Getting ready to change my oil and filter on '02 Deuce for the first time. Looks like the oil filter on the front of the motor could make a mess. Any tips to make it less messy? Will a normal strap wrench take it off? I've got the service manual and it says use the Harley tool. Is it necessary? Thanks.

 

i never had much success with the strap wrench i went to r&s and brought a regular oil filter wrench i think it was 5-7 bucks also get some old rags and some break cleaner. .
while taking off the filter oil will come out and make a little mess. after oil filter is removed just spray some break cleaner where it spilled and wipe it off.
then install new filter. put some oil in the new filter and oil the o-ring on the filter
good luck
whole job should take about 20-30 minutes with taking your time.
oh yea remember do not just put in 3 qts of oil .
i usually put in 2 qts then warm the motor up see what the dip stick says then go accordingly.
i know a guy who did his first oil change put in what the manual says and while he was riding his dip stick blew out and oil went all over him his wife and the right side of the bike. too much oil
.
G

 

Thanks. I'll give it a shot.

 

yup rags and brake cleaner here as well...tried a few of the gimmick stuff and went back to rags and brake cleaner

 

The upside of the Harley filter wrench is that it has a slot so you don't tear up the sensor while you're taking off the filter. Also, pour some oil in the filter before you put it on and I found breaking down a cardboard box & sliding it under the bike save some cleaning of the garage floor!

 

I take a paper towel (folded) underneath the filter. Then I just twist off the filter until it's not sealed/seated. When the oil begins draining, it'll saturate the paper towel and follow it down. This way I "guide" the oil rather than the oil simply going all over the case. Once it's completely drained, I un-screw the filter and then clean up and follow as mentioned above.

 

I put aluminum foil under my filter, from its base, and over the engine, into a pan. Then I drill a small hole in the bottom front side. When it's finished draining itself, I remove the filter. Not too much of a mess.

 

Funny you mention the aluminum foil idea. A guy at the Harley dealership recommended the same thing and that's what I did. Very little mess.

 

Hello forum, go to "dudeworld" the guy shows how to cut a coke bottle from top to bottom and slide under the oil filter when turning it off, i did it this weekend when i did my oil change and worked like a bomb. also can some one tell me....i am looking at adding an oil coooler to my 2003 deuce, i see there are 2 hole to the left of the oil filter, i know Jagg sell a fitting when putting in an oil filter, it screws into the oil filter housing, those two holes already there, is it nessasary to get the Jagg fitting? or can i use those 2 holes.

 

I was just going to post this lol

http://www.dudeworld.com.au/HOWTO.ENGINE.HTML