Oil service torque wrench

[Boostinu13]

Hello. When changing the oil and filter it says to use a torque wrench in the manual.

17.5nm for filter and 30nm for the drain bolt. Never used one in a service before on my old bike / cars. Thanks for your advice. Is this just a recommended tool to use or a must?

Thank you.

[onearmedbandit]

Never used one for either, never had a problem. Not over tightening the sump bung is the only reason I could think of using a torque wrench.

[Boostinu13]

Never used one for either, never had a problem. Not over tightening the sump bung is the only reason I could think of using a torque wrench.

Remember once years ago we snapped a BMW sump plug but other than that never an issue. Since it's on a new engine thought now's a good time to actually ask people.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Now I have a nice torque wrench I tend to use them but having said that I didnt for years and never had an issue. If you have one, bust it out. Your sump plug will have a crush washer anyways so its just a case of nipping it up and then faffing with lockwire.

[jellywrestler]

Hello. When changing the oil and filter it says to use a torque wrench in the manual.

17.5nm for filter and 30nm for the drain bolt. Never used one in a service before on my old bike / cars. Thanks for your advice. Is this just a recommended tool to use or a must?

Thank you.

depends on how you trust yourself. i'm in the habit of using it on pretty much everything as a lot of mine is older stuff.

[sidecar bob]

Remember once years ago we snapped a BMW sump plug but other than that never an issue. Since it's on a new engine thought now's a good time to actually ask people.

The reason that happened is that BMW put a hollow sump plug in an alloy sump, the plug is designed to shear before the thread strips out of the sump.
I've probably tightened 10,000 BMW sump plugs & never sheared one.

[Reckless]

depends on how you trust yourself. i'm in the habit of using it on pretty much everything as a lot of mine is older stuff.

Yep Same!
I have the Torque page for the race bike and road bike printed and stuck on a cupboard door and always use it.
Two reasons
1/ I (as most do) tend to over tighten everything and
2/ if your taking the same bolts in and out, over and over, it pays not to stress the threads.
A good example is sump plugs and Brake caliper bolts which are into alloy.
But each to their own :)

[pete376403]

Now I have a nice torque wrench I tend to use them but having said that I didnt for years and never had an issue. If you have one, bust it out. Your sump plug will have a crush washer anyways so its just a case of nipping it up and then faffing with lockwire.

A NEW crush washer, that is. Sump plug stripping sequence goes - tight plug with old washer. It leaks a bit. Tighten it some more. It still leaks a bit. Tighten it good and proper. It now leaks a while lot because the thread is stripped. Crush washers are cheap.

[SaferRides]

About the only place I always use a torque wrench is on the sump plug. I can get the calliper bolts right by feel now, but it's just too easy to strip the threads when tightening the sump plug.

[Boostinu13]

Great to see different opinions. One thing I find wired with the service is the book says go to the full line with oil (nothing about hot or cold) yet all forums say 1/2, 3/4 full cold oil. Servicing is a simple task but so many different views/methods

[Honest Andy]

Great to see different opinions. One thing I find wired with the service is the book says go to the full line with oil (nothing about hot or cold) yet all forums say 1/2, 3/4 full cold oil. Servicing is a simple task but so many different views/methods

Really? I've never seen a difference between hot and cold oil. I'd advise following the book, not a forum. Although here is a forum...;)

I've stripped a couple of sump plugs because I'm paranoid about losing the plug on the road. Now I use lockwire and hardly do them up more than finger tight. Drips a bit but I don't care :yes:

[Boostinu13]

Really? I've never seen a difference between hot and cold oil. I'd advise following the book, not a forum. Although here is a forum...;)

I've stripped a couple of sump plugs because I'm paranoid about losing the plug on the road. Now I use lockwire and hardly do them up more than finger tight. Drips a bit but I don't care :yes:

Oh sorry I meant the book says fill not max level but doesn't say max when hot. Meant forums saying 2/3 fill. That's a good idea with lockwire. I just use the torque and trust the manufacturer haha

[Boostinu13]

Can't delete.

[FJRider]

Great to see different opinions. One thing I find wired with the service is the book says go to the full line with oil (nothing about hot or cold) yet all forums say 1/2, 3/4 full cold oil. Servicing is a simple task but so many different views/methods

Mark the level on the sight glass when the engine is still warm. Check the level the next day when it's cold. After seeing how much is involved between hot and cold, you decide then what level you want to go to. An oil level seen in the sight glass when stopped is always good news ... regardless of the level seen.

[SaferRides]

My last 2 bikes had less clutch drag with the oil level halfway up the sight glass rather than at the top mark. So that's what I do.

[Boostinu13]

Yea hear alot about having less oil. Just checked mine. Started it for half a min then straightened bike and it was empty no oil at all lol. After 20-39 seconds it went to 1/4 and progressed to 2/4-3/4. Was worried for a bit

[SaferRides]

Yea hear alot about having less oil. Just checked mine. Started it for half a min then straightened bike and it was empty no oil at all lol. After 20-39 seconds it went to 1/4 and progressed to 2/4-3/4. Was worried for a bit

I expect we've all done that...

Good time to check is about 10 minutes after a ride so the exhaust has cooled but the oil is still nice and toasty.

[george formby]

My bike takes 4ltrs of oil and has 2 drain plugs.... Took me ages to figure out why I only dropped a couple of ltrs when I serviced it. I'm still short of hair on part of my head from the scratching.

You check the oil level in the window of mystery with reading glasses and a torch.. Never the same twice.

[Boostinu13]

My bike takes 4ltrs of oil and has 2 drain plugs.... Took me ages to figure out why I only dropped a couple of ltrs when I serviced it. I'm still short of hair on part of my head from the scratching.

You check the oil level in the window of mystery with reading glasses and a torch.. Never the same twice.

Wowsers alot of oil.



I was unsure about my oil level due to inconsistent levels So I decided to re do it changed my oil but not oil filter. The manual says 1.6l without filter. So added that exactly. Left overnight and just checked oil cold and it's over the max. Wtf haha. Now it could be that's it's been overnight and it's all settled but do I risk starting it letting it run for several mins then checking. I swear the level changes with the breeze.

[Boostinu13]

My bike takes 4ltrs of oil and has 2 drain plugs.... Took me ages to figure out why I only dropped a couple of ltrs when I serviced it. I'm still short of hair on part of my head from the scratching.

You check the oil level in the window of mystery with reading glasses and a torch.. Never the same twice.

Wowsers alot of oil.