R1200RT fuel filter and pump location?

[Venturello]

Just curious... liked a lot how the R1200GS's fuel pump and filter are so much easy to access, at the side... how is it in the R1200RT? As convenient?

 

Thanks,

 

Juan Miguel Venturello

[Clive Liddell]

Juan,

 

As far as I can ascertain there is no fuel filter to change. It seems to me that when the time comes the pump and integral filter arrangement are changed together. Hey, we can't take it with u$$ one day $o why not $pend it all on the bike...

 

Like you, when I first saw cutaways of the tank I also thought "hah, easy filter change", but now the fun has been spoiled.

 

Is that your first born in your avaiter? Time flies!

[George]

Juan, the fuel pump/filter unit is situated at the front right hand side of the fuel tank as in the picture. Apparently with new BMS-K engine management system, does not pump the fuel all the time as per the 1150, so less fuel goes through the pump/filter system so the filter SHOULD last the life of the bike

 

[David_S]

For us on this side of the pond the pump is on the left (when referring to vehicle rights and lefts here it is done from the seated position ) I'm assuming the RT set up is the same as the GS and the pump does pump fuel continuously. It does however vary fuel pressure depending on engine load. The filter is part of the sending unit and is a lifetime filter. What I'm not sure about is if that means the lifetime of the bike or until the filter fails and it's lifetime is the expired

[steveknapp]

Even on the GS I'm not seeing a P/N for just the filter. Just $285 for the whole thing.

 

OTOH, I figure BMW put it together, we'll figure out how to take it apart and make a fuel filter work.

[bmwmick]

I wonder if they will begin recommending a "strainer" replacement every 50K miles or so? http://tinyurl.com/9glff

That looks to be the only replaceable part in the fuel pump assembly.

 

Mick

[smiller]

so less fuel goes through the pump/filter system so the filter SHOULD last the life of the bike

 

Unless, of course, you get a tank of contaminated gas...

[Stan Walker]

so less fuel goes through the pump/filter system so the filter SHOULD last the life of the bike

 

I'm not sure I agree with that.

 

All the fuel you put in your tank goes through the fuel filter, old or new system. In the old system it may go through it many times but after the first pass all the dirt is gone and the additional passes should not add to the dirt already trapped in the filter.

 

Or to say it a different way. All the dirt you introduce into your tank is captured in the fuel filter with either system. The total dirt captured by either filter system over time should be the same.

 

So why would the new filter last forever and the old filter only 24K.

 

Is it bigger? Does it capture a lower percentage of the dirt? Does water pass through it without clogging it? Did they determine that the old filter was being replaced way to often? Is there some other filtering mechanism such as a better input strainer?

 

Stan

[steveknapp]

I can't say why, but I will say that most cars don't need a filter every 24k. They use more fuel even.

[smiller]

Is it bigger? Does it capture a lower percentage of the dirt? Does water pass through it without clogging it? Did they determine that the old filter was being replaced way to often? Is there some other filtering mechanism such as a better input strainer?

 

Could be any combination of these. Some cars also have 'lifetime' fuel filters these days; such was the case in a 2001 Dodge truck that I owned.

[big-t]

So why would the new filter last forever and the old filter only 24K.

 

 

The two times that I changed the filter on my 96 Rt was a waste of time and money.I soaked the new filter in gas and compared it against the old one by blowing thru them.I could not tell any difference between the two,also backflushed and cut the filters open and there was very little dirt or grit.Maybe 6 to 8 black specks.

 

I see lots of vehicles with well over 100k on the original filter,so for now,changing the gas filter is deleted from my maintenance schedule,unless I should get some bad gas.

 

I would suspect BMW is having to move to the concept of low maintenance vehicles due to market pressure.

 

Throw a bigger filter on it,or maybe a pre-strainer with a lifetime claim and it now does what the old one was capable of doing. These maintenance schedules not only cover the Mfgs butt,but think of all the monies they bring into the dealer.Less money to the dealer from scheduled maintenance,but much more cost if the filter should need to be changed.

[Venturello]

Thanks guys, interesting. One less thing to do on services.

 

Got no problem with a 'lifetime' fuel filter, as others have had no problems with them on other vehicles BUT I do see a problem in places like Eastern Europe, Northern Africa (ie, Morrocco is a popular ride from Spain for GS owners) and South America, where fuel is far from clean.

 

Its good to know its on the outside, not the inside of the tank. Nevertheless, if an inspection is needed, do we need to remove gas tank from bike or it can be inspected just by taking off tupperware?

[steveknapp]

I think it's still on the inside, but it can be accessed from the left top of the gas tank.