Has anyone tried the new HD "Oil Catcher"?

I've tried most of the suggestions made here for keeping oil off the bike when draining, primarily the front engine mount, and have not found a satisfactory solution. I've tried the type sold on Ebay, cut-up cold-drink bottles, and several other ideas--but I'm not happy with any of them I've tried so far. For me if this thing works it's worth $20.



BTW, I haven't tried the idea of drilling the oil filter to drain-off oil in the filter first, and that was my next effort. OTOH I'm not sure how easy it would be getting the drill positioned with lowers and the oil cooler hoses in the way.

 

I've thought about getting one of these for my next oil change. I saw a video on youtube, I think! Where a guy took a awl or a sharp punch and put a hole in the top outer rim of the oil filter. Then took his filter wrench and rotated the hole to the bottom and the oil drained in his pan he had made. I think he had the bike on the jiffy stand. Have you tried that? I haven't, I've only tried the plastic soda bottle cut in half. still dropped some oil.

 

I tried that way and it still made a mess when I unscrewed the filter. Punched a hole in the bottom and top to let air in so it would drain better. Waited until there was no more oil coming out, but oil still drained out at the seal when I unscrewed it. I've just started doing the tin foil method with several blue shop towels stuffed all around the engine below the filter. They are pretty absorbent and help cut down the mess quite a bit. YMMV of course....

 

Okay, I won't even try the drill method then. Before adding the oil cooler I could put some plastic wrap on the rubber mount before the job, but the cooler makes this impossible now. So, my only recourse is to let it get oily, then clean it up after the fact, but I don't like getting oil on the mount, period.

I'm going to try the HD gadget and will report back. I'm about 100 miles from my next oil change, so it won't be too long.

I'm also looking at the Primary Oil Fill Funnel. I normally use a small funnel for this job but sometimes one of the clutch bolts blocks it, requiring me to blip the starter a few times. I fear one day the engine will start and fling oil all over creation. This gadget is $10 and costs them probably 20¢ to make, but it might be worth it.



Now here's a real innovation, a small plastic funnel for only $5. The parade-of-progress never ceases to amaze. You can get a four-piece set at Harbor Freight Tools for $2, even lower when on sale. They're even orange!

 

I may be paranoid, but I have a problem punching the oil filter, as I fear the mount might get damaged over time from the impact. Maybe that's not gonna happen, but I don't like the idea. Drilling would be okay but getting the bit started might be hard on that smooth, curved surface. Besides, 07RoadHawg tried it and said it still made a mess.

 

I bought both. The Primary filler and the Oil catcher thing-a-mabob.

The Primary filler works awesome. Worth it.
The Oil catcher thing...not so well. You are going to have oil at the seal dripping down no matter what you do. It still gets all over the front of the engine and engine mounts.

I had two bikes to do and used it both times. What works the best is to punch a hole in the end of the filter, top and bottom and let it drain for 30 minutes.
Less oil all over everything. You'll never hurt the engine punching a little hole in a stinking oil filter... I'm saying use an actual "punch" folks. Not a sledge hammer.

lp

 

That's funny. I have that same orange funnel that I got from Wal-Mart or Autozone some years ago. I use it for the primary too, but like you said a bolt sometimes is in the way. Now that I have a VPC in the primary, I don't know if that new funnel would even fit with the weights hanging on the VPC. Haven't seen one up close to know for sure. I guess my little old orange funnel will still have to pull the load. I sometimes wish we still had the inspection plate on the primary like the pre-'07 bikes. That would fix all our "problems"... lol.

 

Dang....bought the piece for the primary fill and forgot all about the VPC. Oh well just more junk sitting on the shelf

 

That's the worst part!!

 

I don't know that it won't work. Just a guess on my part. Have you actually tried it yet?