Oil change woe

STurgisSTeele

When did I become the "Old Man"!?
Joined
Feb 19, 2008
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STurgis, MI
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01 ST1100A (RIP)
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2667
There I am, blissfully changing the oil watching that black gold drain into the catch-pan and thinking about how simple maintenance sure can prolong an engine's life.

I let it empty out for a couple of hours while I continue to move STuff into the new house.

Come back and take off the old filter, apply clean oil to the gasket of the new filter and install. Remove the magnets from the old filter and put them on the new.

Put the oil pan bolt back on and add new liquid gold, watching the oil level as I get closer to the prescribed amount.

Satisfied with a job well done, I empty the catch-pan into a bucket for recycling. But wait! What's this round shiny piece I see? DOH! The crush washer!

At first I think, "Oh carp. How much liquid gold am I going to lose trying to put that on?" Well, got into position with washer in hand, quickly took out the bolt, plug the hole with a finger, put the washer on the bolt, and reinstall the bolt. Turns out, not much of the liquid gold is lost at all. Whew!

Lesson learned.

Well, not really. This wasn't the first time. Ha-ha.

Think next time I'll just get some 1/2" wire mesh to put over the catch-pan.

Peace and All Good
 
Joined
Aug 11, 2014
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838
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Lake Zurich, Illinois
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04 ST1300
sounds incredible. How were you able to keep one finger on the hole and put the washer on the bolt with essentially one hand. Hmmm
 
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STurgisSTeele

STurgisSTeele

When did I become the "Old Man"!?
Joined
Feb 19, 2008
Messages
1,009
Age
56
Location
STurgis, MI
Bike
01 ST1100A (RIP)
STOC #
2667
sounds incredible. How were you able to keep one finger on the hole and put the washer on the bolt with essentially one hand. Hmmm
It took two hands. Laying on the left side of the bike, I unthreaded with left hand and soon as it was out used my left middle finger to plug the opening. Then while holding the bolt in the left hand, put the washer on with the right hand. Then quickly put the bolt back into the oil pan.

Really only lost a little oil in the process. Not enough to even warrant putting in extra oil.

Peace and All Good
 
Joined
Oct 15, 2007
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82
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Alief, TX, USA
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ST1300
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7461
Take it to Walmart for your next oil change :D
I took my Expedition there a few times for oil changes until they cross-threaded the drain bolt and had to use an insert to "fix" it.
Fortunately, I seriously doubt that Walmart will change oil on a motorcycle, not that anyone would take a bike there for an oil change.
 

Art

Joined
May 27, 2016
Messages
4
Location
Louisiana
I once saw a mechanic, after changing oil on a car, take the oil drain plug off to replace a leaky drain plug gasket. To prevent oil from emptying from the "unplugged" drain hole, he had someone else apply vacuum to the filler hole on top of the valve cover - with a shop vac. It was a very simple idea and worked well for his purposes. None of the freshly added oil drained out and he was able to replace the leaky drain plug gasket.
 

st11ray

2006 ST1300
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Jul 29, 2007
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charlotte, nc
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'06 ST1300
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7189
I once saw a mechanic, after changing oil on a car, take the oil drain plug off to replace a leaky drain plug gasket. To prevent oil from emptying from the "unplugged" drain hole, he had someone else apply vacuum to the filler hole on top of the valve cover - with a shop vac. It was a very simple idea and worked well for his purposes. None of the freshly added oil drained out and he was able to replace the leaky drain plug gasket.
I can see myself trying this and then see all the oil shooting into my garage because my shop vac was too strong!
 
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STurgisSTeele

STurgisSTeele

When did I become the "Old Man"!?
Joined
Feb 19, 2008
Messages
1,009
Age
56
Location
STurgis, MI
Bike
01 ST1100A (RIP)
STOC #
2667
Imagine the puzzled looks one might receive when pulling up on a bike. LOL!

Peace and All Good
 
Joined
May 15, 2009
Messages
219
Age
48
Location
Denver, Colorado
Bike
2008 ST1300
I once saw a mechanic, after changing oil on a car, take the oil drain plug off to replace a leaky drain plug gasket. To prevent oil from emptying from the "unplugged" drain hole, he had someone else apply vacuum to the filler hole on top of the valve cover - with a shop vac. It was a very simple idea and worked well for his purposes. None of the freshly added oil drained out and he was able to replace the leaky drain plug gasket.
I think I had heard the exact thing being described on an episode of the radio program Car Talk. Yes, it actually worked, or so they said.

R.I.P. Tom Magliozzi
 
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STurgisSTeele

STurgisSTeele

When did I become the "Old Man"!?
Joined
Feb 19, 2008
Messages
1,009
Age
56
Location
STurgis, MI
Bike
01 ST1100A (RIP)
STOC #
2667
I think I had heard the exact thing being described on an episode of the radio program Car Talk. Yes, it actually worked, or so they said.

R.I.P. Tom Magliozzi
Oh, Tom passed?! Dang, listened to those fellas for quite a while years ago. So sad.

Peace and All Good
 
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STurgisSTeele

STurgisSTeele

When did I become the "Old Man"!?
Joined
Feb 19, 2008
Messages
1,009
Age
56
Location
STurgis, MI
Bike
01 ST1100A (RIP)
STOC #
2667
@sirepair, I shutter to think of that happening. Always conscious of that when installing that drain plug.

@Don B, that's a bummer. Wonder if the radio is still going then? How could they ever replace Tom!? They have enough shows, I bet they could run reruns for a very long time.

Peace and All Good
 
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
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8,108
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Cleveland
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2010 ST1300
@sirepair, I shutter to think of that happening. Always conscious of that when installing that drain plug.

@Don B, that's a bummer. Wonder if the radio is still going then? How could they ever replace Tom!? They have enough shows, I bet they could run reruns for a very long time.

Peace and All Good
After they retired, (and well before Tom passed), the shows were combined and have been playing on NPR ever since. The shows were cut and pasted eliminating unpopular segments. You cannot tell the difference between the live and canned shows. Click and Clack have been on the air nonstop since their live shows stopped.
 
Joined
Feb 8, 2016
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Ohio
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No bike
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8899
My buddy did the same thing a few weeks ago while changing the oil on his VTX at my house, we got a plan together, quickly pulled the bolt and filled the hole with my finger until he could get the washer on and bolt replaced.... The only surprise was not a drop of oil on my finger! I guess there wasn't enough time for the new oil to make it down to the oil pan....
 
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