Changing the transmission gear oil

[Perlova]

Is there a tip or gotcha to changing the gearbox oil on an R1100RT? The drain plug is inside a "tunnel". Is there a tube or funnel that can be used to prevent the oil from leaking all over the bike?

 

Thanks

[Boffin]

I cut up a small tonic water bottle, though I am thinking about making a permanent one using some old PVC waste water pipe I have in the garage.

 

Andy

[flars]

The oil comes out rather slowly. Put a piece of aluminum foil over the cat, and just let the oil pour out onto the foil and into a container. Turn the edges of the foil up to help direct the oil into the container. Then replace the drain plug, wipe out the tunnel, then spray a little contact cleaner or whatever into the tunnel. It's easier that way, and you're probably going to have to do the cleanup of the tunnel anyway.

Also - loosen the fill plug before loosing the drain plug so you know you can put oil back into it once you've got it drained.

[T__]

Is there a tip or gotcha to changing the gearbox oil on an R1100RT? The drain plug is inside a "tunnel". Is there a tube or funnel that can be used to prevent the oil from leaking all over the bike?

 

Thanks

 

Perlova, you can go cheap or exotic on a drain tube or drain trough.. A simple toilet paper tube or cut off paper towel center cardboard tube will work.. I personally just use piece of plastic cut from the curved side of an old plastic milk jug.. You need a slightly curved piece that will fit into the drain plug opening & it helps to have a slightly turned up inner lip so oil doesn’t flow out the trans end..

 

Getting the new oil back in will also require a curved funnel or right angle end attached to a regular funnel..

 

Make sure the trans is hot at change time so all the old gear oil comes out.. About a 20 minute ride will work.. I like to change my trans gear oil right after a long high speed run on the hiway..

 

Twisty

[OoPEZoO]

Is there a tip or gotcha to changing the gearbox oil on an R1100RT? The drain plug is inside a "tunnel". Is there a tube or funnel that can be used to prevent the oil from leaking all over the bike?

 

Thanks

 

An empty TP or paper towel roll does the trick nicely. I cut half of the tube away on one side and then slide the leftover ledge under the drain tube. I still put some aluminum foil between the exhaust and drain tube because I am known to be messy, but the carboard tube by itself does work very well.

[Ken H.]

I use the aluminum foil trick too. Easy to form and yet keep out of the way.

[BFish]

I cut up a small tonic water bottle, though I am thinking about making a permanent one using some old PVC waste water pipe I have in the garage.

 

Andy

 

i do the water bottle thing as well. tin foil all around the cat/pipes etc. be prepared to "burn" some off on the first test run.

[Perlova]

Thanks to everyone that replied. I like the tip of making sure that the fill plug can be removed first.

 

I was planning on using Royal Purple Max Gear lubricant to try and quiet some of the noise. Anyone else using this particular oil?

[Rydrhard]

I have been using 75w140 synthetic gear lube. I found it reduced gear noise and made shifting much smoother and easier. I use it in the final drive as well. RYDRHARD

[boatzo]

I have been using 75w140 synthetic gear lube. I found it reduced gear noise and made shifting much smoother and easier. I use it in the final drive as well. RYDRHARD

 

Same here Amsoil 75w 140. I also use the empty toilet roll since we have an over abundance of them.

[MGN54]

Here in the M/C FAQ section at the top of the forum page:

 

http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/sh...amp;o=&vc=1

 

I've got the PVC pipe but have not cut it yet. Will do so this week as I need to change both transmission and final drive oil before my ride to Big Bend!

 

Mark

[Keith S]

I have been using 75w140 synthetic gear lube. I found it reduced gear noise and made shifting much smoother and easier. I use it in the final drive as well. RYDRHARD

 

Same here Amsoil 75w 140. I also use the empty toilet roll since we have an over abundance of them.

 

+1 on the Amsoil 75w140 for the trans and FD. I also found that the PCV pipe made a mess. I use the foil over the cat method.

