Bike Down

[gbags]

Hi Guys,

I just went out to take the bike for a fling and found it lying on the floor with engine oil on the floor. The bike’s a 1200 GSA. I don’t know how it ended up on the floor but let’s deal with that later.

I stood it up, waited a couple of minutes and started it but it sounded clunky so turned it off.
I parked it up (another couple of minutes) and then checked the oil and there was none showing in the glass.

My question is this: As I don’t know how much oil is left in there, do I just top it up until it shows in the glass, then run it and adjust? Or is there some technical BMW wizardry that has to happen to charge the system? My dealer’s Service dept is closed today and the front desk types won’t commit.
And in case it needs taking to BMW, of course, my warranty just ran out last month

Please keep it simple; I’m a techno-dolt.

Thanks

[Dansin]

Check the owners manual for how to check and top up oil. I’d also be looking at the rocker cover if its fallen on to it. The can and do crack.

[crofty]

What i would do is drain out the remaining oil and fill it with new oil to the recommended volume, just treat it too an extra oil change.

[gbags]

Thanks fellas,

The rockers should be fine as the bike has crash bars.

That drain and fill idea sounds good as long as no wizardry is needed.

[Scott_rider]

+1 for an extra oil change . Did it fall of it's side/centre stand?

[garyboy]

just a thought .. is it POSSIBLE for oil to leak out simply from being on its side … not heard of that before

[Hugh]

Greetings,

I am in no way experienced with this model. I wonder which side your bike fell to because there could be a breather connected to the cylinder head of that side and the engine oil could possibly find its way in to that circuit. With the bike securely stood up perhaps look for a breather pipe on that side of the engine, place a catch tray underneath and remove the pipe. In the past I have known oil to collect in a cylinder bore of a horizontal engine laid on its side and cause a hydraulic lock or simply excessive smoking on start up if the oil has passed by the piston rings.

If nothing obvious then I would suggest caution and wait for the BMW service department to open and seek their advice before starting the engine again.

Please let us know what you find.

TTFN

Hugh.

[Tonibe63]

In the past I have known oil to collect in a cylinder bore of a horizontal engine laid on its side and cause a hydraulic lock or simply excessive smoking on start up if the oil has passed by the piston rings.

This happens if I store my 1200gs on it's side stand for more than a week or so. When you start it up there is a slight knock from the lower cylinder but nothing serious. I now store it on the centre stand.

Gbags I would put it on the centre stand for a couple of hours and then check the oil level in the sight glass, if showing some oil then I would run it and add oil if required. It is a pretty basic engine.

[gbags]

+1 for an extra oil change . Did it fall of it's side/centre stand?

Side stand.

[gbags]

It fell onto it’s LHS, or the one with the filler. It just possible that this was not fully tight but it also may have laid there for three days.

I went out and bought two litres of the right oil, went back to the bike, stood it up on the centre stand and started filling a bit at a time. Eventually 2 litres went in and came half way up the sighting glass. I turned the bike over for maybe ten seconds and then turned it off and let it settle for ten minutes. The level was now about a quarter up the glass so I bought another litre today and will top it up.

I’m pretty sure that that’s about it now.