they become fully compressed and then any further tightening up next time you refit the bolt and washer after an oil change will result in excessive force being applied to the light alloy sump and cracking it rather than compressing the crush washer. Although fairly rare this does happen and is not a scary story especially if a torque wrench is not used and someone just tightens it up using the old "that is as tight as I can get it so will be ok, approach" you can over tighten things quite easily.

Sump crush washers are easily available on ebay for circa a £1 with free delivery. I normally buy a few so have some in stock.

Kwacky wrote:I only noticed when I went to chain the bike and saw all the oil on the floor.

At least you found it before anything bad happened

I did notice the rear was slippery on the way home.

Blade, nothing wrong with the sump or the way I fitted it. It was the oil filter. Everything I've read says hand tight only.

Kwacky where have you read hand tight if you don't mind me asking mate ? All bikes I have owned give a torque setting for the oil filter in the maintenance manual (not the owners manual) I m very surprised if any technical document says hand tight.

Sorry if I caused some confusion with my comments, I m fully aware you haven't damaged the sump and to the best of my knowledge didn't think I had said you had tbh. I was providing an additional comment as a tip to add to your write up as thought it may be useful that was all, if its not I'll get my coat as geneuiely trying to help.

Erm, I used your coat to mop up the oil. Sorry

Just watch you don't slip on it in your rage

Cheers for the advice. I thought you had misread my post and suggested there was a leak at the sump

No not all and glad to help

Kwacky I have always done filters hand tight cars bike etc.. Never had a problem the only problem i have had is getting them off when they have been over tightened

That's why every techincial document on the subject specifies a torque setting to avoid over tightening as much as under tightening.

What Blade said, get the proper socket for the oil filter and torque it up, don't forget some of the new oil smeared on the sealing rubber of the new filter, if you don't do that the filter sticks before it's tight and then engine/road vibes can loosen it again.