Changed the oil in my M50 today....

[Pinhy]

i have basic tools...sockets, allen wrenches (dont have extensions or U joint or box wrenches though)....i think i would just need the filter wrench really...also thinking i would like to get a stand, but i have a pneumatic lift for the car and two jack stands...Mocephus and I used hjs car jack and stands and that worked well. so really, im good.

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[intimid8er]

Originally Posted by Pinhy

i have basic tools...sockets, allen wrenches (dont have extensions or U joint or box wrenches though)....i think i would just need the filter wrench really...also thinking i would like to get a stand, but i have a pneumatic lift for the car and two jack stands...Mocephus and I used hjs car jack and stands and that worked well. so really, im good.

.

If you can change oil in a car....then what the frick are ya waitin' for?

[chadrob30]

Man, you Florida boys are passionate about your oil changes aren't ya?

[Pinhy]

hahaha...i know right! big deal out of oil changes!

but when you ride year round and put abotu 10 or 12k on the bike in a year, these expensive service points are worth saving some $$ on.

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[intimid8er]

Originally Posted by chadrob30

Man, you Florida boys are passionate about your oil changes aren't ya?

Doug has claimed to me that he is very thrifty, and he can squeeze a penny so tight that he'd make poor old Abe Lincoln cry.

So I'm a little baffled (pardon the pun) as to why he hasn't taken a wrench to the bike himself at $90 a throw. Especially, since it is faaaar easier to do on a bike than it is a car.

Doug...if you don't have a lift, ask your cute neighbor to sit on it and keep it upright whilst you service her. Er, uhhh, I meant her as in the bike!

[OldManOnBike]

PLease have someone teach you how to change your own oil. Oil is the life blood of bikes, and all engines. I have 1000 miles on my m50, and I've already changed the oil twice. I wanted perfectly clean oil during the breakin period. In my cars, I've always changed the oil every 3000 miles and the filter every other oil change. I don't care what the service manual says. Also when you change the oil and filter that often, any name brand will do the job, including Pennzoil and Fram. Instead of paying the stealer $90, I spent $15 for oil and a filter, and $75 for an excellent hydraulic bike jack from Sam's Club (in Sarasota) that allows me to safely and easily lift the bike nice and level. You don't need a jack for an oil change but it's nice to have for other work on the bike. Also, although I have a full set of Sears Craftsman rachet wrenches purchased many, many years ago and still working well, nowadays you can purchase a perfectly adequate set (3/8 inch drive, metric) from Walmart for about $15 dollars, allen wrenches for less than $5, filter wrench for less than $5. It's a good start. Your biggest problem will be getting that first filter off the bike without a jack hammer. From then on, they come off easy if you don't put them on too tight. Before you know it, you'll be putting on your own shiny new pipes, fuel controller, and maybe a hypercharger.

[vhmike73]

Since I have a mere 15 miles on my bike (just got it March 2, and of course, winter reappeared when I had free time to ride- back to low 30s, wind ripping upwards of 40MPH, just lovely weather!), what kind of wrench did you all need for the first oil filter removal? I have a couple sized strap wrenches, considering I've owned cars and trucks during my driving life- is the filter smaller than the one that would be run on a Mopar 2.2L 4? I haven't looked too closely at what I'd need for an oil change, as I haven't really run the bloody bike yet...I figure I'll need the first service by July though, as I intend to use the M for a bunch of my 45 mile-round-trips to work.

My tool set is adequate for working on my truck, though I need T-handle Allen wrenches, as the flimsy key sets I got now are not exactly Craftsman level quality. Have the K&N filters proven inadequate (they have that boss for a 17mm socket on them)?

By the way, an old last-resort method I used once is to punch a screwdriver through the filter, let it drain, then start to turn it until I can hand turn the body off...though I'm assuming space might be a bit lacking between the downtubes for that method. (Worked great on a Chevy 350 under an old C1500 though! 'Shady'-tree mechanics method!)

[intimid8er]

Originally Posted by vhmike73

Since I have a mere 15 miles on my bike (just got it March 2, and of course, winter reappeared when I had free time to ride- back to low 30s, wind ripping upwards of 40MPH, just lovely weather!), what kind of wrench did you all need for the first oil filter removal? I have a couple sized strap wrenches, considering I've owned cars and trucks during my driving life- is the filter smaller than the one that would be run on a Mopar 2.2L 4? I haven't looked too closely at what I'd need for an oil change, as I haven't really run the bloody bike yet...I figure I'll need the first service by July though, as I intend to use the M for a bunch of my 45 mile-round-trips to work.

My tool set is adequate for working on my truck, though I need T-handle Allen wrenches, as the flimsy key sets I got now are not exactly Craftsman level quality. Have the K&N filters proven inadequate (they have that boss for a 17mm socket on them)?

By the way, an old last-resort method I used once is to punch a screwdriver through the filter, let it drain, then start to turn it until I can hand turn the body off...though I'm assuming space might be a bit lacking between the downtubes for that method. (Worked great on a Chevy 350 under an old C1500 though! 'Shady'-tree mechanics method!)

Mike, I don't remember what size the filter wrench is. I took the filter to ADAP, and just tried the wrenches. First one fit. It was made of metal, and less than ten bucks. Dealer wanted twenty for the "special filter tool". I couldn't get a band wrench to work, (just couldn't get the room for the torque with the downtubes), so I got the filter socket. Works like a charm.

I recommend getting it because your manual says to turn the filter two and a half turns AFTER the base of the filter makes contact with the bike. That's a lot, and the filter socket won't crush the filter.

[Rockhead]

Here's an old thread that's pretty detailed.

http://www.motorcycle-journal.com/fo...ad.php?t=10156

[vhmike73]

Cool...I'll have to check to see what size the small cup-wrench style I have is...surely AutoZone, Pep Boys, or NAPA has something if I don't. Good to know!

[outlaw]

i believe it is a 67 or 68mm wrench. go into ebay and search suzuki filter wrench. i got one there for less than 10 bucks. the ones that are for the quads will also fit the m. they all use the same filter....

[tequilasamurai]

I got mine from my stealer for about $6. I don't know how much good that's going to do you though I really don't know if he does Internet sales or not, but you can try...google Suzuki of Paris and you should find it. It's in Paris Tennesse BTW. The phone # is 731-642-0511 . He said that he keeps them in stock (which actually surprised me), so it shouldn't take to long for him to send it to you. I hope this helps.

[lexxter]

Think I paid $8 at the dealer. They are not too expensive.

[ILm50]

I used a Craftsman rubber "strap wrench," one size fits all.