Hi guys,

I'm going nuts with this @#$%^ oil filter that won't come off! I read another thread about this same problem:

http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthr...il+filter+stuck

and I tried the sand paper trick and the rag method without success. Then I tried the screwdriver method and I ended up destroying the bottom of the filter and the damn thing still wouldn't get loose!

What's next before I get the blow torch and light the #$%^& thing on fire?

Thanks,

Eno

P.S. Sorry for venting but I'm really pissed of at myself right now. I don't remember tightening it that much, I even use torque meter usually.

Well, It certainly is tougher now, but I would try to squeeze the filter remains together into a tight "wad" and then try to get a good grip with a pair of large Vise Grips oriented as close to vertically as possible. You can then use a large adjustable wrench to help twist the Vise Grips.

__________________
2007 K1200LT

Did you try screwing the filter wrench to the filter with 3 or 4 metal screws? You may be able to tap the screwdriver shredded bottom up to allow for the filter wrench to fit again.

I feel your pain. I went through that same thing last week. I finnally took it to the Motorcycle Dr ( thats a local MC shop). I fortunately did not destroy the filter first. it still took him a hour to get it off. My lesson out of that is to not tighten it so tight. The seal on it was completely flattened out. At this point looks like you'll just have to finess it out without damaging anything
Good luck
Ron

I had one stuck in a K100 so badly I had to remove the oil pan, lay the bike on its side and drill holes in the oil filter base between the existing holes to get it to release - hopefully you won't have to go to such extremes.

__________________
_____________

Kim Thomson
"Motorcycle Cigar Smoker"
05 K1200LT - "The Golden Rocket Ship"
79 R65 "The Bee" - putting back together
02 K1200LTC - "Big Blue" (accident)
88 K100RT "Chocolate" (melted - fire)
85 K100RT (wore out)
82 Yamaha Vision (electrics)
72 Yamaha R5C 350 (broke trans)

If the above instructions do not work...put the bike on the side stand...take off the oil pan
there are 13 bolts ( I think ) place a block of wood next to the oil pan... hit the block of wood with a hammer...rtv is used to seel the pan...get a big set of channel locks to grab the filter, or any method to remove it...use mineal spirits to clean off the old rtv from the pan...apply a fresh beed of rtv, let it set for a few moments...then secure pan the bottom of block.

This is a good time to clean the oil screen that helps protect the engine from stuff...

lots of luck
Jim

__________________
Loansumrider: Jim
01 LT Fast Pacific Blue ... " The Goose "

? when to ASUME, and HOW MUCH should you ASUME, safely ?

Heat it up with an electric heat gun, then try to grab it the best you can. You can use an oil filter wrench - the kind that looks like a giant pair of channel lock pliers - to grab on to what is left.

Try to TIGHTEN it first, then gently loosen, then gently tighten. Rock it back and forth slowly in small increments. You need to break the galled threads on the filter.

Highly unlikely you have damaged the male mounting threads. BMW engineers are smart enough to have made that metal from a harder alloy than the filter.

Make sure you clean the male threads thoroughly before mounting the new Bosch filter - that you got from Rock Auto for $3.72. Really.

http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthr...highlight=Bosch

__________________
www.KonTourSeat.com "Like Butt-ahh!"

Suffered same issue 2 months ago. The filter wrench just kept slipping around the filter. Solution: Drilled a small hole in the side of my $2.00 filter wrench. I cut a sheet metal skrew so just a VERY small stub would protrude inside the filter wrench when the skrew was skrewed into the wrench. Tapped the wrench onto the filter - and presto, the skrew catches the ridge on the filter allowing enough torque to get the little bugger out. It's a tight squeeze for the wrench so the skrew will be quite short.

use a k@n filter the got a nut welded 2 de bottom and ya ndont need a filter rench

Thanks a lot for the suggestion guys.

I'll give it a try again tomorrow when my head would have cooled off a bit .

I have always done the service myself on my bike and never had such a problem after 66K miles on it.

These are Bosch filters I bought in a package of 6x from beemerboneyard for the first time. I don't remember what filters I used in the past but I'm wondering if this is a common problem for this brand filter?

as a matter of fact thats exactly when my problem cropped up, I also got a six pack from the same place. Hmmmm
Ron

Would a small dab of grease on the threads before fitting a new filter prevent me being another "stuck filter"-ite?

Simon

__________________
1999 K1200LT "the big scooter" (my sixth LT!)
3 X 1999's
1 X 2001
1 X 2003
1 X 2005

That and just finger tight. Because of the design, it does not seem to be necessary to make it "wrench" tight. The cover and o-ring on the bottom keep the oil from leaking out. Be sure the o-ring and channel are clean on the outside cover and finger tighten the three ( I replaced the stock screws with a stainless steel screws purchased from a member of this site) screws. I've changed my 3 main fluids 5 times and doing # 6 any day now and never had the old BMW filter stick. I always keep an extra BMW supplied filter with the replacement BMW oils. Why go cheep on such an important and inexpensive item? Sorry for preaching!

__________________
Dano
Tampa, Fl.
Toscana Green 2002 K1200LT

What has never happened, happens all of the time!

I'm on my second case of filters from the boneyard with my LT & K75. Haven't had a problem yet.I also go a 1/4 turn past hand tight with the wrench.

__________________
pm
--
Life is too short to do anything
other than that about which you
are absolutely passionate . . .
Ride till you can't!

"Der Weg ist das Ziel"

'00 K1200LTC
'90 K75C
'62 R 50/2 (Rode hard and put away wet)-Sold in '81
'63 Vespa 150 (1st and only dirt bike!) Sold in '67

Same here. I've used Bosch filters for the last 4 1/2 years with no troubles

__________________
Steve Shreeve
2000 K1200LTI "Lola"
2007 Bushtec Turbo+2 "Mae" (play)
2003 Baxley (work)
BMWMOA # 124148

CCR'07 CCR'08 CCR'09
CCR 2010 Are We There Yet ?!?!?

