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My experance seems to indicate...

yourself or by the dealer? do you put new gasketS?
did you ever need to adjust the vavles?

what's the year and mileage of your bike
Here is what I have found on my bikes:

R-100GS. '91 98,000 Miles Airhead, valve lash tightens up noticeably over 6000 miles.
R-1100. ' 96 110,000 Miles First gen oilhead, slight drift. Nothing serious.
R-1200ST '03 Hexhead 14,000 miles, pretty constant, always withing spec at 6000 miles.
R-1200RT '06 Hexhead 30,000 sort of drifty. Usually needs a touch-up ant 6000 miles.
R-1200GS '15 It's a waterboxer, I just got it so no data.

I generally do my own work, but not always.

When I pull the rocker boxes off I always have a spare rubber gasket available, but I don't necessarily use it, they are supposed to be reusable. So far this was worked for me.

- John.
 
my dealer didnt give me the option to decide on whether re-use or not re-use the gasket
A dealer never will. OK, most dealers never will. It's a time/cost /reputation thing.

As an owner you can look at a part and make a decision to re-use or not. If you make the wrong decision with respect to a valve cover gasket you'll wind up with a few drops of oil on the floor and some wasted time. If a dealer makes the same decision and the gasket leaks he's out the time to fix the problem, the cost of the labor to fix the problem, and a loss of reputation. As a result a dealer will always use new. It doesn't cost him anything extra (you're paying the bill for the new gaskets) and the dealer has less of a chance of losing time, money, and reputation.

A 6K valve clearance check was appropriate for 2009 and earlier bikes. BMW switched to overhead cams with bucket and shims in '10. The appropriate valve clearance inspection for the new bikes is every 12K. With the bucket and shim set up you won't be replacing shims very often.
 
Intervals

I know what the manuals say, but I've always had this thing - no matter which bike it was - that I do a "minor" service (check/change fluids etc) on the 5000km, and a "major" (same as minor only with filters, check clearances, pad thickness, nip everything up, etc) on the 10000km.
Obviously I don't bleed the brakes that often, that's an annual kind of thing.
I know I really don't need to, but it's that feeling of knowing everything has been done, versus that maybe I should have done that, but it should be ok niggling uncertainty. Know what I mean?
Some call it OCD, some might consider it pedantic, or just anal. I call it peace of mind.
Greg
 
Discussion starter · #25 ·
I know what the manuals say, but I've always had this thing - no matter which bike it was - that I do a "minor" service (check/change fluids etc) on the 5000km, and a "major" (same as minor only with filters, check clearances, pad thickness, nip everything up, etc) on the 10000km.
Obviously I don't bleed the brakes that often, that's an annual kind of thing.
I know I really don't need to, but it's that feeling of knowing everything has been done, versus that maybe I should have done that, but it should be ok niggling uncertainty. Know what I mean?
Some call it OCD, some might consider it pedantic, or just anal. I call it peace of mind.
Greg
I AGREE,
it's a maintenance OCD hehe. :D
i got 5600 on the bike now, so by the time she hits 12k ill figure out what to do, most likely ill have it checked.
 
I have a 2013 GSW with 42,000 miles.
I check the valve clearance every 12,000 miles and have not yet had to adjust although the last check (@ 36k miles) showed that they are all on the tight side but still within spec, so I decided to measure each shim and record it so that I can order shims ahead of time when needed.
 
I have a 2013 GSW with 42,000 miles.
I check the valve clearance every 12,000 miles and have not yet had to adjust although the last check (@ 36k miles) showed that they are all on the tight side but still withing spec, so I decided to measure each shim and record it so that I can order shims ahead of time when needed.
good idea, but how will you know which to order? Is there enough difference in thickness that it's obvious which one it should be? Why are they available in different thicknesses? Does everything else around the shim also wear?
 
Discussion starter · #28 ·
I have a 2013 GSW with 42,000 miles.
I check the valve clearance every 12,000 miles and have not yet had to adjust although the last check (@ 36k miles) showed that they are all on the tight side but still withing spec, so I decided to measure each shim and record it so that I can order shims ahead of time when needed.
you did it yourself every 12k? did you reuse the gaskets? any leaking issues?
 
Discussion starter · #29 ·
good idea, but how will you know which to order? Is there enough difference in thickness that it's obvious which one it should be? Why are they available in different thicknesses? Does everything else around the shim also wear?
i think we need photos! so far, all we have is actions NO PICTURES :D

i know this forum sucks at sharing photos/attaching anything... maybe we have links at least.
 
good idea, but how will you know which to order? Is there enough difference in thickness that it's obvious which one it should be? Why are they available in different thicknesses? Does everything else around the shim also wear?
Valve shims do not wear, they compensate for the items that do wear (valve face and seat, cam and followers) and normal variances in production, they make it easy for a manufacturer to precisely set valve clearances during assembly and provide a solid means to adjust those clearances throughout the motorcycles service life.

Back in May I measured the exhaust valves and all were at 0.34 mm, which is as tight as you want them to be, specs are (0.34...0.41 mm) when I pulled and measured each shim three were at 2.00 mm and one was 1.98 mm I recorded this along with their position in the head.

The intake valve clearance was measured at 0.13 mm on three valves and 0.14 mm on the one, specs are (0.10...0.17 mm) the shims were measured at 2.18 mm on three valves and 2.24 mm on the other, these intake valves are right in the middle and will probably not need to be adjusted for a long while.

Valve shims are available from BMW in increments of 0.02 mm ranging from 1.72 mm to 2.40 mm at a cost of about $7 apiece, the dealership I use had very few of them in-stock.
When it comes time to swap out exhaust shims I know what size the oem shims are and will order three 2.02 mm shims and re-use one of the 2.00 mm in place of the current 1.98 mm to make the necessary adjustments since valve clearance is reduced with normal wear.