 

Keith

[Perlova]

[quote

 

+1 on the Amsoil 75w140 for the trans and FD. I also found that the PCV pipe made a mess. I use the foil over the cat method.

 

Keith

 

That's because it's so cold in Calgary, the oil flows sooooo slow.....

[Tipover_Bob]

I was planning on using Royal Purple Max Gear lubricant to try and quiet some of the noise. Anyone else using this particular oil?

 

Per:

I use LE-607 (Lubrication Engineers) straight 90 wt dino oil. It's expensive but the final drive only takes a little bit. I like a 90 wt dino oil because I believe the ball bearings like it. Also, I believe the viscosity of the straight 90 wt gear oil is greater than even a -140 wt. You know viscosity of -140 wt multi grade oils is not necessarily measured under the pressure you get at the gears. It may be sloppy, heavy sloshing around it there, but when push comes to shove, I like a straight 90 wt dino oil because I believe the ball bearings like it better and because I believe the viscosity holds up better than the multi grade oils under the pressure of the gears. Did I repeat myself? I have heard Royal Purple spends a lot of money on advertising. Does that make it good?

Tipover Bob

[Joe G]

I loosen both plugs, then snug up the top one, then remove the bottom drain plug. This keeps the hot fluid from rushing out all at once, making less of a mess.

[Perlova]

Per:

I use LE-607 (Lubrication Engineers) straight 90 wt dino oil. It's expensive but the final drive only takes a little bit. I like a 90 wt dino oil because I believe the ball bearings like it. Also, I believe the viscosity of the straight 90 wt gear oil is greater than even a -140 wt. You know viscosity of -140 wt multi grade oils is not necessarily measured under the pressure you get at the gears. It may be sloppy, heavy sloshing around it there, but when push comes to shove, I like a straight 90 wt dino oil because I believe the ball bearings like it better and because I believe the viscosity holds up better than the multi grade oils under the pressure of the gears. Did I repeat myself? I have heard Royal Purple spends a lot of money on advertising. Does that make it good?

Tipover Bob

 

I'm not really stuck on Royal Purple because it's synthetic or of the name. I have just heard that people are happy with it and it's not really that much more expensive over petroleum products. I just want something thicker in the hopes of quietening down the tranny.

 

what exactly is synthetic oil made from, corn oil? water? It obviously must be made from a base product that is abundant and cheap.

[Sidmariner]

When I was faced with the same problem I looked around my house for some kind of tube and found a perfect solution.

 

I found a travel toothbrush holder from the dollar store, the kind that splits in half, sitting in the bathroom drawer. One half fit snugly around the drain plug and, with the closed end cut off, still left enough room to get the socket extension in to undo the plug.

 

I have found the same tootbrush holder bundled with a soap case for $1.50 Cdn ($1.57 US today ). The soap case makes a great travelling AA battery holder.

[Dick_at_Lake_Tahoe_NV]

Here's a good deal on Royal Purple if that's what you want. Only $8.99; Includes free shipping.

 

http://www.americanmuscle.com/royal-purple-max-gear-75w90-gear-oil.html

[Perlova]

Just put in some Royal Purple Max Gear 75W140 oil. I put it in with a pump that I got from a local surplus shop for $4.99. The pump made it really easy with no mess. I used the toilet paper tube and foil over the catalytic converter suggested here.

 

Worked great and now the tranny seems to be a bit quieter. We'll see what it's like when it gets really warmed up.

[Perlova]

Here's a good deal on Royal Purple if that's what you want. Only $8.99; Includes free shipping.

 

http://www.americanmuscle.com/royal-purple-max-gear-75w90-gear-oil.html

 

Dick:

 

That's a great price. And it looks like they even ship to Canada. I paid $13.99 at Performance Improvements....That's the only place I could find it in my town.

[notacop]

As far as refilling the transmission goes, the jug of GL5 80/90 I get at Autozone has a very handy pump on it. Makes for simple and quick trans redo. Remember to refill the trans before removing the 'lunimum foil from the cat converter. Otherwise any seepage spilt on it will smoke in a lovely manner.