gear oil in rubber boot?

[rich7196]

hi all,

i have a 1999 r1100 rt.. i noticed some oil residue on swing arm.. pulled boot off and 2 table spoons of oil came out? Looked like it had water in it too? is it possible that water got into the boot, Ive been riding in some downpours lately..

i checked the final drive oil..its fine.. can you please tell me where the gear box oil nut is located and what size wrench i need to get it off.

a mechanic told me it might be a my transmission gasket .. fyi: the final drive was just rebuilt on bike..

thank you.

[MotorradMike]

Hi Rich:

Directly in front of the front pivot on the swingarm(on the right), is the filler plug for the transmission. Remove that to check level( 7mm Allen?). Directly beneath the filler plug is a deep recess with the 13mm drain bolt at the end(You'll need a socket and extension). If you decide to drain the oil, jam some heavy plastic sheet under the drain to get the oil out beyond any exhaust parts.

If you search here there's lots about this leak and how to determine its origin and whether or not to worry about it.

[flars]

As Mike mentioned - this PROBABLY isn't a problem.
Pull the front part of that gaiter loose and look up inside the swing arm. If you see oil in there, the transmission output seal is leaking, and probably needs to be fixed.
It the tunnel is clean, the oil in the gaiter is coming from the pinon seal in the final drive - a very well known 'feature'. Clean the oil out of the gaiter and close it back up, ride the bike for 2000 miles and check for oil in the gaiter again. If there is less than a tablespoon of oil in the gaiter at that time, the leak is NOT a problem (it's 'character'), and doesn't need to be fixed. If you do have it fixed, it will just leak again.

[lazywizard02]

When the tech pulled the boot back on mine he got a couple of table spoons of oil and reccommended a seal change. I declined and watched the 'leak' for a while till the boot was dry. I think it is just small seapage amounts over time and not indicative of the full repair.

[rich7196]

thanks guys. appreciate the feedback.

[Mr. Frank]

Using dino in the final drive will leak less than synthetic in most cases.

[rich7196]

got a chance to check trans fluid today.. all good.. level is fine.. final drive fluid is ok too.. mmm dont know where the fluid came but i am relieved.. cant wait for a long fall ride up thru adirondacks!

[PGlaves]

Odds are it is seepage from the pinion seal in the final drive. A little oil makes a big mess. Remove the tie and peel the boot back. Clean everything up. Put the boot back with a new tie.

Keep your eye on it, but you probably won't notice that oily grunge again for about 10K miles.

If it comes back right away, or is actually wet and drippy, then have the pinion seal replaced.

[cbodan]

Anyone have comments on this model year?

Or should I just go on what has already been said?

[flars]

"..Anyone have comments on this model year...
All the comments apply to the 1150 and 1100 .

[refinger]

Here is a question that reveals my almost total lack of mechanical acumen: I recently developed a drip-type leak from the forward area of the rearmost rubber boot on my 2003 R1150R at 54000 miles. I had the final drive re-built as a pre-trip precaution 4000 miles ago. Clean-up and inspection of the leak reveals that the front cable strap (large end) is slightly askew at the bottom and this is the leaking area. What is the procedure to replace these cable straps? I realize that they are single-use (correct?) but wonder if there is any special technique to use in replacing these straps? It seems like it is worthwhile to attempt this as a fix before proceeding further. Any thoughts and advice gratefully accepted. Thanks, Rick

[Mr. Frank]

Although there is a BMW part for that strap, many people including some dealers just use two large cable ties attached to each other to create a very large tie.

[bikerfish1100]

cbodan- nothing particular about model type or year of production. same rules apply to all paralever equipped bikes (1988 forward).
refinger- replacing the strap will do nothing to stop the source of the leak. it might hold the leaking oil in better, but its a temp fix, at best. i'd go talk to the guy who did the FD rebuild.

[bikerfish1100]

Although there is a BMW part for that strap, many people including some dealers just use two large cable ties attached to each other to create a very large tie.

my local ACE Hardware carries cable straps that are long enough (24") (avoiding the ugliness of a 2 headed strap), but just a tad wider than the stock unit. works fine, fraction of the BMW cost, not quite as "perfect" in appearance as the OEM item.

[refinger]

Thanks to all for your replies. It appears that I have a bigger problem than just a loose strap ( was indulging in a bit of denial perhaps). I am about 150 miles away from the guy that rebuilt the FD...any thoughts on riding that far with the FD in this shape? If the FD "goes"/"blows"/"seizes" does anyone know what happens....a locked rear wheel? a horrible noise and no power to the wheel? I know that a lighter wallet is one sure consequence.
Thanks again for collective-wisdom sharing.

[Mr. Frank]

The common pinion gear seal leak is normally not related to a final drive failure. In most cases it is more of an irritation. Reread Paul Glaves' post.

[refinger]

Frank - Thanks for the clarification. I will follow up as Paul indicated and hope it is a "10,000 mile leak" that requires a new cable strap and clean-up. Again thanks for all the help and patience.

[Mr. Frank]

In many cases it is possible to slip the boot off the swing arm without cutting the cable tie. Then you can periodically clean out the boot to preclude an actual leak on the wheel. After cleaning, the boot can be slipped back on and the tie can be properly positioned. It's also a good idea to check the oil level in the final drive when you clean things up.

[Forks]

I've got the same issue, replaced synthetic in rear and trans with dino oil. No difference in shifting, no more leak after 1500 miles.

You can still buy the metal clamp for the boots - at least I can then loosen and pull boot back to check things.