When I went to do my 2nd oil change I discovered the dealer who changed the oil & filter during the 1st service tightened the filter so much I couldn't remove it by hand or with a filter strap (ended up crushing the filter).

I was pretty ticked off with the dealer until I looked up the spec that Kawasaki recommends in the service manual is 23ft-lbs! I have ALWAYS tightened the oil filters in all of my vechiles until they are snug by hand and in doing so I can always remove them by hand (never had a leak yet). I tightened the new filter to 13ft-lbs (picked up the filter socket) and so far no problems...

I'm wondering why they would recommend such a high torque for the filter

don't know why so much torque but I bought the kawi oil filter socket and torqued it by the book for piece of mind

When I went to do my 2nd oil change I discovered the dealer who changed the oil & filter during the 1st service tightened the filter so much I couldn't remove it by hand or with a filter strap (ended up crushing the filter).

it's funny, because my oil filter was also so tight from the dealer the first time that i ended up crushing the thing to get it off, there is no way mine came at the recommended torque of 23ft/lbs, felt a lot more...i've been torquing mine down to 23 ever since and no problems taking it off...my guess is the pressure build up in this engine at the higher end is a lot higher than other machines, so u need that extra to seal it right

I knew NOTHING about torquing that filter.I just tightened er down hand tight,then another 1/8 turn or so with my wrench.I've had no probs doing it like that so far?(yep,she was WAY tight when they did it ONE TIME at the dealer-had to punch through with a BIG screwdriver to get it off!).

* Last updated by: blue07 on 5/26/2009 @ 10:45 PM *

I don't have a lot of confidence in dealer mechanics after hearing all this, and after asking my local deal how much they would charge to drain my coolant and put in Engine Ice. (Another forum post here has a guy being charged $200 or so for this).

They obviously didn't know the recommend procedure, which involves removing fairings and hoses, etc. They said it would be 1/2 hour and that they probably wouldn't have to remove the fairings because "most modern sportbikes let you change the oil and coolant without removing the fairings".

I think I'll do it myself... -bg

Owners manual says 23ftlbs. Factory Service Manual says 13ftlbs. I went with 13ftlbs.

This is my second Kawasaki that had wrong info in the owners manual. My BMW wast he same way, a lot of errors in the little book.

My tq is the one hand snug..............

Owners manual says 23ftlbs. Factory Service Manual says 13ftlbs. I went with 13ftlbs.

what year 14 u got? cause my service manual for the 06-07 says 23ft/lbs also, I thought that was a bit high, thats why now i'm kinda curious bout that...

It's an 08. I'l look again tonight when I get home............ RON

OK, I double checked last night and here's what I found.....

Page 113 of the Owner's Manal says 23ftlbs. I'm going with WRONG ANSWER.

Page/section 2-8 of the 2008 - 2009 Factory Service Manual in the torque specs it says 13ftlbs for the Oil Filter.

Page/section 2-59 in the section on how to change the oil and filter it says 13ftlbs for the filter again.

I'm going with 13ftlbs................. RON

* Last updated by: GSRON on 5/29/2009 @ 7:47 AM *

yea i double checked mine also for the 06-07 and can't find 13 in it, but i'm starting to think 13 sounds pretty good, cause 23 i just never heard of before for a filter the last thing i need is that threaded rod that holds the filter to strip, since i noticed that most of the hardware they put on this bike is kinda cheap and strips easily

My tq is the one hand snug..............

I set my wrist between 13ft and 23ft/lbs. I install my other hand and set it to, "Shit, that ain't gonna fall off!"

I set my wrist between 13ft and 23ft/lbs. I install my other hand and set it to, "Shit, that ain't gonna fall off!"

Scientific methods like this are ALWAYS the best... -bg

spin it 'til it makes contact then 1/4 turn. Goes on all by hand. Tighter than that and it is tough to get it back off. As long as it doesn't leak, your fine. Too tight and you'll have to crush it with the wrench get it off.

I torque the drain plug to ~23'lbs. Use a 0 - 50'lb flex beam torque wrench. The clickers that have a broad range like 10 - 120'lbs are way off at low torques - way, way too tight. Drain hole has aluminum theads. Easy to stip and the you ARE fooked.

