idle and oil temp

[jorbefer]

Hi all!

 

I just bought an 98 R1100RT, and I am quite happy with it. But at the moment I've got a question regarding the oil temperature.

The day I bought the RT, because the battery was flat, the dealer kept the engine running for around 40 minutes and I realized that the oil temperature with an idle rpm of around 1100 was at its maximum in the scale(two bars in the red area). After riding it slowly it cooled down fine, and I have never seen the oil temp there again. Although when I ride it now (here is winter, around 14C/57F) the oil temp is from my point of view, quite high ( around 85%, two bars more and it is in the red area).

I am just worried of the oil pump, the oil is new and the filter as well. This motorcycle hasn't got that device in between the engine and the radiator that regulates the flow to the radiator.

So, do you think there is anything I should worry about ? O probably this motorcycles work at that range even if it summer, and you cannot keep them 40 min in idle.

 

Thanks a lot!

 

[AndyS]

Welcome to the forum jorbefer.

Where are you based?

 

Some folk more qualified will chime in about why your oil temperature indicates so high and why it is up in that region.

 

Check your oil cooler fins are not blocked or damaged.

 

Check also that there is nothing in front of - or behind the oil cooler causing some obstruction.

 

Your dealer leaves much to be desired.

These bikes should NEVER be left idling.

They have been known to catch fire! Why? because the fairing eventually melts in the area of the exhaust down pipes and can drop onto the exhaust and ignite.

 

If he is a bike dealer he should have had a decent battery charger.

 

I would check the fairing in the area called the 'Shark's Fin' and see if your dealer has damaged the paintwork or indeed the plastic. If you look in from the front of the cylinder head behind the exhaust pipes, that part of the fairing is the Sharks Fin.

[Jim Moore]

There are ten bars total on the temperature gauge. In normal everyday riding you should see 5-6 bars. In stop-and-go traffic you might see 7 bars. How many bars do you get?

[dirtrider]

morning jorbefer

 

What you are seeing on the dash oil temp gauge is not the

oil temp in the engine sump. What that temp gauge shows

is the temperature of the cooling oil AFTER it leaves the

engine but BEFORE it goes through the oil cooler.

 

If you actually overheat that 1100 engine it will rattle

like a box of loose chains on rideaway.

 

Your 1100 engine has (2) oil pumps, one for the lubricating oil

circulation & one that pumps the engine cooling oil (same oil

just different pumps & oil circuits)

 

 

 

 

[jorbefer]

Welcome to the forum jorbefer.

Where are you based?

 

Thank you! for your warm welcome. At the moment I live in south London. The temperature these days has been around 14C.

 

These bikes should NEVER be left idling.

They have been known to catch fire!

Good to know, I will never ever leave it idling. The dealer was very dodgy and the battery was old, I had to drill rusted screws to place a new battery. Know I understand why he didn't give me the option of buying a battery and replacing it there. But the price (£1k) was really good and the engine sound was really nice for 74k miles. The shark fin looks like new, the casing is in excellent condition for its age.

 

There are ten bars total on the temperature gauge. In normal everyday riding you should see 5-6 bars. In stop-and-go traffic you might see 7 bars. How many bars do you get?

That information is terrific, I am going to keep an eye on that, and if it goes different I will try to find out the problem.

 

morning jorbefer

 

What you are seeing on the dash oil temp gauge is not the

oil temp in the engine sump. What that temp gauge shows

is the temperature of the cooling oil AFTER it leaves the

engine but BEFORE it goes through the oil cooler.

 

If you actually overheat that 1100 engine it will rattle

like a box of loose chains on rideaway.

 

Your 1100 engine has (2) oil pumps, one for the lubricating oil

circulation & one that pumps the engine cooling oil (same oil

just different pumps & oil circuits)

Touch wood that the engine is not damaged. It sounds quite well for me. Do you think that changing the pump I ll get better oil temperature?

Probably I am worrying too much, as the oil temperature working temperature is always high and constant.

 

Thank you all for your comments, and will keep you updated on my temperature readings.

