96 r1100rsl with 2nd -3rd gear stumble question

[Bubbadozer]

My r1100rsl has a sudden stumble in 2 and sometimes 3rd gear that is intermittent and sometimes suttle and sometimes not so Suttle.

 

Could this be a sign of transmission woes or the surge issue? My bike has 88k miles, and otherwise drives great.

 

Thx

Edited August 11, 2017 by Bubbadozer

[tallman]

Speed, RPM?

 

Any "sudden" change could be serious.

 

Or, if new bike, sometimes we tend to ride it in a manner

that produces quirks.

Any recent work done?

[dirtrider]

My r1100rsl has a sudden stumble in 2 and sometimes 3rd gear that is intermittent and sometimes suttle and sometimes not so Suttle.

 

Could this be a sign of transmission woes or the surge issue? My bike has 88k miles, and otherwise drives great.

 

Thx

 

Afternoon Bubbadozer

 

Well, you would have to more define the stumble as being engine or transmission (we can't see it, feel it, or ride it)

 

But, the 2nd & 3rd only thing more points to the transmission skipping engagement. (will sometimes feel like an engine miss or stumble)

 

[Bubbadozer]

Yea, I know it's a difficult problem without being able to experience , to weigh in on. It feels like a sudden jerk or skip. I'm afraid that it is the gearbox. I guess the only way to know is take it to mechanic and have them experience it.

[Bubbadozer]

No recent work done that I'm aware of. I just picked up the Bilke in a trade deal.

Edited August 11, 2017 by Bubbadozer

[Bubbadozer]

I'm going to take out for a quick ride around neighborhoodand see at what rpm's and speed do when it happens.

[Bubbadozer]

Ok, I did not observe any tach or special spike. What it sounds like is a clunk-clunk and the shaft drive jerking. Sorry for my description, but it's the best I can do.

 

It goes into and out of all gears good, and it's very sporadic at best. If it is the gearbox, I'm just wondering if the bike is worth the repair with the 88k on the odometer. It runs smooth and handles well.

[dirtrider]

Ok, I did not observe any tach or special spike. What it sounds like is a clunk-clunk and the shaft drive jerking. Sorry for my description, but it's the best I can do.

 

It goes into and out of all gears good, and it's very sporadic at best. If it is the gearbox, I'm just wondering if the bike is worth the repair with the 88k on the odometer. It runs smooth and handles well.

 

Afternoon Scott

 

If it only does it in 2nd & 3rd (not in 4th) then good possibility that it is the trans.

 

You probably should get an experienced tec to ride it.

 

If it is the trans then probably not worth repairing that trans (very/very expensive) but you might come up with a deal on a good used trans (if you do the trans replacement yourself then not too expensive but if you pay a shop to do the work then it won't be cheap)

[Bubbadozer]

I just got off the phone with a very reputable independent BMW service shop in Seattle, and the guy was telling me the m94 gearboxes are crap and rebuildingvthemvreally isn't much better. He said getting hold of a good used m97 would be best case scenario, if I could find one and then it's a crap shoot it's going to be ok, because it's used. He also said that by the time you buy one and have it installed, I would be spending as much as a rebuild.

 

He did say I should try synthetic gear oil as opposed to regular gear oil, which is what is in it now. I sadly am new to BMW's and just learning.

 

Any thoughts?

[dirtrider]

I just got off the phone with a very reputable independent BMW service shop in Seattle, and the guy was telling me the m94 gearboxes are crap and rebuildingvthemvreally isn't much better. He said getting hold of a good used m97 would be best case scenario, if I could find one and then it's a crap shoot it's going to be ok, because it's used. He also said that by the time you buy one and have it installed, I would be spending as much as a rebuild.

 

He did say I should try synthetic gear oil as opposed to regular gear oil, which is what is in it now. I sadly am new to BMW's and just learning.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Afternoon Scott

 

Definitely the later trans would be a better choice (if you can find a good one).

 

A for the synthetic gear oil, I'm not sure what that will gain for you except for thinning your wallet. (the gear oil type isn't making it jump engagement).

 

First thing, make darn sure that it IS the transmission causing your problem.

 

 

[szurszewski]

Mr. Largiader's 1100 transmission page has some thoughts - read it all or scroll to "My transmission skips..."

 

http://largiader.com/tech/oiltrans/

[Bubbadozer]

By making sure, I assume you are talking about having a mechanic verify it, because I have no idea what I'm doing☺️.

 

Cheers

Edited August 11, 2017 by Bubbadozer

[Jim Moore]

If you ask here and on advrider.com I'll guarantee you'll find someone nearby who has experienced this exact problem. Let him ride your bike and tell you what he thinks.

[Bubbadozer]

Will do, thx.

[tvpierce]

My '96 has the transmission engagement issue Dirt Rider referenced -- in fact, his advice helped me diagnose it.

 

To me, it feels like a solid ignition skip/miss. Mine does it only in 3rd gear, and doesn't do it every time -- maybe 50% of the time. But in the times when it does occur, it only does it once. Meaning once it happens, as long as I don't shift out of 3rd gear, it won't happen again. (that's because at that point, the shift dogs have made a good engagement.)

 

Mine's been like this for a couple of years. I try to shift around it when I can. I've also noticed that it's more likely to occur under hard acceleration, so I try not to accelerate hard in 3rd gear.

My plan is to keep riding it as I have been -- using the strategies mentioned above -- and find a replacement when I can.

[Bubbadozer]

Hmm, sounds like my issue. Usually not under hard acceleration, but it does do

As I'm accelerating. Once in though it's good, and only occasionally

 

 

 

[Bubbadozer]

I'm thinking of also just continuing to ride the bike until it either gets worse or I can afford to have it repaired. I will start by changingvgesrbox oul to synthetic oil and see if that has any affect. Although, I'm doubtful that will make and difference.

 

Cheers

Edited August 14, 2017 by Bubbadozer

[Jim Moore]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your transmission is pretty far down the road to failure if it's already skipping in second and third. This problem normally starts out as a skip when you downshift to third and roll the throttle wide open. Then every time you downshift to third, then every time you shift to third, and so on. In my experience you're on your last legs once it spreads to other gears.