There's a good chance you will have to at least change the main jet , but don't put the horse before the cart! first ,all the screws are JIS, that is Japanese Industrial standard, they look like Phillipshead  but the depth of the X is much shallower and using the wrong screwdriver could strip the heads .carefully read the tech. section 1) idle mixture screw 2)white spacer mod 3)testing your main jet ,you can do all of these with your stock motor. If you go to the Harley muffler you will need to revisit all again.I cant advise you about jet sizes or how many washers to do the spacer mod or wear your air screw needs to be ,and we don't even know your elevation.THat being said, if you do these carefully your bike will run like a different animal and we won't be able to slap the smile off your face!

15w50 won't give you any problems at all. It'll be fine. I'm using it (penrite hpr diesel 15w50,  fwiw) and I'm not concerned. My savage is only 31 yo and runs like a clock. Touch wood. I also didn't have to rejet or do the spacer mod for the loud pipe, but it might be different for your brand new bike. Not looking forward to another Adelaide summer here.

Kenny G wrote on 12/07/16 at 23:26:28:


The more pleats means more filter surface area as the paper is larger thus folded more to fit into the same space.

If your pipes are bluing ,If your a mountain man your running rich,if your a flatlander your running lean. If your between sea level and 1000ft elevation your lean!If you put on a dyna muffler your running leaner!running rich may make your plug need cleaning,running lean makes your bike run hotter,increases wear and burns valves,which do you choose?(I was broke once ,now I prefer to be a little rich)

Kenny G wrote on 12/10/16 at 13:44:22:


No matter how you do it, the number of pleats does mean more surface area providing the depth of each pleat (as mentioned by someone above) is the same.  This provides more surface area for the oil to flow through.

I assume your filters were different brands, and thus some of the difference.  Also, you didn't mention how much "overlap" each had.  Any overlap would reduce the surface area to less than what would be the surface area if the paper were "stretched" out flat.

There are two main issues with filters.  A filter's micron rating - the smallest particle that can pass through it. When I worked as a purchasing agent for a nationally known plastics injection company (that had over 75 HUGE hydraulic machines in each facility) we used to order some filters with a 5, 10 or 15 micron rating.  The smaller the number the more it filtered out.  However smaller micron rating means less oil flow.  Therefore, increasing the surface area of the filter material (like putting in pleats) allowed for oil flow and still filtered out down to the specified micron.

The other issue with filters is oil flow.  If you filter the oil well, but starve the engine (or whatever) you will still not be sufficient.   Therefore increasing surface area will accomplish this.

My guess is that the two filters you tested were differing brand with differing mfg. procedures.  However the one with MORE pleats (assuming the depth of each pleat is the same) will provide  more filtering surface!

Years ago, after the plastics company job, I did some research (most of the details I have forgotten) for the micron rating for the filter in my car.  Most automotive related filters do not even specify micron.  However, if my memory serves me correctly I think the standard auto filter was 15 micron.  Going to a smaller micron might get more particles out, but could starve the engine's critical components, and going to a larger micron would not filter out enough of the contaminants.

Check it out!

I rest my case!

norm92de wrote on 12/17/16 at 20:37:27:


Why take this to the slimy gutter?

I purchased my last one from my local Suzuki dealer, and I agree with you.  It cost me around $8.00 and that isn't too much in my opinion.

However, I am sure there must be some cheapie replicas out there.  I would however, purchase one by a brand name such as Fram if they make one.

By the way, also, I just purchased a few months ago my Suzuki, and I wanted to do the oil change (even though I was told it was just done) for my own piece of mind.

Does anyone know what size the cover "O" ring is (in conventional numbering of o-rings) and also the inner one that seals the filter itself to the engine.