Lubricant change intervals

[Selden]

As my R1100RT approaches 80,000 miles, I'm thinking about using 10,000 mile intervals for all lubricants (engine, transmission, and final drive). My thinking is that 6000 miles is very conservative for a relatively low stressed engine with 5 quarts of synthetic oil, and boxer engines have a reputation for being bulletproof. BMW transmissions and FDs, on the other hand, have a less sterling reputation, and the quantities of lubricant are miniscule relative to the engine oil, so why not change them more frequently than recommended by BMW, to get an early warning on unusual wear. Changing all fluids at 10,000 mile intervals would also be very easy to remember.

 

What do you think?

[smiller]

I don't think it's far out. 10k miles might be a bit on the high side for engine oil but then again I've seen oil analyses at similar mileages that showed acceptable performance. If an analysis of your chosen oil in your engine looks good at 10k intervals then I'd say go for it.

 

With regard to transmission oil in an 1100, more frequent changes probably won't make any difference with regard to longenvity as the typical problems experienced with these models have nothing to do with lubricant failure. But if it's easier to do the changes all at once for convenience reasons then might as well and yeah, I guess it's just that many more opportunities to check for bad stuff in the oil.

[Slainte]

I think it depends on how, when and where you

use the machine. For example, short trips in cold weather are oil killers. Codensation seems to build up in the tranny and final drive in the winter months. However, long highway trips could easily withstand the 10K synthetic oil change.

 

[Boffin]

The plan seems reasonable to me BUT, I would back it with sampling for at least the first few changes.

 

Andy

[Selden]

I think it depends on how, when and where you

use the machine. For example, short trips in cold weather are oil killers. Condensation seems to build up in the tranny and final drive in the winter months. However, long highway trips could easily withstand the 10K synthetic oil change.

I'm aware of water condensation in engine oil, but never thought about it in the transmission and FD.

[boatzo]

Selden,

 

What kind of syn. oil are you using in the engine? True synthetic, semi, or other?

[T__]

Selden, personally I don’t like to use only miles traveled.. If the vehicle is used 20,000 miles during a riding season then 10,000 per oil change is probably not at all out of the question.. On the other hand if the vehicle is only ridden 5,000 miles per riding season then that is not only 2 seasons on the oil but also possibly a storage period on used engine oil..

 

If some of your riding is done at very low starting temps or very low riding temps then you have some moisture & acid concerns to deal with at extended change intervals..

 

Type of riding also has a big influence.. Such as daily stop & go heavy traffic riding in very hot weather would give you LOTS of running hours per mile traveled with elevated oil temps.. On the other hand 1000 mile hiway trips in moderate weather would only be 10 trips of low engine hours per mile traveled..

 

A lot of new automobiles use a basic algorithm to determine oil change intervals.. The oil change interval is based on number of cold starts,, total number of engine starts,, time spent at idle,, RPM operating ranges,, engine operating temperature,, throttle position input,, ambient temps during operation,, overall operating time (most force an oil change at 1 year regardless of other influence)..

 

If you ride regularly & don’t overheat the oil then 10,000 miles is probably very well within a quality oil’s capability.. On the other hand if most of your riding is in stop & go heavy traffic in hot weather with lots or engine hours per mile traveled then it might be pushing the limit.. Probably shouldn’t go past 1 year regardless unless you have your oil tested as a baseline..

 

Frequent final drive changes are probably not a bad idea,, not so much for the gear oil change but to have a look at the drain plug magnet.. They hold so little gear oil & a lot can be learned by viewing the magnet & straining the oil through a coffee filter..

 

Twisty

 

[smiller]

I agree that miles alone is a poor barometer, and I like to use running hours over miles on my diesel truck when determining oil change intervals (Dodge trucks have a neat hourmeter function build into the odometer.)

 

But a mileage indication is all most motorcycles have so an oil analysis is a good method (probably the best, since it is unequivocal) of determining maximum change intervals, and are strongly recommended for those who want to go to 10k miles and beyond. But... the rub is that the analyses cost just as much as simply changing the oil more often so that kind of destroys any financial incentive, probably why most people don't bother playing with extended intervals.