Air Cleaner Bolt & Oil Fill Cap Mod

Gadget (big thanks to RocDoc and Robert Mayes)
Click for another easy solution from Virg Blanchard

You don't have to use a screwdriver or old washer to open your oil fill cap. Why buy aftermarket air filter nuts ($$$) when you can make your own?

Want to guess what they're made of?(answer below)

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And the answer is... Bathroom Faucet Knobs !!!

What you'll need:

  • 1- set bathroom faucet knobs (metal not plastic)
  • 1- 10-32 bolt (or equivalent) and nut
  • JB Weld or paste type epoxy equivalent

How to:

  1. Measure the outer diameter of your oil filler cap. You can transfer this measurement (just trace the cap) onto a piece of paper then cut out the hole in the paper or simply wrap a strip of paper around the cap.
  2. Wrap the faucet handle you've chosen with tape and transfer your measurement to the knob using the strip of paper or slipping the hole in the paper over the knob.
  3. Cut the knob with a Dremel or other cutting wheel tool (the tape will keep the chrome from chipping).

    Came out a little crooked eh? not to worry. If you have a drill press or a friendly neighbor with one, pass a bolt (1/4") through the newly trimmed knob with the threads pointed upward. Cinch it down with a nut and put the bolt into the drill press. Now you can simply run the spinning knob down (carefully) onto a file and even things out. Don't let the knob get too hot or the chrome will peel off. If you don't have a drill press handy you can use sandpaper on a flat surface.
  4. Now you need to drill a hole in the motorcycles oil filler cap. Be sure it's centered!!!! Drill the hole just large enough for a 10-32 bolt (or metric equivalent).
  5. Clean everything up and do a test fit. Slip your bolt through the top of the cut down handle, through the hole you've drilled in the oil filler cap and put a nut on it finger tight. Good? If not and the handle is too large or crooked you can just cut it again. If you've really messed it up there's always the other handle to work with.
  6. If the test fit looks good to you we just have to glue it all together. Use the Epoxy "Paste" (not super glue or contact cement or anything else). The Paste is the stuff made when you mix the two tubes together. Put the paste on the two items you're gluing together (handle and cover), Put the bolt through, put some Lock Tite on the bolt end that's peeking through the bottom of the cap (a little extra security), and tighten it down securely. If there's any extra bolt just cut it off flush with the nut. Now stake the nut by using a center punch on the bolt. You don't want that sucker coming off and landing in your crankcase. The combination of LockTite and staking the nut (messing up the first thread) will prevent this. Make sure you don't have any glue oozing out around the edges. Set the unit aside for the glue to cure.

For decoration you can use the faucet handle "H" and "C" that came with them, find some chrome caps with no printing or file a little off the edge of a nickle and put it in there. I used an Indian nickle that I domed just a bit and it fit perfectly into the opening.

To do the air cleaner cover bolts it's almost exactly the same concept except you cut the lavatory cap much shorter, grind off about half the center stud inside the handle, put a suitable metric bolt through the center (remember to use the epoxy) and screw em on! They look good and only cost you about five bucks for two knobs.


Another easy solution from Virg Blanchard

Find a very hard washer, an aircraft washer is the best! 1/8" thick 1-1/4" OD. with a 7/16" hole ID. (military surplus stores may have these in your area, they're generally a sort of gold color) Drill a hole in the edge around an 1/8' or a little larger that is for your Key ring. You may have to drill the Hole with a Cobalt drill turning very fast to cut it! Now, to make it look great, grind the sides to a slight angle. Don't grind the part that goes into the slot of the Oil Cap! If the cap is on real tight you can use a small end wrench or screwdriver in the 7/16" hole to get some leverage,

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