Rocker Cover Engine Corrosion

[ANTS]

Mine looks terrible

Mine's 18 months old and loads of painted parts have started to corrode despite me regularly washing the bike and covering it in silicone spray. It seems to have got exponentially worse this winter and must be due to the salt on the roads (although I always hose it down after each ride - cold water etc). I haven't removed the sponge.

I guess it must be poor quality metal/paint (I think they have to be water-based now which is not as durable as the old lead-based paint).

My plan is to wait until the worst of winter is over and then claim during the warranty period.

 

[SPL]

I am somewhat pissed off to discover that at less than a year old, mine has the early stages of corrosion around the left hand of the two bare castings

The sponge was a little damp, but not wet as such, although more noticeable on the lower left edge (where the corrosion is starting).

I can only assume that the fact that the bike lives on the side stand is a factor in this?

I've given the affected area a good dose of WD40, and will see how well it cleans up with a cloth later on. Might have caught it in time, but will have to wait and see.

Edit: Nope - not caught in time, see before & after cleaning pictures below - it appears to be buggered
Will get in touch with my dealer and put in a warrantee claim I suppose...

Has anyone checked yet if the sponge is absent on the 2008 models please?

If it's not there anymore, I'm tempted to junk it on mine too.

Either way I'll put a good smear of silicone grease around the edge of the black cover before I put it back together.

 

[Pukmeister]

If it's not there anymore, I'm tempted to junk it on mine too.

I junked my sponge 2 years ago after cover No 2 was replaced due to corrosion. No difference noted to the engine noise or performance. Slight corrosion now forming beneath the alternator plastic cover where exposed alloy is present. Will repaint it myself with acid-etch primer and topcoat with VOC content if I can find any.

Boeshield T-9 to be applied over dried paint finish to preserve and protect.

 

[SPL]

Boeshield T-9 to be applied over dried paint finish to preserve and protect.

Just did a Google of that stuff - looks pretty good!!

I think I'll invest in a can - thanks for the tip

 

[SPL]

Sent off an email to my dealer, and got an immediate response back to arrange a new front cover under guarantee, and book it in for next week.

Once again, top service from Bahnstormer in Alton

It's a shame that the problem occurs in the first place, but having such good dealer backup does take the sting out of it.

Got a can of Boeshield T-9 from Nanotech Marine in Ocean Quay in Southampton (very helpful chap delivered it to my door on his way home last night), so will spray the new cover with it as soon as I get it back.

That feckin useless bit of foam is going in the bin!!!

 

[(RIP) Mark H]

Hammerite won't stick properly to Aluminium or zinc plated parts, but they have an excellent special metals primer to use in these cases. Recent thread on this subject as well if you do a search

Here You Go
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136102

 

[Voyager61]

Got corrosion on my gearbox cover too ... and the final drive housing is going the same way:

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=170719

Have had bike dealer valeted and FS365 treated ... and applied FS365 myself, religiously, before and after rides as required.

I’ll push to have these issues resolved under warranty and parts fitted in early spring ...

 

[wilbjr21]

SPL:

Has anyone checked yet if the sponge is absent on the 2008 models please?

See post #14 for your answer - basically no sponge.

 

[Pukmeister]

Thanks SPL, I've been looking for a local Boeshield stockist as the stuff is rarer than rocking horse sh1t. It sticks like the stuff too, better than ACF50 does. IIRC it's about £20 for the larger aerosol can.

 

[SPL]

See post #14 for your answer - basically no sponge.

Doh! Thanks

...looking for a local Boeshield stockist as the stuff is rarer than rocking horse sh1t

I bought a 12oz can - which is a hell of a lot to treat just that engine casing!!

At the time I just though "it won't go off, and is handy to have"

I see that you're pretty close to me in Fareham - so if you only want it for the same job, you're welcome to just have a squirt of my can if you want to bring your bike over to Chandlers Ford

 

[The Nutter]

Had my third cover fitted some time back and went for a black one from an RT. Had the sponge removed at the same time and this cover is now going through it's third winter with no obvious signs of corrosion i.e. can't see it with the plastic cover on.

