Pissed at dealer-overfilled oil

kenmat · 07-07-2005, 07:37 PM

I had my 600 mile service done today. I rode the bike home , which is around 15 miles away (10 of it freeway). I put the bike on the side stand for about ten minutes and then on the center stand. I checked the oil level 6 hours later and its covering the sight glass. I drained 8 oz. of oil to bring it low enough to see the top of the glass. Do you think any harm has been done? If so, how will I know? How do you think I should approach the dealer in this regard other than telling them that their tech screwed up. I hope Bobby from BMW of Atlanta can offer some advice. Thanks

Renton · 07-07-2005, 08:05 PM

I just got my oil changed and its the same thing. Its a c-hair under the top of the window.

I have 3800 miles and the tech said that its gonna burn a lot in the next 500 miles. It had been burning oil pretty well. (I think)

He also put in regular oil and said not to do synthetic for quite some time.

He said that synthetic will leak all over the place, until its broken in.

So, I listened to him.

BMW of the Main Line Devon, PA

They have their own race team. WTF do I know?

wswartzwel · 07-07-2005, 08:05 PM

I wouldn't be too concerned... I run mine just above the glass all the time, and never had a bit of problem.

shovelstrokeed · 07-07-2005, 10:19 PM

KenMat,
I wouldn't worry about it. Look under the bike and you will see a plugged hose, with the bike on the centerstand and a small container underneath, remove the plug and any oil that worked its way up into the air cleaner via the crankcase vent will drain out. Replace the plug and you are good to go. Next time, tell the idiot that 3.75 quarts, counting the filter, is the proper fill. Not just dumping 4 quarts in there. Good time to start doing it yourself. Takes about 15 minutes if your fussy.

Renton,
Your mechanic may not be an idiot but he is badly misinformed. The whole seal vs synthetic oils thing got solved over 20 years ago. Tell him to read a book now and then. BTW, both the BMW M5 and the new Corvette, and, I think, all Mercedes come from the factory with synthetic oils. Don't see many of them leaking all over the floor or burning much oil for that matter. Urban legend, to use a kind phrase.

Ed

RoLoo · RoLoo's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Renton

He said that synthetic will leak all over the place, until its broken in.

...????....

...all new Volkswagen + Audi leave the factory with synthetic oil ;
this oil is as thin as water, and no leaks...

...this mecanic is telling you crap...

Ron.
(I work at an VW/Audi dealership)

ckcarr · ckcarr's Garage

1/4 of a quart. It's nothing.

Joe · Joe's Garage

Synthetic won't leak all over the place but it will not let your rings seat if you put it in before 10-15k miles

roger albert · 07-08-2005, 08:32 AM

You'll have no problem, but as was said, in general, I'd rather run a boxer a tick low than high for air volume purposes. Drain per Ed and I agree with Joe on the real reason for synthetic avoidance at first.

You have little reason to worry.

foobeemer · 07-08-2005, 09:55 AM

A little OT, but since I changed to syn I've noticed oil beginning to collect in the recesses of the cooling fins on the head with the filler plug. So, is the o-ring shot at the plug or is the syn oil pulling some kind of sneaky viscosity escape trick?

I imagine the ring is wearing, but I never had the problem before so maybe it's just coincidence that I see it now after making the switch 2 oil changes ago.

roger albert · 07-08-2005, 10:09 AM

prob coincidence.
those o-rings have short life

jweicht · 07-08-2005, 10:16 AM

One thing that helped me on two of my Oilheads when I noticed an oil weep at the filler plug: Pull the plug, then pull off the O-ring and carefully use an X-acto knife to scrape off the two mold flashing seam. Reinstall and the problem might not come back.

ErricZ · 07-08-2005, 10:53 AM

I was told the same thing by my dealer, to not run Synthetic in my R11S until I hit the 10K "magic break-in" number. I listened and never excessively burned or leaked oil after that point ...

shovelstrokeed · 07-08-2005, 11:05 AM

FWIW,
I switched my S to synthetic oil at the 600 mile mark and it has never had anything else in it. At 600 miles leakdown was at 6%, at 6000 miles it was down to 3% which is tighter than any street motor I have ever encountered. At 30K miles, it is still in the 3-4% range. This bike does not use oil, period. Maybe 4 oz between changes. I don't even look anymore. Broken in properly you shouldn't need to worry about synthetic oil at all.

lht · 07-08-2005, 01:42 PM

What was your brake-in procedure ?

shovelstrokeed · 07-08-2005, 04:55 PM

Greatly simplified it involved progressive amounts of throttle application in progressively higher gears leading to higher and higher RPM limits with coast down/cool down periods until I was able to pull to red line from 4K RPM at full throttle in 6th gear. Repeated that a couple of times, came home to the dealer with about 750 miles on her after two days and declared it broken in.

No, its not what the book says. Not by a long shot. I've been wearing in motors for years and years. I've torn them down in the middle of the process on occasion. Its not rocket science but neither is it a trivial thing. The entire point is to build a progression of cylinder pressure and thus load on the rings to get them to seal properly against the bore surfaces. Gentle early running takes care of the rest of the motor in pretty short order. That and good fits on initial assembly, a thing that BMW does quite well.

The process is a long way from the abuse fostered by some of the "ride it like you stole it school" as well. It is a process, a set of steps, with carefully designed goals in mind at each of the steps. I would be extremely surprised if any of the other gear heads did anything different.

Ed

Dr. Curve · 07-08-2005, 06:21 PM

Your wrench is FOS and should not be telling anything like that. Shovelstrokeed is dead ass on correct in my opinion based on over 25 years of 100% synthitic use in BMWs. Change to the real thing as soon as possible. Don't listen to urban legend BS about weeping seals or excessive use. If the bike needs some oil, put it in. Check it before your rides and take care to change it on a regular basis.

Why in the world would your dealer even suggest such out dated, and unfounded, information to a cash paying coustomer? Change to 100% BMW 20/50 at once and never look back........................

Did the same wrench suggest that the new 2005 brakes are not 100% and that you should reconsider the linked ABS and opt for the "feel it better with human hands" approach to braking? Just curious.

Change to real oil and let the Dino oil sleep in peace.

I just got my oil changed and its the same thing. Its a c-hair under the top of the window. I have 3800 miles and the tech said that its gonna burn a lot in the next 500 miles. It had been burning oil pretty well. (I think) He also put in regular oil and said not to do synthetic for quite some time. He said that synthetic will leak all over the place, until its broken in. So, I listened to him. BMW of the Main Line Devon, PA

They have their own race team. WTF do I know?

pdonnell · 07-08-2005, 06:34 PM

WTF do I know?
.
You heard here first ladies and gents.
.
BTW, what a "c-hair".

Renton · 07-08-2005, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pdonnell
WTF do I know?

.
BTW, what a "c-hair".

A c-hair is a NASA term for a very,very small measurement.

It is equal to the width of a "c_nt hair"

BMW Atlanta · 07-08-2005, 07:08 PM

BMW 20/50 is NON Synthetic

BMW 15/50 is Synthetic

I would recommend sticking with the dino oil for the first 18k myself as you will want to be changing the oil more frequently anyhow in the beginning and why spend extra money and prolong the break in process with Synthetic. Plus somewhere BMW officially doesnt recommend Synthetic until after 18k, but what do they know??? (and it has NOTHING to do with leaking seals)

Moybin · 07-08-2005, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Renton
A c-hair is a NASA term for a very,very small measurement.

It is equal to the width of a "c_nt hair"

On nuke subs the unit of measure was an "RCH" or Red C_nt Hair. It seems the red ones are more uniform, but I might need to do some more studying of the subject just to make sure.