Oil Warning Light R1200ST

[DUBLINCHRIS]

Just back from trip to Italy and had an incident with oil warning light appreciate any comments.

Exiting Milan Ring Road had to use toll. Outside temp min 30+ degrees centigrade, had to queue for over 5 mins before reaching booth. Engine running, in and out of first gear, bars on temp gauge high, then about 3 -4 cars from booth red triangle and oil can start to flash on display. Oil level was good having checked earlier in day, only down about 1/4 inch on sight glass. Decided to turn off engine and "paddle" up to booth - pay toll - push through barrier then start up. Triangle and symbol gone out and bars on gauge start to drop once underway again.

 

Was this simply a case of overheating - handbook suggests low oil pressure. Has anyone else had red triangle/oil can symbol come on in these circumstances. Otherwise trip was good 2600 miles and no problems.

 

Would there be different settings to detect engine temp in different countries and therefore trip the warning system at an earlier stage, i.e coming from Ireland with generally lower temps than one would experience in middle continent area like Milan?

One other querey, have been using 95 octane fuel here in Ireland, general advice is that fuel quality is good and no need for 98 octane as per handbook.

Used 98 and also 100 on one occaision on Continent and got best fuel mileage ever and bike seemed smooth.

Any thoughts on either oil warning issue and octane.

[Gadget]

I had the same problem in heavy traffic, temp went up oil can started flashing, my pressure started to go up as well hi hi hi. I was able to escape traffic jam and after the temperature went down the light was off. It never happen again and I did not investigate it further, just assume it was because of the temperature...

[Jim VonBaden]

My GF had it happen, similar circumstances except it was only 45°F at the time. It happened once, and never again.

 

Jim

[DUBLINCHRIS]

Hi Diane

Notice you are from "cooler" country as well! Forgot to add I was also starting to melt sitting in midday sun. Like to hear from someone who would ride regularly in very hot situations. Just curious if the warning symbols can be set to trigger at different temps

[Gadget]

It was around 26 or 28 celcius that day and I was jammed bumber to bumber in traffic... I was also melting down a bit... In the summer months the temperature can be in the high twenties and above, lots of humidity as well...

 

I remember my R1100RT became "to hot" (no light put temp gage was way up high) one day at 30 celcius during an MSF type course. I had to stop an let it cool down before continuing with the course exercices.

[CraigT]

Hi Chris, looks like we missed each other again in euroland, we returned on May20th from Italy, Switzerland, France and of course the Nurburgring, ride report to follow...

 

Anyway, back on thread, I've experienced real high temps on my machine with the oil gauge reading three bars above centre line, which is as high as it gets in the UK, even when the bike's getting a real roasting.

 

Barcelona trafic had the gauge soaring, but I've never had any warnings about it.

 

I'm still using the 20/40 standard oil the dealer uses, what have you got?

 

I know that some of the Japanese bikes have different (larger) cooling systems for the Euro market, but unsure if BMW cater for any high ambients.

 

Whilst I don't answer your question, I may be advising to look elsewhere. My autocom is plugged into my accesory socket and sometimes (with plenty fuel) my bike reads 43miles and I get a low fuel warning. Remove the plug from the socket and the read out returns to normal.

 

Thus maybe a similar little gremlin.

[DUBLINCHRIS]

Hi Craig

Yes timing not right yet! Went to FIM Rimini left Dublin 2nd June road through UK,France,Switzerland. Back Dublin 12th June all in all very successful. The octane thing came about because of change in bikes running after first fill in Italy . It could also be because of higher temps generally but she felt much rougher and at times almost like fuel starvation under acceleration also rough/lumpy idle. I was talking to an Italian owner who always used 98 octane, whereas I always used 95 octane = regular fuel. Switched to higher octane and I think she smooted out but was still a bit lumpy at tick over. The rally involves quite a bit of slow parade type riding in heat which doesent help what is essentially still an air cooled bike. In Switzerland I used some 100 octane fuel and this was when I got my best consumption 230 miles with about 2 to go to the zero point. Filled with 17.46 litres giving me 59.89 mpg. This was including a trip over St Gottard Pass and sustained motorway cruising at 150kph type speed with bursts above 160 -170. Generally over 2600 miles consumption worked out mid to high 50's mpg. OIl consumption minimal - from full at start to very small amout to top up back home.

