4 Litre BMW oil change 2018 RT

[brownie0486]

There is the possibility that 4L of old oil didn't fully drain. Everyone has their technique, and sometimes it isn't fully kosher. And then you add 4L of new oil and bingo, overfill....

I changed the oil today on my 1250GSA. Added 3 3/4 liters, ran it for a couple minutes (the engine was still hot), shut it down and put the bike on the side stand for 10 minutes. I then put it on the centerstand and rechecked it after a few minutes and it was right at the top of the red circle. Another 1/4 liter and I would say it is overfull. Am I wrong?

Your first sentence seems to be the answer imo.

0.264172 ounces may be technically "overfull", but again, the boxer isn't going to notice that in any negative way according to two master bmw mechanics.

Do you believe the motor will suffer damage being .26 ounces over?

 

[k12lts]

Your first sentence seems to be the answer imo.

0.264172 ounces may be technically "overfull", but again, the boxer isn't going to notice that in any negative way according to two master bmw mechanics.

Do you believe the motor will suffer damage being .26 ounces over?

It's not .26 ounces, it's .26 Quart. More like 8+ounces. I use Castrol Power Plus 4T that comes in quart containers. 4 quarts with a new filter fills mine up to the top of the red circle every time.

The 4L specification may be the "dry fill" for a new engine. There is always some residual oil left in the engine after it drains, so the refill amount will be less.

 

[brownie0486]

It's not .26 ounces, it's .26 Quart. More like 8+ounces. I use Castrol Power Plus 4T that comes in quart containers. 4 quarts with a new filter fills mine up to the top of the red circle every time.

The 4L specification may be the "dry fill" for a new engine. There is always some residual oil left in the engine after it drains, so the refill amount will be less.

Got it, still, a 1/4 qt over isn't going to harm the boxer motor one bit according to two master bmw technicians I've spoken with.

The reason this came up at all was I don't put the motor on the center stand [ too much effort for me ]. On my camheads, the sight glass is on the left side. Told to check it that way thusly: Any air in the sight glass, add 1/2 qt and carry on, stop worrying about the level being "perfect" in the sight glass. That it can be over or under by 1/2 qt. without causing any issues.

I know a lot of members here have a lot of knowledge, the above suggestion came from two well heeled techs with a combined 40+ years of working on boxers. One works on my motors here in Az, the other is on the east coast but posts on advrider [ where I asked him the question of how to check it on the side stand on the camheads ].

 

[rich]

Got it, still, a 1/4 qt over isn't going to harm the boxer motor one bit according to two master bmw technicians I've spoken with.

My knowledge on this subject, although limited, has me believing I'd sooner be a 1/4 short than over. I see no reason to overfill any engine with oil.

 

[pglaves]

Without knowing the total volume of the crankcase, and the designed air volume with the oil at the proper level I can't say by how much. But I can say that increased oil will cause increased crankcase pressure. And this is particularly true give the design of a boxer engine where both pistons are retreating toward the crankshaft at the same time.

In the earlier models with no circlip at the sight glass the crankcase pressure was known to sometimes eject the sight glass. And it can of course lead to leaky crankcase seals.

So how harmful this might be remains a question but there is potential for harm from an overfilled crankcase. Just food for thought.

 

[BC1100S]

Ignore the information in Post #45 at one's peril.

 

[brownie0486]

Without knowing the total volume of the crankcase, and the designed air volume with the oil at the proper level I can't say by how much. But I can say that increased oil will cause increased crankcase pressure. And this is particularly true give the design of a boxer engine where both pistons are retreating toward the crankshaft at the same time.

In the earlier models with no circlip at the sight glass the crankcase pressure was known to sometimes eject the sight glass. And it can of course lead to leaky crankcase seals.

So how harmful this might be remains a question but there is potential for harm from an overfilled crankcase. Just food for thought.

If one were 1/4L over of 4L total, that would represent what? 1/16th or .06% of recommended. I don't see how bmw could design that motor for such a small increase to damage the motor. No more than 1/4 L low would cause issues.

I hope people aren't suggesting BMW designed the boxer motor where it will self destruct when there's 1/4L over or under while the motor is running. I believe there's a point where too much over will cause issues, no more or less than a little under.

Is the boxer that sensitive to 1/16's over or under in volume? Two master bmw techs don't think think so. Could they both be wrong? Of course, but they've got decades of working on that motor between them [ thousands of motors have passed through their shops in that time ].

