Servicing

[frostyuk]

Having been quoted about 250 for my combined annual and 10000Km service from my local dealer i thought i'd ask my friendly local mechanic if he could do the service for me, he was happy to until he found out he needed some special tools from BMW for the valve clearances, some sort of cam locking device and a special torx bit. Does anyone know if this is correct and how much these bits are likely to cost? wanted to work out if it was worth me buying them so he could do the work or just let bmw do it i know he wouldnt have the plug in diagnostics tool and i'm not buying one of those but is that really important ?

thanks

 

[rossi]

You can check the valve clearances without any spacial tools. Have you got the reprom cd? This gives a good explanation.

There are marks on the camshaft sprockets that you line up to get the engine at TDC to check the valves. If you need to adjust the clearances I think the procedure is to release the cam chain tensioner then remove the cam chain sprockets so you can remove the cams. There is probably also a locking bolt for the crank but you can make one of these by filing an M8 bolt to a point. (knowledge gained from the aircooled rotax on my old CCM)

Realistically, the valves rarely go out of adjustment. Check them but don't expect to adjust them.

 

[frostyuk]

thanks Iain, just in case they need doing i'll take the bike in to bmw


cheers

 

[rossi]

No problem

I did the last service myself, including a valve clearance check. Exhaust valves were only just within spec, right on the upper limit, but I do have 24k miles on mine. I'm probably going to put it into Swampy to do the next one so he can do the valves for me.

Ocean really look after their customers and I can't fault them, except for the main dealer pricing. I doubt many here will have heard of Swampy but he is very well known to riders of orange machinery, a bit of a legend in fact. He's currently helping me with another little job. More details when it's done.

 

[ian640]

No problem

I doubt many here will have heard of Swampy but he is very well known to riders of orange machinery, a bit of a legend in fact. He's currently helping me with another little job. More details when it's done.

Swampy did quite a lot of work on my orange bikes when I had them and the service was always nothing but exceptional. I'm sure my XC will pass through his workshop sooner or later

 

[frostyuk]

where is Swampy based?

 

[rossi]

About 1 mile inside Cornwall, just over the bridge from Plymouth. He is very good at what he does and is a true gentleman.

As well as being a very tidy rider in his day (ISDE), he has tuned for some big name riders (including on the Dakar) and currently builds the fastest 690 SM race bikes in the UK. Ask him for the bill and it is not unusual to be told to drop in when you're next passing once he has worked it out. When I managed to lose a brake caliper bolt he dug out a bolt, turned it down on his lathe and recut the thread while I waited; the charge was to buy a new box of tea bags.