Noob greeting and first questions

[tom964]

Hello all,

I just last week acquired a 1999 R1100s base model. I don't have pics yet, but it is the gray with yellow stripe color combo with ABS, heated grips and bags. It is my first boxer twin (well, other than a '78 R100 that I bought from my Uncle, who then missed it and bought it back a year later). My only other BMW bike is a 2009 F650GS twin. Anyway, I couldn't be more excited about the 1100. It is so much fun to ride! I was hooked from 2 minutes into my first test ride.

I used to utilize the Pelican Parts technical boards when I had my 1991 911, but I sold that a few years ago. I have already gained a lot of information about the R1100S from this forum, both before and after my purchase. For example, I didn't panic when my ABS lights wouldn't go off this weekend because I knew from you guys (and from the slow crank speed) that it was caused by low battery voltage. A little trickle charge, problem solved (for now). But still have a couple of questions that only a noob would ask.

I set out to change all the fluids and start fresh with the maintenance periods. So far I have changed the engine oil and the final drive fluid (still trying to figure a way at the transmission drain bolt and may just buy the special tool). When I drained the final drive fluid, there was a fairly thick coating of residue on the magnet. Nothing course - it was very fine, medium gray, with a consistency something like Honda Moly 60, but there was a fair amount of it coating the whole plug surface. Is that relatively normal?

Also, the fluid that was in there, and that is in the transmission, is red, and sort of smells like AT fluid. Is there a 90W gear oil that is red? Maybe the BMW stuff? I thought only AT fluid was red.

Thanks,
-Tom

[Guest24]

Welcome back, Tom. Here's the latest tool for the tranny thread: Alternate tool for transmission drain plug. I along with others use Red Line 75w90 in the transmission. It's red sorta.

[RBMann]

Nail's Redline Shockproof looks like Pepto-Bismol when it is drained. Good in the trans but it barfed out the overflow a couple times in my final drive.

[tom964]

Thanks, that makes much more sense than ATF! That is probably the answer.

Any thoughts on the amount of residue I found?

[Guest24]

As long as you are not seeing big chunks of metal, I would clean it off and not worry.

[jduke]

Tom, do you have a way to move 25 mb files? I can send you the BMW Repair Manual in pdf and some other useful files.

[wswartzwel]

Its a trick Tom... Jerry Duke is a spammers spammer. He is going to load you up with malware, keystroke logging software, and his personal archives of Cycle News.

[jduke]

Ha, ha, ha. Next time a sparkplug baffles you, work on your comedy routine.
But thanks for the reminder, Cycle News comes out tomorrow.

[tom964]

Thanks JDuke. I actually already found and downloaded a pdf of the factory service manual online. But I am sending you a pm with a link to the public folder of my .mac account. Feel free to upload anything else you think would be helpful for me to have. I plan on doing most everything I can myself, so all information is welcome.

[tjs]

BMW synthetic 75/140 is also dark red. tjs

[hopz]

14mm Transmission drain plug...

I went to a specialty tool store. Purchased a 14mm hex and asked the guy to cut off an inch or so from the long end. He was happy to, and he dressed both the short piece's end as well as the leftover long wench. Total cost was less than $6.00 seriously.

I turn the hex stub with an open end 14mm wrench. You wont be able to do a proper torque but I use the German standard... Gutentight.

Tip for you... always open the fill plug first. They are known to be very tight.... so if you drain first you may find yourself dry before you get the fill open... I had to use a cheater bar on my first transmission lube service.

p.s. I like Amsoil severe Gear 75W-90 in both the transmission and the final drive. Most of us have our own favorites... they all get the job done.

[tom964]

Thanks again everyone. All fluids changed.

The reference in the thread linked above to the Sears socket cap that fits the transmission plug caught my eye, so I went down to the local Sears and picked it up. Fits perfectly. At first I still could not loosen the plug. The 10mm wrench that fit the socket cap didn't give me the leverage, and when I tried a breaker bar the wrench started slipping on the socket cap. I guess the plug was on pretty tight.

The next day I poked around in my toolbox and found a socket to open end adapter (not sure what the proper name is). In other words, you put it on a socket driver to use it as an open end to use where a socket won't fit. I plugged the Sears tool into that, so that the open end part was sticking out from under the transmission. Then I put my long handled torque wrench into the open end and, with all that leverage, she slipped right off. And with this method, I was actually able to torque it back up using the same torque wrench (probably not perfectly accurate, but something).

[Guest24]

I have to wonder how these drain plugs get so tight. Mine broke free with a normal wrench on the Sears adapter. I did break the plug free while it was cold and then go out and warm the fluid up. I figured hot would make it tighter.

[turboflyer]

FYI SJBMW does not like the shock proof oil. They said it can clog the breather screen and cause problems. It is the larger particles in the oil that preform the shock proofing. Just what I was told and have no first hand experience. My brother in law uses it in his car, but I dont know what the vent set up is like. No proble there.