K&N Oil Filter lesson

[happy]

Happy, I realize you're not a DIY fan. Of couse I respect that, buy you have to understand as well that for some of us a bike without DIY job is nothing

I do paint a certain picture of myself in forums, but then again, it may not be the real me here.

I am a big fan of DIY, TBH. It is just that I am past that and I certainly give out jobs which are too messy or too complicated for me. Time for family and time for riding is way more precious to me.
I totally respect people who DIY and mod and mod and mod. It is part of owning and riding a bike.

I was just teasing, in case you take me too literally.

 

[Porkie]

The mechanic was to blame as oiling the filter by running your wet finger over the gasket would have stopped him then and there and you would have got a phone call from him. Not checking the old filter for the gasket or checking the 'block' surface for a left behind gasket is inexcusable.

Sam

 

[StratTuner]

Svc manual says to put oil on the o-ring.

Sorry about the luck, Strat. Yes, the mechanic/tech 'should' have looked at the gasket, whether or not he was going to oil it. Nevertheless, one sort of 'expects' gaskets or o-rings such as this to be made and installed properly (you obviously do, and so do I), and so doesn't always look them over as carefully as one 'should.'

It's too bad to have spilled some oil, but it happens; no biggie.

Yeah, I'm over being mad about it. Riding around with the rear tire coated in thick motor oil... was... an experience!

The honda NC700x service manual says to put oil on the O-ring, but it doesn't say "remove it from the filter" to do that. A mechanic could comply with that direction by just using his finger to paint the SEATED O-Ring with motor oil.

 

[StratTuner]

I agree.

But in my case the DIY part would be inspecting if it was a pre-meditated activity by the "mechanic"... and if confirmed I would lubricate his "o-ring"... with sulfuric acid for example.

I was just as mad about it as I could be...when it happened. I'm pretty sure it was just a bad O-ring, and the mechanic didn't pull it out of the filter to inspect. The missing chunk was on the bottom, so (like the space shuttle) the O-ring worked when it was hot... but that morning when I drove it to work, it was cold, didn't seal.... and got this rider madder than a wet hen.

I'd like to believe my mechanic had no evil in his heart. As a mechanic, he knows that the work he does could potentially injure someone, and that's a sobering thought.

I'm usually not much on playing the "Blame Game", but if I do in this case, I'll blame the O-ring manufactring that caused the O-ring to be missing a very small bit on the bottom side... easily missed.

 

[StratTuner]

21 June Update

UPDATE 21 June

The service manual tells the mechanic to coat the O-ring with oil, but it doesn't say to remove
it from the filter. I can see how my mechanic missed the defect.

K&N have been very good about this, and I am changing my opinion of their filters based on
their response to the one bad one I got.

They had me send photos of the defect to them, and now that someone higher up saw the
photos, they want me to send the filter and o-ring. I dug both out of the trash and am ready
to send it when they send me the box.

Honestly, now that they've shown interest and I'm over being so ANGRY, I will probably buy
their filters again.
They're interest makes me think they're worth another try....
I like their filters despite getting one bad one. I don't want to give them up.

Of course, I'm still going to inspect the O-ring every time now....
Here are the photos:


Not an easy thing to Photograph!

 

[StratTuner]

how can you be sure it wasn't sabotaged by the mechanic either? Or maybe he dropped it or banged it against something to cut the O-ring on accident.

The defect is on the bottom of the O-ring. The mechanic couldn't have seen it, felt it, without removing it from the filter.
I just don't want to believe that my mechanic would sabotage anything... before or after the fact.

What he does for a living is simply too important for him to even consider being that evil.

 

[StratTuner]

By the way, does anyone know how to get motor oil off concrete?

I've scrubbed it with simple green and later borax, but it had no effect.
The internet says I should use Muriatic Acid, but you could damage your lungs breathing that stuff in!

 

[OriginalRocket]

I use dawn dish soap and a bristle brush to work it in, then hose off. That should get most of it, and lightenup the stain, rain will take care of the rest.

 

[ronsaw]

Brake clean.

 

[pismocycleguy]

I use dawn dish soap and a bristle brush to work it in, then hose off. That should get most of it, and lightenup the stain, rain will take care of the rest.

I use Tide detergent and a stiff brush. If outdoors, the sun will bleach out any remaining light stain. Been using this for years after rebuilding cars and bikes on my parent's driveway. It meets Mom's cleanliness code.

 

[CaptDL]

Never before seen a filter where the o-ring is removeable. Is the stock Honda part the same?

 

[Ruggybuggy]

You know I think that mechanic should pay for another oil change. The bastard was out too get you. While your at it get him to buy you a new tire, surely the rubber integrity has been compromised. Also maybe have him detail your bike and also there should be an environmental assessment done for the oil in the parking lot. Ah screw it, just shoot him in the balls!

Shit happens. The guy did the oil change, it didn't leak when it left. He probably does 20 oil changes a week and has never had a problem. Ask anyone who does this type of work for a living and ask them if they inspect every oil filter gasket before they install. They don't.

 

[StratTuner]

it's been a long time since I'd seen this post. since I posted this, I've found a local mechanic I trust more, and I use K&N oil and air filters.
You better believe I take the O-ring out of the new filter every time.... inspect it carefully, coat it with oil, and seat it back in the new filter with much care.
I've never had any problem like that one again.