Modern Buddy

When you change your oil filter, do you drop the oil cooler and holder plate before unscrewing the filter? Last (and only) time I changed the oil I dropped the oil cooler and the whole process was a pain in the butt..

Does I make a mess if I don't drop the cooler and holder plate or is it easily wiped up and not considered a problem? Not trying to be too lazy but would rather save the hassle.

I never had to. The protector plate has enough flex to be pulled out of the way of the filter.

Not sure if the oil cooler/filter setup is the same on a 150 as a 170i, but I've never had to remove or flex anything to get the oil filter off. Although, oil does spill onto the oil cooler skid plate, but I just spray some engine degreaser and hose it off.

OK thanks. I'll try the lazy way tomorrow.

The 170i has slightly different undercarriage layout than the smaller Buddies. I believe the 150s and below have the filter right above the center stand with little in the way.. The 170's is all the way forward, basically just behind the front wheel

I removed the plate and have had no issues with bottoming and damage because I'm careful, just as I was when the plate was on.

You do not have to remove the cooler or plate to change the oil. One paper towel cleans the whole thing up.

Rochester oil must be better behaved than San Francisco oil. Before I removed the metal plate, oil draining from the oil filter fitting used to cover the upper side of the plate and made a mess. Maybe it's my hamfisted mechanical skills...

I ended up dropping the plate/cooler/filter. I couldn't imagine how big of a mess it would've made without doing so. It took an extra 3 minutes but saved me at least 10 mins trying clean the dribbly mess