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My R1150RT Maintenance Schedule

bmwmotorwerkz

New member
This might be overkill to some but it does ensure a very clean engine and systems.

1. Oil and Filter Change - Amsoil Dominator Racing 15W50, KN-163 filter, every 2,500 miles. Every other oil change gets a qt of oil replaced with a qt of Marvel Mystery Oil.

2. Transmission Service - Amsoil Severe Gear 75W140, every 3,000 miles

3. Final Drive Service - Amsoil Severe Gear 75W140, every 2,500 miles

4. Brake and Clutch Fluid Service - SpeedBleeders front and rear, drain and flush, Amsoil Series 600 Synthetic DOT 4, every 5,000 miles or annually, whichever comes first


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No, not a distributor, just a dealer. The amount of Marvel I use is actually 20%, or roughly 26oz. The balance is 15W50. Even if the Marvel was a zero weight oil, the viscosity is only thinned out from 15W50 to 12W40.


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While changing the bikes bodily fluids as often as you do may keep the internals clean, I feel that it is a bit excessive. That being said......driving conditions will warrant how often you feel the need for these fluids to be changed.
I for one would not be changing the fluids while on a long trip......and I'm talking up to 10k miles or so.......although that will not be the case when I head to fairbanks in the near future.
I'll change engine and final drive oil every 4-5K and the tranny fluid approx every 10-12K........to each is own I suppose.
 
There is a phrase about killing something or someone with kindness...
The amount of mystery oil in the engine and the 140 gear oil in the rear end is not something I would do.
Is all of that in your owners manual?

One of the most destructive things to happen to an engine is the restart after an oil change.
 
This might be overkill to some but it does ensure a very clean engine and systems.

1. Oil and Filter Change - Amsoil Dominator Racing 15W50, KN-163 filter, every 2,500 miles. Every other oil change gets a qt of oil replaced with a qt of Marvel Mystery Oil.

2. Transmission Service - Amsoil Severe Gear 75W140, every 3,000 miles

3. Final Drive Service - Amsoil Severe Gear 75W140, every 2,500 miles

4. Brake and Clutch Fluid Service - SpeedBleeders front and rear, drain and flush, Amsoil Series 600 Synthetic DOT 4, every 5,000 miles or annually, whichever comes first


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Sorry but this looks like a colossal waste of money and resources. I don't own an 1150 but I'm wondering... other than the brake fluid are any of these products BMW recommended items for your bike? :scratch
 
Now I'm confused............

Didn't you post this on another thread?:

Final Drive decided to eat itself

A bit disappointed with having to rebuild my final drive about a month ago. Mileage, 39,700. The only symptoms were a slight oil leak and metal shavings in the gear oil. Turns out the crown bearing decided to start coming apart. Replaced the crown and tapered bearings, oil seal and o-ring. I decided to let my local BMW dealer do the work on this one. Total cost, $550. Of course, Labor was most of the cost.
 
This might be overkill to some but it does ensure a very clean engine and systems.

1. Oil and Filter Change - Amsoil Dominator Racing 15W50, KN-163 filter, every 2,500 miles. Every other oil change gets a qt of oil replaced with a qt of Marvel Mystery Oil.

2. Transmission Service - Amsoil Severe Gear 75W140, every 3,000 miles

3. Final Drive Service - Amsoil Severe Gear 75W140, every 2,500 miles

4. Brake and Clutch Fluid Service - SpeedBleeders front and rear, drain and flush, Amsoil Series 600 Synthetic DOT 4, every 5,000 miles or annually, whichever comes first


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IMHO you are wasting money and valuable world resources.
My GS has 252,000 km on it and I don't change fluids even close to your intervals.

BUT item 3 should be 80w90 GL5 as per BMW spec.
You can use 75w90 synthetic but 75w140 will cause FD issues, I have read about it in the past and am willing to bet it contributed to your recent failure.
 
Pas, get smart on Marvel Mystery Oil. It does what it is designed to do and a lot of folks who have decades worth of experience use it regularly. I've been riding and wrenching on bike's and cars for 40 years, and have never experienced an oil related failure.

As far as 75W140 goes, yes, my local BMW dealer recommends it although it isn't called out in any BMW manual. With 140 my tranny shifts effortlessly and without any clunk. how about yours? Ever seen how thin a 75W140 gear oil is when it's drained from a FD after a long day's ride in 90 degree weather? I have. Ever checked the temp of the oil when it drains out? I have. Ever done an oil analysis on FD gear oil? I have. Ever seen the guts of a neglected FD? I have? Extra protection never hurts.

