Fuel Filter Question

[Deltamark]

Hi all,

 

I recently bought a 1999 R1100RT with about 40,000 miles. I need to have a number of things done to it (fork seal leak, timing belt, 42K service), so the upcoming service is going to cost me a few bucks. I'm wondering how necessary it is at this time to replace the fuel filter? I was told its about two hours labor. A friend of mine suggested that it may not be necessary unless the bike is running poorly. (Its not.) He said that his Harley has almost 80K and he hasn't replaced his yet. Should I fork over the dough now or is it something that can wait? I also hope to take some trips this summer and want to make sure the bike's in top shape. Appreciate your input.

 

Mark

[SageRider]

First, Welcome to the board!

 

Regarding your post:

1) Timing belt is listed. Did you intend that to be that to be the alternator belt?

2) When was the last time the fuel filter was replaced. Typical replacement schedule is 18K or 24K miles. (If you tend to be conservative, then 18K miles. If you are somewhat of a risk taker, then stretch to 24K miles so that the filter change can be performed every other major service.

(I changed mine at 18K miles as dealing with a clogged fuel filter on the road is not my idea of a good time.)

 

3) Are the brakes being bled, including the control box? If yes, then the gas tank will need to be removed anyway.

4) Also, when was the last time the throttle cables been changed? This too will require the gas tank to be lifted if not completely removed.

 

I would not attempt to make comparisons between a Harley and a BMW as they are very different bikes both in how they are used and how they are designed.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Nice timing. We're having a Tech Daze in Detroit this Saturday. If I've got your location right (just W of Toledo?), it's about 120 miles one way. We can walk you through a complete service job, and if you bring a filter we can help you install it. (If your dealer doesn't have one in stock, head to Autozone and pick up a Deutsche FF401).

 

It might be a two-hour job (book rate) if you don't already have the bike apart for other maintenance, but if you're in there for the usual 42K stuff (valves, TB synch, etc.), it's maybe another half-hour to pop the tank off, swap filters, and put the tank back on. Fuel filter replacement schedule isn't as urgent as, say, oil change or valve adjustment, but since you just got the bike it might be nice to start from a known point (fresh filter, no gunk in tank).

 

C'mon up! Hit the road by 7 AM, you'll be there before 9.

[RFW]

It all depends on how much crap is in the fuel, as to how clogged the filter is. Mine (on my old K100RT) shocked me when my pump started making a nasty whining sound. Turned out that the filter was so clogged, that I was able to measure just over 100 psi back pressure on the filter alone! The sound was the poor pump struggling with this huge backpressure!

 

The best way to tell the condition of the filter is to "T" a pressure gauge into the line before the filter (or the pump output). Allow the filter output to dump back into the tank. The gauge should not have more than about 10 psi registering (preferably a lot less). Any more means the filter must be replaced.

 

All the above assumes the bike is fuel injected, of course.

 

Bob.

[leikam]

That would work fine on an 1100RT with the filter outside the tank, but if it's in the stock position inside the tank you might as well just replace the thing while you've got it all apart.

[BMT]

All the above assumes the bike is fuel injected, of course.

Is there a '99 R1100RT that isn't?

[RFW]

That would work fine on an 1100RT with the filter outside the tank, but if it's in the stock position inside the tank you might as well just replace the thing while you've got it all apart.

My K100RT filter was in the tank, and there was no problem hooking up the pressure gauge. In fact it is even easier because to allow the filter output to dump back into the tank, all you need to do is pull the hose off its output.

 

Besides, at a riduculous $35 CDN for a filter, it was worth a few minutes to test it.

 

Bob.

[leikam]

It really comes down to a question of personal effort v.s. financial cost so judgements will vary.

 

I've only seen the R bike's pump/filter assembly and not the K's so maybe the K's is a lot easier to access, but for my time, if I go to the trouble of digging into the R bike's tank, I'm going to leave with zero resistance.

[John Dickens]

Whenever I buy a used vehicle of unknown history I always do a full service. It gives me a baseline to work from in the future and gives me peace of mind too.

 

If you don't know the history then I would change the filter. I mounted mine externally too so it's now a 5 minute job when the panels are off.

[bmuuEd]

I just replaced mine yesterday as the last part of my baseline service. Actually, it was replaced once before. I guess they do service the police bikes as they should. I also replaced the alternator belt. Turns out that it was falling apart. And replaced the cam chain tensioner with the updated unit. What really took the longest to do, while in there, was to wire up the driving lights.

[Deltamark]

Hi all,

 

Wow, what a great group! This is the first time I posted on this list and really appreciate all the input. I posted the same message on the BMW list and got only one response.

 

Anyway, you probably can discern that I'm pretty green when it comes to the mechanics of a motorcycle. My intent is to at least initially have the work done at a shop.

 

I thought a BMW mechanic told me it was due for a "timing belt" but maybe he called it something else. According to some BMW documentation I saw, there was a "V-belt" change on the list. Maybe that's it.

 

After reading all of your replies, I decided that I'm going to have the fuel filter done, along with everything else I can afford. I'll take notes from all your suggestions and take that with me when I take it to the shop for my June 1 appointment.

 

Man, I would really love to come to the Tech Daze this weekend, but unfortunately my wife and I are heading up north (in a cage mind you, ughh!) for the weekend.

 

Thanks again for all the input and I look forward to participating with ya'all.

 

Mark

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Man, I would really love to come to the Tech Daze this weekend, but unfortunately my wife and I are heading up north (in a cage mind you, ughh!) for the weekend.

 

Bummer, but not a biggie. Likely there will be another Tech Daze before long; keep your eyes on the Ride Planning forum for announcements.

[leikam]

Mark, the only belt on your bike is the alternator belt (a poly v belt) that should be replaced periodically, so that's probably what your mechanic told you.

[Deltamark]

Thanks Michael. That must be it. Well, I can honestly say that I know more about my bike now than I did this morning!

[Jim Moore]

Man, I would really love to come to the Tech Daze this weekend, but unfortunately my wife and I are heading up north (in a cage mind you, ughh!) for the weekend.

Mark

Tell the old lady that you are going to save hundreds of dollars by going to the Tech Day and you plan to use the $$$ to buy her a really nice motorcycle helmet. I mean, really! How hard is this marriage stuff?

[wolcott]

I have a '98 RT with about 20k on it now. At 18k, the fast idle cable would not retract properly (had about 2" hanging out). When I looked in the Haynes manual, it recommended that all the throttle cables be replaced. Besides the 3 throttle cables and the fast idle cable, the mechanic working on the bike suggested to change out the cable distribution box (bowden box, also?). It was $25 for the box. You might want to order one of those cable distribution boxes and throw that in there when it comes time to change the cables out as additional insurance. On the "98, it was $102 for all 4 cables, and like I said $25 for box. I also had valves adjusted, and the TB's synched. The labor was 4.5 hours at $60 an hour, plus tax and shop supplies= $328.17 + plus $102 (for cables). Final price=$430. As I road away from the dealership, I thought to myself, darn, that was an expensive fast idle cable! I had just got bike and was ignorant of how expensive BMW parts are and how much labor has risen. I had been riding a '94 1200 Sportster which has given me hardly any trouble, and when it does, I usually can fix it (with help of factory manual).

[leikam]

The good news is that your RT isn't much harder to work on than your Harley. You can replace the cables and do a tune up by yourself in a couple hours.

 

Keep an eye on the ride/event planning thread for a florida tech day and you'll have some help getting started.