Since I hadn't changed the oil in my R1100RT in 'a while'[1] I thought it might
be a good idea to do this. I really only use the bike for shortish journeys in
the winter, mostly, but with the loss of the zero it's been pressed back into
service as my 'daily'[2] bike.

Given I was changing the oil I thought it would make sense to also do the
filter.

So... firstly the oil drain plug is tight, really very very tight. I gave it a wallop
with a hammer and almost got an impact driver to work but gave it a bit of a
heave on a normal 3/8 ratchet, *slightly* worried it might take the threads
with it when it came out (it didn't). Strange.

Then the filter, on the R1100RT it's sunk in the engine but the air can get at
the filter, the bottom of the filter is maybe 1cm above the bottom of the
engine and in an empty cylindrical space designed for it with the sump
around it. It's also got a fibreglass belly pan underneath it, keeping most of
the weather off.

This came undone easily enough once I got the filter wrench thing onto it
(pressed steel 'socket'). However... once I got it off I could see about 1/3 of
it (I think it was the front 1/3 was rusty, most rust at the bottom, petering out
as it ran up the filter. About 1cm up from the bit of the filter with flats that
accepts the 'socket' the corrosion was really quite bad and you could see the
oil starting to weep through it. A bit of a close one, another winter and it
might not have come undone without the filter tearing (then I think it's
engine out, sump off).

Conclusion... Maybe I should have changed the oil and filter at the recommended one year intervals irrespective of the mileage...

[1] 2 and a half years, 2000 miles it seems.
[2] Dragging my sorry arse to the gym and back, mostly.

On 08/09/2023 21:53, Stephen Packer wrote:
>Since I hadn't changed the oil in my R1100RT in 'a while'[1] I thought it might
>be a good idea to do this. I really only use the bike for shortish journeys in
>the winter, mostly, but with the loss of the zero it's been pressed back into
>service as my 'daily'[2] bike.
>
>Given I was changing the oil I thought it would make sense to also do the
>filter.
>
>So... firstly the oil drain plug is tight, really very very tight. I gave it a wallop
>with a hammer and almost got an impact driver to work but gave it a bit of a
>heave on a normal 3/8 ratchet, *slightly* worried it might take the threads
>with it when it came out (it didn't). Strange.
>
>Then the filter, on the R1100RT it's sunk in the engine but the air can get at
>the filter, the bottom of the filter is maybe 1cm above the bottom of the
>engine and in an empty cylindrical space designed for it with the sump
>around it. It's also got a fibreglass belly pan underneath it, keeping most of
>the weather off.
>
>This came undone easily enough once I got the filter wrench thing onto it
>(pressed steel 'socket'). However... once I got it off I could see about 1/3 of
>it (I think it was the front 1/3 was rusty, most rust at the bottom, petering out
>as it ran up the filter. About 1cm up from the bit of the filter with flats that
>accepts the 'socket' the corrosion was really quite bad and you could see the
>oil starting to weep through it. A bit of a close one, another winter and it
>might not have come undone without the filter tearing (then I think it's
>engine out, sump off).
>
>Conclusion... Maybe I should have changed the oil and filter at the recommended one year intervals irrespective of the mileage...
>
>[1] 2 and a half years, 2000 miles it seems.
>[2] Dragging my sorry arse to the gym and back, mostly.

What was the old oil like? Normally, 2000 miles and say 2 mths it should
still be a bit clear even.

--
Geoff
NTV 650

On Saturday, 9 September 2023 at 17:41:53 UTC+1, geoffC wrote:
> On 08/09/2023 21:53, Stephen Packer wrote:
> >[1] 2 and a half years, 2000 miles it seems.

> What was the old oil like? Normally, 2000 miles and say 2 mths it should
> still be a bit clear even.

A fair bit darker than the oil that replaced it (which was the same brand/type).
It looked 'fine' but I suspect with a lot of cold starting due to the shortish
journeys (many around four miles) it would probably be 'similar' to the oil
I used to change after I'd done 5000 miles of commuting in the past.

It's been used in a 25 year old bike with about 65k on the clock so I suspect
there's some 'blow past' the rings/valve guide oil seals getting a bit more
carbon in the oil than on a newer bike.