Adjust the Valve Questions

[hintzir09]

Going to do my first valve change in a few days and have a few questions.

1) Do I need a spark plug cap puller.
2) Should I replace the spark plugs. I'm at 15,000 miles. If so where should I get them.
3) Do I need the long spark plug extension (16mm I believe)
4) Do I need a new crush washer for the oil drain plug.

Thanks

[deilenberger]

Going to do my first valve change in a few days and have a few questions.

1) Do I need a spark plug cap puller.
2) Should I replace the spark plugs. I'm at 15,000 miles. If so where should I get them.
3) Do I need the long spark plug extension (16mm I believe)
4) Do I need a new crush washer for the oil drain plug.

Thanks

1. Yes. It's difficult to remove the coil without the puller.
2. No - they are good to 24,000 miles
3. Yes - and it has to be thinwall to get into the spark plug well.
4. Only if you're changing the oil at the same time.

[leadfoot]

Also....if you are changing the oil, you cannot get the filter off with a standard O/F wrench unless you are very talented. I suggest you check some of the BMW dealers on the net (Bob's, A&S, Max) and check into buying one of their BMW made or aftermarket wrenches. If you have a local dealer, give them a shot also.

[markgoodrich]

Also....if you are changing the oil, you cannot get the filter off with a standard O/F wrench unless you are very talented. I suggest you check some of the BMW dealers on the net (Bob's, A&S, Max) and check into buying one of their BMW made or aftermarket wrenches. If you have a local dealer, give them a shot also.

Or, you can do the stab-the-filter-to-death-with-a-screwdriver deal, unscrew it with the additional leverage. Filters are like fish, they don't feel the pain.

I've been told to put the bike on the side stand for about ten minutes, then up onto the centers tand, before draining the oil...to get the oil in the cooler to drain down into the crankcase.

[hintzir09]

Thanks for the help!

[wsteinborn]

And, a tip I got from (somewhere) is:

Do the valves first while the bike is cold. Then warm up the engine and change the oil.

You'll lose a little oil when you do the valves, so it is better to lose the old oild you are going to toss, rather than the new oil you just out in and will need to replace.

Also, the stab-the-filter has one flaw: If you still can't get the filter off, you can't ride the bike to the dealer.

In my wife's Pathfinder I stabbed the filter and found out the hard way there are some electronics right there too. Oops.

[Semper_Fi]

check out Marc Parnes website for the tools needed that you are looking for.

He has the coil puller, the oil filter wrench and the big hex for the front axle.

www.marcparnes.com

[tonyfr]

Everyone keeps talking about special wrenches to remove the oil filter. I use this wrench on my R12RT and on my Volvo.

[AZgman]

This video will explain all about routine maintenance...

http://www.jimvonbaden.com/service1.aspx

[Semper_Fi]

Everyone keeps talking about special wrenches to remove the oil filter. I use this wrench on my R12RT and on my Volvo.



Rather intimidating apparatus - cool :thumb

[The_Veg]

1) Do I need a spark plug cap puller.

No. Carefully disconnect the wires from the coil, then the coil may be carefully levered out with a flat-tip screwdriver. I hook the edge of the screwdriver tip below the connector and the shaft of the screwdriver levers against the wiring channel in the valve cover. Works a treat, not much force is required and the fulcrum-point is a spot that is not exposed when everything is reassembled, therefore no paint-damage is visible on the valve cover.

if you are changing the oil, you cannot get the filter off with a standard O/F wrench unless you are very talented.

I wouldn't consider myself to be very talented, but I have had great results using a old beat up strap-type wrench. The trick is to aim it in below the crosspipe, so that the handle is right in the angle between the crosspipe and the header. The wrench grabs the filter at an angle, but it grabs sufficiently to get a few degrees of turn. Only a small few repititions are necessary to get the filter loose enough to spin it the rest of the way off by hand. I'll take this method over spending big bucks for special filter-fondlers any day.

[Bob1100RTC]

I spent $15 for a filter wrench for my R12. Got it from Greensburg Tool and Supply. I don't see that band wrench taking my filter off.