Problem with BMW dealer work today- left bike very low on oil or empty - What thoughts?

MotoRevive said:
I've done many engine courses thank you. For BMW, Suzuki , Kawasaki etc. I've rebuild, tuned and modified thousands of engines over the last 25 years.

You're obviously the pedantic type.
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MotoRevive said:
Oprah might want to do an interview...

Get a grip...
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Did you miss his thesis on tyres ? He’s an authority on them too….
 
So forum poster - i think it wrong, shot down.

Dealer - protecting the industry and dealers - it will be alright mate :D Even banged the word troll in, to discredit character instead do content. Probably racist and homophobic also, if if it helps win.

Yeah sounds like trustworthy independent defence of shit service.
 
EPG_19 said:
So forum poster - i think it wrong, shot down.

Dealer - protecting the industry and dealers - it will be alright mate :D Even banged the word troll in, to discredit character instead do content. Probably racist and homophobic also, if if it helps win.

Yeah sounds like trustworthy independent defence of shit service.
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So how do you account for the oil “loss” ?
 
MotoRevive said:
As a BMW tech at a main dealer, may I chirp in with an opinion...

Even the best technicians at the best dealers make mistakes. It's not a reason for anyone to loose their mind and make a huge fuss about it if the dealer is prepared to correct their mistakes and rectify the situation.

It happens !! Very rarely, but it does happen.

There is no one on this forum who in their professional life hasn't made an error at work due to a lapse of concentration. It doesn't mean they're an awful person or bad at their job. But I absolutely agree that you paid a premium price for what should be a premium service. And you have been let down.

If your bike didn't have enough oil in it, you would certainly know about it. I know what a bike sounds like with no oil in it. It's not something you could ride through without noticing. Your oil pressure light went out which means that you certainly had enough oil in it to prevent any kind of damage. Have you checked the level on the center stand ? There is only about 500ml difference between an empty sight glass and a full one. It sounds like you have an older hex head. So I'd be even less worried again.

The process to replace oil is to 90% fill it up, run the bike for a minute to prime the pump and tensioners and then top it up. My guess is that the tech forgot the second stage for some reason. Or maybe he used a measured amount with an inaccurate oil jug. Or perhaps the autofill feature on their oil pump was set incorrectly. It happens !! Although it should have been checked before handover.

I do believe you're within your rights to ask for the bike to be collected and the service to be checked over thoroughly. That's what we would do if it happened at our place.

The chances are that the tech will be mortified at the error. But your bike will be just fine.
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I used to go to your previous bmw dealer and it was always a very happy experience with no issues with you or your fellow mechs, i had a similar issue with a dealer when in for a service the oil was over filled. After a discussion with a person from said dealership the offending tech ( we all do make errors) was dispatched to my home address all was sorted apologies offered plus discounts added for next visit which I have asked for you (in early May) to attend to my stead. I have made plenty of mistakes in my life as I'm sure a lot of others have , they are annoying but no one was injured or died.
 
MotoRevive said:
I've done many engine courses thank you. For BMW, Suzuki , Kawasaki etc. I've rebuild, tuned and modified thousands of engines over the last 25 years.

You're obviously the pedantic tyre. No doubt you'll come back and say "I'm an engineer". Or I used to do this or that. Or you're another expert of some other type. But you just sound like a forum troll. With a workshop manual open in front of you so you can quote numbers and try to look intelligent. I've met plenty of people like you. Bore off !!

But by your reply I already know you're talking out of your arse and have very little real world experience. You'd literally be laughed out of any workshop.

I admit I didn't fully read his post and assumed he'd had an oil and filter service too. But you didn't either because he hasn't said he's put any oil in it yet. Or even checked it properly.

He's had his valves done. So the covers removed. A job i've done literally THOUSANDS of times. You may loose half a liter from both the cases if they're removed when the oil is hot. Far less if the engine was cold.

I didn't say his bike was fine. I said it was likely to be. I've seen his generation of bike run for thousands of miles with far less oil in it. The pump scavenge draws from far less than full fill.

What do you suggest ? The dealer buys him a new engine because it's half a litre down ? Maybe he should write to his MP. Oprah might want to do an interview...

Get a grip...
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in my first post last night I wrote

if its an air cooled bike the gearbox is a separate component and does not share its oil with the engine
and the valve clearance check will not allow enough engine oil to escape that you can measure the difference - unless some moron had it on the side stand when left valve cover came off...

so a low oil level would more likely be a result of your usage ? however after doing the valve clearances they had a duty to check the engine oil before handing back the bike

letting them clear up the situation will mean you will never know how low the oil level is - I would top it up to the correct level noting how much its takes... if its less than 1 litre and you where driving gently before the dealer work and the ride home - I would do an oil and filter change, check to see the colour of what comes out and likely and not care....

if it needs more than 2 litres and you have been ragging the bike about and now its a nasty colour and smell I'd worry - perhaps the guy was on autopilot and drained the engine oil - the light coming on is concerning
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and my second post I wrote

the oil pressure light is a dim witted joke - it can extinguish with a vaguely intermittent 5 to 6 psi of oil pressure - which we can get with less than 1/2 ltr of hideously overheated and totally destroyed engine oil almost circulating - (in such a situation it of course means almost certainly it would have severe engine damage)

one of the main purposes of having the quantity of oil the manu recommends in there, is to allow engine and its own oil to cool down sufficiently - old world oils would rapidly self destruct at 200C, posh synthetics can survive up to 320C for short periods... When we can have the bottom of the piston crown at 600C easily, it takes very little for an engine under high stress to overheat oil when there is dramatically too little in there... (it is after all why engines always go bang on motorways... about 30 seconds after the first glimpse of an oil light)
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whether you wish to be rude and repeat your drivel, that's up to you - I'm correct as I clearly said above - and yes thanks, fully qualified vehicle tech that did real courses on engines at RR and Jag
 
