BMW R1100 GS User Manual

4.5 (2)

R1100GS

R1150GS

Maintenance

Manual

Carl Kulow

by Carl Kulow

Send comments/corrections to kulowc@indiana.edu

ISBN R1100-1150CC

First Edition 1-20-2002

The author has done his best to produce accurate information. However, he assumes no liability for any damage or injury caused by any errors or omissions in this manual. Use at your own risk.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE.................................................................................................................................................	4
PARTS AND TOOL LIST .......................................................................................................................................................	5
Cold Engine and Drivetrain Procedures
ALTERNATOR BELT.............................................................................................................................................................	6
VALVE ADJUSTMENT ..........................................................................................................................................................	7
SPARK PLUGS ....................................................................................................................................................................	10
AIR FILTER ..........................................................................................................................................................................	11
LUBE SIDESTAND AND CENTERSTAND .........................................................................................................................	12
CLUTCH CABLE..................................................................................................................................................................	12
BRAKE AND CLUTCH FLUID.............................................................................................................................................	13
BRAKE PADS ......................................................................................................................................................................	14
BATTERY INSPECTION......................................................................................................................................................	15
FUEL FILTER.......................................................................................................................................................................	16
MISCELLANEOUS...............................................................................................................................................................	17
SUMP GUARD REMOVAL ..................................................................................................................................................	18
TEST RIDE ...........................................................................................................................................................................	18
Hot Engine and Drivetrain Procedures
THROTTLE BODY SYNC ....................................................................................................................................................	19
ENGINE OIL AND FILTER CHANGE ..................................................................................................................................	21
TRANSMISSION GEAR OIL CHANGE ...............................................................................................................................	22
REAR WHEEL DRIVE GEAR OIL CHANGE ......................................................................................................................	23
SUMP GUARD INSTALLATION..........................................................................................................................................	23
Other procedures
BRAKE PAD REPLACEMENT ............................................................................................................................................	24
TIRE CHANGE .....................................................................................................................................................................	26

Service – Every 6K Miles

Engine oil and filter - change

Brake fluid – check

Brake pads – check

Clutch fluid – check

Sidestand – grease

Sidestand switch – check

Spark plugs – check

Valves – adjust

Throttle cables – check

Throttle Bodies - synchronize

Inspection – Every 12K Miles

Transmission gear oil – change

Rear drive gear oil – change (every 24K miles) Fuel filter – change (every 24K miles)

Battery fluid level – check

Battery – electrolyte level, clean/grease terminals

Air filter – change

Alternator belt – change (every 36K miles, some R1100GS at 24K miles) Wheel bearing play – check

Swing arm bearing play – check Spark plugs – change

Annual Service

Brake fluid – change

Clutch fluid – change (every 2 years)

TOOLS

socket set, metric

hex bit socket set (allen), metric (Sears) ratchet

extensions

wrenches – open end/box, metric hex wrenches (allen T-handle), metric torque wrench

pliers screwdrivers feeler gauges oil filter wrench oil drain pan

motorcycle toolkit (BMW) rubber gloves (dishwashing) flashlight, minimag

measuring cylinder (photo store) Twin Max or carb stix

Mityvac or “one man brake bleeder”

tire change tools (see tire change instructions)

PARTS

Parts	Misc.
spark plugs	compressed air
oil filter	anti seize paste
air filter	carb or brake cleaner
brake pads	rags
oil - 4 qt.	BMW #10 grease
gear oil - 1 1/4 qt.	flexible tubing (tygon)
alternator belt	grease
fuel filter, o-ring, clamps	chain lube
crush washers for:	brake fluid (DOT 4)
- oil drain plug	distilled water

-transmission fill and drain plugs

-rear drive fill and drain plugs

Cold Engine and Drivetrain Procedures

Check Alternator Belt

Tools	Parts
T-handle hex – 4mm	none

1.Remove the four bolts holding the black plastic alternator belt cover at the front of the engine, 4mm T-handle hex.

2.Remove the cover by sliding it straight down.

3.Check the belt for cracks or shredding.

4.Check the belt tension, quite tight, ~1/4” deflection when you press on the center.

Note: Paul Glaves suggests that proper belt tension is when you can twist the belt ~90 degrees, midway between the pulleys. If you can twist it more than 90 degrees, it is too loose. If you cannot twist it 90 degrees, then it is too tight.

5. Leave the cover off for the valve adjustment procedure on the next page.

Change Alternator Belt

Tools	Parts
T-handle hex – 4mm	alternator belt
socket – 13mm
ratchet
wrench – 13mm
torque wrench

1.Remove the four bolts holding the black plastic alternator belt cover at the front of the engine, 4mm T-handle hex.

2.Remove the cover by sliding it straight down.

3.Loosen the 2 nuts and 1 bolt, 13mm, that hold the alternator – one is on top and one is on each side, thus allowing the alternator to pivot down.

4.Remove the old belt. (Some bikes have a pipe that traps the belt – loosen it enough to get the old belt out and the new belt in)

5.Install the new belt being sure it is properly seated.

6.BMW calls for a tensioning torque of 5.9 ft.lb. (8 Nm) on the adjuster bolt on the left side of the bike. You have to get at this bolt from the alternator side and you may have to lift the tank. Alternatively, you can pry the alternator up with a large screwdriver to tension the belt.

7.Once the belt is under proper tension, tighten the 2 nuts and 1 bolt, 13mm, to

15ft.lb. (20 Nm).

8.Check the belt for proper tension (see above) and proper seating alignment.

Valve Adjustment

Tools	Parts
T-handle hex – 3mm, 5mm, 6mm	none
plug wire cap puller
sparkplug socket
short extension
ratchet
rag
hex socket - 6mm
long thin screwdriver
box wrench – 10mm, 16mm (17 will work)
small flashlight
feeler gauges
sharp awl

1.Remember – engine cold!

