Oil leak.....soooo embarrassing!

[oldnfat]

So, recently serviced my g/s PD.....done nothing different to the usual but I cannot stop oil leaking out of the filter cover. The bike isn't overfilled, fitted as per Haynes manual....not allot to go wrong. In desperation, I used some oil gasket sealant for a recent run out. Was fine but after a prolonged bit on the motorway it started weaping again.

I have used the split cartridge filter which is the only difference over previous occasions but can't see as this would have any bearing....any ideas as simply bunging it up with more sealant ain't the right answer.

A little embarrassing it doesn't take a degree in engineering to change the friggin oil!!!

Cheers for any suggestions.

 

[cookie]

I think you might have to measure the depth of the canister and shim the o ring appropriately.

 

[solidstate100]

I think you might have to measure the depth of the canister and shim the o ring appropriately.

Almost certainly the right answer. check/do this before you start the engine again as there is a very real possibility that if the o ring is not correctly shimmed, oil starvation may occur with destructive results.

 

[oldnfat]

Ok thanks for the advice....makes sense. Will report back with the results.

Cheers

 

[cookie]

check this article out

http://www.largiader.com/tech/filters/canister.html

 

[Kenny]

Yup, only two sizes of filter...oil cooler or without. Needs a gasket and don't forget to renew the large rubber ring ( I also replaced the shim - costs virtually nothing ) when I had a minor weep ( it was the rubber oil ring seal btw ).

 

[ChasF]

The split filter is the right one for the models with an oil cooler. I think it's a good idea to change the O ring and shim every time but even so there seems to be a variation between filters and the last time I changed mine it leaked slightly. In the end on the advice of one of the American sites I removed the paper gasket using a smear of silicon in its place.

 

[oldnfat]

Ok thanks all...really useful article, cheers Cookie. I took the paper gasket off and this seems to have done the job....clearly the fairly thick gasket that came with the filter meant I wasn't getting enough to pressure on the o ring. I am now left wondering if I have done any damage to the motor!

 

[ChasF]

You'll know if you've done any damage if the oil pressure light comes on at tick over - but I shouldn't think you have.

 

[Beemerboff]

I bought my GS from the States only BMW dealer, and I was told that it had just had a full service, by a factory trained mechanic.
Didnt stop me doing what I always do with a new to me vehicle, changing all the fluids and filters.
Just as well that I did, the O ring was so slack it had a twist in it, took 3 shims to get it compressed ! The oil light was not coming on, I did around 200 km with it like that and when I recently changed the big end shells at 250,000 km( on Mobil 1) they still looked as good as new, so hopefully your will be OK too.

 

[B Murr]

I bought my GS from the States only BMW dealer, and I was told that it had just had a full service, by a factory trained mechanic.
Didnt stop me doing what I always do with a new to me vehicle, changing all the fluids and filters.
Just as well that I did, the O ring was so slack it had a twist in it, took 3 shims to get it compressed ! The oil light was not coming on, I did around 200 km with it like that and when I recently changed the big end shells at 250,000 km( on Mobil 1) they still looked as good as new, so hopefully your will be OK too.

They didn't say what sort of factory he/she was trained in did they? Could have been a carpet factory.

 

[Beemerboff]

He was a natural German speaker, so I assumed he had been sent out by the fatherland.
The local cops had 42 Oilheads and I assumed he was sent out from the factory to do part of the warranty work on them - it was more than a full time job for the dealers two mechanics, and even with the two locals there was a six week wait before even warranty work could be inspected, and a four week wait before it was approved.
Then up to twelve weeks wait before the parts arrived in the container with the next shipment of bikes.
And then six weeks and four again, so a two year oil oilhead on its third gearbox could have spent less than three months on the road, and this was typical for most of the guys I met there.
The cops crashed and wrote off enough bikes to give them a half decent source of spares, and there were six spare bikes in the system to try and ensure that there were always 36 running- but that didnt seem to be enough, and the cops without bikes just hung around the dealers workshop/ warehouse drinking coffee and yarning with the customers who didnt have rideable bike either.
The warehouse was needed to store all the bikes waiting on warranty repairs, usually 50/60 bikes.
Airheads and Aprilla made Funduros were the last BMW badged bikes worth buying, in Oz anyway.

 

[cookie]

Very few need a gasket. Most will be incorrectly assembled if they have one.

The split filters are for models with awkward access.