FD unit oil change, glad I looked.

[Timpo]

I got a pair of Tourances to fit this week, so whipped the wheels off today. Whilst the bikes down, I decided to change the FD oil and check the pinnion and driveshaft...... I'm glad I did.
The bike has covered only 11k miles, never used off road or in fords (I'm too scarred to!).
Before undoing the torquearm bolt I flushed the FD with a litre of semi-synth gear oil with the bike running in first gear. Injecting the oil in the filler hole and allowing the excess to run out.
I then proceeded to cock the FD down on the lower pivot, removing the torquearm bolt it swang down easily enough.
There was water in the lower part of the swingarm, though not enough for the driveshaft UJ to be running in, but if there was anymore it would of been. So if your a hardened ford rider, I'd be checking your water level regularly
The pinnion to driveshaft splines were dry as a bone, with a red ferrous powder dusting on the splines. This has been assembled with no 'moly assembly paste' used, absolute sh!te Mr BMW, that's basics!
The rest of the FD oil was drained.
I checked the pinnion for wear, as Patzx12 has described in his thread. There was no pinnion play evident.
I have decided to fit a breather to the FD casing, and I'm going to drill through into the casing void using the hole where the outer crudcatcher screw used to fit. Using a 6mm bicycle hydraulic brake pipe kit, the banjobolt and fittings are perfect size to fit this mod. This should prevent any FD internal pressure accelerating oil seal wear.
The oil going back in is Castrol SAF-XJ 75-140.
I'll use a smear of Rocol Dry Moly Paste on the pinnion/driveshaft splines when boxing the assembly back up.
Quite pleased really, it kept me out of the pub for an afternoon, and I may of prevented an FD failure........ hopefully!

Timpo.

 

[Ian Lynch]

Cheers for the tip Timpo.
I'll pull mine apart and grease the splines but best I leave drilling hople in it untill the warranty is over.

Catch up with you soon,

Lynchy

 

[GrinningGSer]

The pinnion to driveshaft splines were dry as a bone, with a red ferrous powder dusting on the splines. This has been assembled with no 'moly assembly paste' used, absolute sh!te Mr BMW, that's basics!

Strange that Timpo... my driveshaft looked like this, when I looked at it last year. Dry as a bone, red ferrous dusting. 4000 miles. No fording whatsoever:

It is now well Moly lubed !

 

[patzx12]

I changed the oil on my well thrashed 05 GS1200 today, it was nice clean oil a golden brown and to my knowlage it has never been changed before. bike would have around 25k miles done.
A big contrast to the oil out of my GSA when I changed it some time before the rebuild.
The oil out of this bike was grey and very smelly like a stink bomb, on hind sight it must have been contaminated by the fine residue of the failed bearing.
I would say the condition of the oil would be a good indicator of the FD condition.
I will post this on my "Inside my FD" thread as well.

 

[Timpo]

Strange that Timpo... my driveshaft looked like this, when I looked at it last year. Dry as a bone, red ferrous dusting. 4000 miles. No fording whatsoever:

So what did Mr BMW have to say about that?
This is a serious issue and a timebomb waiting to throw you off.......
I can't believe such a construction/assembly issue is not being followed up by the marque!

Timpo.

 

[Timpo]

Has then pinnion side of the Hardy-splicer/UJ shattered, I can't see from that angle?

Timpo.

 

[st247]

It does apear to be a lottery. Just changed my final drive oil at 20k (05 1200). First change it's had, oil was nice and clean, no swarf on the abs sensor and the driveshaft was well lubed and spotless. It's not like i've been carefull to keep it out of the water either. Plenty of fording and a fair bit of muddy off roading. No detectable play in the pinion either.

 

[Dennis the Menace]

Timpo , ABS sensor is also the breather, should have aflat on it , so you shouldnt get any internal pressure in FD uint.

 

[patzx12]

If you ride through water it,s bound to bugger things up, with any car or bike it will need extra maintanance, drive shafts, joints, wheel bearings, brake calipers. a good strip down and clean, lube, and inspection once a year. More often if you ford in sea water.

 

[harry]

If you ride through water it,s bound to bugger things up, with any car or bike it will need extra maintanance, drive shafts, joints, wheel bearings, brake calipers. a good strip down and clean, lube, and inspection once a year. More often if you ford in sea water.

Pat, is it a bad thing to stick a garden hose up the hole/slot in the drive shaft housing in an effort to clean it out?

 

[patzx12]

I don,t go off road but I give the rear end of the bike a good clean from time to time, tooth brush and Gunk also WD40.
I take off the rear wheel to get at the suspension.

 

[harry]

I don,t go off road but I give the rear end of the bike a good clean from time to time, tooth brush and Gunk also WD40.
I take off the rear wheel to get at the suspension.

Thanks for that. I've been playing the hose up that slot underneath and am worried now that I may have done some harm.

 

[GrinningGSer]

Has then pinnion side of the Hardy-splicer/UJ shattered, I can't see from that angle?

Timpo.

Nothing shattered or broken as far as I know, unless you can see something that I have missed.

 

[RickG]

Has then pinnion side of the Hardy-splicer/UJ shattered, I can't see from that angle?

Timpo.

Think you're mistaking what looks like heavily graunched metal bits for a mixture of the white grease BuMW uses for lubing the splines and the unhealthy coating of rust covering the steel bits. had me going for a while too

 

[Gazzabart]

part of servicing ??

can anyone in the know advise why dealers wont check the oil in the FD
mine 06 GSA has never had the oil changed or checked
bike has had 600m 6k 12k 18k and the 24k in 18 months that i have owned the bike
when i questioned the dealer they said it was not part of the 24k service and would cost an extra £45.00 to have it checked and changed (oil i mean)
why the reluctance to service such a known problematic part ????

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

They were originally 'sealed for life' and not supposed to need doing.

That changed (I thought in '06 ) to having the oil changed at first service.

Whatever, mine (an '05) gets done once a year.

Andres

 

[Pukmeister]

Bahnstormer sells Castrol SAF-XO at £15 for a 1 litre bottle. Considering you need approx 230ml to do a change, thats 4 years worth of annual changes for £15 and an hours spannering every year.

Is it worth risking an FD failure for that money.

 

[Gazzabart]

thanks Outto
still find it strange that BMW feel the need to look and poss change the oil within the first 600 miles but 23400miles later they dont seem to feel its important to look at or change it unless you request it and cough up £45.00 to change it

 

[Gazzabart]

i will ask the same question again

Bahnstormer sells Castrol SAF-XO at £15 for a 1 litre bottle. Considering you need approx 230ml to do a change, thats 4 years worth of annual changes for £15 and an hours spannering every year.

Is it worth risking an FD failure for that money.

thats my whole point - why wont the dealers do it as part of the service and if any of us did the oil change and did somthing wrong would the warranty be invalid ????

 

[Pukmeister]

thats my whole point - why wont the dealers do it as part of the service and if any of us did the oil change and did somthing wrong would the warranty be invalid ????

Because it is not in the official service schedule as issued by BMW to the dealers. The dealers only do what they are supposed to, nothing else. I believe this is an issue for BMW themselves and not the dealer network.

BMW decided it was satisfactorily filled for life based presumably on their own research and development work. In my experience to the contrary (3 final drives) I feel it needs doing at regular intervals.

If it was part of a planned routine service schedule, it would get done (for an increase in price of the service fee to cover it obviously).

I agree with you that perhaps it should be done routinely, but unfortunately for now that means either DIY or else pay an added fee at service time for it as an extra service item. As for warranty, if it fails within warranty you are covered anyway.