Yet another question about the $2K O-ring - does this make sense?

[RonKMiller]

OK, so I read all the info about the infamous $2K O ring and think I have a pretty good handle on it.

I measured the "gap" and it is a solid 4mm - BUT the engine had no problems with the old hinged oil filter, metal shim, O-ring AND PAPER GASKET that you are warned to eliminate most of the time. According to the common wisdom this engine should have grenaded a long time ago since the pressure on the O ring would have been deemed inadequate and the engine oil starved. This engine has had 8 documented/filter oil changes in 21,000 miles. I, of course, have no idea what combination of shims, gaskets, etc, were used prior to just popping it open since this is a new bike to me - a '79 R80/7.

I pulled apart the old filter and inspected it under high magnification in bright light - clean as a whistle except for some expected fines.

My thinking is that since there were no problems with the 4 mm gap, that by eliminating the paper gasket I am adding a little bit of insurance by putting a bit more pressure on the O ring... and that I should be OK doing this instead of adding an extra metal shim as recommended. I am installing a non-hinged oil filter.

I've never had this much "fun" changing an oil filter in my life!

PS: I PROMISE I won't ask which oil to use.

 

[bikerfish1100]

Regardless of what "common wisdom" says about your motor having long since grenaded, it didn't, so the manner in which the filter pack is assembled is apparently working just fine.
it's funny, but i owned several airheads "back in the day" (re: pre-interweb), and in well over 100,000 miles, with oil changes every 3K, i never had an issue with the "$2,000 O-ring". In fact, there was no such commonly known part as the "$2,000 O-ring." you took apart the filter pack, and put it back together the same way, and the bikes worked just fine.
my vote is "don't overthink this one", and just go with "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

 

[BUBBAZANETTI]

your estimation sounds acceptable. i never knew about the "2K o ring" issue when i had my first airhead, i'm pretty sure i didn't use a shim, used the paper, etc, it seemed ok. i bet if you just eliminate the paper gasket you'll be just fine. you may not be "perfect" or even in spec, but i bet the bike won't grenade due to it.

 

[154048]

When I bought my RT, the PO gave me a sweet box filled with new parts...crush washers, fuel line, Krauser Bag parts etc. Included were 5 new oil filters. 3 were hinged (I have an oil cooler ) and 2 were non-hinged.

Question: Can I use the non-hinged filters on my cooler equipped bike? It looks like I can, but wonder if it means I have to pull off the right header pipe and fairing lower to do so....

Thanks

PS..sunny Santa Fe got yet another decent snow..I don't ski, so lament the magnificent Boxer having to sit unused in it's cave yet another weekend .

 

[Yarddog]

The first time that I changed the oil in my /7, I began to realize that the much vaunted engineering on these machines was simply a legend...having taken mine apart, and now putting it back together, I'm CERTAIN that the engineers were on drugs when they designed 'em...I just shake my head when I consider that ya gotta worm that cover just one certain way to get it past the frame and exhaust, WHEN ITS HOT, no less, and then getting it back in! And ya gotta design a HINGED filter cuz ya fouled up designing it in the first place? And everything depends on a stoopid o-ring? Naw, folks, that's just assinine... Why not design it with a spin-on oil filter and be done with it, as long as you're designing things?

Then we get to the clam shell air filter...and on and on...and WOE to the poor b***t***d with an oil filter and an RS/RT fairing!!!

Nope...for good engineering, I look to my Harley...for riding a smooth machine that handles well and that my GF is comfy on, I look to my Beemer...

 

[keelerb]

Nope...for good engineering, I look to my Harley..

Ruh roh. Here comes a ****storm...duck!

 

[bikerfish1100]

Question: Can I use the non-hinged filters on my cooler equipped bike? It looks like I can, but wonder if it means I have to pull off the right header pipe and fairing lower to do so....

QUOTE]

if filters are the same length, then yes, you can use straight filter or hinged. and yes, you will have to drop the header pipe to get straight one in/out.

 

[Yarddog]

Ruh roh. Here comes a ****storm...duck!

Naw...I'm not the first person to realize THAT!!!! LOL

 

[RonKMiller]

Question: Can I use the non-hinged filters on my cooler equipped bike? It looks like I can, but wonder if it means I have to pull off the right header pipe and fairing lower to do so....

QUOTE]

if filters are the same length, then yes, you can use straight filter or hinged. and yes, you will have to drop the header pipe to get straight one in/out.

Wow, I got lucky - all I needed to do was take off the crash bar and it slipped right on - but THAT $%%^*$ bar was a major PITA to get back on!

 

[RonKMiller]

Regardless of what "common wisdom" says about your motor having long since grenaded, it didn't, so the manner in which the filter pack is assembled is apparently working just fine.
it's funny, but i owned several airheads "back in the day" (re: pre-interweb), and in well over 100,000 miles, with oil changes every 3K, i never had an issue with the "$2,000 O-ring". In fact, there was no such commonly known part as the "$2,000 O-ring." you took apart the filter pack, and put it back together the same way, and the bikes worked just fine.
my vote is "don't overthink this one", and just go with "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Ya' know - sometimes this stuff keeps me up at night. Grrrrr....

