Do these cam lobes look okay? 2017 R1200GSA

I have adjusted the valves of a lot of overhead cam motorcycles and have never seen marks like that or any other indication of cam wear. Camshafts are just not wear items. Because there are several reports of cam wear issues on the water cooled boxers I would be pushing for a warranty cam replacement. The fact that the valve clearances are ok does not surprise me. Valve clearance is measured on the heel of the cam. There is no metal to metal contact under pressure on that part of the cam. This is a quality control issue and BMW should be replacing worn cams even if out of the warranty period if there is evidence of proper oil changes. I have a 2016 GS and I will be doing an oil analysis at every other oil change because of this issue and the fact that the local dealer does not offer any type of extended warranty.

Cam lobes

My 2015 right side cam lobes look just like yours. Valves are in spec. Yes to finger nail smooth finished. No ridges, roughness.
Bikes run great. Plugs clean=good burn. Gas mileage, average over 44 MPG last X out. Bike was loaded with camping gear. =camping YB club.
Next check will post pictures.

st13rt12 said:

My 2015 right side cam lobes look just like yours. Valves are in spec. Yes to finger nail smooth finished. No ridges, roughness.

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To clarify the "valves are in spec" comment: Valves are checked on the back side of the lobe. They are not checked on the front or nose of the lobe which is the part pressing to open the valve. There is virtually no pressure against the back side of the lobe once the valve has closed. So there would not be evident wear at the position where valves are checked, even if the nose of the lobe was seriously worn. Thus whether a valve gap is within spec or not doesn't tell you very much of anything about whether the nose of the cam lobe has worn.

It will however tell you whether the valve head or valve seat, or the cam follower have worn.

I did extensive head work on German automobiles that were dohc; BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Porsche, etc.. If I saw this in the dissembly of the head, I would get my supervisor over for a closer look and inspection. I'd let him make a decision. It dosen't look right to me.

They have been looked at by three well qualified techs and all have said they are not a problem and not exhibiting the symptoms common to the soft cam problems some bikes have had. At 36,000 miles the valves have not required adjustment; in-fact they are identical to their first check at 600 miles. The bike runs fine and there are no odd sounds. So, BMW is not going to take any corrective action for something they deem not to be a problem on a bike that is performing as advertised. I have written responses from my dealer about my concerns which were made while the bike was under warranty. Should things go south I will at least have a chance of getting assistance from BMW on the cost of the repair. The dealership here in Montana has always dealt with me fairly and honestly and I have a good relationship with most of the staff members. I believe they will stand up for me with BMW if required. At this point I will ride it as usual and check the valves at a 6,000 mile interval instead of 12,000, at least for awhile. Next check I may pull the cams so I can get a good look at the cam followers where, I am told, a problem is more likely to develop.

If you pull the cams at next service you’ll be able to directly measure and compare lobe-to-lobe or better yet against a new cam. I hope your techs are right and you don’t have any issue beyond appearance. I’m curious about what I’ll find when I open up my 2018 GS.

Best,
DeVern

One option in these situations is to start sending your oil for analysis after each oil change. Also, you could cut open the filter then and check for contamination in the pleats.

roger 04 rt said:

One option in these situations is to start sending your oil for analysis after each oil change. Also, you could cut open the filter then and check for contamination in the pleats.

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Good ideas. The magnetic oil drain plug was very clean when last checked.

Looks better than this one........

3200 miles.......