Oil sight glass removal

[dan cata]

 

I know that there are countless threads about this, but after changing a few of these, here is what I have found to be the easiest way, yet.

 

I have changed the oil level glass on my old 1100RT as part as a winter maintenance, together with some other stuff like heated grips, hard brake lines, etc.

 

The bike has fresh oil inside the engine and I did not want to drain it. So I have leaned the bike over a stool on it's R/H side valve cover.

 

 

 

I had to add some spacers under the wheels, in order for the lean angle to permit me not to spill the oil once the glass was removed.

 

As always, I broke the old glass using a large flat screwdriver(first I have cleaned the area surrounding it using brake cleaner):

 

 

The result:

 

 

 

Cleaned the pieces from the seal:

 

 

Now for removing the seal... During the years, I have noticed that some seals come off easily, some you need to convince them to come off. Especially on the 1200 hexhead series, they thend to get stuck in there.

IMHO, the secret is to pry it out evenly, since the edge is hard metal, getting it side after side is not really the best approach.

 

So that is why I am using the bearing extractor kit. This allows a straight, even, dismount:

 

 

Putting the tool together, feels like a sniper assembling a rifle

 

 

 

One pull and it came right off:

 

 

 

All the puzzle pieces together:

 

 

You can almost see it's heart beating inside:

 

 

For putting the new one in, I have used the bushing made for the triple clamp bearing insert, it fitted right over the new seal:

 

 

And voila!

 

 

I can only hope that the bike will last 23 more years with this new seal on

 

Dan.

[dan cata]

Fixed now

 

Dan.

[Miguel!]

Thanks for the great tutorial Dan. Why did you have to change the sight glass? 

 

Also, did you hit then end of the screwdriver with a hammer? what keeps pieces of the glass from getting into the engine when you break it?

 

Thanks. 

Miguel

 

[AndyS]

I must say Miguel, for that reason, I would go to my dealer and check that they have the correct Sight Glass Milling cutter, Milling scraper and extraction tool.

If they did, then I would entrust this one particular task to them.

If they didn't, I would do it myself.

I would degrease the sight-glass window. Cut a piece of duct tape to the size of the glass. I'd tape the glass, then I would break the glass and try to pull the pieces out in as few a sections as possible. The thought of shards of glass getting into the sump doesn't fill me with too much joy. I realise there is a strainer and an oil filter. However, the law of Murphy always comes into play!

[Miguel!]

Thanks AndyS. Yup, I agree on the disdain for getting glass in the sump. Glass is closely related sandpaper and have the same abrasive characteristics. Miguel

[dan cata]

Mine was starting to week all around the edge. The "glass" is not actually glass, it's a sort of trans-lucid plastic. No bits will go over in the engine because of the screen behind the glass, it keeps them from falling in.

 

Dan.

 

[AndyS]

I am pretty sure the new ones ARE glass. The old ones were plastic.

Also, if oil can get into that sight glass cavity, shards of glass can get out!

[dirtrider]

1 hour ago, AndyS said:

I am pretty sure the new ones ARE glass. The old ones were plastic.

Also, if oil can get into that sight glass cavity, shards of glass can get out!

 

 

Morning Andy

 

Yes, the new replacements sight glass (sight window) are now real glass (not plastic).

 

All the BMW 1100 & 1150 came with the old  11117710474 sight glass, those had the pronounced red center dot (those are very easy to replace as the plastic doesn't shatter like real glass does) 

 

Sometime in the BMW 1200 era BMW started using real glass sight windows  I (think) the first usage of real glass was the 11118527546. I'm not exactly sure when BMW fully phased the real glass sight windows in but most later 2008-2009 1200's that I have  worked with use the real glass-lens sight windows.

 

The latest sight glass window (that I know of anyhow)  is the real glass 11118523906 & that is also now the replacement for the older BMW 1100 1150 engines.

 

All the new-stock replacement  BMW  1100/1150/1200 sight windows are the  11118523906 (real glass) as far as I know.  

 

I still can't fully keep up with the sight window changes (or don't usually have the time to research them)  so my standard practice on any BMW boxer is to just heat a nail, or thick wire, or awl, red hot,  then try to pierce the sight window. If it melts right through then the lens is plastic, if it won't melt through the lens then it is real glass & MUST be treated as hazard to the crankcase when removing. Working with real glass sight windows is a real PITA! 

 

You can't do much wrong in removing the old plastic lens sight glass but there are definite pitfalls in removing the newer real glass sight windows as you can easily end up with broken glass shads inside the crankcase (both removing & installing).  (NEVER purposely break a glass lens sight window to remove).  I also usually drain the engine oil then lean the motorcycle slightly  to the LEFT so if I accidently break the glass lens then most of the little broken glass  shads  will fall out to the left (low side) not onto the crankcase.

 

If you have one of the older 11117710474  plastic sight windows in your possession then my suggestion is to not use that as a general replacement as those old devils are getting very difficult to find in the wild & are SO much easier to install when out  on the road, so my suggestion is that  they should be kept as a carry-with-you item.

 

 

[dan cata]

1 hour ago, dirtrider said:

 

 

 

If you have one of the older 11117710474  plastic sight windows in your possession then my suggestion is to not use that as a general replacement as those old devils are getting very difficult to find in the wild & are SO much easier to install when out  on the road, so my suggestion is that  they should be kept as a carry-with-you item.

 

 

If on the road, I would press in a plastic bushing as a cap, secured in place, instead of trying to drive a new oil sight glass in. And who ever carries one of those with them on hollidays?

