Traveller in Ethiopia with leaking oil filler

simondippenhall

simondippenhall

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Guys a quick request for technical help as I don’t have the bandwidth here in the Semien mountains to search the ukgser archive. (Sorry!)

The oil filler has been leaking badly these last two days despite the fitting of new rings in Nairobi (on the filler).

I will take a look later but any suggestions on a quick fix? Would a rubber band help?

I know when I had this in Iran Steptoe had a clever suggestion but I cannot for the life of me remember it.

Cheers guys!


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Plumbers tape carefully wound in behind the ring on the bit that goes in the rocker cover you want a nice snug fit but not stupidly tight

and above the o ring on the cap same again just build up layers

If you can;t get plumbers tape cut insulating tape intro 3 or 4mm wide strips and try the same

Check that the crankcase breather has not been squashed whilst being serviced

3/4 inch rubber hose just close to and below the rear fuel tank mount

It goes into engine in front and goes into airbox behind it


If you can;t get either some "flax" may do what you need but go easy with it
 
Just a thought. Did you replace the O-ring on only the filler cap? Or did you replace them all, there's am O-ring also in the plastic receiver that the cap screws into... I'm wondering if it is actually that O-ring that's leaking?

But good suggestion to use ptfe tape

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Will be checking that too in the morning...from memory the mechanic replaced both but let's see....


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As Farkoff said,

PTFE tape wound round the thread,

not to much or it will stop the cap from doing up, The trick is to keep it under tension when your winding it round,

Failing that what about a dollop of thick grease in the threads
 
Thanks all. Checked the breather and couldn't see problem. So have washed all the bits and added a layer of tape to seat the o ring on the filler cap. It is now a firm fit.

Tried same with the seat (ring is present on it and I believe also new.) it didn't seat well after taping so have removed the tape and will road test on todays ride. I am reluctant to play further with the seat but will have to this evening if the leak continues.

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Started the bike and was a bit alarmed by the movements of the filler cap. But took it for a few kms test ride and seemed OK. Will bs watching carefully!



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simondippenhall said:
Started the bike and was a bit alarmed by the movements of the filler cap
Click to expand...

Yes I must admit when you aren;t looking at it ? and then you are drawn to it

It does move a lot and hence why the O rings wear out

I kept two sets of them and half a dozen Vac take off rubbers in stock all the time when I was servicing bikes
 
DrFarkoff said:
Plumbers tape carefully wound in behind the ring on the bit that goes in the rocker cover you want a nice snug fit but not stupidly tight
Click to expand...

I’m sure Semien mountains plumbers merchants will have it in stock.
 
Thanks all. Made it to the Sudanes border this afternoon.

Plug still leaking. Rings are new (fitted in Nairobi, less than 5,000 kms). There is movement (feels like up and down) in the seat which makes me think that's where the problem is as the plug itself is a snug fit.

so I may try the tape method omit when I get to Khartoum.


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Steptoe said:
I’m sure Semien mountains plumbers merchants will have it in stock.
Click to expand...

Well Pardon me for not having travelled the area

If I can find it in Bandar E lengeh 20 years ago

I am sure there will be somewhere that has it

Its a definite in my spares list Unless the fucker starts to unravel !!!


Then it's WAR!!
 
simondippenhall said:
Plug still leaking. Rings are new (fitted in Nairobi, less than 5,000 kms). There is movement (feels like up and down) in the seat which makes me think that's where the problem is as the plug itself is a snug fit.

so I may try the tape method omit when I get to Khartoum.
Click to expand...

Have you/they overfilled the oil level ??

I mean it wasn't there before service was it ??

PTFE tape is the answer "Temporarily" you can pop the "insert" ( plastic bit the caps locks into) out and add a couple of turns of tape above the O ring to stop it bobbling up and down or stretch a skinnier O ring in the gap to do the same !

Are you definite it is out of there and not the spark plug tunnel seal ??
 
Sounds like the wrong O- ring(s) might have been used - too small a cross section diameter? Or there's something up with the seat?

Still looks like ptfe tape is going to be your friend

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Just a thought, and I know this is stupidly obvious........ but you did clean and dry the oil-filler cap and the o-ring and the seat before refitting it, didn't you?

If there's any stray spots of oil on any of the parts when you replace the filler cap it'll weep like crazy, the seat, o-ring and cap have to be utterly dry and free of anything (dust, oil, grease etc).
 
So BMW Motorrad in Jeddah seem to have cured the problem at least temporarily by (as suggested here, I think, using heat resistant silicone to seal the seat for the oil filler. After around 1,500 kms there’s no sign of oil leakage.

Thanks to all for help and suggestions.

One question more. The BMW technician in Jeddah told me that he thought the rocker cover might have got affected by the heat of places I had travelled through. (He didn’t offer any evidence for that however).

And that the BMW long term recommendation was replacement of rocker cover/plug seat/oil plug as one. (At some vast price, I might add!).

Can this really be right? I ask out if interest as I can’t see me replacing all this on a 100,000 mile low value (or market value, anyway) machine.

Thoughts?


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Get a second hand set from Motoworks..
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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