Engine is nice and cool when I finish the job. Never leave oil too long that I have to extract the most old oil out of there... but it's a nice side effect
. I only use the bike for trips, so it always sits for weeks or even months between trips. No rush to finish such a maintenance job the same day.
By the way, had to flush the final drive 3 times until all the crap came out. But it's done now, ready to roll. Just need to go for a ride to heat up the engine oil and do that next. And hopefully not have a hard time removing the factory oil filter, but I know it'll eventually succumb to my plier-type wrench.
Normally one would use something like this for flushing the rear end...
Normally one would use something like this for flushing the rear end...
Normally one would use something like this for flushing the rear end...
Flush the final drive? What did you use for this?By 'flush' I meant a fill and drain operation. I used Mobil1 5/30 I had laying around (very similar) to do this twice. Once full and fill plug installed, rolled the tire forward vigorously many times, then fully drain the fluid again. Cheaper than the $40/qt Castrol Differential SAF-XO 75/90 I used for the final fill. That's the best differential oil by far IMO, and what BMW uses. I tried Mobil1 75/90 on the K1300S I had, to save some $$$, and it leaked. So bought the Castrol, and no issues. A quart is good for 5 fluid changes, so not that expensive after all. Had 2 left, and now one. Will change the fluid annually, along with the engine oil. Oh, and also installed magnetic drain plugs (goldplug.com. Their new S/S design is great) on both engine and final drive; cheap insurance IMO. You should have seen the crap (metal dust) that came out of the final drive, with only 400 miles on the clock. Glad I did it this early. Hope this helps.
I use the Mobil synth rear drive goop...change with each engine oil change (hey, I have friends with BMWs...), and it always comes out looking pretty good.Glad to know our Connies don't leak with that fluid. A LOT cheaper than the BMW Castrol I'm using (leftover, thankfully). And now that there's a magnetic drain plug in there to catch any metal particles, I feel better
By 'flush' I meant a fill and drain operation. I used Mobil1 5/30 I had laying around (very similar) to do this twice. Once full and fill plug installed, rolled the tire forward vigorously many times, then fully drain the fluid again. Cheaper than the $40/qt Castrol Differential SAF-XO 75/90 I used for the final fill. That's the best differential oil by far IMO, and what BMW uses. I tried Mobil1 75/90 on the K1300S I had, to save some $$$, and it leaked. So bought the Castrol, and no issues. A quart is good for 5 fluid changes, so not that expensive after all. Had 2 left, and now one. Will change the fluid annually, along with the engine oil. Oh, and also installed magnetic drain plugs (goldplug.com. Their new S/S design is great) on both engine and final drive; cheap insurance IMO. You should have seen the crap (metal dust) that came out of the final drive, with only 400 miles on the clock. Glad I did it this early. Hope this helps.
You beat me to it, Conrad.
"$40/qt Castrol Differential SAF-XO 75/90 I used for the final fill. That's the best differential oil by far IMO, and what BMW uses."
How's that oil working out for BMW?
Mobil 1 leaked and the Castrol didn't and that's an indication of a higher quality oil?
IMO flushing the final drive is a total waste of time, but it's your time to waste isn't it?
"$40/qt Castrol Differential SAF-XO 75/90 I used for the final fill. That's the best differential oil by far IMO, and what BMW uses."
How's that oil working out for BMW?
<snip>
How's that oil working out for BMW?
Do you have an assistant to hold your bike while you check the sight glass with both wheels on the ground? Only way I have of doing it is on my lift or with a front wheel chock, two items that not everybody may have.
I never use the sight glass, as an indicator of my oil change level, when I do it with a new filter...
the sightglass is checked with both tires on the ground, not on centerstand.
Do you have an assistant to hold your bike while you check the sight glass with both wheels on the ground? Only way I have of doing it is on my lift or with a front wheel chock, two items that not everybody may have.
You've taken a photo of the sightglass when holding the bike level on the tyres, now take another pic with it on the centerstand.