oil. filter. freaked. out.

[blankenship]

Will be changing the oil + filter in my "new" R65LS for the first time next weekend, and did some reading to prepare myself...
Of course, now I'm totally freaked out by this whole "$2,000 O-ring" deal and complicated readings about oil "fluid dynamics".
I thought I'd ask a  question (to (maybe) bring myself back down to earth):

I'd love to avoid driving all the way down to the suburban BMW dealer to overpay for unnecessary stuff if I don't have to.  What are your thoughts about going to the neighborhood "O'reilly" parts place and getting:
a) A WIX 24945 filter kit ( http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/WIX0/24945.oap )
b) 3 quarts of LUCAS OIL 20W50 API SF motorcycle oil ( http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/LCO0/10700.oap )
(Capacity is 2.4qt, right?)
c) A crush washer to fit drain plug (is this 16mm? 18mm?)

Anything wrong with that?

[Bob_Roller]

Looks like you have everything you need .

Like to hear about your experience with  Wix filters .

Did a search on their website and locally for me, the filter kit is $10.99US, about half the usual price from a BMW parts outlet .

[montmil]

As you remove the old filter, watch for a large diameter metal shim; it should be located on the outside surface of the large O-ring. Hopefully, your filter kit will have a new one. This metal shim helps protect and apply an equal pressure against the O-ring. The old O-ring may come out with a square-ish section, rather than round.

I run the Wix "bendy" filters in my R65s. Good service from them.

You may wish to use a vernier caliper's depth gauge to determine your gasket needs. Check your manual/s or do a search on this site. For some reason, I usually don't get much off our search engine.

Monte

[blankenship]

Understood.
For some reason, I find surprisingly few results with this site's search as well.  Was able to locate this, though, which helped me feel better about the filter thing:  http://www.bmwr65.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1237306309/32#32

Any thoughts about that Lucas oil I mentioned?
Anybody else run non-BMW oil?

[montmil]

Download this article, print it out, then go to your private "library" and spend some quality time with The Snowbum. His Oil for Airheads essay is rather lengthy but informative. You want a motorcycle oil with an API-SG rating for the ZDDP content which offers the needed protection for the Airhead flat tappet lifters and camshaft lobes.

Monte

[blankenship]

Yeah, I tried to make it through that Snowbum article yesterday  :-?
The Lucas oil I mentioned DOES have an SG rating...
Check it:
http://www.lucasoil.com/products/display_products.sd?iid=55&catid=16&loc=show

Does that mean good to go?  Or do you have a better non-BMW oem suggestion?

[darrylri]

Any SG rated oil will be fine.  People make too big a deal out of this.  The Airhead engines last a very long time and suffer very few oil-related failures except when they don't have any oil or oil pressure (the $2k O-ring).  

[montmil]

Any SG rated oil will be fine... suffer very few oil-related failures...

I'd just be really unhappy joining "the few". With all due respect to the RAF lads during the Battle.

Monte

[darrylri]

Any SG rated oil will be fine... suffer very few oil-related failures...

I'd just be really unhappy joining "the few". With all due respect to the RAF lads during the Battle.

Monte

It's a machine.  The Gods... and the odds... require that at least a few be sacrificed.

[Bob_Roller]

They're 'farm implements', don't get too obsessive with them !!!!

[Julio A.]

When in doubt, use two shims  

[blankenship]

Very strange.  I've read a few posts here that say that "Napa has WIX filters for our bikes," ( BobRoller! http://www.bmwr65.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1243275324/1#1 ) but when I called NAPA today and gave 'em the WIX #24945, they said there was no such thing.  I can't find it on NAPA's website, either...even if I search by bike.  O'reillys is now not a great option because they don't stock the part and wanna charge $11 for shipping a filter.

Where'd you get yours, Monte?

[marcmax]

I just went to O'Reilly today and ordered two of the Wix filters today. They didn't have them in stock and their search showed only single stock of them in their different warehouse. So I have one being sent from Atlanta and one coming from Memphis. But... I paid at the store and they are being shipped to the store. No additional shipping charges and they will be here in three days.

If you want to buy from NAPA their part number is PS4945 at $11.38 each.

[montmil]

Where'd you get yours, Monte?

Wix #24945. I bought a bunch off eBay from an outfit in Colorado but now can't their address. This is the same deal I got but a different vendor with same product.

The "bendy" filters are very easy to install as opposed to the single, long filter that can be a PITA to fit without removing an exhaust header.   Monte

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-Motorcycles-R65-R80G-more-Oil-Filter-Wix-24945-Qty2-/150517803096?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item230b8f6858#ht_1787wt_786

[blankenship]

If you want to buy from NAPA their part number is PS4945 at $11.38 each.  

Got it all today...NAPA has no listing for the WIX number or any cross-reference for it, but that number you gave is a good one (and obviously made by WIX and repackaged...identical to what's in the picture on BMWR65.org I linked to previously, down to the stamped "W" prefix).

$10.49, includes the shim, o-ring, paper gasket, and drain plug washer.
Also picked up some of that Lucas oil.

Guess I'll have at it this weekend.
Thanks, y'all!