Possible over heat of oil

[Skywagon]

I moved to Houston from San Francisco about 3 months ago. My bike arrived Monday and I got my first ride in last Saturday.. A quick jaunt to Brenham and back. On the way back I got stuck in stop and go (more stop than go) traffic. The outside temp was about 78 and a light rain. I noticed my oil light bars which have always been around 4 started creeping up. After 20-30 minutes or so, it made it up to bar 9. This is the last bar before Red. I cut traffic, pulled over into a parking garage and let it sit for about 30 minutes. It was down to about bar 7. I got on the freeway and started cruising at 70 for about 3-4 miles on the way home. It never got back down to below 7 bars. I have ridden the bike in much much greater heat over 100+ weather in CA with stop and go, and it has never heated up. The oil was fresh and new. It actually felt and smelled hot vs.s just the bars being wrong.

 

What to do..It is a 2005 R1150RT with 4000 miles. It is still in warranty through next month. The oil is fresh and full. I am planning on taking it to some local BMW dealer this weekend. Any other advice or hints on a good BMW dealer near Bellaire, Texas 77401 would be appreciated.

 

Regards,

[Linz]

I've been in a similar situation in heavy traffic with my old R1100RT. Nine bars.

 

I'm pretty sure that you will not have damaged anything. If your worried about it, drop the oil and put fresh in. The cost will be minimal and your mind will be at peace... In my opinion.

 

Linz

[Boffin]

BMWs never overheated until they fitted temp guages

 

I would not worry about this - just change the oil at the next scheduled service (6K miles)

 

If you are likely to run in high-temp stop-go traffic often, then a switch to synthetic oil may be in order as it has better high-temp stability than dino.

 

Andy

[DrPaul]

I moved to Houston from San Francisco about 3 months ago. My bike arrived Monday and I got my first ride in last Saturday.. A quick jaunt to Brenham and back. On the way back I got stuck in stop and go (more stop than go) traffic. The outside temp was about 78 and a light rain. I noticed my oil light bars which have always been around 4 started creeping up. After 20-30 minutes or so, it made it up to bar 9. This is the last bar before Red. I cut traffic, pulled over into a parking garage and let it sit for about 30 minutes. It was down to about bar 7. I got on the freeway and started cruising at 70 for about 3-4 miles on the way home. It never got back down to below 7 bars. I have ridden the bike in much much greater heat over 100+ weather in CA with stop and go, and it has never heated up. The oil was fresh and new. It actually felt and smelled hot vs.s just the bars being wrong.

 

What to do..It is a 2005 R1150RT with 4000 miles. It is still in warranty through next month. The oil is fresh and full. I am planning on taking it to some local BMW dealer this weekend. Any other advice or hints on a good BMW dealer near Bellaire, Texas 77401 would be appreciated.

 

Regards,

I believe it was Mark Twain who said "the coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco". Welcome to Baja Oklahoma!

Seriously, my '02 has done the same with no consequences. Check your oil rediator and make sure nothing is obstructing air flow through it. The synthetic oil recommendation is a good one.

[Ken H.]

As Andy said, it's almost impossible to truly overheat an oilhead. (presuming it has oil in it!) At stop and go speeds not enough heat is created to do damage and once underway, even a little bit, there is enough airflow though the cooler to compensate for the load. Ignore the RID.

[amboy]

I agree with the recommendation to switch to 100% synthetic crankcase oil. Because the flashpoint is significantly higher than petroleum oil, you don't have to worry about the oil breaking down due to excessive heating.

[realshelby]

Welcome to Houston! Wait till you're in 98 degree weather and the same stop and go! My 04 RT has been to 9 bars many times. No problem. Remember that oilheads hold 4 quarts of oil and it takes a LONG time for the oil and metal to cool back to the "5 bar" level. If I know I am not moving at all I will cut the engine off but otherwise it has never caused a problem.

[Skywagon]

Thanks to all for the advice. Will take it in for a quick look since I have about 1 month left on warranty. I will also go to synthetic right away. I know that is contoversial with only 4000 miles, but I'll give it a try. Any recommendations on BMW dealers in the area...Bellaire is where I live. 77401

 

By the way, native to Texas, just took a 2 year assignment to San Francisco that lasted 20 years...good to be almost home...