Are you one of those who believes and trusts everything BMW Corporate says? Do you only use BMW oil products? Do you consider the time of year and air temps you're riding in and change your oil to meet the engine's viscosity requirements or do you run the same viscosity oil year round regardless of the temp? BMW and other OEM shop manuals are nothing but a good start at best and a lot of folks have figured out how to do some things better by not strictly following the manual.

I don't understand why anyone would criticize what are clearly excellent maintenance practices. As far as wasting resources, I'm a consumer and I consume and will continue to. My purchases help ensure someone at Amsoil keeps their job.


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GSAddict - I bought my RT with 36,200 miles on it and the FD gave out at 37,000+. It was already ruined by the last owner. When I first drained the final drive it came out like melted licorice. That's abuse and non-maintenance. Using 75W140 Severe Gear had nothing to do with it. I'd like to know what your basis is for claiming the use of heavy gear oil has caused problems. Lets see the stories and the evidence. As stated before, I've used Amsoil in all of my dozens of motorcycles and always used a heavier gear oil. No issues in 40 years. You were saying?


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GSAddict - I bought my RT with 36,200 miles on it and the FD gave out at 37,000+. It was already ruined by the last owner. When I first drained the final drive it came out like melted licorice. That's abuse and non-maintenance. Using 75W140 Severe Gear had nothing to do with it. I'd like to know what your basis is for claiming the use of heavy gear oil has caused problems. Lets see the stories and the evidence. As stated before, I've used Amsoil in all of my dozens of motorcycles and always used a heavier gear oil. No issues in 40 years. You were saying?


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So 800+ miles makes you an expert on Oilheads?
I have rebuilt & repaired both Oilhead and Hexhead fd's. I use Amsoil products including The GL5 75w90 almost exclusively.
Heavier oil increases the operating temp. My FD is warm to the touch after a 90 degree ride.
Lots written about 75w140 on Adv riders.
I have discussed this issue with our local dealer and they did not recommend it either.
But go ahead, you have done the research and know better than BMW and the rest of this forum.
Ride safe.
 
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Pas, get smart on Marvel Mystery Oil. It does what it is designed to do and a lot of folks who have decades worth of experience use it regularly. I've been riding and wrenching on bike's and cars for 40 years, and have never experienced an oil related failure. I fully expect that the exact same thing can be said for everyone who has followed BMW's recommendations that are 2x your's.

As far as 75W140 goes, yes, my local BMW dealer recommends it although it isn't called out in any BMW manual. With 140 my tranny shifts effortlessly and without any clunk. how about yours? at 101,000, mine shifts like buttah. running 80W90, thank you.Ever seen how thin a 75W140 gear oil is when it's drained from a FD after a long day's ride in 90 degree weather? I have. Ever checked the temp of the oil when it drains out? I have. Ever done an oil analysis on FD gear oil? I have. Ever seen the guts of a neglected FD? I have? Extra protection never hurts.

Are you one of those who believes and trusts everything BMW Corporate says? Do you only use BMW oil products? Do you consider the time of year and air temps you're riding in and change your oil to meet the engine's viscosity requirements or do you run the same viscosity oil year round regardless of the temp? BMW and other OEM shop manuals are nothing but a good start at best and a lot of folks have figured out how to do some things better by not strictly following the manual.

I don't understand why anyone would criticize what are clearly excellent maintenance practices. As far as wasting resources, I'm a consumer and I consume and will continue to. My purchases help ensure someone at Amsoil keeps their job.
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that has got to be just about the most environmentally selfish statement I have read from anyone who does not own an oil company. and all to no real benefit. quadruple your mileage change, and have your oil tested by a reputable lab, like Blackstone. if the results are consistent with what others have reported, you'd find that your oil is still in very good shape, doing it's job as intended.
what a total waste.
 
Pas, get smart on Marvel Mystery Oil. It does what it is designed to do and a lot of folks who have decades worth of experience use it regularly. I've been riding and wrenching on bike's and cars for 40 years, and have never experienced an oil related failure. UMMM... Get smart on Mystery oil? Well sir I'm closing in on 65 years of fun and have been an aircraft owner and wrenched on motorcycles cars and airplanes for most of my adult life and never used The mystery oil nor have I ever had an oil related failure! Your point is?

