Let the games begin!

[Photoguy]

Sorting out my new-to-me 1150. The bike mechanically and cosmetically is good, but one thing I will address at some point in the near future is a seeping oil level sight glass. It's not bad, but it's not dry.

I've searched around and have read (and seen) a few procedures and it seems infinitely doable, especially considering the BMW store cost of $200 to do the job.

One method of removing the old glass is to pierce with a hot screwdriver to create a leverage point. I'd likely do one at the 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock points to be better able to pry out the top side. I've seen where the center is drilled and a self tapping screw inserted but it seems to me that pulling from the center wouldn't be as effective as prying from the edge...but who knows? One video of the screw type removal that I saw also resulted in a complete shattering of the clear plastic which I'm hoping to avoid.

Just wondering if anyone has been through this and might offer any insight? Some also recommend a very light coating of an RTV silicone to the edge of the new part. Good idea...bad one?

Also looking for parts and as it's been a while since I've ordered any BMW stuff, is there a preferred supplier these days? (I've been accustomed to the vintage Honda world for a few years and have forgotten where to get parts fort this bike

And lastly, it appears that some replacement parts use a retaining ring or circlip....at least as shown in some parts photos. Looking as closely as these old eyes can see, mine doesn't appear to be any more than a press fit of the rubber sealing ring.

Thanks for any insight and help, always appreciate it!
Gary

[swamper]

Pay the man

[gregor]

Maybe $200 is not too much for the job, a number of forumeers have reported difficulties doing the window.
Especially if they had err old eyes.

[Photoguy]

Wow...wasn't expecting that! But appreciate the input nonetheless-

[gregor]

I'm not against diy but better to ride than struggle with an unusual bit of maintenance. Even dealers can smeg up simple jobs.

[CNorris]

*Following. Literally in the same situation. I do most of my own work but I'd really hate to bung this up and have that site glass bounce off my left boot while I'm rolling down the road. Hmmmmm.

[swamper]

You might want to clean the area really good and make sure that is where the leak is. If it is you'll know how bad, if it's just a weep it could have built up a number of years to look worse than it is.

[CNorris]

Excellent advice - will do.

[Hyja1]

Photguy, re your original question on parts suppliers. Beemer boneyard has the sight glass for 29.95 and has been a trusted vendor for years.

[Photoguy]

Thanks for the additional input and the reminder of Beemer Boneyard, I had forgotten about them though have ordered from them in the past. I think I will undertake this project at some point in the near future though the way things go with me is I order parts, think about it for weeks/months and then spend the hour actually doing it! My priority is to ride now that the nice weather is here. Will keep an eye on oil level and the glass to see how much oil this is actually losing.

[Sunbeemer]

That's a good plan. I replaced mine last year. First, the replacement I got from BMW is glass, while the old one that had cracked (crazed) was plastic. I didn't know this when I went to install it using a wooden dowel for a drift and it shattered. So I made a drift from a short piece of PVC pipe by filing away enough of the inside diameter so the pipe would only press on the outer rim of the sight glass's gasket (which is molded over a metal frame ~0.010" thick). I drifted the sight glass in using this thinned PVC pipe and a 3lb nylon dead-blow hammer. I used isopropyl alcohol for lubrication and no RTV. It took a surprising amount of effort to get it to seat, actually causing the bike to rock slightly on the center stand with each blow. The hardest thing initially was tapping it square into the bore (so it wasn't crooked) and then knowing when to stop driving it; one blow too many was going to cost me another sight glass, but when I felt it hit bottom I stopped hammering. It hasn't leaked or seeped since. If you want to borrow my homemade drift, PM me.

[Photoguy]

Thanks for the insight Sunbeemer...great to hear from someone that's been through it. Appreciate the tip on the pvc- I was originally thinking of a socket as a drift. And, I had assumed that the window was plastic (though I haven't even tapped on it yet) and that was the reason for liking the hot screwdriver/melt the holes to create a leverage point idea for removal.

All in all it doesn't sound too bad a job, time and patience I suppose. For the record, I'm not a mechanic, I take pictures for a living. But...I was born with the curse of being 'handy' and things like this are typically a fun way for me to get into an area outside of my typical comfort zone...even if they don't always seem like fun at the moment of doing it!

[Photoguy]

Just looking at the bike this morning- any issues with the drift and the oil return line for seating the new glass? Or did you remove that line? Thx again-

[Sunbeemer]

It's likely that your old window is made of plastic and can be removed the way you planned; that's what I tried to do too, but my window was so crazed that it shattered when I levered it and had to be removed in bits and pieces. But the new window I installed was glass.

I didn't have a socket that would fit the outer rim of the glass and fit inside the bore of the crankcase, and I didn't want to chance buggering up the aluminum bore with a steel socket, so that, and the fact that PVC was less likely to shatter the glass window, is why I went with the chamfered PVC pipe.

I didn't have to remove the oil line, but I was careful to place the pipe squarely on the face of the window which was placed squarely in the opening of the bore before starting it with a few light taps, then pounding harder to seat it fully. It was a close fit, but doable. It does require holding your mouth right to get the window started in the bore squarely. It went crooked on me the first couple of times so I had to carefully pry it out, rub some more alcohol on it and inside the bore, and start over; the third time was the charm!

I did download a .pdf file of BMW instructions for this procedure that specifies using some special tools (that nobody has) which was sorta helpful. The best tip was that it specified using brake cleaner to lubricate the seal before installation (which in Deustchland I felt certain meant Isopropyl alcohol) and not using any sealants. I figure this seal works the same way the valve cover seals do, which should be installed clean and dry. If you want me to send it to you, let me know.

[Photoguy]

Thx again, that's all very helpful. I may take you up on that but won't likely be getting to this right away. Too many other things on the life list to hold my attention...but will think about coordinating this with an oil change so that the bike is empty of oil when I take the old one out.
-Gary

[Sunbeemer]

Good idea! And I'd suggest if you suspect any bits of broken window made their way into the crankcase, flush through the borehole with compressed air and after all is done, let the first pint of engine oil drain right through to flush those bits out of the bottom of the pan. Good luck!

[Sunbeemer]

And lastly, it appears that some replacement parts use a retaining ring or circlip....at least as shown in some parts photos. Looking as closely as these old eyes can see, mine doesn't appear to be any more than a press fit of the rubber sealing ring.

Circlips were used on later models, probably after a few "missing windows" complaints...but with the amount of effort mine took to go in, I think there's little danger of it popping out on its own.

[Photoguy]

Thanks Rich- that clears up some of the confusion I had when I looked at some different photos of the glass.