Oil at filler cap

[aretoo]

I completed my 24,000 mile "big one" over the thanksgiving weekend.

6/700 miles later, I am noticing that there is a fair amount of oil that is coming out of the filler cap on the left side.

I replaced the o-ring as part of the service.

Thoughts?

[garr2]

From the parts fiche you can see there are 2 o-rings on the oil filler pipe -one on top and one underneath. Did you replace them both?

Have a look at the whole page from the parts fiche -

http://www.maxbmwmotorcycles.com/fiche/ ... d=04282014

Ian

[aretoo]

No, I did not, only the easily accessed one on the filler cap itself.

I "think" that is the only one that bimmerboneyard supplied in the kit.

I could be wrong.

This is a fair amount of oil too.

[windy]

I had the same problem, and replaced parts 5,6,&8 no more problem

[CycleRob]

The problem I found with that all too common oil weeping is with the casting flash "joint" created when the two mating plastic parts are manufactured. They are created by 2 halves of each part coming together in the mold. Those 2 tiny, nearly invisible casting flash seams on each part cause the O-ring seals to leak. The cure is to remove both parts from the valve cover so you can very carefully trim the defects away with a small knife, held perpendicular to the surface as you scrape the junk away, WITHOUT DAMAGING the good surfaces. That will be 4 ridges on the outer part and 2 ridges on the twist on cap. After lightly greasing the O-rings and patient reassembly, you will not have any more oil weeping.


For newer OilHead owners, another thing that will help compromise a marginal oil seal is overfilling the engine oil, as in keeping it above the upper red circle of the oil window. While satisfying a perceived peace of mind condition, it is actually a ridiculous OCD and not a recommended practice by experienced OilHead owners. Why? Overfilling the oil decreases the crankcase airspace volume, increasing the magnitude and severity of the pressure pulses as both humongous pistons simultaneously reach TDC or BDC at the same time. Also, you'll be burning more oil after frequent use of the side stand. Stop worrying about the engine oil level!!! If the oil level is dramatically different from a few days riding, that is normal IF the low reading follows a short trip, where the engine did not reach full operating temperature. As long as it is at or above the LOWER red circle, there is still THREE QUARTS in the sump. Center red dot (3.75 quarts from empty) should always be your maximum oil level "full" mark.

[kirby]

Those plastic parts just plain ware out.
Just take out the plug and start the engine and see how much air pressure is slamming those parts. They flatten ever so slightly after the o rings ware.
I usually got about 65,000 miles before they leak, then the only fix I found was to replace them..upper and lower.

FINALLY bought a metal one that cures for good. If you keep it long/many miles plan on replacing as above or buying metal!
Just my .02

mike

[aretoo]

Thanks for the info guys!

I knew that it was a great idea to sign up here.

Picked up one of these.....

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B5K ... UTF8&psc=1

Is this a potential fix, or should I go ahead and find parts 5, 6, 8 on the fische?

Just spent my monthly allotment of $$$ on the upgraded cam chain tensioner and valve adjust feeler guages and vacuum bleeder.

[craigd]

This one is working well for me after a couple of months of use.

http://www.bmwmotorcycleaccessories.com ... 3-045C.htm

[aretoo]

The Horning part came in today along with my uprgaded cam chain tensioner (yay!).

Alas, when I replaced the plastic oil filler cap with the metal one, the cheap plastic neck (?) is totally spinning too.

It was easy to find the detent for its' normally seated position, but really? This is what BMW decided to use?

Can someone tell me more about the metal replacements?

[kirby]

Wonderlitch (google it) has one that I use, its a nice piece but pricy for some. There are others that are less expensive but I have no knowledge of quality or fit but bet they work fine. BMW uses the plastic ones for cost and most people don't ride these machines enough miles to ware one out. That would be somewhere around 35K before a leak or seep in my experience.

If you get one (wonderlitch) pay attention to the instructions on installation.

It will solve the problem as the all metal construction (lower and upper piece) can take the pounding of the positive/negitive pluses from the crankcase without ware. (For the wonderlitch part).

mike :-)

[aretoo]

I'm hip to Wunderlich. I have spent entirely too much time oggling the wonders contained within their virtual walls.

How much of the left side of the engine do I need to pull apart to change.

I assume that it is the same for the direct BMW replacement?

[kirby]

All that needs to be removed is the cover (valve)..4 bolts. The bottom piece screws in as I recall but be sure to read the directions and understand as you can do it wrong I guess (I've heard that). I did not have any trouble just follow the directions.
It has a special "key" that is on a steel ring about .75"dia. that you can put on your bike key ring? to unscrew it. That is overboard me thinks as a regular hex tool is more convenient but they say its for security encase somone wants to steal oil??? or a nasty person wants to add something to your oil/crasnkcase!

Actually a pair of pliers can remove in a pinch although you would probably mark up the aluminum.

I placed mine under the seat in the tool kit as I wanted it on the machine. I found it combersome on the key chain with the ignition key AND!! It caused a big error (made of steel!) in the compass I have mounted on the handlebar near the ignition sw. Aviators feel naked w/out a compass...not a GPS type while on the ground.

Phew!! That is probably more info than you wanted but......

I can say that 100k miles not a drop has leaked out or seeped!!!

'nough said!

:-)

[craigd]

The one that I linked above is both a cap and the part that stays in the valve cover. It is similar to the one from Wunderlich, but has a different key and costs a lot less. After removing the stock parts, it just pushes in and is held in place by set screws. Both parts are metal, and the cap screws in, so it makes a good seal and is plenty strong.

[aretoo]

Welp, that means that I should have waited and bought the Wunderlich part versus the one that I bought.

Rode the bike today maybe 40 miles after installing the upgraded cam chain tensioner as a "test" and it is still weeping. Albeit not as much.

[aretoo]

Moto Techniques oil filler upgrade arrived today.

It did not come with a manual. This ait rocket surgery, but I still want to make sure that I did it right.

I removed the Valve cover, removed old on (toasted) and pushed the new one in "fairly" hard to get the o ring to seat.

Added blue locktite to the threaded retainers.

My problem is that I don't know if the o ring will be seated far enough.

Help!

[kirby]

Moto Techniques oil filler upgrade arrived today.

It did not come with a manual. This ait rocket surgery, but I still want to make sure that I did it right.

I removed the Valve cover, removed old on (toasted) and pushed the new one in "fairly" hard to get the o ring to seat.

Added blue locktite to the threaded retainers.

My problem is that I don't know if the o ring will be seated far enough.

Help!

I'm not familiar with that brand so not knowing how??? can't help.

I would say follow the directions very carefuly and/or call the manufacturer with questions/or try it!

mike

[craigd]

When I installed mine, I pushed it in as far as I could and I think that the bottom of the plug assembly stuck out of the hole in the valve cover by about 1/8 of an inch. It's been a while though, so I don't remember exactly. If you are concerned, you could take it back out and measure the plug assembly and the valve cover to make sure of the relative positions. Alternately, if you take a picture it might refresh my memory enough to give a better opinion.

[aretoo]

I think that i installed it in such a way that there was roughly 1 mm sticking up on the inside of the cover.

I looked through the set screw holes before putting them in to make sure that there was a good seat essentially in the center of where the stock o-ring used to live.

Does that seem right?

Lets hope all is good, as I bit off a bunch today.

Fuel filter, full ABS brake bleed, Caliper piston clean as well as replacing all of the corroded wire loom wrapping under the tank.

Wont get him all buttoned up and running until friday morning as tomorrow is festivus.