Final Drive 180ml or 220?

[Mike Murphy]

Is it correct that BMW have dropped the quantity of oil required in
the final drive from 220 to180 millilitres, is this correct?
If so is only for new drives or for all drives
i.e. anyone changing the oil on any 1200 from now on?

 

[Steve E]

I've been changing the oil on my 05' Gs every 6k and put 220ml in and shall continue to do so.

Steve

 

[Spout]

AFAIK it's been dropped to 180ml for all drives.

It apparently reduces the risk of blowing the outer seal (common problem).

I've used 220ml every change and have suffered a blown seal. My drive bearing has gone aswell. Go figure.

Will be using 200ml from now on (hopefully a happy compromise).

 

[cookie]

i enquired at the dealers and it has been dropped to 180. affects all drives AFAIK.

a cynic might think it not altogether to do with seal blowing, but is it coincidence that the new level aligns with the "not a level hole" in the back of the casting?

 

[Peter]

I asked my dealer today what the FD oil volume was for R1200GS whilst the bike was in for a fuel pump module replacement. My seal is beginning to seep. The technician when away to look it up and came back to me to say that it had been changed to 180ml.

 

[Owen Snell]

I did mine with 220 ml, exactly measured with a syringe. Maybe at 220 there is a chance of over filling if care is not taken? The seal is OK 3k miles later and is cheap to replace anyway.

 

[rick]

I did mine with 220 ml, exactly measured with a syringe. Maybe at 220 there is a chance of over filling if care is not taken? The seal is OK 3k miles later and is cheap to replace anyway.

Not if it goes when you're in the middle of a tour of Europe.

 

[RickG]

a cynic might think it not altogether to do with seal blowing, but is it coincidence that the new level aligns with the "not a level hole" in the back of the casting?

I'm with Cookie on this one (are you sure about the level mate?). 40ml of extra space in the FD isn't going to make much difference to the pressure that we're assuming builds up in there. Given the engine oil pressure is what, 80psi? and this is happlily held back by the crankshaft oil seals, I don't think small pressure build up in the FD is the cause of the leakage problems. Much more importantly you are asking a smaller volume of oil to do the same work (miles per ml) in lubricating the gears and bearings, which given the number of failures, is not going to help matters.

If you consider that all is now apparently necessary to change the oil in post 2006 bikes is to undo the drain plug, drain oil and replace plug, open the rear-not-a-level-plug (aka new level plug) and bang in a big dollop of oil until it runs out (180ml) that takes about 5 min as opposed to the much longer task of filling via the ABS sensor hole after half-dropping the FD. Must save a fortune in labour costs, the saving is of course is bound to be passed on to the punter ..

How things have changed since the assertion they were filled for life..