New final drive fluid quantity

[outnabout]

I was looking at the GS Spot section on adventure rider and there is a discussion about a new specification for final drive oil quantity for 05 and later bikes. The thread is about the GS, but it may also include the RR. The new level appears to be 180ml for a refill. See the thread listed below.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthre ... 86&page=10

[parkec]

Awwwwwwwwh Man.

I read earlier today... 230ml.

But since I haven't solved the loading issue, or Bigger is better.....Mobil 1 75-140 vs 75-90 dilema.

The proper quanity is mute.


Sooooooo Y can't I just fill the final drive till the fluid runs out ,ike every other rear drive Car I've owned?

[bobw]

^
No

[Dauntless]

Sooooooo Y can't I just fill the final drive till the fluid runs out ,ike every other rear drive Car I've owned?

Because you fill it from near the top. Supposedly, the reason for the new amount is because the final drive develops too much pressure and forces the fluid out of the seal.

[parkec]

Sooooooo Y can't I just fill the final drive till the fluid runs out ,ike every other rear drive Car I've owned?

Because you fill it from near the top. Supposedly, the reason for the new amount is because the final drive develops too much pressure and forces the fluid out of the seal.

OK...How do you actually perform the change? In particular how do you ge the fluid back in to the final drive? The fill hole is at 9 O'clock and parallel to the ground. I stopped by my local pharmacy and their largest syringe was 10cc, stopped by Ace fro aTurkey/Seasoning syringe 2oz (50+ cc) $11, stopped by Autozone - nothing except an Idea. The Ace solution seemed mind numbing in that the syringe opening seemed small for heavy lube. The auto zone Idea was to premeasure, pour into a squeeze catsup bottle, attach tube and wa-la. Except you will need a nipple on the line in order to get your fluid into the final drive..aaaaaaaaggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[WILDPIG]

OK MAN -- I'LL MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU. GO TO WALMART AN BUY AN EMPTY BOTTLE-- THEY GOT A LOT OF EM. POP COVER AN LET ER RIP. SIMPLE ENUFF. AND BTW-- THIS AINT NO CAR YER WORKIN ON.

[Cosmic-Rider]

My apologies for asking a dumb question, especially when the answer should be so simple. I'm not a wrench by trade, but with over 250,000 bmw miles, I've owned my share of rides and have always done my own wrenching. I'm looking at the final drive on my '07 R1200R. I see one plug at the 9 o clock position. Can someone explain the process of draining the old and refilling with new in the same hole? Or am I not seeing something down there like another plug? Thanks

[TAG-Caver]

My apologies for asking a dumb question, especially when the answer should be so simple. I'm not a wrench by trade, but with over 250,000 bmw miles, I've owned my share of rides and have always done my own wrenching. I'm looking at the final drive on my '07 R1200R. I see one plug at the 9 o clock position. Can someone explain the process of draining the old and refilling with new in the same hole? Or am I not seeing something down there like another plug? Thanks

To drain you need to remove the rear wheel and pivot the final drive assembly down so the plug is now at the 6 o'clock position. You refill via the speed sensor hole on the back side of the final drive. I believe the 2009 models have the drain plug in the proper position so you don't need to drop the final drive just to drain the fluid.

[bobw]

This link is for a copy of the service bulletin.


http://www.k-bikes.com/forums/attachmen ... ntid=10319

[RonR]

I believe the 2009 models have the drain plug in the proper position so you don't need to drop the final drive just to drain the fluid.

I haven't looked closely enough at an '09 to see that change, but I would recommend dropping the the FD occasionally anyway. When I changed FD fluid while doing the 12K service on my '07 last month I found that the FD splines were bone dry. I lubed them with Honda Moly 60 gear paste as shown on the Jim Von Baden video. One other tip: be very careful when re-installing the speed sensor after filling the FD, especially with the small rubber washer. I managed to tear mine, resulting in FD fluid all over the right side of the rear tire, the wheel and surrounding areas after I took my shakedown run. I was lucky I didn't drop the bike. Then, of course, I got to again remove the exhaust can and rear wheel to fix it. Just one of several interesting learning experiences from performing my own service for the first time.

[Cosmic-Rider]

Thank you all for your assistance. Your help is greatly appreciated.

[parkec]

To drain you need to remove the rear wheel and pivot the final drive assembly down so the plug is now at the 6 o'clock position. You refill via the speed sensor hole on the back side of the final drive. I believe the 2009 models have the drain plug in the proper position so you don't need to drop the final drive just to drain the fluid.

Iwas hoping for someting stupid simple. removing wheel strikes 1 and 2, pivot the final drive assembly down strike 3. Sounds like to a job for .........my check book and pen.

[parkec]

I saw the first half of Jesse James is a Deadman last night (Ice Road Ride) and you know this might not be that big of a deal. Before he left on his ride to test the limits of human stupidity he change a rear tire of the GS he was going to ride in a commercial freezer. 1st change at 10 degrees, and the secind change at 4? but with a body core temp of 95. He pulled and chaged the whees in less that 4 minutes - easily.


Maybe I should by the service videos. I can't count of Jesse James for all my service instruction.

[Zinger]

Iwas hoping for someting stupid simple. removing wheel strikes 1 and 2, pivot the final drive assembly down strike 3. Sounds like to a job for .........my check book and pen.

You're not kidding. I just read the service bulletin posted above. I would consider giving something like this a shot if it was a car, but not something that can potentially throw me to the ground at 80 miles per hour.

The lack of a drain hole in this design is a pretty big oversight. I imagine that from what I've read this was not meant to be a serviceable item (lifetime fluid, at least until FDs started failing).

[deilenberger]

For those bemoaning the amount of work involved in changing your rear drive oil.. it's not a big deal. Tedious (feeding the new fluid in..) but not hard or technically challenging.

I'd suggest heading over to the BMW-MOA website and browsing through the Hexhead tech DIY writeups (I had a bit to do with them..) On a scale of 1-10 for technical challenge (where 1 = can check tire pressure and that's it; to 10 - can rebuild engine while it's running) - it falls at about a 2. If you aren't mentally/physically challenged it's a reasonable DIY.

See: http://www.bmwmoa.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=44 - and it's even free to non-members (those too cheap in the US, and those outside of the US..)