2.Bike on centerstand.

3.Transmission in neutral.

4.Remove the black plastic valve cover protectors, if installed, using a 5mm T- handle hex wrench.

5.Remove the black valve cover strip by pulling outward on the end where the plug wire goes under it.

6.Pull the plug wire cap off the sparkplug using the special black plastic tool in your BMW tool kit.

7.Before removing the sparkplug, blow compressed air around the plug well – there is often dirt here that can fall into the cylinder when you remove the spark plug!!!

Note: If you do not have an air compressor, you can get a compressed air tank at any Xmart automotive department, or you can get a small can of compressed air at any photo or computer supply store.

8.Repeat again after turning the spark plugs a couple of turns.

9.Remove the spark plugs using the tool kit spark plug socket or 5/8 in. deep well very thin wall socket.

Warning!: It is very easy to get a spark plug socket stuck in the plug well. If your socket does not slide onto the spark plug easily, do not use it!!! Use the spark plug socket in the BMW tool kit instead. I welded a nut onto the end of my BMW socket so I could use a torque wrench on it when installing the spark plugs.

10.Place an oil drain pan under the valve cover.

11.Remove both valve covers using a 6mm hex socket and ratchet.

Note: Loosen the valve cover bolts until you can pull them part way out. They stay in the valve cover – do not try to pull them all the way out.

Note: The valve covers may stick slightly and you will need to tap them firmly with the palm of your hand or a rubber mallet.

Note: Be careful not to dislodge the black rubber vibration damper block in the bottom front of the valve adjustment area (not on some R1100GS).

12. Remove the black rubber timing hole plug, located above and behind the right side throttle body, using a long thin screwdriver to pry it off.

13.Turn the lower alternator pulley clockwise with a 16mm box wrench.

14.Insert a long screwdriver into the right side spark plug hole while turning the engine over.

15.When the screwdriver is almost pushed out the maximum, use a flashlight and start looking for the timing marks S – OT in the small timing window where you removed the rubber plug. (R1100GS = Z – S – OT)

16.Center the OT mark in the window.

Note: Also at OT, the arrow on the cam chain gear will be pointing straight out.

17.Wiggle the valve rockers in and out on both sides - both the intake and exhaust valve rockers for one side should wiggle slightly in and out, the rockers on the other side should be tight.

18.You will be adjusting the valves on the side where they all wiggle slightly as follows:

Valve Clearance

Intake = .006in. (.15mm)

Exhaust = .012in. (.30mm)

Valve Location

Intake Valves are to the rear (take air/gas in from the throttle body).

Exhaust Valves are to the front (exhaust to the exhaust pipes).

19. Adjust the proper valves, located as described above, using a 10mm box, 3mm hex T-handle, and feeler gauge(s) as given in the following steps.

Note: Each intake and exhaust has two valves each that are operated by a forked rocker. Correct procedure calls for you to use two identical feeler gauges simultaneously – one for gauging the valve you are adjusting, and the other as a spacer on the other valve. This is to prevent the rocker from canting while you are adjusting it. Many people get excellent results using only one feeler gauge and skip the spacer feeler gauge.

20. Insert the correct feeler gauge between the valve stem and the adjuster screw. There should be slightly firm drag on the feeler gauge – be sure that you do not have the gauge canted or curved as you are measuring.

Note: One method is to insert the feeler gauge and tighten the adjuster until the feeler gauge will not slide, then back off the adjuster a little until the feeler gauge begins to slide.

Note: You can use the “go, no go” method – a .008in. gauge should not go into the .006 intake; a .014 should not go into a .012 exhaust if adjusted properly. A

.007 gauge will go into the .006 intake and a .013 gauge will go into the .012 exhaust, but will give a too tight drag.

21.If any valve needs adjusting, loosen the adjuster lock nut with a 10mm box wrench and turn the adjuster screw with a 3mm hex T-handle to get the correct clearance – slightly firm drag on the feeler gauge.

22.Slide the box wrench over the shaft of the 3mm hex T-handle and hold the adjuster screw with the 3mm hex T-handle while tightening the lock nut with the 10mm box wrench (6 ft.lb or 8 Nm)

Warning! It is very easy for beginning mechanics to strip low torque threads - eg. 6 ft.lb. Use a short grip on 10mm and smaller wrenches. It is also very easy to strip low torque threads with a torque wrench because many torque wrenches are improperly calibrated. Also, with click type torque wrenches it is very easy to not feel the click at low torque settings and then your torque wrench becomes a large breaker bar and you end up stripping the threads.

23.After tightening, double-check the clearance.

24.Rotate the engine 360 degrees to the same OT mark by turning the lower alternator pulley clockwise with a 17mm box wrench as in step 13.

25.Check the rockers on the other side for wiggle – they should all wiggle slightly

26.Now adjust the valves on this other side.

27.Clean the valve covers of any dirt or oil on its sealing edge.

28.Wipe the oil off the valve cover gasket to help ensure no oil leaks. Place it onto the head so that the edge with 3 notches goes to the top. Be sure all the notches are fit into the corresponding studs on the head.

29.Be certain the center donut gasket is in place on the valve cover!!!

30.Carefully replace the valve cover so as not to dislodge the center donut gasket.

31.Evenly tighten the 6mm hex bolts until they bottom out - 6 ft.lb (8 Nm).

32.Replace the small black rubber timing hole plug.

Warning! Be careful!!! It is fairly easy to push it all the way through. I use a sharp awl and stab the plug in the center to hold it. I then place the plug so its right lip is under the timing hole edge and then use a long thin screwdriver to push the left lip into place.

33. Leave the black valve cover strips and the valve cover protectors off until you are done with the spark plugs in the next procedure.

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