Oil Leak from Crack in Crankcase

[(RIP) spike418]

Just put my 1997 R1100 GS in for its MOT.
The bike had developed an oil leak in the past week and I asked garage to look at that as I could not see where it originated from.

Result being a crack about an inch and a half running from the centre stand bolt.

Suggestions to sort it are currently as follows.

1. Strip down and replace crankcase (OUCH!)

2. Remove centre stand and seal with liquid metal. Only use side stand in future.

3. Buy a second hand engine (poss even an 1150?) and replace with that.

The garage thought the centre stand was the possible culprit as thats the only real stress on that bit.

Help and suggestions gratefully received

 

[Steptoe]

I've seen a few of these cracks - One bike was a write off. Usually happens after a car has nudged it while on the centre stand, and doesn't appear until a few weeks later. I posted it here in the tech forum at the time.

Only seems to effect the 1100's, never seen it happen to an 1150.

Have you had your bike long ? perhaps yours is one of the bodge "fixed" bikes.

 

[(RIP) spike418]

I've seen a few of these cracks - One bike was a write off. Usually happens after a car has nudged it while on the centre stand, and doesn't appear until a few weeks later. I posted it here in the tech forum at the time.

Only seems to effect the 1100's, never seen it happen to an 1150.

Have you had your bike long ? perhaps yours is one of the bodge "fixed" bikes.

Hi Steptoe

I have had the bike for 12 months, not aware of any nudges from cars and the case looks clean and "unbodged". I am attaching a copy of your pic with a red line inserted where the crack is and about the right size crack!

 

[D6]

junk the stand and seal it for now?take it to a good welding firm, see if they can get a
t i g set in to weld it in situ, iv seen it done before ,,,,IF they are good

 

[(RIP) spike418]

junk the stand and seal it for now?take it to a good welding firm, see if they can get a
t i g set in to weld it in situ, iv seen it done before ,,,,IF they are good

Cheers for that

 

[kico400]

crankcase

hi, I´m Francisco from portugal.
my r 1100 gs (1994) has the same problem , exactly in that spot ,i don´t know if there is a relation but my bike produces a lot of white smoke.
i´m looking for a rebuilt or a second hand engine.

is your problem solved ? how ?

 

[D6]

hi, I´m Francisco from portugal.
my r 1100 gs (1994) has the same problem , exactly in that spot ,i don´t know if there is a relation but my bike produces a lot of white smoke.
i´m looking for a rebuilt or a second hand engine.

is your problem solved ? how ?

muppet on this forum has an engine for sale

 

[(RIP) spike418]

muppet on this forum has an engine for sale

Thanks for pointing this out

I think my options are seal or sorn in the short term!
Having recently needed to replace Land Rover clutch, exhaust and head gasket the "toy fund" is running low

 

[delpel]

muppet on this forum has an engine for sale

I've got a rebuilt 1150 single spark engine for sale. It does have the faster black case though

PM me for details, photo's if interested.

 

[Colban]

Somebody may know otherwise or be able to confirm one way or another;but i'm sure i've read that the 1100 and the 1150 are not interchangeable.
Something to do with the transmission mounting.

 

[Tsiklonaut]

Weld?

Isn't the crank weldable from there?

Yeah, you have to rip the engine competely apart and casing into 2 bits if necesary, but then you can weld it, grind all the surfaces to even, polish the surfaces IF they reach reach under the cranckase seal(?)

Bottom of the crank serves no special oil flow-dynamics etc purpose, it just serves as an oil "intake" pan for a wet-sump engine, so should be weldable? Any thoughts on the easy welding idea vs the complete engine replacement?

 

[Stewart H]

I would have thought welding in situ to be reasonably feasible, remove the stand, sump plate and there might be room, TBH a really good job using Epoxy like JB weld or similar might do as well, failing that there was a product called lumiweld which was/is popular with the restorers/classic car/bike guys which seems to be some kind of alloy soldering process, ie a blowlamp, I would get pretty inventive before shelling out on another engine.

Stewart

 

[Deleted member CB]

Lumiweld needs the parts being "welded" to be heated to IIRR about 380c(?), that's the problem with large items.

I've had really good strong results with smaller parts, brake/clutch lever ball ends for example, but had real trouble doing a cracked alloy car sump, with it off the car it first has to be SPOTLESSLY clean, then I had great difficulty getting enough heat into it, eventually just managed to do it with a combination of 3 blow lamps!!

For Lumiweld you would never get the GS motor clean enough in situ (oil in the crack), & wouldn't be able to get it hot enough.

 

[(RIP) spike418]

A quick update. Saw the guy last night and he had removed centre stand. He is going to grind out crack a bit and then use something like JB weld. He has high hopes of success. Possibly may have bike back later and I will post pics of repair if I do.

Thanks for all the responses

 

[Shurv]

Fingers crossed Nige

 

[nunesaf]

hi, I´m Francisco from portugal.
my r 1100 gs (1994) has the same problem , exactly in that spot ,i don´t know if there is a relation but my bike produces a lot of white smoke.
i´m looking for a rebuilt or a second hand engine.

is your problem solved ? how ?

Sorry guys

Francisco, try to go to http://www.nomadstrail.net/forum/index.php and ask for the president (Carlos Azevedo) or Carlos Martins. Carlos had a crack on the gearbox his 1100GS in the Sahara in his trip as a tribute to Elmer Symons. He managed to get it extremelly well welded and you can ask for the point of contact there in Portugal.

Otherwise, PM-me

Boa sorte

 

[(RIP) spike418]

Fingers crossed Nige

Cheers mate !
My baby is in the garage just down the lane from my place , you know the Diesel one (?????????????)...........

Anyhow, sealing/filling done and centre stand removed. There was a problem with a broken bolt (from the centre stand) on the opposite side of crankcase to the crack so possibly that weakness put more stress on other side hence result?

Had to leave it for 24 hours before oil is put back but should be on road tonight

Then have to book the Disco in to get rear axle sealed up........