Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Bike is coming due for an oil change (2nd time since owning).

Does anyone have a tip for removing the oil filter? Last time was an absolute bastard, some of it due to how tight the filter had been put on but just the awkwardness of getting something on to it was an ordeal. Hopefully the filter will be a little less tight but any other tips - special wrenches etc - would be appreciated.

Thanks

Hi mate,

Kawasaki will sell you a wrench that neatly fits over the top of the filter like a cap for about $15-20. You plug your 1/2" drive ratchet into this and Bob's your uncle.

Honda have one which also fits. This one has a nut welded on the top of it and you use an open-ender to do the same thing (a ratchet open-ender is really good). Having had a ZZR600 before the Hornet I now have one of each as the ZZR one fits, but you can't get a 1/2" ratchet under the pipes of a Hornet (they're a crappy design, no thought taken in the install at all).

A budget method is to punch a hole through it with a screwdriver. A warning though, I tried this and ended up with the filter in two pieces . I then had to use the screwdriver as a chisel and tap it off with a hammer.

If you find you can't find the filter at your local dealer drop me a PM and I'll mail you my old ZZR one.

thks, MIck

Ratmick wrote:Hi mate,

Kawasaki will sell you a wrench that neatly fits over the top of the filter like a cap for about $15-20. You plug your 1/2" drive ratchet into this and Bob's your uncle.

A budget method is to punch a hole through it with a screwdriver.

thks, MIck

That's the method I use, have tried a shitload of oil filter wrneches with none working, having saud that yet to try the genuine article...

...don't forget to put a thin film of oil on the rubber seal and don't overtighten

hahah i have a filter wrench which is a strap type.... handy, easy, cheap.... but ussually end up doing the screwdriver treatment anyway....

i had a mate who asked how to take the filter off- so i told him to punch a hole thru it with a screwdriver..he did this...a few days later he was complaining of the car leaking oil... i asked him how he put the new filter on... "the same way" he said.....




so...DONT put the new one on with a big hole in it..it wont work!!

I used a strap type wrench last time - was on so tight that I destroyed the one I bought (ripped apart at the stiches) so I made one up and after much swearing and carry on I finally got it off.

I know someone (brother-inlaw) who did he same thing with a screwdriver when reinstalling the new filter. Major engine damage to what was a brand new car (doing the 1000km) 1st time service at home. Dickhead..........

I made my own removal tool, but I did have the same filter to use to mold the tool over. It did work out cheaper than the $60 I was quoted for the genuine Kawaka tool....

penno wrote:I used a strap type wrench last time - was on so tight that I destroyed the one I bought (ripped apart at the stiches) so I made one up and after much swearing and carry on I finally got it off.

I know someone (brother-inlaw) who did he same thing with a screwdriver when reinstalling the new filter. Major engine damage to what was a brand new car (doing the 1000km) 1st time service at home. Dickhead..........

On my '91 recently (first go at doing it) I was able to take off the oil cooler (three bolts, two top, one bottom) then the support bracket for it - didn't undo the lines. Then I got a super-cheap strap-type filter remover over it from the right hand side of the bike and just carefully twisted it - it was tight but quite easy. I might have been lucky getting one that had been put on by someone with a clue (ie, not insanely tight) but it wasn't that hard.

The scary thing about some of the above posts is some people don't even *THINK* about there possibly being an issue with punching a screwdriver through a NEW oilfilter to fit it. Looks like Darwin is taking up a new line of work with peoples wallets.