Gearbox leaks
- Thread starter Bertie
- Start date
bsogri
Registered user
oil lea\ks
my engine seal was replaced under warranty at 18,000 miles it has done 50000 now and has been ok [touch wood] however my gearbox output seal has been replaced three times now, final drive has started to leak again, this will be third diff , whats going on here, the diff is three months out of warranty and could cause an argument, [it was replaced exactly twelve months ago, ] when gearbox seal replaced , they replaced oil in diff , which they said was the worst ,dirtiest, smelliest oil they have ever looked at, [tell bmw that, fitted for life] , after last rear drive replaced i don,t think they did 500 lie oil change on it, anyway apart from that the bike is great
my engine seal was replaced under warranty at 18,000 miles it has done 50000 now and has been ok [touch wood] however my gearbox output seal has been replaced three times now, final drive has started to leak again, this will be third diff , whats going on here, the diff is three months out of warranty and could cause an argument, [it was replaced exactly twelve months ago, ] when gearbox seal replaced , they replaced oil in diff , which they said was the worst ,dirtiest, smelliest oil they have ever looked at, [tell bmw that, fitted for life] , after last rear drive replaced i don,t think they did 500 lie oil change on it, anyway apart from that the bike is great
Bertie
Registered user
Gearbox leaks - cont'd..... (p.s. NN winglets)
Just to let you all know that BMW HQ quickly replied to my email re "oil mist", encouraging me to go to Wollaston's Northampton to get it checked. They added reassurance that they would consider this as a warranty claim, even though mine ran out in May.
Alex at Wollaston's confirmed the "oil mist" was the portent of doom, and I left the bike there there and then and cadged a lift home on my mate's LT. Alex seemed confident that BMW would cover the costs on a goodwill basis, so I am encouraged thus far. I'll let you know the final outcome.
As a footnote, I fitted NN winglets during the week, and the ride over to Wollaston's (leaving oil slick behind!) seemed to prove that the things work at stopping the buffeting, even at high speeds.
Just to let you all know that BMW HQ quickly replied to my email re "oil mist", encouraging me to go to Wollaston's Northampton to get it checked. They added reassurance that they would consider this as a warranty claim, even though mine ran out in May.
Alex at Wollaston's confirmed the "oil mist" was the portent of doom, and I left the bike there there and then and cadged a lift home on my mate's LT. Alex seemed confident that BMW would cover the costs on a goodwill basis, so I am encouraged thus far. I'll let you know the final outcome.
As a footnote, I fitted NN winglets during the week, and the ride over to Wollaston's (leaving oil slick behind!) seemed to prove that the things work at stopping the buffeting, even at high speeds.
bustupbiker
Registered user
Had my oil seals replaced on Thursday By Williams ManChester all FOC.
May 05 also, speak as you would wish others to speak to you when talking with the service guy. I had my reply from BMW uk within 10mins of the good will request being sent.
mine's not leaking but
bluebell are replacing them as a recall. my gsa has now done 18k. does this meen that bmw have now recognised this is a manufacturing fault and have decided to recall all 12s.
bluebell are replacing them as a recall. my gsa has now done 18k. does this meen that bmw have now recognised this is a manufacturing fault and have decided to recall all 12s.
dizzyrascal
Registered user
THIS IS NOTHING NEW
Chaps
I have a 1100 that has the same fault with the engine gearbox seal, this is not new and BMW will be well aware that they have been unable to find a solution to this fault in the boxer engine.
I will say that this is not always a terminal problem and in fact the smear of oil might never be any more than that, I have had this with my bike for the last 15000 miles and thats it the oil has not contaminated the clutch.
There is no need to panic if your bike develops this fault, if you can get the seals replaced by BMW go for it, if not just ride the bike the worst seniro is that the seals will need replacing at some time and if you are doing this you might just as well renew the clutch anyway.
It is reading these threads that has resulted in my having decided to keep the 1100 and not change to a 1200. BMW must know that this problem remains an issue and will continue to do so.
Regards
Mike
Chaps
I have a 1100 that has the same fault with the engine gearbox seal, this is not new and BMW will be well aware that they have been unable to find a solution to this fault in the boxer engine.
I will say that this is not always a terminal problem and in fact the smear of oil might never be any more than that, I have had this with my bike for the last 15000 miles and thats it the oil has not contaminated the clutch.
There is no need to panic if your bike develops this fault, if you can get the seals replaced by BMW go for it, if not just ride the bike the worst seniro is that the seals will need replacing at some time and if you are doing this you might just as well renew the clutch anyway.
It is reading these threads that has resulted in my having decided to keep the 1100 and not change to a 1200. BMW must know that this problem remains an issue and will continue to do so.
Regards
Mike
JIm
Registered user
HI,
I posted a couple of weesk ago and said that I'd noticed the "black oil smudge of doom" on the side but there was no oil as such underneath the engine. Well it lasted 1800 miles of fastish motorway riding and I have noticed oil now collecting under the join. No clutch slip...yet! so it seems not to be a sudden failure. Its due a 18K service so I'll contact the dealer and combine them both, it is still under warranty. Interesting that someone has mentioned that their dealer is treating this as a reacall.