I'm thinking that you can find a lathe and a machinist every 50 kms, worst case scenario, to build one for you...

Then, when you get home, you can swap it for the real thing.

 

Dan.  

[szurszewski]

31 minutes ago, dan cata said:

If on the road, I would press in a plastic bushing as a cap, secured in place, instead of trying to drive a new oil sight glass in. And who ever carries one of those with them on hollidays?

I'm thinking that you can find a lathe and a machinist every 50 kms, worst case scenario, to build one for you...

Then, when you get home, you can swap it for the real thing.

 

Dan.  

 

your density of machinists must be much higher there in Europe than it is here in the western United States - at least higher than in the pretty to ride parts of!

 

[dirtrider]

4 hours ago, dan cata said:

If on the road, I would press in a plastic bushing as a cap, secured in place, instead of trying to drive a new oil sight glass in. And who ever carries one of those with them on hollidays?

I'm thinking that you can find a lathe and a machinist every 50 kms, worst case scenario, to build one for you...

Then, when you get home, you can swap it for the real thing.

 

Dan.  

 

Morning Dan

 

Well, as  Szurszewski says, you must have a lot more lathes & machinists in your county as here in the US  there are not that many here. And not many of the few  remaining  that will drop their $100.00+ an hour waiting jobs to make a small motorcycle part (some might but you sure wouldn't want to  count on it). Not to mention most would not be open on Sundays, holidays,  or at night. 

 

Seems like a lot of extra work, a big hassle,  not to mention lots of money to have a machinist make a part that is not really needed.

 

MUCH simpler to just carry (or just buy ) a 1-1/2" expandable freeze plug as those pop right in, you simply tighten the nut to expand, then good to go until you can  get a shop to install the plastic sight window that you are carrying (problem is, you then can't see the oil level, but good enough to keep traveling until you can find a repair or even finish your trip) . 

 

In the US here there is pretty well an auto parts store (or more) in just about every midsized or larger town here in the US & almost all will have a standard  1-1/2" expandable freeze plug in stock. LOT's easier to find than a machine shop or lathe.  You can also simply install the expandable freeze plug  along the side of the road, with using a machine shop or lathe, they would need to have the motorcycle at close proximity so they could mike the hole ID to know the precise size to machine the plug. 

 

(most  repair shops, even non BMW motorcycle shops in the US here are not equipped to install a real glass type sight window). Without the correct tools there  a good chance of breaking the glass type driving them in. 

 

 

 

[Miguel!]

On 12/4/2019 at 5:23 AM, dan cata said:

 

 

 

 

Dan, In almost every photo, it looks like there's a crack in the case above the window at 11:30. And it looks like there's a bit of oil seeping from it. What's going on there? Miguel

[Tri750]

None of the glass versions have the red "bullseye" in the center , just the plastic. 

 

Dependingi on your toolbox, a pilot hole followed by a small slide hammer with a sheet metal screw in the tip can be screwed into the sight glass and easily removed. 

A heated up hook type seal puller tool, brake spoon, etc etc can work ok too. 

 

[dan cata]

11 hours ago, Miguel! said:

 

I think that is only the reflection of the back reflective screen, where the 8 notches are. I hope

Anyway, it is thrown by now and can't really check it.

Thinking of it, it might seam as a small thing, but it can lead to an expensive failure if left un-dealt...

 

Dan.

[Andre1150]

 

I swear, I was so gentle in approaching this project. And yet, ham fisted the whole thing. Is that a copper oil pickup tube behind it? And im mad at myself for breaking off a little chip there on the  left. I know better. Anyone think I need a new case, or just press the seal back in and call it a day?

[dirtrider]

58 minutes ago, Andre1150 said:

I swear, I was so gentle in approaching this project. And yet, ham fisted the whole thing. Is that a copper oil pickup tube behind it? And im mad at myself for breaking off a little chip there on the  left. I know better. Anyone think I need a new case, or just press the seal back in and call it a day?

 

 

Afternoon Andre1150

 

If you didn't damage the actual seal sealing area (the outer machined ring) then you can probably just seat a new seal & have it not leak.

 

Your added 2nd picture  shows the actual  sealing  area not  damaged  so it should seal OK.  

 

 

[szurszewski]

DR beat me to finishing, but I was saying:

 

Is there damage here as well as to the back of the opening?

 

 

If not, you’re probably ok as far as sealing. If so, you might be able to get it to seal with some high temp RTV of some flavor. 

[dirtrider]

Afternoon Andre1150

 

Do not drive the new seal in dry, you need to use an evaporating lubricant. If you have the correct fitting driver  & can get it lined up & driven in straight & quickly then "brake clean" makes an excellent lubricant.

 

If you work slowly, or need to fiddle around to get it lined up & driven in, then use Windex glass cleaner, it makes a decent lubricant & does eventually evaporate.

 

Do not use grease, or oil, or anything containing  silicone as those sight windows can work their way out while riding if the rubber seal doesn't have a good clean contact with the alloy case  all the  way around.

 

If you are installing the new "real glass lens" sight window then make sure that your driver fits well & sits all the way out to edge or you risk breaking the glass lens driving it in. (remember the outside edge of the glass lens fits farther out than you think as it extends out under the seal's outer ring)  

[Andre1150]

Put a little very thin layer of Ultra Black around it and pressed it in with a PVC cap that fits perfectly. Few small hits with a sand hammer and it seated nicely. We'll see how it fares on a long ride.