1983 R100 RS Project

[brifog196]

Thanks for the lift information.
I'm hoping that I can find one that will allow me to remove the wheels though.
It looks like that once I get the exhaust off I can support the bike from the frame underneath the engine. Provided I account for what looks like the oil pan that extends down past the bikes frame itself.
A jack something like this style if possible.

https://www.toolots.com/ml-1500lbs-m...torbike%20Lift

[brifog196]

Good morning all,

Well I finally got the gas cap out and it's not pretty. As you can see from the pictures I attached the amount of rust on the gas cap and in the tank.
Looks like there's a new tank in this bike's future...
Still tearing the bike down. The exhaust pipes came off the heads without a fight. Happy for that. Today I plan to remove the carborators, air box etc.
Will keep you all posted.
Brian

[Omega Man]

That’s ugly.
OM

[20774]

You might be able to save the tank depending on the extent of the rust. Try using EvapoRust inside the tank, swishing it around to cover the rusty areas. It may take more mechanical scrubbing using numerous nuts/bolts/screws inside the tank while you shake them all throughout to chip off the flakes of rust. Then you will need to recoat the inside of the tank to protect the bare steel.

[TEDZEMLICKA]

I'm doing a similar thing. Bought a 1984 R100RS at an auction. 49,000 mile bike. It had a 10 year nap, so not as affected by time as yours. Brakes and carbs redone so far and a new starter. Getting all of the lights to work is next.
The simplicity of these bikes is nice. Euromotoelectric is also a good source of parts.

[orforester]

Gas tank, try vinegar and some water with nuts and bolts, shaken, not stirred, sit for a couple of days, turned often. Buddy did it with KLR tank that was outside for years.

[brifog196]

I may try the Evaporust route. First things first I need to get a gas cap since Iv'e destroyed the other one getting it out. :-)
If the Evaporust product ends up working what would be used as a sealant after the fact?
Also, I attached some pictures of the tank filler area after some initial cleanup. Do they look alright?
Brian

[HSVPhil]

I may try the Evaporust route. First things first I need to get a gas cap since Iv'e destroyed the other one getting it out. :-)
If the Evaporust product ends up working what would be used as a sealant after the fact?
Also, I attached some pictures of the tank filler area after some initial cleanup. Do they look alright?
Brian

HOLY COW, Batman! Clean Enuf? Your grandchild could be fed lunch off that surface - jus sayin!!!

[brifog196]

Hello all,

Happy new year first of all. Hope everyone made it through the holidays OK. It was slow going at home for a bit but I'm ready to get back at it.
There were a few things I need to address in the barn/shop.
First, it cold in that barn/shop this time of year! I live in Massachusetts. I installed heat to help take the edge off when I'm out there. It's not going to bring temps out there too high but it will allow me to work comfortable enough with outside temps down around 20 degress. Below that and hibernation starts to set in.
Second, I had had to do something about elavating the bike to make it easier to work on. The best (cheapest) I could find was at Harbor Freight. $500.00. I just couldn't bring myself to spend that money on it when I could use the $500 towards bike related parts so I built my own stand. For $65.00 bucks. See attached picture. It brings the bike up off the floor 22" which is working out pretty.
Now a staus update.
I'm still removing and cleaning parts as I go. You can see where I'm at so for in some of the pictures I've attached. I've been reading up on the bike's electrial system before I start on wiring harnesses etc. It's my belief that the issue why bike was parked so long ago was electrical in nature.
Right now I'm about remove the rear wheel and drive. Go through that part of the bike.

Question for the group: The rims are pretty filthy. Does anyone have an idea on how to restore them to look new?

I think after I address the rims and install some new rubber on them I can put the rear of the bike back together. I'm not expecting an issues with the drive shaft etc. It all looks pretty good.
Other things to address. Not necessarilly in this order i have them listed. :-)
Next up will be all electrical in nature. Make sure I have no issues with any harness or sub harnesses, the electronic ignition etc.
Then carborators. They will definately have to be rebuilt, new fuel lines and air box addressed.
Then handle bar control assemblies have to redone. Taken apart possibly painted and rebuilt.
I will need to replace throttle and choke cables...
I'm saving the engine for last. The bike only had 29k miles on and the engine oil looks just fine so I don't intend to break it donw at all.. I do not intI really, really, really hope that's the case...
I do plan on removing the heads and after then rebuilt...professionally. Not my bag. I just think that having the bike boken down this fat and not rebuild the heads doesn't make sense.
There was something I read somewhere about an issue these bikes may have had called valve recession? Can anyone enlighten me about that?

Another question: Does anyone know a good shop for this kind of work in Massachusetts?

Obviously this all depends on Mother Nature and just how many days I can time in on the bike and will certainly run into the spring and summer.
Maybe have the bike on the raod by early fall? We'll see.
Brian

[HSVPhil]

Happy Feb 1st, Brian! I was recently wondering about that RS project of yours...

Congrats on your homemade work bench - Clever!

I had Bob’s BMW in Jessup, MD overhaul my R90S heads (back in the last century). They also added the second spark plug underneath, because I couldn’t get good high-test leaded gas anymore. That’s why they also put in hardened valve seats at that time for the ethanol in the petrol. MAX BMW is your closest expert on such machine services.

Read content on valves here: https://bmwmotorcycletech.info/valves.htm

I changed the tires on Karen’s R100CS with those snowflake wheels - a Great Big PITA!
I just left the patina as it currently exists {not being familiar with what a new wheel would’ve looked like}.

Good luck working in your very cold workshop! I’m headed out back to the garage to replace my 13 year old tires on the even older Vespa. It’s gloomy & chilly today - in the 40s...

