First Timer Oil Change-6th Gen (Ran into some minor issues)

I started out by going to buy oil and a filter and a set of hex wrenches (couldn't find mine) at about 3pm. 5 hours later I finished up. :faint: The very first step according to the service manual gave me a hard time: Removing the left meter panel. Ther panel was wedged in there pretty tight and the service manual didn't provide a very good picture so I didn't know exactly what I had to do to get it out. :chaingun: I finally did, and can say that part will be much easier next time I do this.

I'm not sure if the 5th gens are the same, but there are these rubber "nuts" with threads inside of them that the fairing pan screws bolt into. Anyway, the previous owner or their mechanic must have not given a crap what kind of job they did because half of them were torn in half (probably from missing the threads with the screw and screwing them down anyway). I had to try to get my hand or something behind the fairing to hold the remains of these rubber nuts in place until I got the screws to take hold since I wasn't about to get s screw in without actually making it into the threads just to have my plastics ripped off when riding fast as some point. I hope I can get those things replaced. hwell: Many of the trim clips were missing as well. I'll have to go replace them too. I'm sure they're cheap, just don't know what the rubber things are called.

Other issues were that the last owner put a K&N oil filter but wrenched it on there so tight that even with the nut on the top, I could barely get it off with a good sized wrench :crazy:. Since many of the trim clips were missing, I had to rearrange the ones I had to make best use of them.

Plenty of things went...not as planned...but I learned alot and boosted my confidence about at least getting in there and working on a bike. And I started her up before I put the plastic back on and there were no leaks :biggrin: I really wish I would have taken pictures for other noobs to see if they end up needing to. I'm sure this would be no big deal for many of you in the forum, and had all of the fasteners been in good order it would have been easy for me too. I went through a few beers, but I had a good time, and my brother came by and helped which was also good.

It rained all day and still is, or else I would have taken her for a ride and forgot about all my frustrations...hopefully tomorrow will be nicer!

 

I recently did my first oil change also. I got a three pronged filter removal tool that tightens up as you torque on it but it was still a PITA. Someone suggested JB Welding a nut onto the filter so as to be able to use a regular wrench on it, and I think I'll try that next time. You said you were missing fasteners- when I got done I had one fairing bolt left over and I can't find any holes that don't have a fastener in it.:crazy:

 

You have a bolt left over? Did you end up putting all five into the large side cowl? The one by the sidestand would be easy enough to look over. What about 4 in the half cowl (black one behind the front wheel)?

I thought about the JB weld thing, but I think the enamel will just chip off. I just gave my filter a good hand tightening (I rock climb so my hands are decently strong). There were no leaks and I'm sure I'll be able to get the next one off no prob. Plus I'm gonna buy the tool the service manual talks about.

 

For the oil filter you *only* need it to be solidly hand tight. No need to crank it down super tight.

As for the rubber nuts - they're easy to get (I picked up a few). At Motorcycle Parts, Motorcycle Accessories you're looking for part# 722332 (you'll find multiple options - the one from the schematic specifically is 233598-001 - however they should all be identical).

Then there's always : (02-09) Honda VFR800 Complete Fairing Fastener Kit : Bikebolts, Motorcycle Parts

I seem to recall someone here saying that the clips themselves were proper sized in this kit (you'll find all kinds of clips out there, some are too short while others are too long or too thick).

 

This is good info, I always seem to be losing a bolt on my tail section and had to order them from Honda at $4 or so a piece. I finally put some loctite on them and they seem to stay in place, but I might need some in the future.

 

I will say I've never purchased that particular kit and i don't recall who pointed me at it. But for 34 bucks I bet we'd get much more usable from it than spending 34.00 directly with Honda (which would get you 7 or 8 bolts total)

 

Excellent info! You all are gentlemen and scholars.

 

When you are a little boy your father should give you a tool box with some tools.
The purpose of that is to teach you to keep YOUR tools in that tool box.

Not to "borrow" your fathers or anyone else's tools.

You do not keep tools in the kitchen drawer,the closet, or a shelf in the garage.

You always put your tools in your.....TOOLBOX.

You are now learning to become a MAN.

You do not whine because you have a job to do and it is a little difficult because you are a beginner. Buck up bucky!

 

You are so right...Oil filter hand tight ONLY!!!

Not like the boys at the oil change places that use a wrench on the damn thing.

Hand tighten only!!!! It used to even say that right on the filter.

 

Wow, perhaps a tad harsh, but thats cool.
I have two toolboxes that are full of my TOOLS. I do not keep them in a kitchen drawer or on a shelf, although I do keep an extra set of pliers and some screwdrivers in the kitchen for when we need something really quick, I don't think that makes me less of a man. My garage and tool collection needs some work, but I take care of what I have. I think someone borrowed my hex wrenches and haven't brought them back yet. Thats my fault for not making sure they made it back yet though.
I appreciate your feedback but I have been a man for quite a while now.
I wasn't whining, I see this forum as a place where people who are into the same thing can talk about stuff. My wife doesn't really care when I talk about it, and she doesn't have to. I was more giving you all the rundown on what I did, we could have been standing around having a beer while I told you the story about my first oil change, like MEN do. Maybe my writeup even lets some other guys who are new to working on bikes realize that if they have some issues getting started that they aren't the only ones. I may not rip apart bikes to their frames and rebuild them like you in your picture, but I doubt you started off that way either. I got in there and did what I had to do, had to makeup for some other persons mistakes but made it through it just fine, and was proud when I got done (even if all it was was an oil change). I learned something and saved myself some money.
Not trying to start an argument, just saying that makings assumptions about another MAN'S manhood isn't always the right thing to do. This place has shown me that most people are pretty helpful and respectful to all those who contribute, and I guess some just aren't.
Cheers

 

Sorry I was just giving you a hard time . LOL
I know about loaning tools. You took it well.
I have loaned a tool and asked the person to please bring it back as soon as they are finished using it. Just so i do not forget about it.

