2017 R1200RT Cylinder Head Cover Install

Hi Ya'll,

Completed the 12K mile service last weekend. Rode the bike over the weekend and I think I noticed a small seepage of oil out of the cylinder head cover. Appears to be coming from the bottom. I will assess.

When putting the cylinder head covers back on, you can install the twist pad and then the cylinder head cover gasket or the cylinder head cover gasket first and then the twist pad. Does it matter? Manual says put the cylinder head cover gasket on first then the twist pad.

Any tips on making sure this interface seals properly?

Thanks,

KP

I've done over 100 Cam and Valve services and find that unless you put the "twist protection" in place first, the tips of the rubber teeth on it don't seat correctly against the machined face of the mating surface.

Pretty easy to pull off the cylinder head cover, remove both parts you are talking about and then installing the "twist protection" first.

Hope this solves your small leak.

Brad

You may find a cylinder leaks a little at the bottom if the round donut seal is installed facing the wrong way round.

What is this "twist protection" feature you speak of? I've replaced the covers a dozen or more times on various RTs without recognizing it. The only leak I encountered was caused by failure to see that gasket surrounding the spark plug opening had become misaligned.

Item 8 in this picture from the MAX site -

...But there's nothing to show where it fits, and how it goes in - ?

btw, I'm wondering if this thread's title is correct - aren't all of the 2017 RTs actually 1250?

The 2017 is an 1200. I think the 1250 was introduced in 2018.

Part 8 is the twist protection and it fits under the cylinder head by the #13 in the attached diagram. You push it up into the cylinder head from the bottom.

ebell said:

You may find a cylinder leaks a little at the bottom if the round donut seal is installed facing the wrong way round.

Click to expand...

dlong said:

The only leak I encountered was caused by failure to see that gasket surrounding the spark plug opening had become misaligned.

Click to expand...

Yep. Don't ask how I know...

potterke said:

Part 8 is the twist protection and it fits under the cylinder head by the #13 in the attached diagram. You push it up into the cylinder head from the bottom.

Click to expand...

OK...never knew that thing had a name but it's still unclear to me from what particular twist that thing is protecting me, or the bike.

Valve cover leak

I have done plenty of valve adjustments and when I see a small leak it it usually caused by oil from the head leaking on the seal surface. Then when you tighten the valve cover it seeps out and it appears as an oil leak. I clean the surface and the seal guide post holes making sure no residue oil exists before installing the seal.

Hi all,

I removed the left hand side cylinder head cover and installed the "twist protection" first and then the gasket and buttoned her up. BTW, I did not see any evidence of oil in the spark plug tunnel and hence I concluded the donut gasket in the center of the head was in correctly. However, after running the bike, I still noticed oil seeping around the gasket on the bottom. No drips, the edges of the gasket are wet. On the top of the cylinder head, the gasket is proud (above the mating surfaces of the cylinder head), but it is not proud on the bottom of the head. Comments?

I have not mentioned, when I bought this previously owned bike, it had the Machineart Moto head protectors on it. I have attached a photo of what I'm talking about. The aft bolt through the cover is not an OEM bolt, but a longer bolt that Machineart Moto supplies. Not sure if this is the culprit. However, I did not see oil weeping before I disasembled the head cover, but remember these head covers are on there tight and you have to help them off. So maybe when the Machineart Moto cover was applied, the cylinder head was on really tightly and was not an issue, don't know.

I will try the same experiment on the right hand cylinder and see what happens. If the result is the same, the only thing I can think of is new gaskets.

Comments are welcome,

KP

I think the MAM covers come with a bit longer cover bolts? You may need your OEM bolts.

And the gaskets should be pretty even all the way around and I think it is due to you having longer bolts for the MAM covers and the gasket is not staying in place.

LFarling said:

I think the MAM covers come with a bit longer cover bolts? You may need your OEM bolts.

And the gaskets should be pretty even all the way around and I think it is due to you having longer bolts for the MAM covers and the gasket is not staying in place.

Click to expand...

The one bolt needs to be longer because of extra thickness MAM cover.
Even with the one long bolt they will all bottom out the same.

potterke said:

but remember these head covers are on there tight and you have to help them off. So maybe when the Machineart Moto cover was applied, the cylinder head was on really tightly and was not an issue, don't know.


KP

Click to expand...

They are not on there really tight. They'll stick and you may have to hit them with the heal of you hand or tap them with a rubber mallet to remove.
When installing they take very little torque. 10NM

Lee said:

The one bolt needs to be longer because of extra thickness MAM cover.
Even with the one long bolt they will all bottom out the same.

Click to expand...

Well yes depth is the same but does it draw the gaskets tight enough? The one bolt needs to be in it's proper place or the gasket will not seal.

I have read problems with MAM covers leaking and maybe a trip to their web sight may help?

Maybe a piece of debris got on the gasket surface or mating area? I always wipe both down and use clean oil to wipe the gasket down before install.

Hope you get it figured out. Are all your grommets seated correctly that the cylinder head attaches with the 3 bolts on each side. I also clean and wipe those down with clean oil when I do this work.

Has anyone had success with the R&G protectors? (Updated with Wethead link)

https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/rg-racing-carbon-fiber-head-cover-bmw-r1200gs-gsa-r1200r-rs-rt

windsailor97 said:

Has anyone had success with the R&G protectors?

https://www.bobsbmw.com/store/produ...s-for-bmw-hp2-r1200gs-r1200rt-r1200s--r1200st

Click to expand...

Wrong cover for a Wethead.

Pauls1150 said:

...But there's nothing to show where it fits, and how it goes in - ?

btw, I'm wondering if this thread's title is correct - aren't all of the 2017 RTs actually 1250?

Click to expand...

potterke said:

The 2017 is an 1200. I think the 1250 was introduced in 2018.

Click to expand...

Nope, the 1250 came out in 2019, well if you want to get picky, late 2018. I have a 2018 RT.

I do not believe there was a 2018 R1250RT, they started with the 2019 model year.