Pure therapy

[Wraithwrider]

I've noticed that the RH cylinder gives off a gentle ticking for a couple of seconds when starting from warm. The noise goes once the oil starts to circulate.

So yesterday I checked all the valve clearances. Exhaust on the RH side were quite loose so they were done. It sounds better now.

The job was a lot easier than I anticipated and the H & B bars didn't need to be touched to gain access to the heads.

I'm going to Garmish followed by the Stella in June/July and realise that I will have overrun my 6k service by the time I get back. So I did an interim oil and filter change too, at 3195 miles.

I'm not sure on the warantee re overrunning on service intervals by a few hundred miles.

But anyway, working on the bikes valves gave me a great sense of satifaction and a bonding with the beast.

Does anyone else feel this way or am I a geek?

Peter

 

[Dahoum]

But anyway, working on the bikes valves gave me a great sense of satifaction and a bonding with the beast.

Does anyone else feel this way or am I a geek?

Peter

Not at all. I've always felt that getting down and dirty with the bike gives me a much better feel for the bikes feelings. Once warranty is gone I'll be doing all my own servicing as on other bikes.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Working on your own bike sure does make you bond with it.
My GS is the first bike I've ever owned that is being dealer serviced and like Dahoum, once the warranty is over, I'll be doing all my own sevicing - I'm looking forward to it

Andres

 

[Marty Hill]

Guess we are lucky in the US. Most of us do all of our own svc. It is easy and is an enjoyable task. We have the dealer do the first svc. and the annual brake svc. Aside from that or a wty issue, they never see the bike again.

Cheers,

Marty

 

[GrinningGSer]

The job was a lot easier than I anticipated

Wraithwrider
As a first timer, how long did the job take you
Did you rotate the engine using crankshaft pully or rear wheel and did you remove the plugs to help?

Ive seen the pdf file from this site and am very interested to know how you managed this.

was your throttle balance out of sync after?

Lots of questions- sorry

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

so you had a service at 500 mls - oil and filter ?

another oil and filter at 3K miles ?

most cars don't get anything between 0 and 10k miles.

i'm sure bmw engines can manage to live if you miss a service interval.

most m/c servicing is to keep the dealers in new cars - the bikes don't need it.

 

[Wraithwrider]

the bikes don't need it

Probably not but as it makes me feel better maybe I do.

This is remembering too that it's a new i.e. still running in engine. I probably wouldnt bother if it were at 9000 miles.

But draining out what is probably a greater density of particulate in da oil than with an older motor can't harm.

Peter

 

[(RIP) Kaister]

1200's still have an oil filter , don't they ??

 

[Wraithwrider]

Grinning GSer

I did the work as per the manual, the only difference was that I removed a primary spark plug and checked TDC though there as opposed to the flywheel locator.

I used the rear wheel to turn the engine, in top gear. I removed both secondary plugs as per the book (well CD).

The whole job took no longer than an hour although I didn't set a stop watch.

I haven't done the throttle balance. I may give it a try at say 5,000 rpm but as I don't have the equipment to 'park' the stepper motors they may effect the readings.

If It's feeling a bit buzzy before the big trip I'll give it a go. I'll also clean and check the brakes/pads a couple a weeks before I set orf.

Peter

 

[whitegloss]

are most people going to do their own servicing once warranties have run out, i myself are doing most of the 6000 service stuff myself ie new rear brake pads, oil and filter , valves,will also throw in gearbox oil and diff oil change for good luck. I hope the dealer rewards me when i take it in to get the service book stamped by charging me a lot less than if they did everything.

 

[ianran]

are most people going to do their own servicing once warranties have run out, i myself are doing most of the 6000 service stuff myself ie new rear brake pads, oil and filter , valves,will also throw in gearbox oil and diff oil change for good luck. I hope the dealer rewards me when i take it in to get the service book stamped by charging me a lot less than if they did everything.

BMW warranty is NOT INVALID if you service yourself. If you use their procedures and quality of service items they can not by law refuse to honour a warranty claim. Keep all receipts for items used and document what you have done, happy days!!!

 

[Pukmeister]

If It's feeling a bit buzzy before the big trip I'll give it a go. I'll also clean and check the brakes/pads a couple a weeks before I set orf.

Peter

Peter, I had mine serviced at SPC just prior to their demise, and it was running badly afterwards (it had been for some time). I had sat in the dealers ALL DAY waiting and then eventually complaining, only to see my bike rushed through its 4 hour service in about an hour before they closed for the evening.

I took it back and complained a week later and their tech gave it a once over/test ride, then rebalanced the throttles. The difference was nothing short of amazing, so much smoother, more eager to rev and slicker through the gears up and down the box. I wouldn't have believed that balancing the throttles could have such a positive effect (or derimental effect when out of synch). I used to balance my Jap fours myself with a carbtune and will definitely be keeping my valve clearances and throttle synch spot on from now on.

Regarding servicing and warranty claims, I got a new final drive unit fitted OUTSIDE of warranty at 23K as a goodwill gensture by SPC/BMW because I was a regular customer with a FSH (mostly completed by SPC). I don't think you would get one of those without a full set of dealer stamps in your service history. The cost of a replacement FD was about £800+ vat and labour.