I think I'll stay the course with my present thinking, and it appears that eliminating the paper gasket does give you some advantage in that you'll have more advance warning if you have an O-ring sealing problem.

I never knew there wasn't such a thing as before the interweb... and I've heard that Paul McCartney was actually in another band before Wings?

(He lives about 5 miles from me - really.)

 

[RonKMiller]

The first time that I changed the oil in my /7, I began to realize that the much vaunted engineering on these machines was simply a legend...having taken mine apart, and now putting it back together, I'm CERTAIN that the engineers were on drugs when they designed 'em...I just shake my head when I consider that ya gotta worm that cover just one certain way to get it past the frame and exhaust, WHEN ITS HOT, no less, and then getting it back in! And ya gotta design a HINGED filter cuz ya fouled up designing it in the first place? And everything depends on a stoopid o-ring? Naw, folks, that's just assinine... Why not design it with a spin-on oil filter and be done with it, as long as you're designing things?

Then we get to the clam shell air filter...and on and on...and WOE to the poor b***t***d with an oil filter and an RS/RT fairing!!!

Nope...for good engineering, I look to my Harley...for riding a smooth machine that handles well and that my GF is comfy on, I look to my Beemer...

My favorite T-shirt (my wife only allows me to have one) sezs:

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN

(BMW logo)

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON DRUGS

(Harley logo)

ANY QUESTIONS?

 

[Yarddog]

My favorite T-shirt (my wife only allows me to have one) sezs:

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN

(BMW logo)

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON DRUGS

(Harley logo)

ANY QUESTIONS?

I want one the other way around!! LOL The dern Beemer sometimes drives me to drink!!!

 

[154048]

My 'other love' in motorcycles are the 70-77 Yamaha 650 twins. Straight forward engineering, bulletproof and easy to work on...Too bad they would vibrate you into unconsciousness.....

 

[donbmw]

I still have my first BMW 1982 R65 with 90000 miles on it. I change the filter and put it back as it was from the factory. Did not know about this $2000 oring until a few years ago when I starter getting on the internet. I do know that leaving the shim out will not let oil press light go out. Found this out with a friend doing a oil change the day before we were leave on a 2 week trip. He started the bike and went a pulled out of his drive and the oil light came on. Remove filter and found the shim missing. Found the shim in the oil pan he drained the oil in.

Also another oil oring that is best to get the right one for is the oil pump cover oring. I found my cover leaking on my R90 this winter. Installed one from Napa that looked to be the same size. Had my oil press light come on at idle after about ten min. of riding and but would go out with as the RPM's increased. Changed the oring to the proper one from BMW no problems after that.

Don

 

[BUBBAZANETTI]

I still have my first BMW 1982 R65 with 90000 miles on it. I change the filter and put it back as it was from the factory. Did not know about this $2000 oring until a few years ago when I starter getting on the internet. I do know that leaving the shim out will not let oil press light go out. Found this out with a friend doing a oil change the day before we were leave on a 2 week trip. He started the bike and went a pulled out of his drive and the oil light came on. Remove filter and found the shim missing. Found the shim in the oil pan he drained the oil in.

my guess would be your friend probably needs more than just one shim.

 

[bikerfish1100]

I want one the other way around!! LOL The dern Beemer sometimes drives me to drink!!!

funny, whenever i pass a biker bar on a nice sunny afternoon, the only bikes i see that have driven their owners there are Harleys. Yours must be an abberation.

 

[Bud]

funny, whenever i pass a biker bar on a nice sunny afternoon, the only bikes i see that have driven their owners there are Harleys. Yours must be an abberation.

I don't care if you are Bikerfish, that is funny.


I know, you just couldn't help yourself. I thought it very clever.

 

[RonKMiller]

My 'other love' in motorcycles are the 70-77 Yamaha 650 twins. Straight forward engineering, bulletproof and easy to work on...Too bad they would vibrate you into unconsciousness.....

Great minds do indeed think alike.

This is in my garage and I need to make room - literally- for my new airhead. As soon as I get a chance to take a bunch more pictures off it goes to Flea Bay. Ping me if you have any interest. It is a sweetheart with tons of new OEM parts, an Arizona bike all it's life. That's the original paint and seat vinyl without a scratch or crack. I'm 8 hours from Santa Fe...

http://picasaweb.google.com/MillerRonK/1977Yamah650XS#

Whenever I get done with a restoration my acid test of how good I did is if it will start first time - cold - after sitting for several weeks. This one passes the test every time.

Oddly enough this one is very smooth at about 65 - I did go down one tooth on the rear sprocket which has made a difference! With the flat line torque you don't even notice the loss down low.

 

[Yarddog]

funny, whenever i pass a biker bar on a nice sunny afternoon, the only bikes i see that have driven their owners there are Harleys. Yours must be an abberation.

Ya got me...and my mouf was open too! On a nice sunny afternoon, I might be passing the same bar on MY Harley, and seein' da posers hangin' out with their doo rags on...and when they take off to leave on that 95 degree day, they put their skull face cover on so's they look cooooooollllll mon....

 

[JAMESDUNN]

I don't see well up close. I changed the oil in my ol' RS one time and ended up with two paper gaskets. Should have worn my glasses! Didn't notice 'til the next oil change. (Wore glasses that time!) No damage done.
JD