Jim
I posted a couple of weesk ago and said that I'd noticed the "black oil smudge of doom" on the side but there was no oil as such underneath the engine. Well it lasted 1800 miles of fastish motorway riding and I have noticed oil now collecting under the join. No clutch slip...yet! so it seems not to be a sudden failure. Its due a 18K service so I'll contact the dealer and combine them both, it is still under warranty. Interesting that someone has mentioned that their dealer is treating this as a reacall.
Jim
Wildcat
Guest
Oil seal gremlins
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112109
My earlier thread (one of many) - 2 thousand miles on and no sign of clutch slip ..... yet. Still interested to hear from any 1200 owner who has NOT bothered to get it fixed by a dealer and either is still running with it or has fixed it themselves. I'm convinced my leak is from the engine side rather than the gearbox, so I'm still hopeful that the clutch is less at risk from that side. For the record, in 1993 my old airhead 1000 GS suffered clutch slip at only 9k from a gearbox seal.
Interesting note above about Blue Belle - over a year out of warranty I was offered assistance with the parts cost which seemed fair enough, but no mention of a re-call. Might give them a ring.
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112109
My earlier thread (one of many) - 2 thousand miles on and no sign of clutch slip ..... yet. Still interested to hear from any 1200 owner who has NOT bothered to get it fixed by a dealer and either is still running with it or has fixed it themselves. I'm convinced my leak is from the engine side rather than the gearbox, so I'm still hopeful that the clutch is less at risk from that side. For the record, in 1993 my old airhead 1000 GS suffered clutch slip at only 9k from a gearbox seal.
Interesting note above about Blue Belle - over a year out of warranty I was offered assistance with the parts cost which seemed fair enough, but no mention of a re-call. Might give them a ring.
oil leak
was under my 1200 this morning and there is a not so nice mist of oil over the bottom of the gearbox, mine just out of warranty and 21000 miles so its down to the dealer on tuesday to see if bmw will pay to get it fixed.
was under my 1200 this morning and there is a not so nice mist of oil over the bottom of the gearbox, mine just out of warranty and 21000 miles so its down to the dealer on tuesday to see if bmw will pay to get it fixed.
Chris Terry
Registered user
One of the "standard" problem\features
Nordkapper
Registered user
Mine is an early '05 reg bike.
First had this problem sorted at 14,000 miles on my bike (gearbox off, etc).
Now the bike is in for the second time at 33,000 miles (gearbox off again).
This has to be the most serious issue that BMW have yet to resolve.
First had this problem sorted at 14,000 miles on my bike (gearbox off, etc).
Now the bike is in for the second time at 33,000 miles (gearbox off again).
This has to be the most serious issue that BMW have yet to resolve.
Jinxit
Registered user
Had mine replaced in Feb then again in may this time with clutch and the oil leak is now back. Who said that once the seals are replaced then all is ok??
'nother on the list.....mine is 7 months old - 17,000 miles.....so Battersea is replacing under warranty today. No problem noted other than the oil weeping, I just had it in for a premature 18k service before my Italian trip next week.
gearbox leak
took mine to canon's today. showed them the leak. was told it's not much of a leak
asked them to submite goodwill warrenty claim, was told bike had high milage so bmw more than likely say no. not what i wanted to hear. 21000 miles 
, 26 months old. so if you want to ride round the world make it take more than 5 years or bmw will say its too high milage for the year. think i will ask bmw if they want to sell boormans bike ....must be worth £50 after all that milage in a few months 
. am now waiting for the reply from bmw.
took mine to canon's today. showed them the leak. was told it's not much of a leak
asked them to submite goodwill warrenty claim, was told bike had high milage so bmw more than likely say no. not what i wanted to hear. 21000 miles , 26 months old. so if you want to ride round the world make it take more than 5 years or bmw will say its too high milage for the year. think i will ask bmw if they want to sell boormans bike ....must be worth £50 after all that milage in a few months . am now waiting for the reply from bmw.JIm
Registered user
Please understand that my 1200GSA is, I would say is one of, or even the best bike I have ever owned. I have been on my soap box to convert others to the fold, at least one who rode a HD!
However, mine has to go in for the leak to be sorted, a bit embarrasing since the bike is maketed on "round the World and roughty-toughty type longlivity".
What is the problem?
After all these years BM must have some kind of experience of making oil tight engines.
I have listened to all manner of horror stories on this forum and put them down to the amount of units sold and you only hear about the bad stuff, but this fault seems to a bit too numerous.
It is a "not if-but when" type fault.
When you talk to other GS owners the conversation often comes round to "had the leak yet?"
I should not be looking under an £10k, 18month old bike for a known oil leak, well not in front of other people!
I've had two GSs now, a standard and Adventure, both had/have the fault.
