Notes on oil filter wrenches
by Ben Zabrowski, Sept. 1994
There are several sources for oil filter wrenches. BMW dealers have the official wrench, always a good choice, but expensive. You can also buy a generic one from Competition Accessories for about $5.00 or you can try K-Mart, Auto Source, Honda, foreign car parts stores, Spike White, rallies, etc. Take your filter and go hunting. I recently found one at K-Mart: DFM No. 1003, $2.97
Other than fitting the filter you must make sure the wrench will fit into the oil filter cavity in the engine too. Some of the generic filters may need a little filing to make them work. (The wrench that is, not the engine block 🙂
Budget Oil Filter Wrench
By: William Wade
July 2004
Two weeks ago I purchased a 1986 K100RT. I purchased a BMW oil filter and took it with me to the local Autozone(tm) Store.
I found a stamped steel filter tool (OEM oil filter “B” cap wrench #25401) for #2.99 that fits almost perfectly. It is a tad too tight and after installing the filter I found I had to wiggle it back and forth with the 3/8’s drive extension while gently pulling down to remove it. I have since removed all of the paint on the inside of the wrench to loosen it up a little.
I have no financial or personal interest in Autozone™.
Budget Oil Filter Wrench
By: Michael Alsin
July 2004
Stride Tool <stride@stridetool.com>
Filter Wrench, Type J, US$2.96 @ Wal-Mart
Product: 18009
UPC: 30359 91002
This can be rasped down quite easily as it is made out of some sort of resin material. Modification takes about 5 minutes using a Stanley Surform and a vice to hold the filter tool. I filed off all of the ridges and the tool fit into the K recess.
The fit on the filter is a little sloppy/loose but works and certainly doesn’t get stuck on the filter up in its engine recess. A 3/8″ ratchet extension fits into the wrench.
These filter wrenches are attached to blue and white cards, about 7″ h x 5″ w. Another wrench, Type I [“i”, not “1”] from the same company, seems to fit the BMW filter better at first but after a few ons and offs starts to easily slip.
Budget Oil Filter Wrench for K-Bikes
By: Bruce Keahey
May 1999
On a related note, although I own a BMW oil filter wrench, I’ve begun using Fram and other aftermarket filters, few of which the BMW wrench fits.
At a Checker Auto I picked a cheap plastic wrench that fits the aftermarket filters that the BMW wrench doesn’t fit, but it was too thick-walled to fit into the K-bike’s oil filter recess.
So when I got home, I rigged up a mandrel so that I could chuck the wrench in my drill press. While spinning the wrench at low speed in the drill press, I used a rasp to remove material from the outside of the wrench until it was the same outside diameter as the BMW wrench. Still plenty of thickness for strength. Then I switched to progressively finer grades of sandpaper on the spinning wrench until a smooth, matte finish remained.
I now have a filter wrench that fits aftermarket filters available everywhere, is light enough to pack in the bike tool kit on trips, and is cheap and easily replaceable in case I lose it.