[Paco]

There are four (4) BMW Motorcycle dealer locations in Greater Houston. You will find three, namely Wild West, Gulf Coast BMW, and BMW of North Houston listed on the following website:

 

http://www.bmwmotorcyclesus.com/dealerlocator/DealerList/DealerList.pdf

 

The fourth dealership is located on Beltway 8 West on the northbound feeder between the Southwest Freeway and Westpark. and is owned by BMW North Houston.

 

My favorite ride locations are the Texas Hill Country and Big Bend National Parks areas. I hope you get an opportunity to partake of same.

[Skywagon]

Thanks very much...The one on Beltway looks to be the closest. I will ride over tomorrow and see what they say.

I am a weekend rider mostly. If any of you take rides on the weekends in the Houston area, let me know, would like to tag along. I can usually be gone for the whole day...prefer out of city riding much like you described, but any excuse to ride on the weekends.

Regards,

David

[realshelby]

Nix the Beltway BMW dealer! They had that location open a few months and then closed it down!

Your closest, easiest to get to dealer is probably Wild West Honda, BMW, KTM, Kawasaki, storm doors, and knitting supplies just east of the intersection of Grand Parkway (99) and I-10. Very good dealer and stocks a lot of parts and accessories.

[simonpeter]

I have a yeear 2000 1100 RTP. Being a bike built to be a Police or Paramedic bike it comes with a fan on the oil cooler and a temperature sender switch on the left hand side of the sump. I am not sure if these can be retro fitted to civillian bikes but its worth investigating. I hope that this is of some help. Good luck.

[Linz]

My perspective on this is that, I would rather use the minimum requirement spec oil required and change often.

 

I reckon that clean oil is better than having to extend oil changes due to the extra cost of buying fully synthetic oil.

 

 

I pay nearly $100.00 for Motul 300V for my Triumph Daytona but only because it's a hot running mongrel thing that blows hot air all over me at every traffic light in the summer. I figure that I *really* need full synth in that bike.

 

 

The Beemer on the other hand is a lazy old devil and I just don't see the need for Synth.

 

 

At 20,000Km, I also think that it has some loosening up to do. Each long ride, it feels more willing to go. Would Synth in that slow down that process?

 

 

What about semi-synth (or synth fortified as it's written here)? would that not be better and a cheaper option?

 

Thinking aloud...

 

Linz

[Mr. Frank]

Hi Linz,

 

I think you are putting the synthetic in the wrong bike. The Triumph is liquid cooled and probably keeps the engine at a fairly stable temperature. It may put a lot of heat on you, but the engine should be fine. The oilhead is largely air cooled with a boost in cooling from oil. That is the bike that can overheat.

[Skywagon]

I tookd the bike to two dealers in the Houston area today. They all looked at the oil and said...really clean and not burned...Don't use synthetic until 20K miles, forget about it. Not an issue..Sure hope they are right.

[Mr. Frank]

The "conventional wisdom" I've heard is when you get in heavy traffic and hit nine bars, it's a good idea to dump the oil and start over. If you do it yourself with motorcycle specific Castrol mineral oil from Wal-Mart and you don't change the filter, it will cost about ten bucks to replace the oil. That is what I would do. The temperature charts I've seen suggest that oil breakdown with regular oil can begin around seven or eight bars.

[NonComp]

I'm so glad I ride a bike that has no temp guage. Out of sight is out of mind. The only bars I think about are the ones at the end of the ride.

[Keith S]

I'm so glad I ride a bike that has no temp guage. Out of sight is out of mind. The only bars I think about are the ones at the end of the ride.

 

Well Said!

 

Keith

[LocoOper]

Hey Skywagon, welcome home! I live just south of you on I 45 south and Dixie Farm Rd. I took the cheap approach to cooling the oil. I fabricated a small bracket and attached two small computer fans to the bracket Then cut out the back of the housing located behind the oil cooler. It helped some during the parade rides. Maybe 2 bars lower, but it makes me feel better. I mounted a switch on the dashboard. It maybe a little crude but it works. Drop me an e-mail and we can ride to the hill country some day or down to galveston for a burger at a place called "The SPOT." I would recommend Gulf Coast BMW, just because it is close to my house, but I bought the last 2 BMWs from Wild West Honda. Take that for what it is worth.