As far as 75W140 goes, yes, my local BMW dealer recommends it although it isn't called out in any BMW manual. With 140 my tranny shifts effortlessly and without any clunk. how about yours? Mine shifts fine as does my 81 R100RT with over 165K on it and it never has had any gear oil higher then 90W in the trans or the rear drive! Ever seen how thin a 75W140 gear oil is when it's drained from a FD after a long day's ride in 90 degree weather? I have. Have you ever measured the temp of the final drive when its freezing out to see how cold it is? Ever checked the temp of the oil when it drains out? I have. Ever done an oil analysis on FD gear oil? I have. Ever seen the guts of a neglected FD? I have? Extra protection never hurts. Have you ever read the report from Getrag (designed and built the transmission) to see what they want you to use in the transmission? I have!

Are you one of those who believes and trusts everything BMW Corporate says? Do you only use BMW oil products? Never have. Do you consider the time of year and air temps you're riding in and change your oil to meet the engine's viscosity requirements or do you run the same viscosity oil year round regardless of the temp? I dont ride the winter roads in NE OHIO BMW and other OEM shop manuals are nothing but a good start at best and a lot of folks have figured out how to do some things better by not strictly following the manual.

I don't understand why anyone would criticize what are clearly excellent maintenance practices. That is your opinion, as it should be. As far as wasting resources, I'm a consumer and I consume and will continue to. My purchases help ensure someone at Amsoil keeps their job.


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You threw all of this info out to the forum and now your upset with the replies, Calm down there fella! I just checked the other posting you made about your final drive failure at 39K! Kind of shoots down some of this doesnt it. You should invest in a "Final Drive Minder" to monitor the situation.
Ride safe!
 
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This might be overkill to some but it does ensure a very clean engine and systems.

Your change intervals are bananas, but otherwise...

Why a racing oil instead of MCV motorcycle oil?
Is Marvel Mystery Oil needed because racing oils contain insufficient detergency?
Why manage two different but very close change intervals for transmission and final drive?
Why trust a dealer vs. a manufacturer for oil specifications (75W140 gear oil weight)?
Why change out clean oil filters (within limits, dirty ones filter better)?

I am an Amsoil user, but the cheapest Wal*Mart lubes you could find will do equally well at these change intervals.
 
2004 1150RT. Oil and filter every 4000 miles with Castrol 20/50. Transmission and final drive oil change when ever I do a tire change which can be anywhere from 7000 to 10,000 miles. I use whatever 80/90 GL5 that is available in the store I am shopping in. I do add a bit of Techron to the fuel tank several times a year. I change the brake/clutch fluids every two years, air filter, valve adjust, and throttle bodies every winter. Last winter I did the internal fuel lines, new quick disconnects, stainless brake lines, and a new starter. I may be doing everything wrong :nono BUT the bike has 70,000 miles and the only thing to fail me has been the stick coils. I rode over to Re-Psycle BMW (about 45 miles away) and bought used ones which are still working great. I ride it hard, most of the time two up and loaded like a pack mule.
 
That's why I asked after the very first post.

I work in a field where I have to do a lot with oil, hydraulics and related issues. The main outside effect that makes oil lose its lubrication properties is contamination, NOT heat cycles or just time in operation. There are systems in vehicles where experts recommend NOT to change oil if possible at all, because the process of changing will introduce problems into the originally clean circuit. Hydraulic power steering systems, for example.

Now, if you are selling oil, you clearly have a conflict of interest when you enter into a discussion about frequency of change intervals.
 
I am not going to comment on the frequency of changes. Lots of folks have. As for MMO, why a detergent is needed with such frequent changes evades me.

Finally, and most importantly - gear oil. The basic spec for both the transmission and final drive is 90wt GL5 rated gear oil.

For transmissions only: 80w90 and 75w140 are specified as acceptable.

For final drives: 80w90 is specified as acceptable.

I have found these specifications in the factory manuals for at least 20 different year/model Oilheads and K bikes and have found no other believable specifications for such bikes. One CD, for one year K1200LT differed but was changed backt the following year.

I find it ironic than a person who is using an out-of-spec lubricant in the final drive had a ball bearing failure at 39,000 miles. A review of technical literature regarding ball bearings makes it pretty clear that oil viscosity, operating temperature, bearing clearances, and loading are critical to proper bearing function and to bearing life. Oil that is either too thin or too thick is detrimental.

