Hank in WV Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 My 2010 RT calls for mineral oil in the clutch master cylinder. Would that be the same as hydraulic jack oil? My local auto parts box-store doesn't know what mineral oil is. Link to comment
dirtrider Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Afternoon Hank As a rule hydraulic jack oil is a type of mineral oil but I sure wouldn't put that I my BMW clutch hydraulics. The BMW hydraulic oil is much closer to bicycle hydraulic brake mineral oil. Some of the Magura bicycle brake mineral oils match up nicely. (Google around for the match up) Link-Beemer Bone Yard Link to comment
Boffin Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 The reason for mineral oil is that it does not need periodic replacement like DoT4. You only need to worry about this if there has been a loss of fluid. Andy Link to comment
dirtrider Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Afternoon again Hank The BMW spec mineral oil is Aral Vitamol V10. That is basically a very temperature stable mineral shock absorber oil that I have seen used in pre-production automotive shock testing. That would make it a 10 weight mineral oil (but based on what testing specs I have no idea). Link to comment
Hank in WV Posted March 1, 2014 Author Share Posted March 1, 2014 Thank you gentlemen. I thought that while I was bleeding brakes, I might as well bleed the clutch but I think I'll just let it go for now. Link to comment
dirtrider Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Afternoon Hank No real need to bleed the clutch unless the fluid starts turning black. If it (the clutch fluid) turns black that probably means you also need a new slave cylinder as a failing slave cylinder is usually what turns the fluid black. Link to comment
TestPilot Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 The Max BMW parts fiche lists two versions of the clutch fluid: Vitamol V10 (blue) and Vitam LS (red). The original fluid in my 2007 ST was Vitamol V10 (green). I'm not sure if you can mix blue and green, but I have seen several warnings not to mix blue and red. By the way, federal motor vehicle safety specs require that hydraulic system mineral oil be green in color, so I'm not sure how the blue and red fluids are legally sold. Link to comment
dirtrider Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Evening Karl Interesting, the only fluid I have ever seen spec'd for the BMW 1200R,RT,GS,GS-A has been the Vitamol V10. The Newer K bikes do spec the Vitam LS. Do you have anything showing any of the 1200R bikes using the Vitam LS? Link to comment
TestPilot Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Evening Karl Interesting, the only fluid I have ever seen spec'd for the BMW 1200R,RT,GS,GS-A has been the Vitamol V10. The Newer K bikes do spec the Vitam LS. Do you have anything showing any of the 1200R bikes using the Vitam LS? I saw this on the Motoworks (UK) web site as far back as 2010: link. I also saw a thread on the ADVrider Oilhead forum back in 2009. The title was Changed CLutch Fluid, but the forums appear to have been reorganized. For a reference on the required fluid color, see FMVSS 116. Link to comment
TestPilot Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Here's the link to the ADVrider thread: link. Link to comment
dirtrider Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Evening Karl Thanks for link(s) but nothing definitive from those threads. I don't have any service bulletins or any other BMW info showing there were any changes to the spes's for R bikes-- like R bike (Vitamol V10) switching to the K bike Vitam LS fluid. Not saying 100% that there isn't something that has changed just that I have no documentation showing anything different than Vitamol V10 for the R bikes. I'm not familiar with the Vitam LS fluid as we don't use or stock that where I work (might be used in some shock packages just not ours). I am familiar with the Vitamol V10 & that is (supposed) to be bio-degradable. So that is probably one reason it is used as OEM fluid as that really simplifies the handling & disposable. Link to comment
TestPilot Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 DR, Thanks for the clarification. Is the new blue V10 compatible with the green V10 that originally came in my 2007 ST? Link to comment
dirtrider Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 DR, clip-- Is the new blue V10 compatible with the green V10 that originally came in my 2007 ST? Evening Karl I sure hope so as I (we) have been doing that for quite a while now. As you mentioned above the Red shouldn't be mixed with either the Green or Blue but I haven't ever tried that myself so can't say for sure that they won't get along. Link to comment
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