Changing Oil

[AllanCook]

I want to start changing my own oil. What do y'all do with your old oil? How do you catch it? Is there just one drain plug or are there two? (I seem to have seen somewhere there were two, although I can't imagine why.)

[deilenberger]

I want to start changing my own oil. What do y'all do with your old oil? How do you catch it? Is there just one drain plug or are there two? (I seem to have seen somewhere there were two, although I can't imagine why.)

One drain plug - T50 (did it last night..)

I use a regular oil pan to catch it - the kind that lets you keep the oil in the pan until you're ready to take it for recycling. In NJ - any place that sells oil has to take oil in for recycling, and it doesn't have to be oil you bought from them. Usually I hit PepBoys with my old oil, or the county recycling facility.

It's really a minimal fuss job IF you're not capturing some oil to send off for analysis (DAMHIK) to Blackstone Labs... you'll also need a filter wrench that fits the oddly sized BMW filter. Mine came from beemerbalancer - but others are available. The one I have fits both the older K and oilhead filters and the hexhead filter.

[AllanCook]

Thanks, Don. Luckily I have a T50. I will get a decent oil pan and scrounge a container. I think I'll get in the habit of changing oil halfway between service intervals.

Nice job on your ON pieces, BTW.

[DrD]

I advise you to look at the arrangement of parts before applying force to the wrench to remove either the drain plug or the filter. On a previous R bike of mine I didn't. The wrench slipped. Got a quarter sized burn on my forearm from the exhaust pipe. THEN I looked at the arrangement of parts and approached it from a different way.

Over all, however, the R bikes are easy for DIY.

[deilenberger]

Thanks, Don. Luckily I have a T50. I will get a decent oil pan and scrounge a container. I think I'll get in the habit of changing oil halfway between service intervals.

Nice job on your ON pieces, BTW.

Thanks.. hope everyone doesn't get bored to tears.. there are three "in-depth" articles on the Farkeling(tm) to follow.. and perhaps another one since I seem to have done more to the bike since I finished the three articles..

[celticus]

Does anyone have any suggestions for other oil filter wrenches that will work on the BMW filter. 27 bucks for the one from beemerbalancers made me think about a less expensive way to go. How much oil does this model hold?
Mark

[deilenberger]

Does anyone have any suggestions for other oil filter wrenches that will work on the BMW filter. 27 bucks for the one from beemerbalancers made me think about a less expensive way to go. How much oil does this model hold?
Mark

Dunno if there are a lot of alternatives. You could take a filter to a local auto-parts place and try some on for size. One thing to be aware of is there isn't a lot of room around the filter, so the ones with a turned up lip probably won't work even if they fit the filter.

The bike uses - 4 quarts (I usually put in 3.75 quarts and then adjust to the center of the window after taking it for a ride and centerstanding it for 5 minutes..) Prefill of the filter is easy and a good thing to do.

[dandwyer]

Does anyone know of an idiot's guide to changing oil on this bike? you know -- step by step instructions with pictures, tools needed, the whole bit. Thanks for any advice.

[AllanCook]

The oil-changing process is described toward the end of this link:

http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/showthread.php?t=15340

I think Jim VonBaden has a DVD series on maintaining the R1200.

[NeilS]

I got my oil filter wrench from Bob's BMW for under $20. P/N OFWR2. Works well.

Also, for at least some of the bikes (including mine), the oil drain plug needs an 8mm Allen wrench, not a T50.

[bobelliot]

Also ordered the wrench from Bob's. Low cost, fast deliver, fits perfectly.

[deilenberger]

I got my oil filter wrench from Bob's BMW for under $20. P/N OFWR2. Works well.

Also, for at least some of the bikes (including mine), the oil drain plug needs an 8mm Allen wrench, not a T50.

Have to look at mine.. wouldn't be the first time I've used a Torx on a standard Allen (hard to get the head under the bike to see it.. but mebbe a mirror...)

[celticus]

I am going into Knoxville tomorrow to buy a filter , a wrench and some oil I suppose (unless someone talks me out of it and has a better oil in mind ) but is there anything else I should get while I'm at the shop? Items for me , the wife , or the R1200R I mean.
Mark

[deilenberger]

I got my oil filter wrench from Bob's BMW for under $20. P/N OFWR2. Works well.

Also, for at least some of the bikes (including mine), the oil drain plug needs an 8mm Allen wrench, not a T50.

Have to look at mine.. wouldn't be the first time I've used a Torx on a standard Allen (hard to get the head under the bike to see it.. but mebbe a mirror...)

I got out the mirror tonight and looked.. it's an Allen. Go figure.. a bike full of Torx and they use a few Allens just to keep you on your toes..

[deilenberger]

Oil report:



Looks like good news and the BMW oil and filter are doing what they're supposed to..

[AllanCook]

Thanks for posting your results, Don. All of use who ride these amazing bikes should be happy with your results.

[sandycruz]

I've found what appears to be a great deal on oil filters for the R1200 series motor. Here is the link:

http://www.beemershop.com/catalog/index ... ccda5731bf

Read about Ted Porter's Beemer shop, then click on "filters of All Kinds".

Disclaimer: I have not yet purchased a filter from these folks.
I will do so in the next week or so as I approach the 6k mile
service.

Looks to be a great deal at $7.95.

Happy riding!

[amr122]

I am going into Knoxville tomorrow to buy a filter , a wrench and some oil I suppose (unless someone talks me out of it and has a better oil in mind ) but is there anything else I should get while I'm at the shop? Items for me , the wife , or the R1200R I mean.
Mark

Make sure you get a washer to place between the block and the oil plug. The washer that comes with the bike is a crushable one that seals great, but is only designed to be tightened once and will probably leak if reused (at least according to my local BMW dealer).

adam

[celticus]

My filter was on as tight as any filter I've ever changed. When I was ready to put the new filter back on I remembered to make sure that the old one had not stayed behind ( because this is what I always do ) and for the first time ever I found that the old filter was still up in there waiting to scr^w me.
Don thanks for the advise. If you know what you are doing and have the tools at hand this is a 20 minute job.
Mark