If anyone's intersted I've got an original 2004 sponge for sale, best offer

 

[swissrob]

I am somewhat pissed off to discover that at less than a year old, mine has the early stages of corrosion around the left hand of the two bare castings

The sponge was a little damp, but not wet as such, although more noticeable on the lower left edge (where the corrosion is starting).

I can only assume that the fact that the bike lives on the side stand is a factor in this?

I've given the affected area a good dose of WD40, and will see how well it cleans up with a cloth later on. Might have caught it in time, but will have to wait and see.

Edit: Nope - not caught in time, see before & after cleaning pictures below - it appears to be buggered
Will get in touch with my dealer and put in a warrantee claim I suppose...

Has anyone checked yet if the sponge is absent on the 2008 models please?

If it's not there anymore, I'm tempted to junk it on mine too.

Either way I'll put a good smear of silicone grease around the edge of the black cover before I put it back together.

from your photos it is obvious the casing was not properly cleaned or no primer was used given that the paint is peeling away from the LH recess so its a manufacturing fault.

Why dont bmw paint the casing after machining instead of painting then machining the faces, leaving them bare and liable to corrosion.

 

[AndyW]

SPL:

See post #14 for your answer - basically no sponge.

Could be that the dealer in question has taken to binning the rubber doofer when doing PDI's/first service so one 2008 bike without does not really proove that the bikes are leaving the factory without it?

 

[T900]

my 08/gs does'nt have the sponge either, the front cover is fully covered in paint where the sponge would normally be. on the earlier ones the front cover was machined where the sponge was fitted leaving exposed alloy.

 

[SPL]

Got my bike back last night after the new cover was fitted.

Looking carefully at the black plastic panel, it is shaped to allow any water to exit at the bottom.

You can't see this when it's fitted, but there's a couple of small slots either side of the lowest fixing bolt which would allow water to simply run out (if the stupid sponge thing wasn't soaking it all up!).

This makes sense really, as the ventilation at the very top of the panel will inevitably let some water in (particularly if you spray a hose up under the bike's beak when cleaning).

I've carefully sprayed the area inside the black panel with BoeShield, and junked the sponge - I reckon this should stop any corrosion in the future (fingers crossed).

 

[Giles K]

Rocker Cover Engine Corrosion / under warranty

I have been reading about a few fellow 1200 GS riders who have discovered on their newish bikes, corrosion??? this should not happen so quickly?

So i just wanted to let everyone know that i to have discovered the same problems on my 2007 model yesterday. And still just under its 2 year warranty.

I took it in my local London BMW dealer to show them. Thinking i would have a fight on my hands to get this sorted.

To my surprise i cant tell you all, how helpful they all were no problems and i got a coffee to.

All the rusty bolts are being replaced on the front discs. the engine cover will be replaced [ sponge taken out ] and new filler cap, all at the cost of BMW.

the problem is to do with the type of salt we put on our roads in this country?

Will keep you posted on result next week.

Giles

 

[BlueBird]

here's mine

05 30k miles

 

[BlueBird]

gimme a Honda!!!

used a dremmel witha little grind stone on it ,bit like a dentist drill,
etch primer,primer and zinc paint,
cover it in copperslip before I put the cover back on.

 

[Alan R]

my 08/gs does'nt have the sponge either, the front cover is fully covered in paint where the sponge would normally be. on the earlier ones the front cover was machined where the sponge was fitted leaving exposed alloy.

My late 08 GS doesn't have the sponge either and it hasn't had the 1st service yet, therefore it was like that from when I collected it.
Alan R

 

[Giles K]

Protect next time

Like your work! As mine will be a brand new part will use a protective spray, then hopefully i wont need to repair it in the future???