Oil change trick--Punch a hole in the oil filter

[bhodges]

I saw this oil change trick on YouTube where you punch a hole in a car oil filter to let it drain before you remove it. Looked like a great idea so I thought I’d try it on my ‘13RT.

Warmed up the bike, put the oil pan under the motor and using a small punch and hammer I tapped the punch into the oil filter. Pulled the punch out and here came the oil. I went to the other side of the bike and removed the oil drain plug. After the oil filter stopped draining I wiped the bottom of the filter and loosened it with my wrench. I loosened the filter the rest of the way by hand and a little more oil came out the hole I’d punched as air got in and broke the vacuum. Removed the oil filter, installed the new filter and the oil drain plug.

This was easily the cleanest and least messy oil change I’ve ever done on the RT. No oil drenched filter or oil splashed on the engine around the filter area to clean up. Just wipe the the sealing surface on the engine clean, oil the filter gasket and spin on the filter—done.

I wish I’d known about this trick sooner… it sure would of saved a lot of time. I’m going to use this trick on all my cars from now on, too.

 

[akbeemer]

Until you can’t get the filter off after the hole is in it. IMHO punching a hole in the filter is not a good part of routine maintenance.

 

[omega man]

I’m not a fan of any pounding or tapping on an oil filter due to the critical mounting and surfaces that the filter rests/threads onto. Of course when a filter removal goes bad, I have even progressed to an air-chisel.

If you like draining the filter that way, I would probably suggest using a drill/bit of the appropriate size to skip the possibility of any distortion from the pound or tapping.

OM

 

[bobs_one]

I’m not a fan of any pounding or tapping on an oil filter OM

I think you guys are a bit over cautious. I've been doing this for years, with no problems. The body of the oil filter is thin enough that you could, if you tried hard, push the tip of a phillips headed screw drive through it - no pounding required. When I do it with a hammer, it's really just a tap of the hammer to puncture the filter body - it certainly isn't "pounding".

 

[akbeemer]

I've been doing this for years, with no problems.

Sounds like something a longtime smoker might say.

 

[bc1100s]

Sounds like something a longtime smoker might say.....

....until, one day.....

 

[52184]

I’ve done this for years on all my vehicles, with caveats. First, I never punch a filter until it has been cracked loose, just like I never remove a drain plug until the corresponding fill plug has been cracked open or removed. Secondly, I never use a hammer—a scratch awl with wooden handle requires only a light palm smack to poke a hole in the filter.

Beats having oil running down the engine case and onto the pipes, in my book.

Best,
DeVern

 

[classicvw]

Seems not necessary. Ask the hundreds of millions of people that don’t do it this way.
My luck the punch would slide off the filter housing and successfully punch through something expensive. Or maybe my hand.

 

[motormike]

The metal used on oil filters is pretty thin. Don't think it would take much of a tap with a punch or nail to drain one. Gorillas that overtighten the filter is a much bigger problem I've run into. I've had to resort to channel locks and vice grips to one stubborn filter off. A lot of bikes like Ducatis, Moto Guzzi and my K1200gt have filters deeply recessed into the sump. They can be real trouble to get off if overtightened.

 

[Toruk]

A $4 Harbor Freight spring activated "Automatic Center Punch" would easily pierce the oil filter and not put undo strain on anything. Thank you for the great suggestion.

 

[omega man]

A $4 Harbor Freight spring activated "Automatic Center Punch" would easily pierce the oil filter and not put undo strain on anything. Thank you for the great suggestion.

I have used an automatic center punch for making/draining out spray cans. The downside is the holes produced are small and while great for releasing the spray can propellant, I don’t think it will drain out oil in any speedy fashion.

OM

 

[kinterridge]

Last Drop Wrench is designed for draining the oil from your filter before removal of the filter. You can check it out at https://www.lastdropwrench.com/how-it-works

 

[61996]

I saw this oil change trick on YouTube where you punch a hole in a car oil filter to let it drain before you remove it. Looked like a great idea so I thought I’d try it on my ‘13RT.

Warmed up the bike, put the oil pan under the motor and using a small punch and hammer I tapped the punch into the oil filter. Pulled the punch out and here came the oil. I went to the other side of the bike and removed the oil drain plug. After the oil filter stopped draining I wiped the bottom of the filter and loosened it with my wrench. I loosened the filter the rest of the way by hand and a little more oil came out the hole I’d punched as air got in and broke the vacuum. Removed the oil filter, installed the new filter and the oil drain plug.

This was easily the cleanest and least messy oil change I’ve ever done on the RT. No oil drenched filter or oil splashed on the engine around the filter area to clean up. Just wipe the the sealing surface on the engine clean, oil the filter gasket and spin on the filter—done.

I wish I’d known about this trick sooner… it sure would of saved a lot of time. I’m going to use this trick on all my cars from now on, too.

Most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

Joe

 

[PGlaves]

Most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

Joe

They make a tool just for that! See post #12 above.

 

[61996]

They make a tool just for that! See post #12 above.

What was it that P.T. Barnum said?

I guess there's hope for my Cheese Straightener.

Joe

 

[PGlaves]

For what it may be worth, my filter wrench that fits K75 and Oilhead filters has two strategically drilled holes, 180 degrees apart and about 1/2 inch inboard from the outer edge. The purpose of these two holes is to allow the insertion of two self-tapping machine screws in the event a filter has been over tightened or otherwise become stuck to the point that the filter wrench slips. I have on occasion used an awl to make a hole to drain the filter prior to the use of such screws. It pays to be flexible.

 

[ackme]

What was it that P.T. Barnum said?

I guess there's hope for my Cheese Straightener.

Joe

$40 and it's out of stock! Of course that could either mean it is sold out due to demand or they stopped making it because they couldn't sell any and did not bother to update the web page.
https://www.lastdropwrench.com/product-page/last-drop-wrench

BTW, I'll keep my cheese curly. Thank you very much.

 

[61996]

BTW, I'll keep my cheese curly. Thank you very much.

Can I interest you in a fur lined sink?

 

[globalrider]

Of course when a filter removal goes bad, I have even progressed to an air-chisel.

And if you've owned a R1150 GSA, you know the filter has 3/16" of space all around it as it sits in a deep well. And even if you torqued it to spec and the filter socket just spins on it....6 sheet metal screws was all it took.

 

[omega man]

And if you've owned a R1150 GSA, you know the filter has 3/16" of space all around it as it sits in a deep well. And even if you torqued it to spec and the filter socket just spins on it....6 sheet metal screws was all it took.

View attachment 93667

My repair was an emergency call in from a fried of mine and the filter on a V-8 GMC pickup. Clearance around the filter is just enough to get a standard filter (steel strap-wedge) wrench. My friend and his son in law had been working on it for a couple of hours and there was nothing cylindrical left to the filter.
I had brought my collection of OF tools but were of no help- really. He had a brand new Snap-on air chisel so after finding a reasonable spot on the spun-flange I would give it a “burst” of hammering and then using another OF tool, caught up with the rotation.
After a half a dozen attempts like this I was able to remove the filter. Pretty risky with an aluminum block but when the truck is jacked up on its side and oil drained, there wasn’t much alternative other than a ramp-truck to a place that may not have been able to do as well.
The holes in a filter wrench- or cup is a great idea.

OM