A week later i had to go down and ask for the tool back. Of coarse that person was X'd out from ever borrowing another tool for life.

 

I understand, no hard feelings whatsoever!
Too bad you are all the way in California, it would be nice to have a good Motorcycle Mentor to make sure I don't render my bike FUBAR when I go to do something serious one day (that $800 bill for the valve adjustment on my 6th gen is pretty motivating for me to do it myself).
...Wait, you're in Cali? are you going to be riding with all of those knuckleheads for R3? I would if I could, but the wife wouldn't like that so much since I have to go to Iowa to do some home renovations on our rental property...BARF.

When I figure out who has my hex keys they will probably have a lot of 'splainin to do. Hopefully they never need another tool from me either.

 

If I remember correctly, the first time changing the oil in my '06 took about 2.5 hrs, skin from my knuckles, several beers. It may have been quicker had I of been paying attention and took the correct side off first. :embarassed: I was lucky enough to acquire some of my father's stuff, one of which was a really cool metal ring for oil filters. Works real good, as it is very thin, and fits in from the side perfectly. No need for other wrench type filer caps. It's also quite small, so it fits into tight spots, like a bike.

 

Hey lovidovie,

Don't feel bad. My first oil change I did was very similar to yours. My second was worse. After I finished it, I took the bike to the shop and spent several hundred dollars getting a new oil pan installed cause I stripped the threads in the drain hole. WTF.

Don the man is one of our resident experts on things. From what I see his advise should be heeded. But to be quite frank with every one. What's wrong with tools in the kitchen. When the wife wants a screw driver for ,,,oh I don't know,,,,opening a tight jar or something, she will leave yours alone out in the garage. Buy a set for the kitchen with purdy pink and lavender handles on them

 

I'm sure that was heartbreaking! Like I said , I wish DonB was closer so that I had someone to learn from. I'll learn through trial and error I'm sure.
That was my reasoning about having a few simple tools in the kitchen, so that my Sh*t wouldn't get lost.

 

I have some tools in a drawer in my kitchen, a set of screwdrivers to change the batteries in my kids toys.
I have a screwdriver in the livingroom for the same thing. Why go out to the garage to a tool box for something so simple and so quick?

some tools are on shelves in my garage - as they are to big to fit in any of my toolboxes

I was a man, long before any of this happened

I gave my son a toolbox last year, not to teach him to keep his tools there, but because it would make him happy to have his "own" tools, like dad.
after all, a "man" loves to see his kids happy and to see them smile

My son can never truely "borrow" my tools, as everything I have is his as well. We are a family, and everything belongs to all of us.

 

If you don't have the right tools and you really really must get that filter out ... you could stab the filter as a last resort to turn it loose and then remove by hand.

 

Spike- I wonder if Don wasn't having a bad day or took my original post the wrong way.

Anyway, I imagine when I have kids running around my house I will have tools all over the place to keep up with all their toys and all the crap they mess up. My dad actually told me a story about when I was little, he had just bought a new honda racing 3-wheeler and left me in the garage with a screwdriver only to come back out and find that I had taken all the screws I could see out of his new machine, some from the carbs and others from where he didn't even know. He had to take it back to the dealership to have them find out what all I effed up. Good thing I was too young to be beaten or I might not be here right now. Long story short, watch out how accessible you make tools for your litlins!

TOTS-I have heard of that before. There is quite a bit of important Sh*t near the filter on the 6th gens, that would be a VERY LAST RESORT in my book. I wonder why the guy in the picture did that, he had a lot more room than I did when I was changing my oil

 

The trouble with tools in the house is they drift around. First they are in the kitchen drawer (which drawer?), then the bedroom,then the den. So you have to go find out WHICH drawer or room they are in. Very frustrating. Having all of the tools in the garage and in the toolbox has made my house much better. My wife needs a tool she knows where they are. But we do not have kids in the house. If I did MY toolbox would have a lock on it. My children would each keep their tools in their room, or in the garage. That my theory anyway. We used to have hardware boxes all over the house too. Now I have all of the hardware in ONE place. My wife knows right where to go. But now that we are living together she knows I will help her or do the repair for her. What I am trying to do is make it so that if something happens to me my wife will have everything she needs and she will know where it is. When we first met I asked her where a important legal paper was and she said, " I have no idea." I was very upset. Now we have two portable file boxes that contain all important papers. In case of a fire we can just grab those two portable boxes. My biggest problem is that in case of fire all of my most valuable assets are hundreds of drawings and several model ships. They cannot be moved quickly. Art has been my life. A fire could destroy everything and it cannot be replaced like a car,motorcycle or guitar etc.,. Steel tools do not burn But I think being organized when you get older, is a good idea because when you die your family knows what to do and where things are likely to be.

OK...back to motorcycles.

 

Sometimes that won't even work the screwdriver just rips up the filter.
The the chisel and hammer have to come out. I hate when people tighten a filter that
tight, out of fear it will fall off.