Found out from a buddy of mine who's the service manager at a kawi dealer for 10 years or more, and have known for years. The guy knows his stuff. He tells me he gets $1500 every time someone comes in with an auto filter on their p650. He said he's done 3 of them already, melted engines, from using auto filters.

He explained it like this. Auto oil pressure is much much higher. Therefore the filters are rated for 40psi or so for cars. He said the ATV oil pump only delivers around 12psi pressure, so they simply can't push enough oil thru the automotive style filter, and seize up due to lack of lubrication..

Just thought i'd let everyone know, since before knowing this and simply consulting Nyroc's list, I assumed the mobil 1 or any of the auto oil filters would work.

Use at your own risk, you've been warned!!!

 

Howdy,
Dont know about your service friend but I have used nothing but Fram automotive filters for a year & a half now. I have had zero problems and have saved considerable beer money by using them! Your friend sounds like an alarmist who is sponsored by a dealership! Just my year & a half experience using auto filters in the Texas heat. Have a goodun!!!!

 

No problems here from +85 to -40 works fine, oh damn ! gotta go ,kawi is in fight with neighbours pit bull, they will be pi$$ed off if kawi tears another one all up.

 

The pressure spec for the 650 is 69psi (repair manual spec). Your service manager is up in the night. Automobiles commonly use pressures from 40 to 70 (70 for some of the higher perf auto engines). The 650 is a perfect candidate for an auto filter.

Also, the filter list I have on my website is from someone quite a bit more informed that your service manager. He explained fully the research he put into the advice he gave to using this filter. Here is the link to his website. I don't know the guy, I just read that stuff on his website.

He explains that most auto oil filters are made to handle the same pressure and filtration specs as the motorcycle filters. He also suggests that while the machine is in warranty it may be a good idea to stick with the stock one, but he found no technical reason not to use it.

Also, if anyone has a problem we would have heard about it. Although I have been using a "motorcycle filter", I'm not using the kawi one.

Be careful what you are told by dealers, since some of the worst exaggerations and downright falsehoods come from the dealers.

Lightman, I'm sorry for disagreeing with you like this, but I really thing that your frend is mistaken.

 

Don't know.......if all auto filters have the same specs then everyone using them should have oil pressure related damage.

 

I shouldn't matter what filter you use as long as the reliefe valve, gasket and threads are the same. Maybe the Kawi filter has a reliefe valve and the car filter dont? As the filter gets plugged up it blocks the oil flow? But it takes alot to plug a filter.

 

I'm open to him being wrong , its fully possible, and he could be talking kawi brainwash talk. He has been really knowledgeable over the years though, and built tons of great race engines. In any case, I plan on talking to him tomorrow anyway, I'll mention the 69psi in the service manual. Nyroc, can you be more specific, what page number etc, so I can tell him to look at it?

First day out, did all sandy windy trails in the woods, and about 15 miles total in a few hours. Were anyone else's 650's a little hard to start? its hardly cold here in fl, but even with the choke on, nothing happened. Ended up having to turn the choke off, and thumb the throttle a bit to get it running. Seems like it shouldn't be that hard to start. Also, the first few minutes I took it out, it seemed to be coughing/sputtering a bit, and when I'd come to a stop with the engine running in low gear, there was a bit of smoke, smelled bad. Anyway, after about 5 minutes, no smell, no noises, etc. Is this normal for the first run or what have you guys experienced? My ninja motorcycle, you just pulled the choke, hit the starter, and it started. Ran for a while on choke and then close the choke to a smooth idle. Sorry if it's off topic, but hey, i started it! =]

 

I have an oil pressure gauge on my Kawi since I began operating with a turbo what I can tell you is at idle the pressure never drops below 12 psi. With mulitple applications that I have done to my Kawi the oil pressure has not been problem at full rpm I get around 68psi. If I race my Kawi at the sand dunes or know at the ice races I use a Baldwin filter as it has a higher amount of microns allowing for better oil cleaning percentage. I have had my oil tested many times after the use of the turbo and nos applications to see if the oil I use plus the ability of the filter to do its job. I have had no problems what so ever and I am very peticular about my machinery and it how it operates. I have to go with Nyroc on this one I have found most dealers will tell most anything to get the business and when they do get your business they manage to screw something up. This doesn't happen all the time but once the warranty is up I would tend to leave the dealers alone and do it yourself. Maybe the dealers have improoved in the last year I hope so this forum has helped me more than any dealer has done and I have had to show them more than they have shown me that's my perception anyway.

 

alltoys if you have copies please email me your oil analysis results. What lab did you use, OA? What oil do you run? Thanks for the info.

Curious why you run the baldwin higher efficiency filters only when in the sand etc, and why not get that protection all the time?

 

Instead of guessing with filters do this. Get the specs for the Kawi filter. Get the bypass pressure if any,threads per inch or MM and gasket size. Go to the Wix filters webpage and find a filter with the same specs. Then you can use the Wix # as a crossover.

Just because a filter will screw on doesn't mean that it will work correctly. But if you find one that has the same specs go ahead and use it.