OIL Filter removal issue

[joelh]

When I bought my 96 r1100r last year I changed all of the fluids. I just had a plastic oil filter wrench and it wouldn't grip so I just changed the oil and not the filter. 4000 miles later, I go to change the oil with a BMW oil filter wrench and find that the sides of the filter are smooth. There is a hex nipple at the bottom of the filter but a 16mm socket just want to round it off. How the heck can I remove the filter? I thought about just jamming a big screwdriver in at an angle, but if it won't come off, then the bike is unrideable.

I guess that I could have the dealership service it and let them figure it out but I hate to go that route. Any suggestions?

[rdnNH&AZ]

My son and I had to do just that on his K 75 a few years ago. The PO had some generic filter and no wrench we could find would remove it. Finally a big ugly screwdriver driven just through the filter and out the other side but angled so we could turn it got the thing loose. It was a desperate move for the reason you cite but we couldn't get it off any other way. It had to have been tightened on with a big wrench of some sort. BMW filters and wrench and reasonable effort solved the problem from then on.

[Duc750]

+1 for the screw driver

Guessing you have a K&N oil filter which has a hex at the bottom which appears to be made of some sort of rare cheese that is allergic to reasonable tools

[joelh]

Good description of that nipple. It is not exactly 16mm. Not exactly 5/8 and rounds off when you look at it I will go the screwdriver route and hope for the best. Thanks!

[JohanOtten]

yeah my local car shop had something that should fit, it did fit on the new filter but was juuuuust to wide to fit the old one inside the block. I took a little sandpaper (the version on cloth, not paper) folded it once and filled the tool with it and slid it on there. That worked. I also had to use a 5/8's to 1/2inch converter to fit it on the wrench.

Screwdriver works fine but mind you, first check if your new filter fits nicely on your tool because the filter completely sinks into the block and if you cant fix a new one in your block you can't drive ofcrouse.

[joelh]

It was in fact a k & n. I thought that I was in trouble. I ripped halfway around the filter when it finally broke loose. They may be great filters, but I will never buy one

[Ton1959]

Use the BMW tool but drill 3 holes in at (every 120 degrees ) Then use that as a template against the filter and drill three holes in the oil filter. Attach the tool with 3 screws to the filter and undo.

Ton

[captaincable]

Thats a great idea Ton

[Commainz]

I drew two holes in my oil filter tool, and screwed in loudspeaker spikes. Those can be made even from normal screws. That makes it simple to 'connect' the oil filter tool to the filter. Al least, one spike was enough to make it happen.
Regards
Stefan