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Oil Filter Protection

U

UP

Bicycle
OK. This really happened! While tooling down the road with the wife I ran over something. Don't know what it was. It did, however, poke a hole in my oil filter. The red light came on, I pulled over and shut the motor down pronto. Needelss to say it was a few hours or more before I managed to find an oil filter (Fram 2016A)and motorcycle oil from Advanced Auto. Parts. Lucky I shut the motor down as quickly as I did. I replaced the filter and oil and off I went again though smelling like burnt oil all the way home. Got oil all over the bottom of the bike including the rear break... Messy. Anyway, if you don't already know it, the filter is very exposed to road hazzards. I thought of a partial fix and am still figuring out a better one. I took my old army plastic water bottle (way thicker than say a bicycle water bottle) cut it to fit over the oil filter and clamped it using a screw and thread circle clip. It clears the exaust header ok and does not melt... Complete insurance against this happening again? No. But, now I at least have some protection. Still trying to cook up a better solution. Any thoughts out there? UP
 
I'm not familiar with the filter setup on the 14, but if it's like my other bike, it spins on at the front of the engine and the case of it faces forward. I remember reading a review of a V-Strom 650, where the author rode the bike to Alaska. He was concerned about damaging his oil filter with heavy gravel that could fly up from his front tire. He got a PVC pipe end cap and was able to press it onto the front of the oil filter. I don't know if he had to hold it on with glue or tape, but he said it did the trick. Maybe this would work for you? David in Jax COG# 7898 NE FL AAD & COG Vendor www.dreamjobresumes.com preparing resumes for COG members and friends I ride a KAWASAKI ZZR1200 - Euro http://www.motorbikestoday.com/reviews/Articles/ZZR1200.htm US http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/roadtests/2002_kawasaki_zzr1200/index.html
 
The oil filter on many of the Hondas is also exposed like the C14 and there have been several reports of filters getting holes in them over the years. The Valkerye guys had a sort of can that they put over the filter to protect it. The Gold Wing guys use a full belly pan. I sense a business opportunity here for someone to make a universal filter protector that would work on multiple bike brands/models...
 
Here are some links to chrome oil filter covers, though I haven't checked the dimensions on them to see if they will work. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CQ20I2 http://www.jegs.com/i/Mr.%20Gasket/720/9759/10002/-1?CT=999 http://www.motorchrome.com/servlet/the-685/chrome,oil,filter,muscle,car/Detail Google "Chrome oil filter cover", there's plenty out there.
 
The chrome thingie might would work. Of concern is the retaining screw pin. This must be screwed in towards and onto the filter to hold the cover in place. Perhaps there is a chance of puncture there I don't know. Worth a try I think. Also cooked up a few other ideas I intend to test. 1. PVC pipe with a cap clued on. Cut a few splits in the open end so it can be tightened on with a large screw type circle clip. 2. The old army plastic water bottle ( fairly thick plastic ) slipped right on and held by a screw circle clip. 3. Thick rubber piece of plumbing pipe slipped on and held by the circle clip. The concern I still have is two part. First, a flying whatever off that front tire or smoething kicked up can travel at quite a velocity. Any protection to the filter has to take a good hit and live. Second, the filter sits really close to the exaust pipe with little clerance betweeen. This problen does need resolution! Any more thoughts? UP
 
and to think it was only yesterday, on the other forum, I made a comment that in the 2+ years of this bike being out we hadn't had one report of the holed filter..... great, now I'm the harbinger of filter holes.... hmmmmmm where did it get punctured, side or end? Might have to start selling the "Blind Melon Chittli'n Filter Sleeve" shortly.... SkUnKwErKz is open now.....
 
LOL Man Of Blues- I am the one that posted on the oil filter guard on the other forum. No worries, seems it has happened to others. Good ideas here, about the chrome caps, etc. I ended up using the PVC 1/2 pipe, with cap glued, and then RTV'd it to the bottom of the installed oil filter. In black, can hardly tell its installed. At next oil and filter change time, I'll just pop the guard off the old filter, and RTV it on the new installed filter. Good enough for now, until a better solution is found. I'll keep looking and listening.
 
I am going to use the K&N as it appears to be built tougher than the other filters I've used plus it has that nifty bolt welded to the top for easy removal. Also functions as a small deflector shield.
 
K&N won't help. The hole I got looked like it came from a .22 pistol. Better seek another solution in my opinion. The hole was on the underside about half way the length of the filter. UP
 
Sounds like I may need more dylithium crystals for the deflector shield then. Course, an object powerful enough to break into the filter would probably go through the shield as well unless it's made as thick as the oil pan. Maybe, though, we should angle the deflector like ship hull armor, thereby fooling the object into thinking said armor is thicker than it really is. The weak spot would be the frontal portion of the filter but again if using the K&N, that's probably the strongest part. If it goes through that then it's going through the block as well. Where and how to mount said shield would have to be thought out. I wonder if any of those oil cooler coil thingys that fasten to the filter would help any in the way of protection?
 
Good points but the whole filter is exposed. My damage (hole) was on the lower side half way down the length of the filter. The PVC idea is good. I've used kevlar reenforced plumbing pipe to cover with a cap. There are chrome filter covers out there that may work. Point is the filter is exposed. Same issue on some other bikes like Honda, Suzuki, BMW blah, blah, blah... The right object and combination of events will poke a hole in that filter and leave you stranded. Any protection is better than none. The K&N filter alone being good protection is not realistic. You need more. Way more. In addition to covering the filter with the above, I have also added a radiator guard and a Fenda-Extenda. Keep the ideas coming! UP
 
FYI, I got a message from Murph last night, and he is developing a cover to go over the oil filter.
 
Murphs Kits now has an oil filter cover that he is selling for the C14. I'll post some pics of it later.
 
I see that Murph has a fix and it looks the part. I wonder what gage alu was used. The hole in my oil filter looked as if it came from a .22 cal pistol. Still, his product is better than using nothing. Thoughts? UP
 
Update: I installed Murph's oil filter protective cover a week ago, and as expected it fit perfectly. I adjusted the expansion slot so that water will run out if any water gets in. This cover is real heavy duty and is sure to offer good protection to small road hazards. I opted not to paint it cause I figured paint would only chip away and make it look crappy quicker. I did an oil change a couple of weeks ago on my 2009 C14, and used up my last oil filter so when I ordered more from Murph I saw that he was selling a slip on machined aluminum cover so I bought one. Haven't put it on yet cause I'm thinking about looking into having it black powder coated but it is nicely designed and heavy duty. Haven't done a fit check yet, but knowing Murph it will fit like a glove. Should offer excellent protection of the oil filter for only $23. Kevin
 
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