Where the heck is the Oil Filter?!

5twins said:

There's nothing to pry on really. Put the drain plug back in and come at it from different angles with a block of hardwood and a BFH.

Click to expand...

Glad I'm not the only one with this problem. I may be in trouble. One oil drain plug was planted in a humongous glop of silicone (no crush washer). They both came off all right, I got the oil drained, but I can't get the sump plate off. All six bolts are out now, and nothing. Tried gently prying. Tried a BFH/rubber mallet from different directions. Put the drain plug back in and smacked the wrench with the mallet. Nothing. AND I can barely see the seam between the plate and the block. At least there's no silicone bead, but I'm I'm worried someone glued the damn thing in place with something... suggestions?

Only what I've already suggested. Get a nice block of hardwood, maybe a foot or so long so you can really hit it hard away from the bike. This gives you the room you need to swing that BFH, lol. How big is your hammer?

I would use my 3.5 lb Pollard hand sledge


.

There's a pry point on the right aft side.

The idea of prying it makes me a bit queasy.

I say hit that MF real hard.


.

5twins said:

Only what I've already suggested. Get a nice block of hardwood, maybe a foot or so long so you can really hit it hard away from the bike. This gives you the room you need to swing that BFH, lol. How big is your hammer?

Click to expand...

YamadudeXS650C said:

I would use my 3.5 lb Pollard hand sledge


.

Click to expand...

And here I was worrying about damaging the block. I'll retire the large rubber mallet, get a MUCH bigger chunk of 2" by 4", and haul out the mini-sledge. I know I can get more sump plates.

YamadudeXS650C said:

The idea of prying it makes me a bit queasy.

Click to expand...

Good. You should be cautious anytime you're prying on an engine... and it's generally not recommended. In this case, there's a slight depression cast into the case that's just tailor made for prying. It's almost like Yamaha put it there for a reason.

Jim said:

There's a pry point on the right aft side.


View attachment 318149

Click to expand...

This looks doable. Thinking I should get her up on the lift jack instead of just the center stand. Should give me a better view of what I'm up against -- also way harder to knock it off the lift jack.

Even the added height of a 2x4 under the center standard then one under the front wheel provides better clearance for taking a looksie under there with a flashlight

For parts, look on ebay, lots of parts, gaskets, seals there, New or second hand. AliExpress and Amazon also have parts. Then you have Mikes, Heidens, 650 direct, there are oodles of parts outlets for XS650s.

You can use the block of wood against the drain plug. That may be easier than trying to get it on the thin edge of the sump plate.

Putting the sump plate back on after inspection and cleaning - I recently did this and I found that the job is significantly easier with the bike on the side stand. With the bike leaning a little to the left, accessing under the engine from the right side to clean the joint surface of the engine and refit the sump plate is easier. Access it from the right side of the bike. The lean to the left on the side stand is helpful. Put the motor in first gear so the bike doesn't roll forward. Hope that helps.

This a job where a lift table sure is handy, 'specially for those of us with "well used" bodies.
yes a big hardwood block on a front corner and the biggest BFH you can borrow. A case where better a big (sledge) hammer slow, than a small hammer fast.
Adhesives are temperature sensitive, a heat gun will ease parting of the ways.

Leaning over the bike for better sump plate access: Gary and our late friend Robin were known for leaning it WAY over to the left, kickstand up, using a rolled up rug for a pad, and an upside down 5 gal bucket to prop the handlebar end. Couldn't find a photo, maybe someone else has one.

I have a hoist in both my workrooms, so I just ease the bike down as low as I want:





.

Yup, that'll work.

YamadudeXS650C said:

I have a hoist in both my workrooms, so I just ease the bike down as low as I want:

Click to expand...

Hoist sound super useful. Unfortunately the jack/lift didn't clear the center stand. Forgot about that since I bought it a few years ago for the VStar 250s. No center stand. Lift works perfect.

gggGary said:

This a job where a lift table sure is handy, 'specially for those of us with "well used" bodies.
yes a big hardwood block on a front corner and the biggest BFH you can borrow. A case where better a big (sledge) hammer slow, than a small hammer fast.
Adhesives are temperature sensitive, a heat gun will ease parting of the ways.

Click to expand...

Turns out I can't swing the mini-sledge while lying on the concrete garage floor wedged under the bike. Bill tapping it (OK swinging the BFH with a wicked grin) didn't budge it either. Did get the plate off, eventually. Crow bar against the frame. Was looking for an angle to wedge it and it suddenly dropped loose. No clue how I did that.

Its been a long time said:

Putting the sump plate back on after inspection and cleaning - I recently did this and I found that the job is significantly easier with the bike on the side stand. With the bike leaning a little to the left, accessing under the engine from the right side to clean the joint surface of the engine and refit the sump plate is easier. Access it from the right side of the bike. The lean to the left on the side stand is helpful. Put the motor in first gear so the bike doesn't roll forward. Hope that helps.

Click to expand...

Will try the side stand trick. After I fix the kickstand.

Getting the plate out from under the kickstand mount was a real bitch -- thankfully I knew I wasn't going to reuse the old sum filter so I went back to the BFH and played whack-a-mole. It's out. Have new filters and gaskets (Neither original's salvageable). New/Used/Ebay sump plate incoming. Ordering a second set of filters and gaskets so I can change em out and clean after . Whoever suggested that -- couple (dozen) posts ago -- thanks much!

Evidently there's a reason the kickstand needed to go to the welding shop. For anyone coming into this tale past the original thread (Memory Lane) the bike stood so straight up on it you breathed wrong, it fell over. Took the kickstand off and took it to the welding shop to get it bent a tad so the angle's way better. BUT. The oil sump pump plate wouldn't come out even after I broke the gasket sealer gunk (Which you can bet I'll never use on anything, ever!) We think whoever had it in the 90s broke the kickstand off, got a new one, had it welded on, but it wasn't quite the right year/model, hence the bad angle, and they didn't get it in quite the right place. Or they were just s***ss welders. They left this nasty LUMP of weld where it's in the way. Tomorrow's project, haul out my lovely Angle Grinder. (My Christmas Wish Lists are always full of power tools...)

Good work! you wouldn't of been farm raised by any chance?
I've found a side stand mount or two that needed to be persuaded out of the way of sump plate removal.
BFH; "You rang?"

Yes, that '83 sidestand with all the extra brackets on it for that silly sidestand safety switch makes sump plate removal more difficult. Why do you think I swapped mine out for an older "bare" stand? All the "junk" to the left of the spring was replaced by the small, simple bracket and stand on the right .....

gggGary said:

Good work! you wouldn't of been farm raised by any chance?
I've found a side stand mount or two that needed to be persuaded out of the way of sump plate removal.
BFH; "You rang?"

Click to expand...

LOL. Grew up in a hobby shop back in the 60s. Similar "Fix It" attitude. Horses/farm came along a bit later. In later years, added Sewing Machine Mechanic -- Industrial and antiques. BFHs are my personal tool of choice.