Only incident was the red tringle coming on and then the flashing oil can. Have ridden many times now in hot slow traffic conditions but this occaision was the first to hit at least the 3 bars above mid point and no external cooling just increasing heat!

 

My main querey was to see if anyone knows if the trigger point is a variable that might be set different for different countries. Bit like the apparent adjustments that can be made to the after zero reserve setting on fuel gauge.

 

Dont know about you but everytime I am away with different bikers/bikes they are all surprised at how the ST uses noticably less fuel than everything else over similar conditions and I include GS 1200's and older RT's in this. My recent companion on a Honda 1300 Pan was most put out and his would be an easier style than mine (he went through the tunnels I took the pass)

Look forward to hearing about "The Ring" one of the to do items on list!

Have to meet up sometime

[DUBLINCHRIS]

Craig

The recommended oil here(Dublin) with BMW is 10W40, and thats what I have always used. Generally Castrol GPS semi synthetic. Maybe we have something in this line of thinking as the 10W40 would suggest lower outside temps 20'C, whereas 15W40 - 20W50 would seem to suit the higher temps I was experiencing, i.e. 30+

The bike is due a service and I will discuss the oil type with dealer because there will be plenty of times when bike is running in 20+ temps so it would seem a change for better protection might be wise.

This may also be the answer for the rougher running in hot Italy compared to the top of the Gottard Pass

Seems a change to 98 octane and oil type might be worthwile.

 

Thanks

Chris

[Wicker]

Just had my R1200ST serviced @ 14K. BMW(Edinburgh)use 20/50W engine oil in all the R1200 series once the bike has been run-in & reaches its second service.

[DUBLINCHRIS]

Bike going in for service on 3rd July. Discussed the issue of oil type with dealer here in Dublin. They are quite adamant that the correct oil type is 10W40. They are of the opinion that changing to a "thicker" oil eg 20W50 is not going to aid cooling because of specification of standard oil cooler. The "thicker" the oil the harder it will be for cooler to "process" the oil whereas the 10W40 will pass through quicker and therefore be cooled more efficiently! Seems a larger cooler is the only way to deal with hotter temperatures and my experience in Italy was probably an extreme for me.

Anybody out there got an opinion?

Bear in mind that 25degreesC is hot in Ireland and we also have the benefit of external water cooling i.e. RAIN

[Jim VonBaden]

I think your dealer has a rusting brain.

 

The oil going too slowly through the cooler? The slower it goes, up to a point, the cooler it will get. Too fast and it wont have time to cool.

 

None of that is really an issue because it wont go too fast, or too slow. There is a regulator to make sure it goes only when hot, and it is designed only to go so fast.

 

20W50 sits in all my bikes, and most people I know here in the US. It is the recommended oil on an oilhead for most locations. I leave it in year round, even down to 8°F, or -12°C (?). Never an issue with cooling or heating.

 

Jim

 

Bike going in for service on 3rd July. Discussed the issue of oil type with dealer here in Dublin. They are quite adamant that the correct oil type is 10W40. They are of the opinion that changing to a "thicker" oil eg 20W50 is not going to aid cooling because of specification of standard oil cooler. The "thicker" the oil the harder it will be for cooler to "process" the oil whereas the 10W40 will pass through quicker and therefore be cooled more efficiently! Seems a larger cooler is the only way to deal with hotter temperatures and my experience in Italy was probably an extreme for me.

Anybody out there got an opinion?

Bear in mind that 25degreesC is hot in Ireland and we also have the benefit of external water cooling i.e. RAIN