Filler follies.

badbilly · 03-10-2003, 05:35 PM

Hi all,

What gives! I removed the oil filler, put in the recommended 8 ounces of oil to get it up in the window. When I put the filler cap back in it doesn't tighten down, it just rattles loose in there. What the hey? I surmise, there must have been an O-ring in there, but how I lost it is beyond me. I make a gasket out of duct tape. It works for about 2/3 my trip to work (don't try this at home)--then oil goes over my C-F head cover and on shoe.

Dealer says yes there's an O-ring. I buy it. Filler cap now tightens down. But, I go for ride next day, and it still leaks slightly out of cap. I examine with my finely honed mechanic skills and determine the black inner thread-thing that the filler cap screws into seems to have a bit of vertical play. This being my first Bmer, this strikes me as a bit cheap. Why isn't there a metal filler cap? Anyway, is this a warranty issue? How do these thing last a gazillion miles when this is going on.

Anyway, my dealers are closed Sunday/Monday. Will try to put issue to rest and stop whinning. I did lose my buddy on his 900SS (in the curvies thank you very much)...so I pulled over and waited and had enough to wipe off mess.

Later, BB

jclark · jclark's Garage

They last about a season and a half.
Buy 5 big O rings, buy 5 little O rings. Buy 2 plastic thingy's.
Change the whole shebang when the cap ( orig or whatever you buy to replace it ) starts weeping.

This one's prolly under warranty.

jeff

Oops! To be clear(er) ?_just change the O rings, ( both ) as long as the plastic insert is of good cheer. It's wise to have one on the shelf....

badbilly · 03-10-2003, 10:27 PM

Jeff,

Thanks for the info. Oh, and where is the little O-ring--is it inside the inner thread item? I only saw the one O-ring inside the filler cap.

BTW, I wonder if those aluminum filler caps with the allen-head style fasteners are a little more, shall we say, permanent?

Later, BB

roger albert · 03-11-2003, 08:43 AM

Yes, they are quite a bit better.
Only caveat is they require very careful installation so that they
don't end up rotating in the cover. If the mounting ring is a bit loose and/or the cap is tighten too much, then they can rotate and scratch the inside of the cover (though even then they leak about 98% less)

Only happened on mine while attempting to loosen cap after it came back from warranty service a year or two ago. Other people have reported similar.

Anyway, they're not idiot proof, but if properly installed and used, they do the job well.

(same goes for cam cover caps)