Now, just me of course, I'll trust the opinions of techs with decades of working on them, especially when both state the same thing and don't know each other. One in Va., one here in Az. If one or both had told me absolutely I can't have even 1/4L over, the ocd would kick in and I'd make sure it wasn't over one drop. But that's not the case so I'll continue to ride and not worry about such a small amount over or under

First long trip with the 12GS, when I made the Yukon river gas station I was 4K miles from home, and discovered I was 1 qt. low in those miles. I topped up with a quart and it was down another qt when I got back [ 8K total miles ]. That tells me at 2K miles I was a 1/2 qt and rode another 2K until it was a qt low. When I got back to my techs for a service, I told him what I'd discovered [ that that camhead used about 1/2 qt per 2K miles and was down a qt before I topped it up. He basically told me, that motor could run a very long time 1 qt low without issues. Not suggested to do so, but I'd not damaged the motor in any way on that trip.

Obviously there is some amount over or under that will cause issues as you suggest and I fully agree with. What that amount is seems unknown and more importantly unstated by bmw in Germany.

 

[EGRAHAM]

4L. BMW oil change 2018RT

Thanks to all responding. My first RT in 13 years and just confirming. Lost my K1200 GT to a rat in the garage

 

[etiennelau]

Are we doing a chemistry experiment? Where we need to measure down to the +/- .001% in order to be considered accurate? That's 4ml. Is the engine going to blow a seal or blow up due to 4ml? Evidently some of you believe we're doing a chemistry experiment and likely would conclude that .001% is not accurate enough and demand .0001% accuracy.....sigh.

 

[brownie0486]

Are we doing a chemistry experiment? Where we need to measure down to the +/- .001% in order to be considered accurate? That's 4ml. Is the engine going to blow a seal or blow up due to 4ml? Evidently some of you believe we're doing a chemistry experiment and likely would conclude that .001% is not accurate enough and demand .0001% accuracy.....sigh.

3.999997315 liters is 4.2267500005225 according to the liter to quarts calculator. If I add 4 qts on an oil change, I'll not give any thought to whether it's over or under a little on the oil change given the information/advice two master bmw techs have offered.

 

[BC1100S]

Please...let this thread die a peaceful death.

 

[easy]

Please...let this thread die a peaceful death.

I don't think you understand. When it comes to an oil-related thread the DNA of the average MOA member becomes unhinged - our very cell structure becomes warped. I think we should get the foundation to set up a trust fund to assist the psychiatric welfare of these poor souls. It is truly a disease.

E.

 

[eastbay]

beating a dead horse is a favorite pastime. I shoot for the middle of the sight glass on my oilhead and brick. not too full, not too low, just right.

 

[pglaves]

But my final drive doesn't have a sight glass and the manuals give two different amounts. Oh my, what to do what to do?

 

[bkkjack]

Please...let this thread die a peaceful death.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

No one has even mentioned what type of oil they prefer.

 

[pauls1150]

Whale, snake, baby seal, or canola.

 

[SteveAikens]

In the earlier models with no circlip at the sight glass the crankcase pressure was known to sometimes eject the sight glass. And it can of course lead to leaky crankcase seals.

Hmm. Normally, I'd ask if that statement is from personal experience buuutttt!

I seem to remember a ride in/to/around SLC Utah, where a few of us overnighted in a mountain community. Got up the next morning to find Voni was nowhere to be found. Seems "Big Red" spit her sight glass out and had to be towed down to the dealer.

Tell Voni I said hi...

 

[kbasa]

Hmm. Normally, I'd ask if that statement is from personal experience buuutttt!

I seem to remember a ride in/to/around SLC Utah, where a few of us overnighted in a mountain community. Got up the next morning to find Voni was nowhere to be found. Seems "Big Red" spit her sight glass out and had to be towed down to the dealer.

Tell Voni I said hi...

My R11S did that, so we started carrying a spare sight glass in both tool kits.

You’ll never forget that sound…

 

[pglaves]

My R11S did that, so we started carrying a spare sight glass in both tool kits.

You’ll never forget that sound…

In one of my Benchwrenching Columns in the Owners News I advised all Oilhead owners to remove the engine oil-fill cap while the motor was running and memorize that huffing sound. And to then stop immediately if they ever heard it again, because it probably meant that the sight glass had blown out. I will repeat that advice here!!

 

[52184]

I was lucky, the one on my R1100RSL blew out at startup in the parking lot at Gerlach, NV. I fished it out of the side/belly pan and was able to reinstall for the ride home. Replaced it before riding the bike again, and bought two with the spare wrapped in shop toweling and stuffed in the tailpiece.

Adding the circlip on later and subsequent models was A Good Thing!
Best,
DeVern