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Oil filter question

  • Thread starter Thread starter jay66
  • Start date Start date
J

jay66

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Where can I find oil filters that come with the right gasket. Every time I order a filter for my bike it comes with this wimpy rubber gasket. It's the right oil filter for my bike but my bike takes a much thicker rubber gasket. I'm not sure how many times I can reuse the old gasket. I have an 81 GS 1100E
Thanks
Jay
 
Buy a stock Suzuki o-ring and use it for a year or two. I change my filter twice a year and have used the same one for three years.
 
I second the stock filter and OEM ring. I used my original o-ring for over 20 years with no leaks.
 
I too just recycle my OEM gaskets - I have 3 or 4 that I have rotated for years.

I really don't like the Fram gaskets as they seem much harder than OEM and tend not to compress - resulting in stripped cover studs with just the slightest amount of torque on the retaining nuts.
 
The fram filters are junk and the o rings did not fit right. Becareful with the o ring and you can reuse it. One tip I can offer is pull the cover, remove the filter, install new filter, reinstall the cap right away. Then the ring doesn't have a chance to change shape, get damaged, fall out, or pick up dirt off the floor....

Ask me why I know
 
I put in a new Suzuki o-ring once a year whether it needs it or not. Guess I'm guilty of overkill!

Personally, I don't fuss too much over the brand of filter, although I agree that Fram makes disgustingly crappy filters. You have to change the oil every 2,000 miles, so it's kind of silly to worry much about filtering oil that hardly has a chance to get dirty. I would never use a Fram in my car, where the filtration actually matters, but I've used the filters in my bike many times with no problems. They don't fall apart or anything. The Fram o-rings go in a drawer, but I have no idea why I keep them. You can look through this collection and see that the o-rings Fram stuffs in the boxes are remarkably variable in thickness. Some would work fine, some would leak immediately.

Napa auto parts sells very nice filters (made by Wix) that come with nice o-rings. Visit your local Napa store -- the part number for most GS models (the three-lobed o-ring) is PS4931. I usually have them order four or five at a time, since they only have one in stock maybe 80% of the time.
 
I agree with bwringer that brand of filter on our GS bikes doesn't matter much. We had a lengthy discussion some time ago on this subject. Since I change the oil and filter every 2K miles or so, brand doesn't matter. I have yet to have a Fram fall apart on me; they work just fine on my 125,000-mile GK.

Recently I bought an oil filter cover on eBay for a couple of bucks. Now I have a spare one that trades places with the original cover. This spare has an oil filter o-ring already on it, ready to go on the bike at the next oil change. Since I change the oil when the engine is still quite hot, I prefer not to touch the oil cap, but to let it drop into the oil pan with the rest of the oil.

I also have three spare acorn nuts and washers ready to go on top of the cover.

I recently bought a set of 5 oil filters on eBay for a song, being the only bidder. Forget what brand they are; as I said, it doesn't make much difference.
 
Just a heads up - If you go to to Napa and buy a 24931 (made by Wix, a quality filter) it comes with an O-ring. I buy mine there, and they are only like $4.50 or something.
 
Thanks for the tips. I think I'll check out Napa. The nearest Suzuki dealer is 300 miles away. BTW I just adjusted the valves and put in a new real gasket. ( now it has snap like a dirt bike, WOW) I'm installing new progressive fork springs and a new set of tires this weekend. So it should be good to go for spring.
 
Anyone who has been to my garage knows the rule: garbage out, stainless in. I have a full selection of 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, and 8mm stainless allen head bolts, washers, and nuts ready to go.

Yes, I know. My name is Brian, and I am a stainless steel addict. And I have a GS habit, too. :-s

Anyway, I replace any cruddy oil filter cover nuts I encounter with stainless nuts with nylon locking inserts. You don't need much torque to keep these in place. I also keep spare 6mm studs on hand, since these MUST strip out at least once in the life of every GS.
 
Hiflotro - o-ring

Hiflotro - o-ring

I buy the HF133 HIFLOFILTRO ones at bikebandit.com. They come with two different o-rings, one being the three cornered one. Usually under $5 including shipping and sometimes they run them on special. They have a red colored filter paper that looks like the K&N filters. Maybe same, maybe not. I change the o-ring every time. Its there so might as well. I have a small 2 oz squirt battle that I fill with red grease. The tip lays a nice bead of grease in the filter cap groove which makes sure the o-ring stays in place while its being reinstalled.
 
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