Changing 2003 R1150RT Oil

[bigtim]

I suspect that every person new to BMW's has asked the same question but here goes....please be gentle with me I'm new to Beemers but not to motorcycles.

 

Through extensive examination of the bike I have finally located the oil filter and I suspect the oil drain plug.

 

I recently purchased the bike (11000 miles) and beginning to think about winter storage. My past practice has always been to change out the oil before the long winters nap but I have never changed oil on the model, and I can't get to the dealer before the white stuff flyes.

 

I assume this can be done by anyone with a brain and good mechanical ability. Are there any suggestions on how to make this process easier. It looks like it could get a bit messy draining the oil, which plug is it, the top or bottom?

 

Any advice is greatly appreciated and thanks in advance. BT

[Wooster]

bigtim.

 

Careful; your "is it the top or bottom plug" remark makes me thing you're looking at the trans fill (top) and drain (bottom). Oil drain is on the bottom of the crankcase, looking straight down at garage floor.

Oil change may be the most straight forward and easiest mechanical chore, yet does require oil filter wrench (see the oil filter "encased" in bottom crankcase; usual tool is bmw-specfic filter cap wrench.

So, with that on hand, you simply go for a ride (heats up oil), come home, open oil fill (so that when you drain, oil really rushes out) and remove correct oil drain plug (with 4 qt + container underneath); filter cap wrench makes quick work of filter removal. Now, use new crush washer when replacing oil drain plug; torque wrench is great, yet using bike's tool kit's allen wrench (with something as extension so that entire length is eight inches or so) a strong, one handed/armed tug should suffice. Most fill filter with oil prior to screwing it in its cavity; little force is used here; very much like auto's screw on filter, just a half turn or so after contact. Then, put in 3.5 qts and that's that !

 

Wooster who once drained bsa's trans fluid thinking he was draining motor oil; you got to be sure which plug is which !

[Mike O]

I suspect you'll probably dive into far more than just Oil Changes (which are quite simple on your bike; less than 30 minutes).

 

Here is a good site to collect information including oil changes.

 

Internet BMW Riders.

 

Regards,

 

Mike O.

[Bob Palin]

yet does require oil filter wrench; usual tool is bmw-specfic filter cap wrench.

Fram type B oil filter wrench works perfectly for the 1150. Costs much less than the BMW one and is easier to find. Take a filter with you to make sure you get the right one, I picked up a C that was in the B bin the first time - only I could do that...

 

Make sure the filter O ring comes off with the filter, sometimes it gets stuck up there which makes putting the new filter on very confusing and frustrating (black O ring in black oil in a black hole)

[313_Matt]

I will add that the 'heat up the oil' statement is pretty important. I did my first oil change with the oil cold and had trouble with the filter.

 

So be sure to take it for a ride before trying to drain it. Other than that, it is a piece of cake.

 

313-Matt

[Ken H.]

top or bottom

If by "top" you are looking at what looks like might be an oil drain plug on the right lower forward edge of the engine block, it is not. The drain is an 8 mm hex head plug on the very bottom not far from the filter.

[Wooster]

Now, use new crush washer when replacing oil drain plug; torque wrench is great, yet using bike's tool kit's allen wrench (with something as extension so that entire length is eight inches or so) a strong, one handed/armed tug should suffice.

 

say bigtim,

I usually add "don't do a superman" as strong one handed/armed tug TO THE MAX can strip threads. Torque is 32 N/m, or 23 ft/lb.

wooster who quotes himself

[bigtim]

Thanks for the good advice everybody. I ordered the all the parts needed yesterday and checked out the bike when I got home. The two plugs I thought were the engine oil drain plugs in fact were the trans plugs. I took a look under the engine and found what looks like the drain plug. It's not a hex head as mentioned but an Allen hex drive right in the middle on the engine facing straight down.

 

I have a Clymers manual on it's way that should eliminate many questions.

 

I used to work for a German company and thought I understood their engineering styles but would sure like to meet the crazy engineer who thought up the location of that oil filter.

 

Thanks again everybody! BT