It does seem that BM are bieng helpful, which is good, but perhaps they should have fitted componants that are fit for purpose in the first place.
Think, how much has it cost BM?, must be huge!
Anyway, I am sorry if this post is like a "disgusted from Tonbridge Wells" type thing, this is my first "rant" on the forum, it may be caffine induced, so I will read it later!
Jim
However, mine has to go in for the leak to be sorted, a bit embarrasing since the bike is maketed on "round the World and roughty-toughty type longlivity".
What is the problem?
After all these years BM must have some kind of experience of making oil tight engines.
I have listened to all manner of horror stories on this forum and put them down to the amount of units sold and you only hear about the bad stuff, but this fault seems to a bit too numerous.
It is a "not if-but when" type fault.
When you talk to other GS owners the conversation often comes round to "had the leak yet?"
I should not be looking under an £10k, 18month old bike for a known oil leak, well not in front of other people!
I've had two GSs now, a standard and Adventure, both had/have the fault.
It does seem that BM are bieng helpful, which is good, but perhaps they should have fitted componants that are fit for purpose in the first place.
Think, how much has it cost BM?, must be huge!
Anyway, I am sorry if this post is like a "disgusted from Tonbridge Wells" type thing, this is my first "rant" on the forum, it may be caffine induced, so I will read it later!
Jim
ampthill
Registered user
- and had mine done at only 2000miles, but been alright since, now at 30 000 
- has anyone had to pay to have this done rather than be covered under warranty/goodwill? If so I'd be interested to know how much it cost.It would not be quite so much of a concern if BMW had clearly identified and corrected the problem but this seems not to be the case. At first it was rumoured that an improved design/manufacture of oil seal would cure the problem but this seems unlikely as we are seeing several re-occurrances after the seals have been replaced.
It does really make me reconsider my decision to trade my 2004 Gs for another boxer (GS or 12S).
It does really make me reconsider my decision to trade my 2004 Gs for another boxer (GS or 12S).
ausgsa12
Guest
07 GSA oil leaks
I have an 06 GSA with 47,000klms on the clock and no sign of a leak ...yet.
It would be interesting to know if anyone has had the problem with a 07 GSA or
07 GS.....if they had would that point the blame at a design fault.. rather than a
"faulty seal"?
I have an 06 GSA with 47,000klms on the clock and no sign of a leak ...yet.
It would be interesting to know if anyone has had the problem with a 07 GSA or
07 GS.....if they had would that point the blame at a design fault.. rather than a
"faulty seal"?
Oil Seal Failures - Some Simple Sums
I don't suppose that there is a cat's chance in hell of finding the real answer, but I really would like to know what percentage of 1200GS/GSAs have been affected by this recognised fault. It is so hard to tell from forums as I don't know whether we are simply a very small noisy minority or not.
According to MCIA figures there were 1,468 GSs and 809 GSAs registered new in the UK in 2006, the figures weren't far off that in 2005 (and my bike was one of them). So of the registrations so far in 2007; the 2,277 in 2006; the 2,000+ in 2005; the 2,000+ in 2004, plus the other models with the 1200 boxer engine (e.g. 500+ 1200RTs in each of those years), there must be pushing 10,000 R1200 boxer-engined in bikes on the road in the UK.
How many have suffered failed engine/gearbox seals 2% 5% 10%?
If 10% fail, then that would represent about 1,000 units, over 3 years and across the 25 UK dealers that is an average of one bike per month each to fix the problem. Now I know that sales vary across the country but I'll bet you that Park Lane are doing one a week at least (judging by the speed they did mine - me:"that was quick!" them: "yes, we do a lot of these"), in which case I would estimate that about 30% of bikes have this problem - at least once. I suspect that this is a conservative estimate.
Just a guess though.
I don't suppose that there is a cat's chance in hell of finding the real answer, but I really would like to know what percentage of 1200GS/GSAs have been affected by this recognised fault. It is so hard to tell from forums as I don't know whether we are simply a very small noisy minority or not.
According to MCIA figures there were 1,468 GSs and 809 GSAs registered new in the UK in 2006, the figures weren't far off that in 2005 (and my bike was one of them). So of the registrations so far in 2007; the 2,277 in 2006; the 2,000+ in 2005; the 2,000+ in 2004, plus the other models with the 1200 boxer engine (e.g. 500+ 1200RTs in each of those years), there must be pushing 10,000 R1200 boxer-engined in bikes on the road in the UK.
How many have suffered failed engine/gearbox seals 2% 5% 10%?
If 10% fail, then that would represent about 1,000 units, over 3 years and across the 25 UK dealers that is an average of one bike per month each to fix the problem. Now I know that sales vary across the country but I'll bet you that Park Lane are doing one a week at least (judging by the speed they did mine - me:"that was quick!" them: "yes, we do a lot of these"), in which case I would estimate that about 30% of bikes have this problem - at least once. I suspect that this is a conservative estimate.
Just a guess though.
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