OIL FILTERS

[bjamesw]

Fram filter for many airheads. Nice price and shipping.
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?catalog=915&partnum=CH6061&a=FR915-CH6061-4552
I've gotten auto parts from these guys half a dozen times before and
so far they've been a real class act with about the lowest prices on the net.
The filter is one piece. Costs 6.75. 67.50 for ten of them. 7.54 shipping. 75.14 total.

I found a link for HiFlo oil filters on Ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360293134581&crlp=1_263602_263622&ff4=263602_263622&viewitem=&guid=ac0c8c1a12a0a47a47c71707ffff6691&rvr_id=133308619751&ua=WX%3F%3F&itemid=360293134581
Nice price, but 4.21 is the shipping on one unit. I sent an email to confirm a bulk rate for shipping. Without that, the price is a lot less attractive. That puts the price about even with Rock Auto for the Fram.

..postscript... i just clicked through a purchase of 10 filters and the shipping came to 42.10!!!! why the heck do so many ebay vendors do this stuff? They may often just be middlemen who don't physically pack the stuff so cannot pass along savings on bulk orders. But whatever the case, it's pretty irritating to be lured by a great price just to find the shipping wipes out any savings.

OEM is 21 Dollars at the dealer. He said they don't supply the one piece unit any more, only the two piece hinged models. I prefer the single piece since it's more filter media and fewer seals and kinks to possibly cause a problem (peace of mind). I was a little put off by the cost (tho i've actually seen higher) and the parts guy said that they have been unable to source a lower cost alternative unit despite searching.

I checked AutoZone. They list the Fram but cannot even special order it. I went to NAPA just down the street from BMW. They actually had cross referenced filters in stock!  I was pretty surprised.  It's a PS4945, and it was 11 dollars. A two piece that looks (for what that's worth) identical to the OEM unit. I bought one to get me by for now.
http://www.napafilters.com/filterlookup/motorcycle.asp
(clic on the hyperlink under part # for an image)

[Bob_Roller]

There's been a few posts from members here using non-OEM oil filters .

The filters seem to be prone to collapsing, due to the high oil pressures when the engine is started in cold/cool weather .

Seems like this is one part that it is best to stay with OEM, and get the hinged filter if you can, they seem to be the least prone to collapsing .

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Hucky's is one of several online suppliers.  His price is $15.  You may be able to find OEM cheaper, but Hucky's has fast service (order Monday, rec. by Fri 48 States) and is friendly to boot.

He has the real, crushable crush rings for your drain/fill plugs, too.

The filters are almost at the bottom of the page.
http://www.bmwhucky.com/007511.html

[jusgus]

I used to buy NAPA filters but they quit making them.  Then I got 10 fram filters from Advance Auto.  Now they no longer carry them.  I gave my brother halve of the ten.

When I changed oil last time the side cover did not fit, I determined that the Fram filter from Advance was a little longer than the filter I was replacing.  Stuck a wooden dowel in the rubber gromet on the end and trimed 1/8" with my pocket knive and bolted everything down nice and snug.  So far so good.

It seems to me that I have seen 3 filters for 20 something $ with free shipping on ebay, Has anyone bought any

[Mike V]

James,

Buy quality OEM filters. Trying to save a couple of dollars with a resulting >$2000 repair due to possible failure doesn't make sense to me. How many times do you change your filter? Twice, three times a year at most? Be sure to measure you canister depth for correct compression of the white O-ring also. Make your measurements and shim determination once and record them and you don't have to repeat. Oil filters should be taken as serious as tires for our airheads. OEM Filters are an accepted annual maintenence expence for me, I normally buy two or three a year at a time with extra shims and O-rings on hand.

Just my opinion.

[mimmo66]

I agree with buying OEM HINGED FILTERS ONLY as I had a crushed oil filter once of the single core type bought ala cheapo. Not pretty,  it looked as if it had been squished in a vice!

My best friend aka Beemer shop concluded it was due to not warming engine up properly before taking it to the big slab.

