BMW lubricants 101

Post by **taosports** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:13 pm

The service manual PDF I have shows BMW recommending Shell Retinax EP2

http://www.shell.com/home/Framework?sit ... x_ep2.html

def38 · Post by **def38** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 8:42 pm

The BMW side and center stands will tolerate any reasonable general purpose grease...either lithium or calcium soaped grease. But, do clean the side stand switch routinely. I use a copius spray with WD-40 or some other spray GP lube/solvent. The switch gets loaded with dirt which can cause a failure. Oh, I use the WD-40 to lube the side and center stand as well....forget the grease.

But, during winter riding, make sure you remove salt from this area...especially the side stand switch.

Post by **Beemeridian** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:42 pm

Post by **mcollect** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 8:00 am

Once again, WD40 is not a lubricant! When I worked at a gun shop, the owner thought it was an oil, he found that his blued guns rusted faster with WD40 then without, it cleaned all the oil off. Use it to clean and remove crud and water then use a lubricant such as lithium grease.

single650 · Post by **single650** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 2:47 am

What cleaned the oil off was the delivery solvent that the WD40 is disolved in, as that evaporates it leaves a film of WD40 behind which is a dry lubricant.

def38 · Post by **def38** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 9:13 am

mcollect wrote:Once again, WD40 is not a lubricant! When I worked at a gun shop, the owner thought it was an oil, he found that his blued guns rusted faster with WD40 then without, it cleaned all the oil off. Use it to clean and remove crud and water then use a lubricant such as lithium grease.

WD40 is mostly Stoddard Solvent (~50%). It has very little in the way of lubricantion properties...it is more a cleaner that a lubricant...but, not a bad thing if used properly.