Crushed Oil Filter

[Mike V]

Bob,
I'm assuming that's a good practice of priming - I do the same and have never experienced a collapsed filter...yet.  That picture is a bit frightening.

[Barry]

I should keep the scary filter tube as a reminder to be careful with a cold engine. For a long time I kept the remains of a pair of  big end bearing shells that got friction welded to the crankshaft. Drove the car home very slowly for 15 miles with the bearing being the outside of the shells rotating inside the con rod. If I remember it only cost £5 to have the con rod faced and rebored (1974 prices).

I've always primed the oil filters on any vehicle out of mechanical sympathy for the bearings.  

The additional issue here is the possibility of hydraulic shock to the filter  
You know what it's like when you have air in a hose pipe and then the water suddenly comes through... so better to prime it at low starter speeds than with the engine running.

I still think the underlying cause was excessive compression of the filter which kinked the pleats. we are so obsessed with the 2000$ O ring that we forget that the filter itself has to fit.

The engine seems fine. I've used it twice this week and no strange noises of any kind. This weekend I might lie it over on the left side and remove the filter cover to check its OK. Shouldn't loose much oil if any.

[Barry]

If anyone is having nightmares after seeing my scary filter tube I can confirm that it's possible to inspect the filter in
5 mins flat.

With a couple of 1" planks under the wheels and the bike on the side stand it leans over a little more than usual. It's then possible to remove the filter cover, inspect the filter and replace the cover for the loss of only a few cc's of oil and nothing much disturbed as the metal shim stays put and the 2000$ O ring remains in place on the cover.

I didn't remove the filter just shone a small torch down the centre tube to check all was well. The fact that the filter cover gasket came off bone dry also suggests the O ring was doing it's job.

I'm happy.  The sight of clean oil in an engine is a wonderful thing. I may just have to change the oil and filter in the car tomorrow.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Speaking of clean oil, some of the old-timers of airheads would only change the filter every-other oil change.

I'm too anal for that, myself...

[montmil]

From today's Airhead Beemer Club Digest:

"Subject: Squished oil filter
   On my much delayed oil change yesterday, after about 4.000 miles I found to my surprise a squished oil filter as if it had been flattened toward the middle. Do....co ABC#xxxxx San Jose"

Answers: 1)Spring for the extra dough and use an OEM hinged filter. 2) cold start on cold morning with thick oil and a high rev too soon=massive pressure. A hinged filter is just far stronger than the one piece type and the easy way to reduce such risk.

Looks like we're ahead of the ABC's power curve here at R65.org. We even have pictures. We love pictures![smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Monte

[Bob_Roller]

I just keep wondering what set of circumstances come together, to cause the filter to collapse ?

Is it operator technique, 'heavy' throttle usage with a cold engine ?

Improper oil viscosity for the temperature ?

Pressure relief valve in the filter cavity not opening ?

Not that I ride in what many would consider 'winter' weather, my R65 sits out in temps around 32 F. (0C) with 20w50 oil, and I've never had an issue with filters, hinged, or the original straight type in 29 years of operating it .

[Mike V]

Monte,
I saw that also this morning, almost responded with the forum photos. Seems like the majority of the collapsed oil filter victims are using non-OEM filters.

[Barry]

Very similar circumstances to mine -  Hiflo brand filter and no cover gasket which means like me he may have put excessive axial pressure on the filter and stressed it a little making it more predisposed to being flattened by high oil pressure.

I have had a thought about the likely cold oil and too many revs scenario. When I leave school for home in the evening I have to climb a hill straight after pulling out of the gate. Several times when I left at sub zero deg C temperatures this winter I was forced to change down and briefly rev to 4500 rpm possibly a touch more because the cold engine wouldn't pull in the higher gear. My guess is this is when it happened. I always "warm" the engine for a minute or 2 before leaving but that is not going to do much for oil temperature. I know to be more careful next winter.

[montmil]

Monte,
I saw that also this morning, almost responded with the forum photos. Seems like the majority of the collapsed oil filter victims are using non-OEM filters.

...and I read your article in the latest AIRMAIL newsletter regarding your X-country visit to the snowy but well attended Pennsylvania Airheads Tech Days. Nicely done.   Monte

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Monte,
I saw that also this morning, almost responded with the forum photos. Seems like the majority of the collapsed oil filter victims are using non-OEM filters.

...and I read your article in the latest AIRMAIL newsletter regarding your X-country visit to the snowy but well attended Pennsylvania Airheads Tech Days. Nicely done.   Monte

Congratulations, Mike!  I don't doubt you had some competition on coverage!  [smiley=thumbup.gif]

[Ed Miller]

Did you guys notice that Rand Rassmason has an article again this month?  I think that makes three in a row.  He doesn't always mention it in his articles but he rides an R65.

[montmil]

Hum... We seem to have a few Airhead Beemer Club members 'round here! Coolness.

Monte

[Mike V]

I wanted to share Oak's percentage formula with all those who aren't aware of it.  It's a pretty simple formula based on a target 10% to 25% O-ring compression. From an old Airmail Airtech article titled "$2000 O-Ring Revisited - Critical Installation Criteria". Oak's formula works well for me and is nice and simple when you wrap your head around it.
Basically...
O-ring + shim - cover gasket (if used) - measured cannister depth / O-ring x 100 = % O-ring Compression. Target is 10 % to 25%.

Here's my numbers plugged in from my 81 R65,
4.0 + 0.3 -3.6 / 4.0 x 100 = 17.5% (no cover gasket used)

Constants:
O-ring = 4.0 mm
Shim = 0.3 mm
Cover Gasket = 0.5 mm

As Oak states in the article "if less than 10% or more than 25% adjustments are needed. Different trials can be made with more shims or the use of the cover gasket.

As a reminder; always use a precision depth gauge when measuring your cannister depth and a good idea to check your new shim, gasket and O-ring thickness as I learned to do thanks to Barry. A check with new filter parts in the box revealed the above values to be in conformance with my measurements.

[montmil]

  Well...

...Now that Mike Valenti has ridden coast-to-coast just for the PA Tech Daze and has also gone totally "techy" on us, I kinda think we should bestow a new "handle" on our friend. I propose "West Coast Oak". Whatcha y'all tink? [smiley=ROTFLMAO.gif]

Keep up the good stuff Mike, uh, West Coast Oak. We need your experience and sense of humor. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Monte

[Barry]

Thanks Mike

That gives me 14% compression with the cover gasket  - nicely in the target area.

Without the cover gasket I previously had 33%

When you do the calcs Oak is effectively saying for a 4mm O ring compress it by .4mm to 1.0mm  (10% - 25%)