Mystery spot under R1250RT

zip50

Member

• Oct 20, 2021

• #1

Came out to the garage to find a wet spot under my 2020 R1250RT w/10k miles. Ride it daily. All service up to date. Oil change 1k/2 weeks ago. Seems to be coming from one of two overflow tubes on the left side of the engine. Never seen it before on this or my previous 2014 w/109k miles. Don't want to drive it until I have a sense of what it might be. Appreciate any clues.

 

exgman

Active member

• Oct 20, 2021

• #2

Does the fluid have an odor? Possibly it might be gasoline from the fuel injection system.

Take a look at this diagram from the Max BMW parts fiche. There is a charcoal canister as part of the fuel emissions mitigation system:

 

52184

GTRider

• Oct 20, 2021

• #3

Did you refuel the bike just before parking it? Have you felt the spot to see if it’s oily and/or has a distinctive odor?

Best,
DeVern

 

zip50

Member

• Oct 20, 2021

• #4

GTRider said:

Did you refuel the bike just before parking it? Have you felt the spot to see if it’s oily and/or has a distinctive odor?

Best,
DeVern

Click to expand...

I refueled last night and drove 25 miles before returning home. Did not smell of gasoline. It did feel oily to the touch.

 

slowpokepete

Member

• Oct 21, 2021

• #5

Park it in a new place in your garage and see if the spot comes back.

or place a piece of cardboard/newspaper underneath.

SPP

 

ccolwell

Member

• Oct 21, 2021

• #6

zip50 said:

I refueled last night and drove 25 miles before returning home. Did not smell of gasoline. It did feel oily to the touch.

Click to expand...

Unless I'm missing something, after eliminating gas and oil, your possibilities are oil, coolant, brake fluid and clutch fluid. The pic doesn't look like oil. The most dangerous is brake fluid but I would expect the loss to show up in one of the reservoirs even if the leak is from the ABS system. Ditto clutch fluid. That much coolant loss might not be so apparent in the overflow tank.

I suppose you could open up each reservoir and see which fluid most closely resembles what is on the floor.

 

E

easy

Active member

• Oct 21, 2021

• #7

I'd be looking for a coolant leak. Some of the coolant could have leaked during your ride.

E.

 

lee

Debbie's Servant

• Oct 21, 2021

• #8

easy said:

I'd be looking for a coolant leak. Some of the coolant could have leaked during your ride.

E.

Click to expand...

The newer Wetheads have a drain tube from the hole in the left side of the block so any waterpump seepage drips on the ground instead of the engine.

 

E

easy

Active member

• Oct 21, 2021

• #9

Lee said:

The newer Wetheads have a drain tube from the hole in the left side of the block so any waterpump seepage drips on the ground instead of the engine.

Click to expand...

Correct. He said it "seems" to be coming from one of the two overflow tubes. He might also want to check the radiators and connections to make sure it's not coming from another area.

If the leak is not substantial, and overheating is not an issue, top off the coolant if necessary, and take it to the shop. You're still in warranty.

E.

 

pauls1150

MOA #24991, south of Los Angeles

• Oct 21, 2021

• #10

Put a clean piece of WHITE paper under it, supported so it's not on the floor, and see what color the most recent drip is. You can even take that outside and see if it burns (carefully....).

 

pglaves

#13338

• Oct 21, 2021

• #11

I remember when the Wethead bikes were being roundly criticized because of some visible coolant stains or marks on the engine cases. This seemed to be very common. Now, if I understand correctly there is a drain hose to allow the seepage to go to the ground instead of staining the engine. I strongly suspect this is what the OP has seen. I might be wrong.

 

zip50

Member

• Oct 21, 2021

• #12

Mystery solved (I think)

After reading through the thread I think I know now what it was. I filled up a day ago and then drove approximately 20 miles. When I got home I put in some fuel treatment. I now believe that I might not have gotten the bottle neck down into the tank far enough and some of it may have inadvertently gone directly down the fuel overflow tube. That would explain the slightly oily, but non-gasoline smell and the lack of any stain on the white cardboard under the bike overnight.

Thanks much for your collective wisdom.