BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

Hi guys,

I'm trying to do my first oil change after the dealer break-service. It's a silly question but I'm stuck. The oil filter just won't budge. I went through a couple of different auto parts store filter wrenches before I actually ordered the proper Marc Parnes one. However the indentations on the filter are slightly bent from all my attempts and the wrench now just slips off. I have never seen an oil filter on as tightly as this is. Am I missing something completely obvious here or is there something different with the way this filter is attached? I'm at a loss as to how to get this thing off. I am 3 hours from the dealer and I'm not sure I want to fill it up with oil again and run it, lest the denting I've inflicted on the filter has altered the oil flow within.

I'd appreciated any advice on what to do here.
Thanks.

Ah yes, the old right-tool-for-the-job lesson.

My experience has been than many dealer mechanics use too much torque on the oil filter.

Disclaimer: I've never tried the below method on our R12R, but it has worked successfully on stuck automotive filters for me. I just went to the garage and it looks like you MIGHT have room to do this without removing the exhaust pipe. [If this doesn't work, don't blame me!]

Tie your center stand in place so the bike can't fall off it. Put a drip pan under the filter. Make sure the oil is not hot. Find yourself a long Phillips-head screwdriver, about 1/4" to 5/16" in diameter. Place the tip against the part of the oil filter that is most toward the rear of the bike. Rest the shaft against the exhaust manifold, so the driver is as flat as possible as it enters the filter. Using a hammer, drive the screwdriver all way through the filter until it exits the other side. To avoid tearing the sheet metal of the filter casing, use increasing, constant pressure with your hand to push the handle of the screwdriver toward the front of bike, breaking the stuck seal of the filter.

The downside risk: if this fails, you will not, with 100% certainty, be able to drive your bike to the dealer. And it would be time to look up the number of your local motorcycle towing service.

Get a strip of emery cloth and place it round the inside of the filter tool and then force the tool onto the filter.
It may require a couple of clouts with a hammer to get it all the way on but if the filter isnt deformed too much
this method usually succeeds.

Thank you both for your help. I finally managed to get the filter off using the emery cloth/sandpaper method (and a jack.. don't ask). Next step, if that failed, was the screwdriver.
I'm thinking I should try a different dealer if I need servicing that is beyond what I can do myself. I hope to learn how to adjust the valves for the next servicing.

Thanks again.

Glad it worked out. So often I spend most of my time on the things that shoudn't have been a problem. It doesn't take much effort to snug a new filter, makes you wonder how ham fisted other more delicate bits may be handled in their shop.

Safe travels.