Specifically, oil that is too thick may, under certain conditions, "wedge" out in front of the rolling balls. This leads to inadequate oil between the balls and the races. This allows the balls and races to go "metal to metal" which is not supposed to happen. This causes fractures and pitting in the hard races and sure impending death for the bearing. This by the way is the failure mode for the vast majority of reported final drive failures.

For all final drives prior to the introduction of the "big hole" drives on the K bikes and R1200, if anybody including a dealer puts 75w140 in a final drive they are not in accordance with the specifications no matter what they say, or how earnestly they say it. And in my carefully considered opinion it does matter and is detrimental to the final drive.

While there are undoubtedly several factors involved in the many final drive failures, improper lubricant is clearly one of them. Others include shimmed to tight (inadequate bearing clearances for the oil), shimmed too loose (pounding), impact loads from sharp bumps (GS bikes anyone?), and excess loading (two-up K1200LT with full camping/touring gear). I would note that proper gear oil providing optimal cushioning can mitigate some, but not all, of the hazards imposed by the other factors.
 
I am not going to comment on the frequency of changes. Lots of folks have. As for MMO, why a detergent is needed with such frequent changes evades me.

Finally, and most importantly - gear oil. The basic spec for both the transmission and final drive is 90wt GL5 rated gear oil.

For transmissions only: 80w90 and 75w140 are specified as acceptable.

For final drives: 80w90 is specified as acceptable.

I have found these specifications in the factory manuals for at least 20 different year/model Oilheads and K bikes and have found no other believable specifications for such bikes. One CD, for one year K1200LT differed but was changed backt the following year.

I find it ironic than a person who is using an out-of-spec lubricant in the final drive had a ball bearing failure at 39,000 miles. A review of technical literature regarding ball bearings makes it pretty clear that oil viscosity, operating temperature, bearing clearances, and loading are critical to proper bearing function and to bearing life. Oil that is either too thin or too thick is detrimental.

Specifically, oil that is too thick may, under certain conditions, "wedge" out in front of the rolling balls. This leads to inadequate oil between the balls and the races. This allows the balls and races to go "metal to metal" which is not supposed to happen. This causes fractures and pitting in the hard races and sure impending death for the bearing. This by the way is the failure mode for the vast majority of reported final drive failures.

For all final drives prior to the introduction of the "big hole" drives on the K bikes and R1200, if anybody including a dealer puts 75w140 in a final drive they are not in accordance with the specifications no matter what they say, or how earnestly they say it. And in my carefully considered opinion it does matter and is detrimental to the final drive.

While there are undoubtedly several factors involved in the many final drive failures, improper lubricant is clearly one of them. Others include shimmed to tight (inadequate bearing clearances for the oil), shimmed too loose (pounding), impact loads from sharp bumps (GS bikes anyone?), and excess loading (two-up K1200LT with full camping/touring gear). I would note that proper gear oil providing optimal cushioning can mitigate some, but not all, of the hazards imposed by the other factors.

Thank you Paul! Well Said.
And I don't often use this smiley:bow
 
Are you one of those who believes and trusts everything BMW Corporate says?

Why yes ... but it's you that thinks and promotes that "corporate" is a scare word and it reflects ignorance on your part more than anything, although this sort of thing is often prevalent in the independent mechanic's arsenal of hype.

Regardless of "years of experience" guys like you can't hold a candle to someone with a viable engineering degree and experience in design and production of BMW motorcycles. Similarly qualified guys from other makes may have valid comments as well, but the mechanic's one and only job ever is to restore the bike to factory condition via repair and maintenance. Unless you're quoting factory information, your statements are of little (very little) value. And I don't mean Amsoil hype I mean information from BMW. It's good, BTW, to actually understand the difference between "recommend" and "specify" and BMW does both and they shouldn't be confused.

To promote the notion that BMW maintenance specifications come from lawyers, salespersons, etc., is the height of ignorance and represents nothing more than scare tactics and snake oil promotion.

And, it's not a matter of "believes," it's a matter of knowing through observation how the flow of information works, beginning with design engineers, the field experience process, the service personnel training process, all the way to service information communication to dealers and customers. It's not a perfect system, but continuous assessment and improvement is part of it, and everything else is such a distant second as to be minuscule ... despite the testosterone that might be applied.
 
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