Shifter Oil Seal

[Crossrodes]

Man these BMW's need a lot of attention....


I just noticed oil drips on the garage floor.  It looks like the seal at the shifter (input shaft seal?) is the culprit.  So I've ordered a new seal.  

So now the question....Is there anything special about changing this seal?  I'm assuming there is some kind of retainer that I'll have to remove and then use a screwdriver to pry out the seal.  Have I got it right?

Back to my first sentence...This bike has (if I can believe the replacement speedo and the old speedo (odometer actually)) about 90,000 kms on it.  It seems like a lot of things have gone wrong with it compared to the two Goldwings that I've owned  (I have never changed a shifter seal on either of the wings for example...the first one had 140,000 kms on the clock before I sold it)).  Is this normal for a BMW?  Opinions???

[MrRiden]

Crossrodes,
You'll be pleased to find that that seal is rather easy to replace. We were all chatting about the procedure not too long ago. Have a look at this thread http://suraklyn.com/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1212283256 to see what the collective thoughts were. An improperly installed seal can lead to headaches, See what Bob Roller had to deal with in this thread http://suraklyn.com/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1193858504/15 Part of his trouble was caused by an improperly installed seal. Thing is, it's not a difficult seal to replace at all!
rich

[Crossrodes]

Thanks Rich.  Now I just have to wait for the part.

[montmil]

Thanks Rich.  Now I just have to wait for the part.

Check the seal's size and buy one at your local bearing supply store. Usually cast into the surface. Could be a 3-digit to a 6-digit number depending on how big the seal is. It's the seal's metric dimensions.

BMW parts fiche may even give you the info.

Did it for you... Seal size is 26x16x7. IF you're on an R65. That's the fiche I checked. Fax me a beer!

[montmil]

Man these BMW's need a lot of attention.... Is this normal for a BMW?  Opinions???

What year and model Beemer? If it sat unused by POs for quite awhile, yes, things like seals can and do fail.

In the past, I've done a bit of FAA-mandated 100-hour inspections on aircraft such as the NA P51 Mustang.  Deep pocket guys buy these aircraft as "investments", tuck them in a hangar and later wonder why oil and hydraulic fluids leak when they crank it up once a year to impress the latest girlfriend or trophy wife.  Seals and gaskets will dry up, will harden and will leak.

No denying the rice bikes run like Singer sewing machines. Just gots no soul. . .  IMHO

[Crossrodes]

Montmil it's a '79.  Brought to Canada by the original owner from Germany.  I believe there was one owner between him an me.  I don't know the model.  It appears to have been modified to some degree (although it did qualify for Collector Plates).  I don't know if it sat for a long time at some point but other than this past winter when I laid her up it was used last summer.

Is there a model number somewhere imprinted on the bike or any other way to check the model?  

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

For model identification, go to this website http://www.realoem.com/bmw/select.do and plug in your 7-digit VIN number.

That number should be stamped next to the dip stick on the engine block.

It should also be on the frame some where.  On my '79, it is on a frame gusset on the right side of the steering neck.


If you use the browse feature on that website, the R65's are in the Archive section.

And after you have your VIN entered into that site and your data pulled up, bookmark it.  That way it will always come up with your bike's information.

[Crossrodes]

Thanks Rob.  Montmil the website identifies it as a European R65.

[Bob_Roller]

These bikes go through a 'maintenance cycle', and 20-25 years seems to be the time frame that a lot goes wrong, usually seals, plastic parts, and degraded lubrication at moving parts.

This is regardless, as to how many miles the bikes has accumulated,.

Exposure to heat, like we have here in the desert southwest US, also speeds up this process, metal parts aren't effected, due to the dry climate, but everything else succumbs to the relentlees sun and hest.

[Semper Gumby]

Hey Mike,

When you put the seal in after removing the shaft, if the inner diameter that holds the seal has a taper then push the new seal in no farther than lining up the outer edge of the seal with the inner end of the taper.  When you put the shaft back in this will line up the outside lip of the seal with a groove on the shaft right next to the arm on the end of the shaft.  You can push the seal in too far and then your new seal will leak again (sooner).  Sorry I don't have a picture of this.  Put a little grease on the lip of the seal before pushing the shaft back in place.

It is normal for these seals to start to leak eventually.  They take a lot of abuse.

Good luck,