Oil seepage R850R - Horizons Unlimited

**Tokoloshe** · #1 10 Oct 2002

Hi there,

I have an R850R 1994 model with 25 000 miles on the clock.

I have recently noticed that oil seeps/finely sprays from the engine on both sides after riding relatively fast (100-110mph). The oil blows back onto the brake pedal and gear lever. I'm not talking about huge amounts of oils, more like a fine mist. Needless to say, it's all over the boots as well!

The Haynes manual states that this could be caused by overpressure and that the breather could be blocked.
The oil level is fine and the machine does not seem to burn any oil unless it's been standing for a while on the side stand (2 weeks or so when starting delivers a lovely little cloud of blue smoke for a few seconds).

I'm not a technical person so I need some help here. If there is a bretaher, where is it located? If there is another problem where do I start looking? If the gaskets need changing, how expensive is this? I don't have a workshop or garage or even access to one so it would be a BMW job.

Also, tongue-in-cheek, why do BMW build such fast cars and such slow bikes?

Cheers

Tok

**mcdarbyfeast** · #2 12 Oct 2002

Hi, When you say the oil "Seeps/sprays from both sides of the engine" Where from exactly ?

The smoke from the engine when it's been on the side stand is, as you say, normal. My 100gs does this after a couple of days, a friends new 1150gs is the same.

Bob

[This message has been edited by mcdarbyfeast (edited 11 October 2002).]

**Tokoloshe** · #3 14 Oct 2002

The oil leak appears to be coming from the "base" gasket. There is a gasket under the rocker cover which is fine, the head gaskets seem ok with no oil leakage but the next gasket is covered with a film of oil.

On the left hand side of the bike,this gasket is the one closest to the gearbox if you are looking at the cylinder profile from left to right ie, standing behind the bike and looking towards the front.

The oil leak does not drip or pool onto the ground. It only appears to spray when riding at higher rpm's. ( Bike does not have rev counter so impossible to work out when it starts leaking).

Is it wise or even possible to remove the cylinder head and re-torque the barrel thus creating a tighter gasket seal or is this asking for trouble?

Thaks in advance

Tok

**Grant Johnson** · #4 15 Oct 2002

Try retorquing it to correct factory spec carefully, that may cure it. If not, it's not difficult to just remove the whole top end and replace ALL the gaskets / seals.

And don't forget to re-torque the top end again at 500 miles, and again at 2-4000. Failure to do so orginally may be why it's leaking now.

------------------
Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------

One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com