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Wapping said:
Doubles the outrage, I guess.
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didnt think I had the right forum so reposted, guess I shouldn't have, just wanted advice really because of the light situ and if any damage could be done.
In the event I did what I said I would and filled up in small quantities. took about 3/4 litre.
As someone else said it was only slightly below sight window.
I didnt have oil changed as not long done it myself.
only 8-10 miles from dealers to home and driving on new tyres as stated.
Went back to dealer after filled. they turned off service light and checked all okay.
oil looks and smells fine . I will change again if 3000 mies.
I check my oil each time before a ride . I know the level it should be when completely cold.
I think the tech a bit embarrassed as didnt refill when covers put back on.
rest of work checked, confirmed okay.
did me a favour I guess as more miles on new tyres on dry roads today.
also whilst I was waiting I was looking at jackets and found a new Bmw pacedry jacket reduced form £400 to £150 and it fit perfectly. on sale as label size completely wrong. my Rallye jacket always been a bit snug and this one perfect.
kind of a result.
Thanks for the advice/ thoughts. kind of sorry I posted as it all seemed to get a bit nasty.
cheers Jim
 
JW
Real world experience, :) , it's a posh Tractor ;) (The single cam units are proper tractors :D )

My hexhead suffered from being filled with the more popular viscosity oil and boy, do they not like that in the hot summer !!

I thought it had dropped a big end... One oil & filter change to the other viscosity & a new genuine filter and it sounded like a Swiss watch - Panic over

They also use oil, I rode it back from Scotland with low oil - It was in the middle of the sight glass when i last checked it , and not visible when i got back ...

It takes about a quarter of a litre to bring it up from the bottom to the the mid point on the sight glass ,

Given there are about another 3 and a half litres of oil in the system , your not exactly in any danger

Coming back to my TC from the LC, i forgot that the Hexheads use oil, and i normally check, the oil level once a week, using the kombi function

It says Oil OK - but the sight glass shows oil right at the bottom ... a quarter of a litre is all it takes to bring it up to the mid point

(i was going to top it up to the top, but it's going in for a service in under a month , so it would have been a waste !)

They use about half a litre give or take between services, so it may have been on the lower end level wise, and they dont loose much when you drop the cam covers

Looking at the repair instructions, there is a requirement to check all fluids are at there correct levels ??

Given that the oil level can be anywhere between max and min it could be argued that it was at the correct level when checked

(The manual does say that oil temp can affect the level , and should be checked only after a long trip & with the engine at the correct temp ie hot)

8 miles ... long trip ???? i'd have been out onto the A27 asap and started scrubbing the tyres in :D:D

Either way, its not the end of the world, just top it up and ride it (y)

@ botox

Do yourself a favour and start your own Sticky thread - Hexheads are shite because -

That way you can troll all you like, and everyone who agrees with you can add comments in there !

i dont think in the time ive been here , you've posted one positive thread about the marque

Seriously ? why bother,

People ask for advice , and all you do is moan

You dont even offer any balance

??
 
A problem moaned is a problem shared, the bike will be fine, these can take much more abuse than you are likely to give it, so just enjoy.
 
Feck me there’s a few hilerious “look how high I can piss” “do you know who I am” type posts in this thread 😄
 
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I'm very late to this post, so forgive me if it's already been mentioned. But the short distance of the ride home (depending on the weather/ambient temperature) is there any possibility the oil pass through/thermostatic valve just hadn't opened yet (by the time you got home I mean).

This will empty the oil from the sight glass as the oil is effectively blocked in the system, until the temp is right. A little like the thermostatic valve in a water cooler engine...

Just saying, in case it's been over looked...

Sent from my SM-S908B using Tapatalk
 
_Jameswarren said:
So today my bike went in for new tyres , valve clearance check and gearbox oil.
at BMW main dealer.
I was later told bike ready, so went and collected. Halfway home (4 miles away) oil light flashed at low revs, then went out when revs increased and when pulled up at home at tickover oil light and service light came on and flashing.
On checking there is no oil level visible in the sight glass and still isn't 2 hours later. I immediately rang the dealer who said really sorry bring it back and they will top up oil which should have been done when covers removed . they also said will reset service light. it wasn't even due a service as was done not so long ago but clearances and gearbox oil not done.
No way I'm driving it 8 miles without knowing oil level.
Wy thoughts are that its probably not very low and only registering at tickover when pressure low. Could any damage have been caused?
Also my worry is if that not done properly what else might not be.
They also didn't read their job card properly and changed the final drive oil. I didnt pay for that of course.
I do have a litre of the same oil I changed it with 6 months and 3000 miles ago.
Any thoughts?
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Your on your you will get no support or help from BMW customer services why they exist is questionable just a load of ex students killing time useless
 
I’d be interested in the outcome of this.
If the oil pressure light comes on ,,,,bad
If you get things into perspective,at 6000 revs the piston is going up then down 100 times a second.
The shell bearings of the big end rely on @60 psi of oil pressure to prevent metal to metal contact between the bearing and the crank,
The oil pressure switch will illuminate at @15 psi.
In my experience of things, oil pressure light comes on,there’s probably damage already caused.
The damage to the shell bearings will reduce oil pressure and premature failure is very possible.
Obv this is a lot less damaging at lower engine speeds but oil pressure is also lower at these speeds.
Easy way to check,
Fire up the motor,put the front wheel against a kerb,try and ride up the kerb.
If the big ends are damaged it’ll be obvious.
It will make a pronounced “ growling “ noise
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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