Good Luck!
HSV-Phil & HSV-Karen

[88bmwjeff]

Hello all,

Second, I had had to do something about elevating the bike to make it easier to work on. The best (cheapest) I could find was at Harbor Freight. $500.00. I just couldn't bring myself to spend that money on it when I could use the $500 towards bike related parts so I built my own stand. For $65.00 bucks. See attached picture. It brings the bike up off the floor 22" which is working out pretty.

Sorry this is kind of a side note. I've thought about doing something like that. How much of a ramp do you use to get the bike up on the table?

[kbasa]

Hello all,

Happy new year first of all. Hope everyone made it through the holidays OK. It was slow going at home for a bit but I'm ready to get back at it.
There were a few things I need to address in the barn/shop.
First, it cold in that barn/shop this time of year! I live in Massachusetts. I installed heat to help take the edge off when I'm out there. It's not going to bring temps out there too high but it will allow me to work comfortable enough with outside temps down around 20 degress. Below that and hibernation starts to set in.
Second, I had had to do something about elavating the bike to make it easier to work on. The best (cheapest) I could find was at Harbor Freight. $500.00. I just couldn't bring myself to spend that money on it when I could use the $500 towards bike related parts so I built my own stand. For $65.00 bucks. See attached picture. It brings the bike up off the floor 22" which is working out pretty.
Now a staus update.
I'm still removing and cleaning parts as I go. You can see where I'm at so for in some of the pictures I've attached. I've been reading up on the bike's electrial system before I start on wiring harnesses etc. It's my belief that the issue why bike was parked so long ago was electrical in nature.
Right now I'm about remove the rear wheel and drive. Go through that part of the bike.

Question for the group: The rims are pretty filthy. Does anyone have an idea on how to restore them to look new?

I think after I address the rims and install some new rubber on them I can put the rear of the bike back together. I'm not expecting an issues with the drive shaft etc. It all looks pretty good.
Other things to address. Not necessarilly in this order i have them listed. :-)
Next up will be all electrical in nature. Make sure I have no issues with any harness or sub harnesses, the electronic ignition etc.
Then carborators. They will definately have to be rebuilt, new fuel lines and air box addressed.
Then handle bar control assemblies have to redone. Taken apart possibly painted and rebuilt.
I will need to replace throttle and choke cables...
I'm saving the engine for last. The bike only had 29k miles on and the engine oil looks just fine so I don't intend to break it donw at all.. I do not intI really, really, really hope that's the case...
I do plan on removing the heads and after then rebuilt...professionally. Not my bag. I just think that having the bike boken down this fat and not rebuild the heads doesn't make sense.
There was something I read somewhere about an issue these bikes may have had called valve recession? Can anyone enlighten me about that?

Another question: Does anyone know a good shop for this kind of work in Massachusetts?

Obviously this all depends on Mother Nature and just how many days I can time in on the bike and will certainly run into the spring and summer.
Maybe have the bike on the raod by early fall? We'll see.
Brian

You need to be a Yankee Beemer and you'll get some help from the local enthusiasts.

Valve recession is an issue in 1983 and 1984 BMWs. The valve seats are too soft, so eventually the valves wind up shaped like tulips. It's usually exhaust valves that have an issue. If you pull the valve cover off and the exhaust adjustment screw is running out of adjustment, you've got valve recession. The adjusters should be about the same distance out, so if the exhausts are WAY out there, you're WELL down the road to getting the heads reworked.

You have a couple opportunities: Max BMW does great work on these old bikes, you could send it down to Bob's BMW or you could reach out to Bud Provin up in VT and get him to do them. ProTip: Get the big valves while you're in there and you'll love the mid range roll on.

For the wheels, and any metal bits, for that matter, vapor blasting is what you want. It won't etch the metal and it'll remove the dirt and leave it looking factory fresh. I'm not sure who does that in Mass, but that'd be my recommendation.

[20774]

Valve recession is an issue in 1983 and 1984 BMWs. The valve seats are too soft, so eventually the valves wind up shaped like tulips.

The way Oak explained it he termed the 1981-1984 problems as valve face plastic deformation or VFPD. The seats were made of a material that didn't transfer heat very well into the heads. The heat had to go someplace, so it was transferred into the valve faces while the valve sat on the seat. The fix was to change the seats and valves to that used for the '85-on bikes...BMW finally got it right.

[brifog196]

Sorry this is kind of a side note. I've thought about doing something like that. How much of a ramp do you use to get the bike up on the table?

I have ramps I built for loading things into my pickup. I used one of those. It's a 2x8", 8' long that has an attachment bolted on the end that sits on the tailgate. I had help rolling on there. I would consider a beafier board or metal ramp if the bike wasn't stripped down like mine was.
All in all, very easy to do.
I also have the legs attached with lag bolts so if I want I can break the table down for storage.

[brifog196]

You need to be a Yankee Beemer and you'll get some help from the local enthusiasts.

Valve recession is an issue in 1983 and 1984 BMWs. The valve seats are too soft, so eventually the valves wind up shaped like tulips. It's usually exhaust valves that have an issue. If you pull the valve cover off and the exhaust adjustment screw is running out of adjustment, you've got valve recession. The adjusters should be about the same distance out, so if the exhausts are WAY out there, you're WELL down the road to getting the heads reworked.

You have a couple opportunities: Max BMW does great work on these old bikes, you could send it down to Bob's BMW or you could reach out to Bud Provin up in VT and get him to do them. ProTip: Get the big valves while you're in there and you'll love the mid range roll on.

For the wheels, and any metal bits, for that matter, vapor blasting is what you want. It won't etch the metal and it'll remove the dirt and leave it looking factory fresh. I'm not sure who does that in Mass, but that'd be my recommendation.

Thanks for the info Dave!
I plan to join the Yankee Beamers group. I'll do that sooner rthan later!
I also see if Bud Provin is still doing work on the heads.