Some strong forces live inside the engine, better not fight them.

Domenico

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Check out this thread for measuring the canister depth:

http://www.bmwr65.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1269110468/8#8


As well as this.  Scroll down just past half. http://www.largiader.com/tech/filters/

Do you have a caliper for measuring?

[Yikes]

For the last couple of years I've used the Donit filters sold by Motobins in a kit that has the filter and gaskets plus the crush washers for the drain plugs.  I've never had a problem with them and the fit is just right so you can feel when it is seated properly and feel the gaskets compressing as you tighten it up.  That kit is $7 and some change depending on the exchange rate.  The kit with the OEM filter is about $12.

I've always stuck with the straight filters, but I tend to overmaintain, changing the oil and filters every 2-3000 miles due to my "frequent short trips" riding routine.  I guess I've never stressed a filter enough to deform it and never had a problem installing the straight filter, even with the cylinder guards, so I've never felt the need for the hinged type.

[Barry]

I had a crushed oil filter once of the single core type bought ala cheapo. Not pretty,it looked as if it had been squished in a vice!

For those who haven't seen my post on this some time back my HiFlo filter core also looked like it had been crushed in a vice. I had no symptoms at all. The oil light was off at tickover even as low as 700-800 rpm . The assumption is that the bypass valve allows oil to continue to circulate past a  blocked filter in fact this happens even  with a good filter at start up.

I believe too high revs at temperatures below freezing to be the cause. I did a lot of research on this when it happened to me and  there are even tales of OEM filters including bendy two part filters collapsing but the problem is much more prevalent with non OEM straight filters.

I suffered no major engine damage from the crushed filter as far as know.

Domenico

Do you believe any engine damage occurred as a result of your crushed filter ?

[azcycle]

I believe too high revs at temperatures below freezing to be the cause.

Free-Zing?  What is this freezing phenomenon you're referring to?  

[montmil]

Thick oil due to low temperatures... over zealous application of throttle prior to adequate engine warm up... collapsed oil filter... potential big bucks outlay.

Oh. Wait. Graeme's in Arizona. The state where folks get chilly when the temps drop into the 70's. Good one, Graeme. You almost caught me.

Now, about that tire install... [smiley=steinigung.gif]

Monte

[bjamesw]

That crushed perf metal tube has really got me suspicious.  I mean c'mon.  If the bypass didn't relieve sufficient pressure to keep the oil pump from collapsing a one inch diameter perf metal tube, then NO filter is going to resist that.  Good lord guys.  Someones got a stuck bypass.  

And measuring the canister depth with calipers?  I'm as OCD as the best. or worst suffering,  bmw owner here, but the soft rubber sealing grommets on each end of the OEM filter are going to provide an oil tight seal anywhere 2mm of either side of perfect.  Good lord.  

No.   The filter I got from NAPA was not a good enough fit for me to buy it again.  I did actually note the slightly different cansiter length when installing and removed the amount necessary from the rubber grommet to match the OEM filter perfectly.  I'm confident with it in the bike.  I'm going to try the one piece FRAM however when I get the chance.  

[Bob_Roller]

The oil pressure on a cold airhead engine with outside temps of 40-50 F., is in the area of 100 psi at idle, normal running pressure is around 80 psi when the engine is up to running temperature .

These engines run high oil pressures .

Just curious, no personal offense meant, but how long have you been involved with BMW airhead bikes ?

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Measuring the canister depth is standard procedure on any airhead produced after the /6 series.  (They had a different set-up.)

The warnings are everywhere!
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=331303

My most recent engine came with this installed:


click for larger

It is obvious that it needed a paper gasket.  It didn't have one.

[mimmo66]

Barry,
my bike didn't suffer any consenquences following the crushed oil filter, nor was my mechanic much concerned either.
 Still pulling strong and better than ever after removing the pulse air system and a valve lash.

I will check the bypass valve and measure the canister depth next time I'll open her up just in case.

Domenico,
Getting close to 50k miles on R65LS
                 and 40K miles on K75