Just fitted a new external oil filter to the G5, usual routine, been changing filters on bikes and cars for 30 years, 4th time on this bike, 1st time I’ve had one leak! Tightened it up another turn still leaks a bit, tightened it as hard as I could by hand but not convinced it is completely oil tight. What do you think are the likely reasons? Its a UFI filter, made in Tunisia, the ink is coming off it when I turn it. Cheaply made filter?
Can I take it off and use a smear of silicone? Will the oil drain completely from sump if I take it off? Planning a decent ride tomorrow so hope I can trust it to not come loose.
Hand tight should be sufficient & a little grease on the seal helps. An extra “tweak” with a wrench shouldn’t do any harm but be very careful not to over tighten. I have never had paint peeling from a UFI filter when hand tightening so the filter might be dubious.
I eventually stopped it leaking by giving it an extra 1/2 turn with band wrench. Never had to do that before, oil on seal and 3/4 of a turn being the norm.
Took it for a good run on Sunday but being a bit paranoid that it might seize on there I changed it that night. New one doesn’t leak, hand tight only. Luckily I had bought 2, both Tunisian UFI filters from Gutsibits.Â
Thinking about this, you have the external filter modification which is quite rare, if this filter had been fitted to the standard internal fitment, which is the other 99% of us, none of us would have a clue they were leaking… And I doubt it would matter. Maybe they all weep a bit??
The main reason why I don’t have an external oil filter.
Dropping the sump to change the filter takes very little time.
And finding the gear tooth in the sump let me know my ally timing gears needed replacing.
There I was thinking what a faff it was to drop the sump just to check the gauze filter. It was cleaning the cooling fins before putting it back together that took most of the time. I’m not intending to do it again for many years as it was spotlessly clean inside and didn’t need to come off. But like changing the tight filter I thought it was better to err on the side of safety as I’ve only had the bike a couple of years and don’t know when it was last done. I’m guessing the external filter being changed every oil change keeps it very clean. Hopefully removing the sump plug should give me an idea of any major wear?
If there’s steel swarf stuck to the magnet in the plug, possibly, but when one of my cam followers disintegrated you wouldn’t otherwise have known it just by looking at the drain plug. No big pieces stuck to it. Also if it’s aluminium swarf, then no.
“I’m not intending to do it again for many years” ~ should be done every fifth oil change, or 9,000 miles. Also you’re supposed to check / ‘adjust’ the timing chain at the same time but nobody bothers cos it’s such a faff, even bike shops supposedly doing a service.
9000 miles, should take me about 4 years at current rate. Family prevent me from much touring for the next few years, one day though. Also mileage will be less when I get a comfier seat for the Buell (the Buell doesn’t even have a plug to drain the sump!) Might stretch it to 8 years if the 9000 miles service is mainly to change the filter, but there again I will probably err on the side of caution and do it earlier than 9000.
My T3 has a sump extension but no external filter. So two sets of gasket faces to clean and double the gasket costs each time. I’ve yet to drop the bottom on this one, though I have done an oil change in the Autumn. My experience on sump contents, though mostly on the small blocks to be honest, is that they are always clean as a whistle on the inside anyway. Reckon I’ll switch to a new sump and external oil filter when I feel it’s time to swap out the one in there.
And I’ve heard enough bad things about ally timing gears (mostly from Pete Roper) that I would not want them myself. Beyond that I’m trusting enough to expect my Guzzis to be chunky enough to not throw significant amounts of swarf and metal off on a routine basis. Doh – that’s surely an invitation for catastrophe now.
If there’s detergent or wotnot in the oil you’re using then yes sump should be relatively clean, if not there will be sludge. Also you’re supposed to clean the gauze filter as well I believe. If you’ve got an old V7 that’s ALL you’ve got.
I’ve got alloy straight-tooth gears on mine, however they’re so wide and chunky I can’t see teeth coming off any time soon. Was going to try putting timing chain back on last year but really not worth the hassle. My main concern was whether the timing was standard or not, which it is, so left it.
Also I’ve got a sump extension, on filter change last year both dropped off no prob (after 8 years standing idle) and their respective gaskets stayed with each, both in perfect condition, so just went back on as is. Only slight fiddly bit is supporting them in position on replacing, I use a car bottle jack to temporarily hold it all up while getting a couple of holding screws back in.
A good swipe of silicone grease on the faces should keep the gaskets intact for several changes, Â had a dodgy filter made by ELF in France, once, turned out the end of the threads was not fully formed so hand tight plus a nip was not enough, a good graunch would have seated it but it would have been hard to remove next service, fit only for the “flotation test” as Mr. Richardson describes. Â Â Â Â Â Â Cheers, Gerry.
