This is my first time doing an oil change on my fatboy and I'm not sure what to expect when removing the filter. Is there going to be oil coming out and running down onto my spoiler? When installing the new filter is it necessary to add some oil to the filter before installing. Thank you in advance.

 

yes and yes



Add a few ounces oil to the new filter, and lightly coat the gasket. I use a piece of cardboard to slide under the old filter to direct the flow away from the bike, but still manage to make a mess.

 

It is not necessary to add oil to the filter before you screw it on.

 

Not necessary to add oil to the filter, but you should coat the gasket with some oil. And yes, it is difficult to not make a mess. I just got done cleaning oil from behind my voltage regulator that ran back there during my oil change.

 

just take the filter off .. you are going to make a mess anyway so get a can of carb spray and after you are done putting the filter back on wash the thing down with the carb spray

 

Take some aluminum foil and place under filter and away from bike then cut end off a 2 litre plastic coke bottle and unscrew filter with it.

 

I use aluminum foil under mine and let it drain but it always gets some under the foil.
With the bike on the stand it will drain from the outlet for a long time.
I usually put something under the stand to prop the bike up more level at some point, when I get tired of waiting.
This way the dripping stops and I can clean underneath as much as possible before putting the filter back on.

The oil filter tool that goes on the end works fine for me.
I use a regular one without the cutout to go around the wiring.
I just unscrew the filter only 1 or 2 turns then remove it and do the rest by hand.

It is the worst part of an oil change bar far!

 

I have yet to figure out how not to get oil everywhere...tried the foil thing...still made a mess...I use several rags...seems to work ok... I just clean it up afterwards and keep thinking how much $$ I'm saving doing it myself...it's a no brainer to change the oil...cleaning up afterwards....well goes with the job!

 

that is when I head to the car wash for a degrees

 

Yeah, I changed my oil before a trip a couple months back. Got oil everywhere and decided not to wash it, just "detail" it. After about 500 miles I had oil blowing back on my oil tank on the left side and oil on the inner black portion of the crank case as well as oil dripping off the filter. Not much, just enough to notice the droplets. I cleaned it up and no other oil ran off the filter so I knew it wasn't leaking, plus my oil level never dropped over the 1000 mile trip. Got home washed it and thought I was done. The I was messing around under the bike and found old oil residue on the voltage regulator plugs up behind that plate that the regulator mounts to. There is a tiny crack right where the plate meets the engine right next to the filter that lets the oil run down behind the plate on to the plug. Unfortunately it is also very hard to get to during a wash unless you are specifically targeting that area, even then you have to have the hands of a very small female to get at it. That resulted in me loosening the regulator bolts, removing the plate and doing an old fashioned scrubbing. I'll know to block that little crack better next time.

But I saved $300!!!