Tech Tips

TECH TIPS

Ever had an oil filter come loose and douse the underside of your bike-and the rear tire—with a couple quarts of engine lube? If you’re lucky enough to remain upright, you then hope that the engine suffered no internal damage.

This happens more frequently than you might think. We’re taught not to overtighten a filter during installation, lest it be extremely difficult to remove at the next oil change. So we smear oil on the rubber sealing gasket and only tighten the filter 1/2 to 3/4 turn by hand once the gasket makes contact with the mounting surface.

Fair enough. But if you’re looking for an added level of security, here’s an easy trick to ensure that the filter stays put until you remove it. Loop a hose clamp around the filter and tighten it snugly, then safety wire the clamp to a convenient nearby location-an engine-mount bracket, a metal oil line, whatever. On some bikes that have finned oil sumps, you can drill a small hole through an adjacent fin to use as an anchor for the wire. Install the wire in one of the unused slots in the clamp so it’s pulling the filter tight (clockwise), then loop the other end around or through the anchor point, twisting the ends together with 3 or 4 turns to secure them. It’s best to use safety-wire pliers or an equivalent to twist the wire between the filter and anchor point, but even a simple single-strand loop is better than nothing. Safety-wiring the oil filter is required by most roadrace sanctioning bodies but is a pretty good idea for street riding and track days, as well. -Paul Dean