Oil Leaks

[ChasF]

Changing the oil filter on my R100GS is causing the usual stress - should I fit the shim, should I use a paper gasket?? It’s a right old oily mess on the right side, I think there is a leak from the sump gasket but I don’t have one and won’t be able to get one before setting off next Tuesday so will leave it in place for the time being. The pushrod tubes seals are also seeping but having dismantled the pipes to the oil cooler I noticed there is only one washer on one pipe, none on the other, the one remaining is badly deformed aluminium but would copper ones do for the moment?

 

[cookie]

You need to measure how deep the canister is in the crank case to determine if you need a shim or a gasket. Most need a shim and almost none need a gasket IME.

Airhead oil filter canisters and white O-rings

Copper gaskets are fine. Probably better than ali and reusable if annealed.

 

[monoi]

I did mine recently as the specialist who worked on it before had not fitted the white o-ring and the rubber gaskets at either end of the oil filter were not fitting properly. So the oil was not going through the cooler (I realised it after I did sandraiders last year...).

I put the cover back with the shim, the o-ring and I made sure the gaskets on the filter were properly fitted. My understanding is that the shim is there to protect the o-ring so not really a shim. I can't remember if I fitted a paper gasket but I don't think I did. The banjo bolts have a copper gasket on each side on mine because that's what I had laying around (or you can get OEM from BMW). I just did Sandraiders 24 with an oil cooler doing its job.

 

[ChasF]

You need to measure how deep the canister is in the crank case to determine if you need a shim or a gasket. Most need a shim and almost none need a gasket IME.

Airhead oil filter canisters and white O-rings

Copper gaskets are fine. Probably better than ali and reusable if annealed.

Thanks for the link, the diagram is a bit clearer in hat one. I’ve just taken it apart and rearranged the bits plus changed the outer o ring from a new black one to a new white one although they are otherwise identical. I didn’t fit a paper gasket or use any RTV so should be able to tell if the white o ring is sealing properly. Made up some 20x12 copper washers so hopefully no leaks from the banjos. The next job is to repair the collector box and silencer and then I can take it for a test run. Still waiting on tyres and steering head bearings.

 

[ChasF]

I did mine recently as the specialist who worked on it before had not fitted the white o-ring and the rubber gaskets at either end of the oil filter were not fitting properly. So the oil was not going through the cooler (I realised it after I did sandraiders last year...).

I put the cover back with the shim, the o-ring and I made sure the gaskets on the filter were properly fitted. My understanding is that the shim is there to protect the o-ring so not really a shim. I can't remember if I fitted a paper gasket but I don't think I did. The banjo bolts have a copper gasket on each side on mine because that's what I had laying around (or you can get OEM from BMW). I just did Sandraiders 24 with an oil cooler doing its job.

I took the oil coiler off and fitted the older type filter when we went down to Cape Town as I was advised that the pipes were very exposed and could easily be damaged - in retrospect I should have left it in place.

How did you get on with the Sandraiders this time around. I remember your videos from last year - looked like hard work.

 

[Gelandestrasse]

Changing the oil filter on my R100GS is causing the usual stress - should I fit the shim, should I use a paper gasket?? It’s a right old oily mess on the right side, I think there is a leak from the sump gasket but I don’t have one and won’t be able to get one before setting off next Tuesday so will leave it in place for the time being. The pushrod tubes seals are also seeping but having dismantled the pipes to the oil cooler I noticed there is only one washer on one pipe, none on the other, the one remaining is badly deformed aluminium but would copper ones do for the moment?

On paper gaskets. If you use one it will seal the crankcase but not reveal if the o-ring is leaking (more important). So I think the wisdom is leave the paper gasket off.

While I'm on, you say that the black and white o-rings are identical. A few years ago I thought the same (with the ones I had). It turned out the black one was 3.5mm thick and the white one was 4mm thick. Sort of difficult to spot unless you use a measuring device (micrometer or calipers). But the 3.5mm one was too small and leaked profusely. So I tend to measure every one I put in. Maybe these days they supply black ones 4mm thick.

 

[ChasF]

On paper gaskets. If you use one it will seal the crankcase but not reveal if the o-ring is leaking (more important). So I think the wisdom is leave the paper gasket off.

While I'm on, you say that the black and white o-rings are identical. A few years ago I thought the same (with the ones I had). It turned out the black one was 3.5mm thick and the white one was 4mm thick. Sort of difficult to spot unless you use a measuring device (micrometer or calipers). But the 3.5mm one was too small and leaked profusely. So I tend to measure every one I put in. Maybe these days they supply black ones 4mm thick.

I was curious so I did measure them and they were both 4mm. As I see it if the white o-ring is fitted correctly there will be no need for a gasket between the cover and the crankcase and fitting one reduces the compression of the o-ring

 

[monoi]

I was curious so I did measure them and they were both 4mm. As I see it if the white o-ring is fitted correctly there will be no need for a gasket between the cover and the crankcase and fitting one reduces the compression of the o-ring

I think the one I fitted was black but the proper size.

 

[monoi]

I took the oil coiler off and fitted the older type filter when we went down to Cape Town as I was advised that the pipes were very exposed and could easily be damaged - in retrospect I should have left it in place.

How did you get on with the Sandraiders this time around. I remember your videos from last year - looked like hard work.

I did better than last year but I'm still the slowest of the bunch! There were 2 other GSs, one I was riding with who was going way faster than me so it's not the bike (I knew that...). I still have not got the hang of the sand yet, I'm embarrassingly slow

Lots more spills this year. Basically, I saw sand and I was going down...

The other GS was an old HPN prepared one but unfortunately it never ran properly, probably because some component did not like the heat (although it was much cooler this year). We could not figure it out. Funnily enough, the rider bought it to do sandraiders after he saw my videos!

 

[monoi]

Harry's garage has posted a couple of videos for this year. He does mention my GS...