K&N 204 oil filter crapped out....

Just giving others a heads up.

Installed about 1200+ miles ago by a local shop along with Motul 5500 oil.

Noticed a leak while warming up the engine before leaving work. Sitting idling looked down and there was about 2 ounces of oil under the bike. Took it to the shop and it seems the filter developed a leak along the flange. I had been smelling an odd odor sometimes and now I guess I know what it was.

Anyway, all is well but I though others might be interested in this little tidbit.

Its an '08 with 4200 miles.

 

Nice catch. Seems like I've heard some bad things about K&N oil filters, but could also have been Fram. I've been using Purolator Pure 1 and been very happy with them. Just my $.02 worth anyway.

 

If I remember correctly, there was an issue with these oil filters having a defect, but I don't recall what the resolution was. I've had one or two on my Duc before but no issues with them, I went the Purolator filters for the VFR's but that's another thread!

 

Another K&N Oil Filter Leak Story

Discovered several threads on K&N oil filter leaks in both cars and motorcyles after an experience last weekend.

I changed oil and installed K&N oil filter two weeks ago Sunday, started it up, no leaks, drove to gas station and filled up. No problems.

Last Saturday, rode to Pops in Arcadia, OK to meet up with friends to ride to the Rock Cafe in Stroud. No leaks at Pop's.

Arriving in Stroud, I notice a cloud of white smoke behind me. As we pull into the Rock, I have a massive oil leak. It's coming from the seal around the filter.

Fortunately, one of the riders has a trailer. He rides home after lunch and trailers us home 3 hours later. I'm buying dinner on the 27th.

This Saturday, I redo the oil change with a Honda filter. Before installing, I pull out my caliper and measure the Honda versus K&N filter, attached. Notice that the seals and filters are not the same diameter!

So here's my working theory. If you install the K&N with grandfather's advice to tighten one-quarter turn beyond hand tight, everything is fine.

But if you apply the Honda specification of tightening to 20 ft. lbs. of torque to the K&N filter, the outside ring of the filter makes contact with the filter sealing surface. When it expands after heating, the filter deforms and the seal breaks and you get a massive oil leak.

Me, I'm going back to grandfather's specification!

 

Link this and drill down to the Scotts filters:

http://www.scottsonline.com/faq.php

All steel. No rubber or plastic. I just wash mine in dish detergent. Included is a nifty strap wrench. Never a leak! I have run semi-synthetic (Golden Spectro) and full synthetic (Shell Rotella) in the mach 1 91. Zero problems.

 

Some of the manual's specifications for tightening are insane, such as the oil filter (20 ft/lbs????!?!?!). If you torque the coolant draining bolt to the specified level, speaking from experience, you will rip the head right off the bolt. Listen to Grandpa's advice.

 

When I first started reading this forum, there was a thread on K&N oil filter leaking/failing on spot welds for the hex nut they put on the front of the filter, so I have stayed away from them. I can't think of anything worse than oil spurting out just in front of your rear wheel! You are lucky you didn't loose it first.

I agree about tightening, on my first oil change on the new bike, I had a helluva time getting filter off. Worse clearance the the 6th gens. My solution:

Used self tapping screws to hold wrench tight, nothing else worked. Obviously tightened to specs.

 

Nice fix!!!

I have a feeling that a shitload of filters for bikes and other vehicles are made in the same place.

 

Yea nice fix!

Personally I am going back to the OEM filter or maybe investigate the oil filter thread again.....when I have the time for a long read.....

That scotts is pretty trick but ouch on the initial investment......

 

So that sucks. I just put that filter on my bike. Can I pull that filter off and change for a different one without draining oil?

 

How tight did you tighten it? If you didn't put the full 20 ft lbs on the nut or filter, and just tighten it 1/4 turn, it will probably be OK. I don't know how much oil will come out of filter port if not drained first. If you have a rear wheel stand and can elevate the front, you shouldn't lose too much.

 

Haven't even started it yet so at least there shouldn't be a mess if I do change it.

 

Maybe torque down the filter to spec and then run the bike before you button up the plastic.

 

That was my thought too, until OEM Honda filters even buying six at a time on line got real pricy. I've had the Scott's on the bike at least 15 years.

 

I had 2 K&N filters start leaking where the little nut is spot-welded on, and I always use the hand-tight + 1/4 turn method. I've always been a fan of K&N as a company, but that was all it took to never again use their oil filters. I now only use Hi-Flo oil filters when I do it myself...Honda filters if I let the dealer do it (maintenance agreement with the new bike covers oil changes). Hi-Flo uses the same 204 part number as K&N.

Personally, I use this style of wrench...very simple, never slips, doesn't damage filter, not too expensive...just requires a specific size, so you might need more than one for all your vehicles.

 

Some would consider it obsessive, :crazy: but i always, without exception, pre-fill oil filters by hand and let them soak for 10 minutes before topping up, then getting it installed quick before too much spills. I'll never let MY bearings run dry, no way. Or suffer the agony of hearing rod-clatter at start up.

 

I've been doing this since I was 17....36 years!

 

Geez, i'm such a rookie; didn't begin ridin til i was 44yo !


OK, but thousands don't (ya no) is why it was mentioned. Dealership wrenches would never do it to protect their customer bikes as it takes more time, and who cares anyway ?

 

I tired every style wrench with no luck, the one int the picture fit the best, but still slipped on filter, hence the screws.