Oil leak

[CDNRatMan]

    or get them massive upper arms like GB has and you will never have to own a toque wrench either........

glad you got it solved....

[Tfrank59]

OK, the verdict is in and it's just that I didn't have the filter tight enough--Who knew?  Like I said, I don't torque oil filters – even on my cars -- I usually just take it up about as tight as I can by hand and it's always good.  On this one, apparently you got to take it up as tight as you can buy hand, get it nice and hot and then go another eighth of a turn, or she'll leak just a teeny bit.   It might also depend on what filter you buy – I'll admit this is not an OEM.

[CDNRatMan]

  But not all us mere mortal people have your superior upper body strength, a lot of us are older and need some tools to get that extra tightness.

[greenbarn]

For some things I use a torque wrench.   Not filters, though- I just use the German low-torque spec....  Gootentight.    Now, be careful NOT to use, by mistake, the High-torque spec....  Fookentight

[CDNRatMan]

  With the Drifter I just been hand tightening the filter, then once I get it tight I give it a quarter turn more by hand and have never had an issue.

[pcarrell]

Do you guys torque oil filters?

Just finger tight, no twirking...I mean torquing.

[Tfrank59]

did all that, like I said, and it only began leaking after a few hundred miles--atypical in my experience.  a rock dent would explain how it might start leaking after a while, but there's no sign of damage like that.  I think, so far, retightening it another 1/8 turn has stopped it, and I did order another filter if it won't stop.  I know manuals show guys torqueing oil filters, but I've never been one to do that.  Do you guys torque oil filters?

[Troll]

Well I know it is the right filter – it matched up exactly with the one that I took off, and it turns out it's the same filter that I use on my other bike.  The leak that I've been seeing is right there where the gasket (O-ring) seals on the engine, so it's not leaking from the side of the filter like there's a hole in it.  If tightening up another eighth of a turn doesn't seal it, I'll do what you said, I'll unscrew it and reseat it and see if that works. Meanwhile I'll just go ahead and order another filter I guess.

This is why you are supposed to run the engine until it's warm after an oil change and check for leaks...sometimes filters leak. We have come to the point in the evolution of parts that we don't expect problems anymore with stuff like this, but as we all know, but won't admit....shit happens!

[Tfrank59]

Well I know it is the right filter – it matched up exactly with the one that I took off, and it turns out it's the same filter that I use on my other bike.  The leak that I've been seeing is right there where the gasket (O-ring) seals on the engine, so it's not leaking from the side of the filter like there's a hole in it.  If tightening up another eighth of a turn doesn't seal it, I'll do what you said, I'll unscrew it and reseat it and see if that works. Meanwhile I'll just go ahead and order another filter I guess.

[greenbarn]

Could be a defective filter too.  Once we did an oil change (we have an auto repair shop) and the guy calls from 15 miles away and says his oil is all leaking out.  So I send a guy with some oil to check it out - puts enough oil in to get it back.  We found a hole in the oil filter canister.  Checked the shelf, found several filters (same part number) with an identical mark on the side of the canister, 2 more with holes.  Sent the whole batch back for refund.    There was something wrong in the manufacturing process that day where the filter can was making contact with "something" that put marks on the filters, some deep enough to leak.

So I'd loosen up the filter, and re-tighten (could be a small piece of dirt on the seal), and re-check for leaks.  If still leaking, take it clear off to inspect it, and maybe put another filter on it, see if it goes away.

[Tfrank59]

No, it's definitely the right filter, but I did tighten it another eighth of a turn let's see what that does.

[49Reo]

I've never seen that before. Did you check to make sure it was tight? Is it possible it is the wrong filter? Filter dented, like maybe a rock kicked up and whacked it?

[Tfrank59]

Never had that happen yet touch wood.

could it be just some left over that is seeping out? Did you wipe down the area well and clean it up? check everything and take another ride. Park over a piece of clean cardboard and check it.

No like I said this is the first time it leaked and I've gone several hundred miles before it started.  I dried everything off completely, and I'll definitely keep an eye it, just a little baffling to me.

[CDNRatMan]

  Never had that happen yet touch wood.

could it be just some left over that is seeping out? Did you wipe down the area well and clean it up? check everything and take another ride. Park over a piece of clean cardboard and check it.

[Tfrank59]

So I've probably gone about 300 miles since I changed the oil/filter, and yesterday after running the girl about 75 miles and parking I saw a couple of drops oil on the floor.  Bummer.  So I jumped down there and it looked like it was just dripping from the bottom of the filter.  I don't know why, I cleaned the sealing surface where the O-ring seats (and I didn't have double o-rings or anything) and I tightened the filter up like I always do, and yet there was still a couple of drops coming down after like I say a pretty long ride of a couple hours.  Anybody else have that happen?  Also, I tried to make sure that it wasn't coming from anywhere else but the filter – there's no oil wetness above where the filter screws in – but I'm wondering is there another leaky point down there somewhere?  Thanks for your feedback.