I own a 1983 R100RT (picked up in Munich in 1983) and I want to replace the transmission, final drive and drive shaft oils with synthetic oils. Can it be done and if so, what type and grade should I use? It presently has natural oils with moly added. This bike has the original seals and has 98,700 kM.
Synth should be no issue at all in those locations. (tho some might regale you with their tales of weeping trans seals following insertion of synth after years of dino).
use a fluid that meets spec- Hypoid gear oil GL5- 80W90, 75W90, sraight 90W.
and get yourself one of these- sounds like you need one. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...mw%2Caps%2C301
Ride Safe, Ride Lots
Ok same old theory applies here as usual:
30 year old bike original seals. Over the years you have built some stratigic burned oil deposits that have hardened around possible escape routes (leaks).
Now you introduce a new clean oil that upon heat cycles will clean / remove the statigic burned oil deposits and open up seals to leak.
This is the therory.
Now is it true??? Try it we would all like to know.
1974 R75/6 W Sidecar
1989 R100GS
It's like my dad used to say about our rotting boathouse...
As long as the termites keep holding hands, we're fine.
New synth will require all new seals....which are a good idea anyway.
Yup, bin there done that!
Leaked all over the place.
Put dino oil back in, leaks stopped.
Ambassador BMW MOA Ontario Canada
President Niagara BMW Riders #298
Knights of the Roundel #333
1977 R100RS with 516,000 miles
yep, it will leak. Do the dino oil with moly! Been there with two diffrent bikes.
95 R100Rt, 07 650 GS
Mike
Eagle, wi
"He's gone and nothin gone bring him back"
My 81 RT leaked with Mobile 1, stopped when I put the dino back in.
I've been using synthetic in the gearbox, f/d, and d/s with moly additive with no leaks, still using dino oil in the engine though
// 1975 BMW R90/6 (cafe'd)
// 1967 Aermacchi/H-D Sprint 250 SS
// 1973 VW Type 181 Custom SOLD)
I have used Golden Spectro semi-synthetic in the engine, Red Line heavy shockproof synthetic gear oil on the transmission, and Bel-Ray synthetic gear oil in the drive shaft and final drive for a number of years. No leaks worth mentioning (I have a slow weap at the oil pressure sending unit that pre-dates my use of synthetics). I really like the Red Line oil in the gear box.
Now that I've put all of that in writing, no doubt all of my seals will have failed and the oil will be on the ground under the bike when I go to ride home from work this evening!
Last edited by jad01; 05-16-2012 at 10:35 PM.
Jim
'78 R80/7
'90 and '93 Red Mazda Miatas ("Jelly Bean" and "Red Hot")
'96 Giant Upland (big Kendas & freshly greased bearings!)
Same here with my 86 R80RT. That was over 13 years ago and it still doesn't leak with dino.Originally Posted by DARRYL CAINEY
'You can say what you want about the South, but I almost never hear of anyone wanting to retire to the North.
Black 86 R80RT Brown 03 R1200CLC
Nothing gets us going like an oil question.
I don't see what all the fuss is but here's the way I look at it:
- Did they have fancy synthetic oils in 1983? Don't recall if they did.
- Did BMW put synthetic oil in the bike when it was new? Nope.
- Did the BMW dealers put synthetic oils in the bike when they serviced it in 83? Nope.
- Can you still get the same oil it came with and was recommended by the manrufacturer today? Yup.
So why switch now? Some wise and experienced people recommend a bit of molybdenum be added to the gear oil for the final drive and transmission to prolong life and that makes sense to me. It's slippery stuff and gets into any pitted areas it finds and stays there.
But other than that I just don't see a good reason to use anything but what was recommended to begin with. It got us this far.
MJM - BeeCeeBeemers Motorcycle Club Vancouver B.C.
'81 R80G/S, '82 R100RS, '00 R1100RT
Nothing gets us going like an oil question.
I don't see what all the fuss is but here's the way I look at it:
- Did they have fancy synthetic oils in 1983? Don't recall if they did.
- Did BMW put synthetic oil in the bike when it was new? Nope.
- Did the BMW dealers put synthetic oils in the bike when they serviced it in 83? Nope.
- Can you still get the same oil it came with and was recommended by the manrufacturer today? Yup.
So why switch now? Some wise and experienced people recommend a bit of molybdenum be added to the gear oil for the final drive and transmission to prolong life and that makes sense to me. It's slippery stuff and gets into any pitted areas it finds and stays there.
But other than that I just don't see a good reason to use anything but what was recommended to begin with. It got us this far.
1992 R100GS (ZED)
1981 R100/t
No Rules Photography at http://brittrunyon.com/
My riding videos @ http://vimeo.com/user2721333/videos
I guess so, but I don't see any harm in taking advantage of improvements in technology such as lubricants where they are reasonable and available. For example, my bike is fairly well-maintained (says me, of course), but I've found it shifts more smoothly and with less noise using the Red Line synthetic than it ever did with the originally recommended dino gear oil (or the Bel-Ray synthetic, for that matter). It runs better (with less blow-by/oil burning between changes) with the Spectro semi-synthetic than with the dino oil of the same grade. Much as it runs better (no pinging, smoother running) with the electronic ignition than it ever did with points. I'm not a fan of changing for the sake of change, but I like reasonably inexpensive improvements that make my experience with the bike more fun... based on my own, real, seat-of-the-pants scientific discovery... your results might vary.
PS: I'm happy to report that I made it home leak-free!
Jim
'78 R80/7
'90 and '93 Red Mazda Miatas ("Jelly Bean" and "Red Hot")
'96 Giant Upland (big Kendas & freshly greased bearings!)
Mine didn't start leaking immediately after I put in the synthetic. It got a little damp at first and gradually got worse as I rode it. It took it a few weeks to mark its spot in the garage.I guess so, but I don't see any harm in taking advantage of improvements in technology such as lubricants where they are reasonable and available. For example, my bike is fairly well-maintained (says me, of course), but I've found it shifts more smoothly and with less noise using the Red Line synthetic than it ever did with the originally recommended dino gear oil (or the Bel-Ray synthetic, for that matter). It runs better (with less blow-by/oil burning between changes) with the Spectro semi-synthetic than with the dino oil of the same grade. Much as it runs better (no pinging, smoother running) with the electronic ignition than it ever did with points. I'm not a fan of changing for the sake of change, but I like reasonably inexpensive improvements that make my experience with the bike more fun... based on my own, real, seat-of-the-pants scientific discovery... your results might vary.
PS: I'm happy to report that I made it home leak-free!
'You can say what you want about the South, but I almost never hear of anyone wanting to retire to the North.
Black 86 R80RT Brown 03 R1200CLC
check out Kendall oil with extra zinc, formulated for engines with flat tappets. I am just beginning to use this in 20-50.
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