Found 2 videos on U-tube, one, replacing the oil filter from the front by just removing the screen and two, removing a lot of parts then removing the oil filter. What works best!
Dale
I'll be updating a document on doing the oil changes in the next month or so. I'm getting close to the 6000 mile oil change interval just after my trip in two weeks up to Lanesboro, MN (Eagle Cliff Campground). That trip will put my AK at just under 6000 miles so maybe a little riding after that trip to get it there.
I watched several YouTube videos on the procedure but took some of them with a BIG grain of salt. The truth is somewhere in between and not nearly as hard as some of those show.
DO NOT just pull ONE drain plug and screen. There is a ridge between the clutch and the main engine reserve of oil and both sides of that ridge must be drained. Draining from only one plug will leave a significant amount of old oil in the engine... at least 1/4 of the volume of oil and maybe as much as 1/3 would be left in the case. So always pull both plugs and inspect both screens. They are both on the same side of the engine and both so easy to get to without having to remove ANY plastic. My Burgman needed plastic panels to be removed. Both plugs are the lowest point of the oil reservoir so not pulling them leaves a lot of oil in there as well.
My first oil change was documented here:
https://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=31882.msg223614#msg223614 and a few posts following this one.
But there was soooo much general discussion that didn't really have much to do with the oil change procedure on the AK (as I inteneded) that I altered the thread to be just a general oil change discussion. But that link will take you to the posts with pics about my first oil change.
I now have a BMW filter tool that is specifically designed for the HF164 filters used on the AK (and apparently several BMW bikes as well).
Here is that tool:
https://a.co/d/hEUjlK6I have not used it yet. The 3000 mile oil change did not require a filter change per the service schedule so I didn't replace that. But I do recommend this tool. I used a similar one designed for my Burgman 650 filters and it made the job so much easier to remove and replace the filter. I anticipate the 6000 mile oil change to be so much easier than the first one. I plan to not use the foil on the bottom cover this next oil change since it seemed to be rather hard to get it on there and didn't really help as it did with my other bikes. That only means a little oil will be on the plastic and not on exhaust pipes or engine parts so no big deal there. Easy to clean off. One thought was to cut off the tab at the very back of that bottom cover to allow easy access to the filter but then that would no longer protect the filter from road trash. It is designed that way for protecting the filter and I really did wish my other bikes had that (I added a bottom cover to my GW many years ago).
The short description. Put the AK on the center stand and put the side stand up. Run engine to warm up the oil. Let sit for at least 10-20 mins to allow the warmed oil to drain down to the reservoir. Make sure your oil drip pan is under the drain plugs and filter before those are removed. Remove the oil dip stick. Remove BOTH drain plugs (shown and pointed out the in photo of the post I linked to above). Inspect the screens for damage and debris, clean if needed, replace if damaged. Using the filter tool remove the filter. Put the new filter on using the filter tool (don't forget a little oil on the rubber filter seal). Put the screens and oil plugs back in and torque properly. Add oil in the oil dip stick opening until the level shows just above mid point on the dip stick. Run the engine to it up again and circulate the oil through the engine parts. Stop the engine and wait about 5 mins and recheck the oil level on the dip stick. If still at mid point or just barely over that consider this job done. If below the mid point of the dip stick then add a little more oil to bring up the level and repeat the run/wait cycle and recheck the level.