Rook

* Last updated by: Rook on 5/29/2009 @ 8:47 PM *

I think I'll do it myself... -bg

That is the only way to go bg, I don't let no one, but myself work on my bikes...I quit trusting mechanics and shops along time ago...

By the way it is probably best that you do, because Engine Ice recommends removing all of the glycol based anti-freeze before filling with Engine Ice. It takes a little while to do this..

If you run into any problems, PM me and i will give you any help I can...

By the way Thank You again for all that you are doing, to keep this site up and running. I really mean it, THANK YOU!!!

Yep-Thanks BG-great site-Great people here with IMMENSE knowledge of what and how to do these 14's right.

Always a pleasure, blue. It's the members who make it great. I just keep the wheels spinning. Ride safe. -bg

By the way it is probably best that you do, because engine ice recommends removing all of the glycol based anti-freeze before filling with engine ice. It takes a little while to do this..

Question for you 1minerman...

I went ahead and picked up a gallon of Engine Ice. Should I do something between training what's in there (stock stuff) and pouring this in? Like flushing it with water a time or 2? The maintenance manual calls for removing a bunch of stuff to drain coolant (like the overflow tank and some hoses). Is this really necessary?

Thanks. -bg

Bg, You would have to have a container to capture the coolant on the flush. If you can get the color out of the lines by this procedure... I would and will do this eventually: Take a lot of distilled water bottle$, keep pouring the water in as the drain plug is now draining and engine is running.

More like, you top off the radiator with distilled. Start it, warm it; remove finger at the drain and let it drip out and modify the speed refilling the radiator with the remaining distilled. Fill as fast as possible so the radiator does not empty.

Then let all the distilled drain once you see it clear is kill the engine. Now you mix the distilled with the ice. Top off the radiator. Of close the drain plug was installed after the last of the straight distilled has flushed itself out.

If the directions call for full strength ice, then whatever she says on the bottle. But you just need a lube for the water pump blades like the slippery coolants use in their blends.

Thanks, Hub. I'll give it a try... -bg

bg--
hey, 1st don't mix anything with the Engine Ice, it is already pre-mixed, and they don't use ditilled water, it uses ionized water...

Once you get the fairings off, it really is not that bad of a job to do, the drain is at the lowest part of the engine and below the bottom of the radiator.
You can buy a cheap aluminum turkey basting pan at wally world, and it will catch all the old fluid, cover a large area on the floor and is easy to dispose of...

--Remove fairings
--Remove radiator cap
--Place pan under engine (TIP:start on the left side with the drain plug & pan, it will discharge further when it 1st starts, so set your pan out far enough to catch...)
--Remove drain plug from the bottom of the water pump cover. (This is low enough to drain 99% of the coolant from the engine and radiator.)TIP:Squeeze hoses to remove any residual fluid,before reinstalling drain plug.
--Remove the two hoses, and the two bolts from the discharge tank, and empty, by dumping into pan.

--Reinstall discharge tank
--Reinstall drain-plug
--Refill with Engine Ice.
--Run engine and squeeze hoses to remove all air,before replacing radiator cap or fairings.
--Replace cap and fill discharge tank(hold bike level)_
--Replace fairings

TIPS:If you get any fluids on your tires, be sure to clean it off very well,>>>>Make sure you bleed the air from the big lines, before replacing your fairings.>>>>>Don't over-tighten the drain-plug.>>>>>>Make sure to slide the little clamps back on the lines on the discharge tank.>>>>>If you have PCIII, place ground wire back on bolt on tank.>>>>>

There is no need to flush the system, no older than what your bike is,unless, there is scaling or other signs of corrosion, if the fluid is nice and green and clean, i would just drain it. It will all drain out in no time, and then when you are finished you know the job has been done right, if u do it yourself...

How long will it take??
i can not give you an exact estimate on time, from when i done mine, i replaced mine the same time that i changed the pipes, so i already had the radiator off...But taking your time and being careful with your fairings, it will not take more than 2 hours..(Best Guess)

The tip is to use a lite grease (white grease) on the oil filter seal, turn it in until it just stops lightly, than add 3/4 turn, your done. Oil filter always come off next time. Some will say to use oil to lube the seal, but I found it to dry up sometimes during normal operation, that will make the filter a bitch to get off.

Thanks, 1minerman! Will do it this weekend. -bg

bg--you are very welcome