I checked the cam-timing at 12,000 miles and was a bit surprised that it was off, either not correctly set at the factory or there is a significant amount of initial wear-in. I have since checked it every 12k miles and it has been spot on, the engine runs noticeably smoother with this setting correct.
 
you did it yourself every 12k? did you reuse the gaskets? any leaking issues?

The valve cover gaskets are heavy duty and re-usable, on my 2005 GS I adjusted the valves every 12k miles and never replaced the gaskets and had no leaks got over 110k miles before selling the bike.
There are 3 separate seals on the wethead, the cover gasket, the center spark-plug hole seal and the lower rubber set stopper
Just make sure to get them all in the proper place and torque the cover bolts to spec (10Nm = 7.4 ft/lbs).
 
Thanks, JetSpeed, and I agree with Xetcetc, pictures the next time, please


since valve clearance is reduced with normal wear.
why is that? It would seem that it, the clearance, would increase with wear? And how do you check the cam timing and adjust?

I've seen the Jin Von Baden video of the valve check/ shim replacement. IIRC he doesn't address the actual measurement of the old shim to determine which to order. And it looks pretty straightforward. Having trouble picturing all this. Also, you must be using a micrometer caliper. The one I have will not give that fine a measure, ie to the hundredth of a mm.

Is there a graphic out there that shows the layout of all this. Sorry to be dense on it.
 
The valve cover gaskets are heavy duty and re-usable, on my 2005 GS I adjusted the valves every 12k miles and never replaced the gaskets and had no leaks got over 110k miles before selling the bike.
Ditto. Kind of. I checked my '05 valves every 6K and don't believe I ever used a new outer gasket. I may have changed the inner donut. I gave the spare gaskets I had on hand (just in case, you know) to the guy who bought my bike at 78K.

I expect my '13 will be similar, except that now the inner gasket is the same as the outer it shouldn't need replacing, either.
 
I've seen the Jin Von Baden video of the valve check/ shim replacement. IIRC he doesn't address the actual measurement of the old shim to determine which to order.
Remove shim. Measure with micrometer if you can't read or don't trust the writing on the shim. Or a decent caliper that will read to .001". A cheap ($20 or less) .001" micrometer is good enough if you are willing to do the conversions.

Jim posted his pics to this forum a couple of years ago: http://www.r1200gs.info/forum/14-maintenance-modifications/15362-valve-adjustment-new-gsw.html

Measure clearance. Note desired clearance. Measure existing shim. New shim size is [measured clearance] - [desired clearance] + [existing shim size]. Example: Lets say one of my exhaust valves is at the minimum (0.34mm) and I want to move it to the closer to the center of the allowable range (0.38mm). When I pull the cam I find that the existing shim was 2.04mm. The new shim needs to be

0.34 - 0.38 + 2.04 = 2.0mm

I'd order a 2.0 shim. JetSpeed has already measured all of his existing shims. When he next checks his valves. All he has to do after measuring clearances is plug the numbers into the formula and see what valve shims need to be ordered. I'm not that organized. I'd have to put the bike back together, order the shims, then pull the cams again to install the new shims once they arrive. I'm assuming my dealer won't have what I need in stock.
 
Thanks, JetSpeed, and I agree with Xetcetc, pictures the next time, please


why is that? It would seem that it, the clearance, would increase with wear? And how do you check the cam timing and adjust?

I've seen the Jin Von Baden video of the valve check/ shim replacement. IIRC he doesn't address the actual measurement of the old shim to determine which to order. And it looks pretty straightforward. Having trouble picturing all this. Also, you must be using a micrometer caliper. The one I have will not give that fine a measure, ie to the hundredth of a mm.

Is there a graphic out there that shows the layout of all this. Sorry to be dense on it.
Here is a great write-up on adjusting the cam timing: R1200GSW Cam Timing Adjustment

Here is my toolset that I use to adjust the cams and also to find/hold TDC while working on valves:
 

Attachments

thanks, guys, appreciate it. It is much clearer. Really.

However, a specialized tool kit with its own pelican case and foam cutouts is scary:surprise:

Thanks

John

There's well over $300 worth of tools in there but the first trip it saves you from having to take it to the dealer for these simple adjustments it will save you more than that.
 
Today I checked the valve clearances and they were all in spec. The intakes were all .15mm and the exhausts were all .38 or .381. IOW right in the middle of tolerances.

It was an easy job. It was particularly easy to find TDC, far easier than on my 09 roadster or 04 roadster.
The gaskets are the same robust material as was used on my 09 and 04. I have no misgivings about re-using them until they break---and that could be a VERY long time.

Thanks for all the info.
 
Discussion starter · #39 ·
Today I checked the valve clearances and they were all in spec. The intakes were all .15mm and the exhausts were all .38 or .381. IOW right in the middle of tolerances.

It was an easy job. It was particularly easy to find TDC, far easier than on my 09 roadster or 04 roadster.
The gaskets are the same robust material as was used on my 09 and 04. I have no misgivings about re-using them until they break---and that could be a VERY long time.

Thanks for all the info.
you did it yourself? how did you measure it, did you take photos? please share pictures if you could.

thanks
 
I assume he used feeler gauges. How else would you measure the clearance?

My contribution to the "don't do this" files. Don't do this:

Image


That bit of rubber is supposed to go back in place BEFORE you put the valve cover back on. It goes here:

Image


You can see it below the bottom cam. You need to remove it for feeler gauge access to the bottom rear exhaust valve. It simply snaps into place.
 
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