Oil filter woes

I did an oil and oil filter change this morning and have been out riding for the rest of the day. I have been checking the filter for leaks throughout the day and have always found a small amount of oil left on my finger if I run it around the seal.

Now I may have b***ed it up because it is my first time, but I was particulary anal and follow the Haynes to the letter. I'm wondering whether I have overtightened the filter? Haynes says screw on until the seal touches and then do 2 more full turns. This is what I did. I have since searched this forum and have found everything from just a quarter turn after the seal touches to going at it with a spanner to makes sure it doesn't come undone.

So, questions:

Is it usual to find small amounts of oil coming from around the seal?

if not,

Do I have to replace the filter as the seal is obviously damaged?

if so,

Do I have to drain the oil again or is it possible to unscrew the filter, stick a new one on quickly and top up whatever drained out.

Thanks
Luke

To add:

I have just checked it with a torque wrench - seem was only about a quarter turn too tight. Also oil seems to have stop leaking now that it has cooled down.

[embee]

that 2 turns thing is absolute #### (in fact treat much of what Mr.Haynes says with caution).

Spin-on filters will be absolutely fine done up as tight as you can by hand. They are usually designed so the seal will compress until some part of the canister bottoms out metal-to-metal, at that point you may as well stop. You will feel when they bottom out, often only half a turn or so after contact. Don't worry, as tight as you can by hand and they'll never come loose.

A slight smear of oil on the seal before you fit it is advisable.

You can sometimes get a trace of oil showing from what was on the seal or engine mounting face when it was fitted, but after that then no you shouldn't see oil.

Sounds like you may have distorted the filter near the seal. By all means take it off (if you can get it off without wrecking it), check out and try refitting, but I suspect a new filter is required. A small amount of oil will come out, but just top it up again once the new filter is fitted, no need to drain.

Originally Posted by embee

that 2 turns thing is absolute #### (in fact treat much of what Mr.Haynes says with caution).

Spin-on filters will be absolutely fine done up as tight as you can by hand. They are usually designed so the seal will compress until some part of the canister bottoms out metal-to-metal, at that point you may as well stop. You will feel when they bottom out, often only half a turn or so after contact. Don't worry, as tight as you can by hand and they'll never come loose.

A slight smear of oil on the seal before you fit it is advisable.

You can sometimes get a trace of oil showing from what was on the seal or engine mounting face when it was fitted, but after that then no you shouldn't see oil.

Sounds like you may have distorted the filter near the seal. By all means take it off (if you can get it off without wrecking it), check out and try refitting, but I suspect a new filter is required. A small amount of oil will come out, but just top it up again once the new filter is fitted, no need to drain.

Ok, sorted this now. Filter was on too tight, though the seal hadn't been damaged so was able to torque it to the filter's requirements rather than the Suzuki/Haynes recommedation of 2 turns after seal contact.

No leaks, happy chap, thanks for the response.