 

Have a nice day

[dirtrider]

Do you think that changing the pump I ll get better oil temperature?

 

 

Morning jorbefer

 

No, the pump is working or you wouldn't be getting a changing oil temp on the gauge.

 

The BMW 1100 boxer engine seldom if ever overheats so just ride it & see what the gauge reads at hiway speeds.

 

If you do have an issue it will more than likely be in the gauge itself or high resistance in the wiring to the gauge.

 

[PAS]

Welcome to the group! Basic question, have you checked the oil level?

[jorbefer]

Welcome to the group! Basic question, have you checked the oil level?

Oil and filter changed last week. 15w40 semi.

[AndyS]

Welcome to the group! Basic question, have you checked the oil level?

Oil and filter changed last week. 15w40 semi.

 

That doesn't answer PAS's question.

 

Check the oil level as follows:

 

After a ride (which gets the engine to normal operating temperature), park the bike on level ground and leave on the side stand for about 10 minutes. Then put it on the centre stand and see where the oil shows in the window.

Ideally you want the oil to be about halfway up the window.

 

There are other methods for checking the oil, but the above method gives reliable and consistent results on the oilhead.

[AndyS]

Welcome to the group! Basic question, have you checked the oil level?

Oil and filter changed last week. 15w40 semi.

 

That doesn't answer PAS's question.

 

Check the oil level as follows:

 

After a ride (which gets the engine to normal operating temperature), park the bike on level ground and leave on the side stand for about 10 minutes. Then put it on the centre stand and see where the oil shows in the window.

Ideally you want the oil to be about halfway up the window.

 

There are other methods for checking the oil, but the above method gives reliable and consistent results on the oilhead.

[JamesW]

Welcome to the group! Basic question, have you checked the oil level?

Oil and filter changed last week. 15w40 semi.

 

That doesn't answer PAS's question.

 

Check the oil level as follows:

 

After a ride (which gets the engine to normal operating temperature), park the bike on level ground and leave on the side stand for about 10 minutes. Then put it on the centre stand and see where the oil shows in the window.

Ideally you want the oil to be about halfway up the window.

 

There are other methods for checking the oil, but the above method gives reliable and consistent results on the oilhead.

 

Not necessary at all to go to the side stand. Just warm it up and park it on level ground then go directly to the center stand. Read the owners manual. The R1100 doesn't have an oil temp thermostat so you waste your time going to the side stand.

[Jim Moore]

Welcome to the group! Basic question, have you checked the oil level?

Oil and filter changed last week. 15w40 semi.

 

That doesn't answer PAS's question.

 

Check the oil level as follows:

 

After a ride (which gets the engine to normal operating temperature), park the bike on level ground and leave on the side stand for about 10 minutes. Then put it on the centre stand and see where the oil shows in the window.

Ideally you want the oil to be about halfway up the window.

 

There are other methods for checking the oil, but the above method gives reliable and consistent results on the oilhead.

 

Not necessary at all to go to the side stand. Just warm it up and park it on level ground then go directly to the center stand. Read the owners manual. The R1100 doesn't have an oil temp thermostat so you waste your time going to the side stand.

 

You can do what you want, but oil will absolutely get hung up somewhere and give you a false low reading on the 1100 series. I recommend a few minutes on the sidestand, then go to the centerstand.

[dirtrider]

The R1100 doesn't have an oil temp thermostat so you waste your time going to the side stand.

 

Afternoon James

 

The 1100RT does have a oil thermostat. (external on the early pre 1998 1100)

 

You are probably thinking of the early (pre 1998) 1100R engines.

[JamesW]

Yeah D.R. I was thinking about earlier 1100's like my '93 but the same principle applies to any oilhead with a thermostat. We've been over this before but to repeat: If you go to the side stand first and then to the center stand and see the oil level at the red dot in the sight glass then you will be, in reality, about a third of a quart lower than it would appear. Again, I reference the owner's manual. Also, being a third or a half quart low won't matter much if at all so it's all good.