ASAP Motorcycle Service

I was able to extract my stuck filter by using 2 vice grips one on each side of the filter shell ,
some what like looking at an open top drinking glass you are placing the vice grips on the outer wall then pull the two vice grip handles to overlap and hold in one hand then use a screw driver like a cross bar to unloosen .Bike on the side stand also.

"No one ever learned anything being kicked by a mule the second time "

Bob G

I found it was the Bosch and the sheet metal screw saved the day. I had no problem with the OEM from BMW. Perhaps it was my wrench so I tried 3 others that had a similar groove pattern - nope. The wrench I had fits perfect on a new filter with absolutely no play but getting the used one out was a bear. Now it takes no time at all and I can still use my Bosch.

BMW OEM filters are made by Bosch. There is only one specification. About the only difference you will find is that OEM's are unpainted, aftermarket Bosch's may have black paint and a small sticker that can easily be removed. There is no proof that the painted filters are a problem, I've never had it flake off and I've used well over two dozen in over 180K on my two LTs. I've never had one stuck.

You can buy a BMW filter at your dealer for about $22.00 these days, or you can buy the exact same Bosch for $3.63 here:

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/cat...61&a=FR23-72161

__________________
www.KonTourSeat.com "Like Butt-ahh!"

No, but putting a couple of drops of fresh oil on the O-ring and smearing it around wtih your finger will prevent it from taking a "set".

My best guess is that after cooking and drying out over time this is the culprit in almost ALL stuck filters. If the threads are galled it's easy to detect.

__________________
www.KonTourSeat.com "Like Butt-ahh!"

You guys are scaring me. I have BB filter in there now. I used a torque wrench set to the proper spec when I put it on but it seemed like it was turning forever. I have installed hundreds of oil filters and this seemed way too tight. I guess when it's time to to take it out I need to be extra careful.

What should one do to avoid this problem in the futue?

__________________
2005 K1200 LT (Purchsed 5/20/08)
* Garmin GPS 2820 W/ Bluetooth
* Valintine One Radar
* Autocom AVi Pro
* Grip Puppies
* Suburban Lowering Pegs
* RS Mirrors
* Muth Signal Mirrors
* Beadrider
* Rocky Meyer Custom Seat
* Dice - BMW-t /5v - For Ipod

Snug it up finger tight then only 1/4 turn - forget about 11Nm. Of course lube the gasket.

__________________
John
2009 R1200GS
2005 Ocean Blue Blue Wizard
2006 Bushtec Turbo+2 Spell
1976 Suzuki GT750
K4AN


CCR 06 Braselton CCR 07 Osage Beach CCR 08 Midway
CCR 09 Rapid City CCR 10 Killington, VT Can't Wait
Tech Commitee Chair

Ole Toad came back from a dealership oil change one time and when I carried out the next change, had a bear of a time getting the filter off. Just wouldn't break loose, and I thought I wuz gonna flatten all the flutes and then really be in trouble. Decided to use an ole trick someone previously mentioned, and it worked. Trick wuz to 'tighten' (as in righty-tighty) the filter just a hair - no more - just a touch. And that apparently breaks any set bond the gasket/O-ring has taken on. Worked a treat when the lefty-loosey trigger got pulled!! Try it next time, even if you have the slightest hesitation in loosening the filter the first try.

__________________
Cheers


Dick
Boerne, TXican

Hi guys,

just wanted to update all of you who provided all those great ideas.
It worked! I finally can enjoy the rest of the weekend without having to worry whether I would have to use the cage for my daily commute for the next week .

First of all, hats off for the advice to remove the oil pan. I even removed the lower right fairing for better access. Then made a quick run to my local Harbor Freight store and picked up an excellent tool "Locking Oil Filter Wrench" as you can see from the picture.
It's basically a vice grip with curved jaws to accommodate oil filters. Best $10 I have spent in a long time!

Once I positioned the wrench as far up as I could, I started to twist in the anticlockwise direction but nothing was happening. After cursing for another 5 minutes, I remembered that some of you had suggested to try to tighten it first in order to break the seal and then try to loose it. It worked. You can't imagine the relief as I was watching the filter slowly but surely coming off!

From now on, I'm not following anymore the torque specs of 11Nm. I just filled the filter with oil, rubbed some oil on the seal and just gave it a quarter turn by hand after the sealed first touched the plate.

I'm so paranoid now that I think I'll let my 4 year old daughter tighten the filter by hand from now on .

Look at the attached pictures how much abuse that filter took and still didn't give up until I removed the oil pan and used that special wrench.

Thanks a lot guys, once again you are the best!

Another lesson I learned, if you find yourself so frustrated that you can't stop swearing, just call it a day and try to attack the problem the next morning with fresh energy.

This is supposed to be a 10 minutes job at most but it comes to show you that you can't mess with Murphy!

All the best,

Eno

Attached Thumbnails

     

Dayyyamm that looked like fun as heck getting off there ENO..

I am kinda glad that murphy spent time with you instead of going riding with me this weekend...
I certainly wasnt going to feed him!

__________________
Don't be afraid to say what you feel, as those that matter DOnt mind and those that mind Dont matter.
Dr.Suess--

1980 YAMAHA XJ650 MAXIM (RIP)
1982 YAMAHA 750 VIRAGO (SHES GONE)
1982 SUZUKI GS1000 (GONE)
2001 BMW K1200LT
2004 BMW R 1150 RT
2007 BMW R 1200 GS