Jump to content
IGNORED

Gear oil...


temesvar

Recommended Posts

I hope am not going to get blasted for asking about oil...

Am about to change the transmission oil. At our local Canadian Tire store i found

this 75W-140 synthetic gear oil marketed under Royal Purple brand. It has Synerlec.

(whatever that is :S ) Is not to be used with wet clutch systems used in motorcycles.

For what i know, my bike, a 2008 RT is a dry clutch, so i guess that should not be a

problem. Can anybody advise if i could safely use this oil?

 

Link to comment
areyouolsen

With that oil weight, I'm guessing you're using it for your drive shaft, right? In that case, you're just fine. I've used the same stuff and it works great.

 

An added note, get some good moly paste to smear in the spline when you pull it apart. Use rubber gloves and a toothbrush - that stuff takes ages to get off your hands. Probably not very good for you, either...

Link to comment
I hope am not going to get blasted for asking about oil...

Am about to change the transmission oil. At our local Canadian Tire store i found

this 75W-140 synthetic gear oil marketed under Royal Purple brand. It has Synerlec.

(whatever that is :S ) Is not to be used with wet clutch systems used in motorcycles.

For what i know, my bike, a 2008 RT is a dry clutch, so i guess that should not be a

problem. Can anybody advise if i could safely use this oil?

 

Morning temesvar

 

My early BMW service manual calls for 90 weight GL-5 gear oil in the transmission, my later BMW service manual calls for SAF-XO gear oil in the trans (SAF-XO is a 75w90 GL-5 gear oil).

 

BUT, a lot of us hexhead riders do use a 75w140 GL-5 gear oil.

 

I presume that 75w140 Royal Purple you bought is a GL-5 rated gear oil, if so then it will work just fine. (your trans has parallel helical gear sets so needs a GL-5 gear oil)

 

 

 

Edited by dirtrider
Link to comment

You are solving a potential problem with the Royal Purple that you might not have been aware of. Some GL5 oils aren't compatible to bronze bushings in transmissions. Does your BMW have those bronze parts, I can't say for sure. I've seen a metallic residue from my Moto Guzzi for years and didn't know it might be a problem. I've contacted Mobil One and their current synthetic GL-5 gear oil is NOT compatible with the brass or bronze metals. On the bottle of the Royal Purple GL-5 this issue is addressed and is compatible with yellow metals. GL-5 oils and yellow metals I'm using Royal Purple now on both my bikes. :thumbsup:

Edited by sardineone
Link to comment

 

Morning temesvar

 

My early BMW service manual calls for 90 weight GL-5 gear oil in the transmission, my later BMW service manual calls for SAF-XO gear oil in the trans (SAF-XO is a 75w90 GL-5 gear oil).

 

BUT, a lot of us hexhead riders do use a 75w140 GL-5 gear oil.

 

I presume that 75w140 Royal Purple you bought is a GL-5 rated gear oil, if so then it will work just fine. (your trans has parallel helical gear sets so needs a GL-5 gear oil)

 

 

Thanks (again) DR.I should have mentioned it is mentioned that the oil can be used

where GL-5 or GL-4 gear oil is required. It is great i can use this oil, that i can find locally.

Link to comment

Thanks, George, for all the info about the oil. Am happy to know that i can find the oil locally!! :dance:

Now, are you using same brand 75W90 for final drive? I have a QT of BMW C-SAF-XO 75W-90 bought

from a dealer last year, so that divided by 180ml i should have enough for a few years.

Link to comment

This is an oil thread so.............my oil choice must be wrong to somebody. My BMW is out of warranty and I am using 75w-140 Royal Purple in the tranny and the rear end. :dontknow:

Link to comment

I'm now using Castrol LRN7591 that you can get at Land Rover dealerships.

It is equivalent to SAF-XO ( As stated by the manufacturer)and is half the price my BMW dealer is asking for the SAF-XO

 

2003-2009 Land Rover Range Rover Differential Oil - Rear Differential - Castrol LRN7591 - Syntrax Long Life; Equivalent to: Castrol SAF-XO)

 

Link to comment
I'm now using Castrol LRN7591 that you can get at Land Rover dealerships.

It is equivalent to SAF-XO ( As stated by the manufacturer)and is half the price my BMW dealer is asking for the SAF-XO

 

2003-2009 Land Rover Range Rover Differential Oil - Rear Differential - Castrol LRN7591 - Syntrax Long Life; Equivalent to: Castrol SAF-XO)

Thanks, Dan for your suggestion. As for now, will stick to Royal Purple. Is Can$22/L at Can.Tire (+13%tax, of course!!)Is not bad,

and considering there is no BMW dealer near by, this will do just fine. If am wrong, should find out in about 10 years!! ;)

Link to comment
I'm now using Castrol LRN7591 that you can get at Land Rover dealerships.

It is equivalent to SAF-XO ( As stated by the manufacturer)and is half the price my BMW dealer is asking for the SAF-XO

 

2003-2009 Land Rover Range Rover Differential Oil - Rear Differential - Castrol LRN7591 - Syntrax Long Life; Equivalent to: Castrol SAF-XO)

Thanks, Dan for your suggestion. As for now, will stick to Royal Purple. Is Can$22/L at Can.Tire (+13%tax, of course!!)Is not bad,

and considering there is no BMW dealer near by, this will do just fine. If am wrong, should find out in about 10 years!! ;)

 

If I remembrer correctly the Land Rover Oil si $15 at the dealer

(Less than $20 fort sure)

Link to comment

Changed the oil, transmission and final drive. Gear box had maybe 1/2 L in, and took less than 3/4 to fill. I expected to use 1L,

but that was all I could pour in before over flowing. Is that normal? The final drive oil was clean, and had just about 200 ml.

I replaced it with 180ml. Al is good, but... didn't have any compression aluminum washers. I did get some from a dealer, but

were not the size I needed. And as a result, there is a slight leak, enough to leave a few oil lines on the rear wheel. So am back

where I was, and will have to do it again, this time only after I get the right gasket rings. Can anyone point out the right sizes a

early 2008 RT requires? And where would be the best place to get them from? Am not sure if I can use Max BMW fiche. And they charge

$30 for shipping, which I find to be a bit to much for a few gasket rings!!

Link to comment
Changed the oil, transmission and final drive. Gear box had maybe 1/2 L in, and took less than 3/4 to fill. I expected to use 1L,

but that was all I could pour in before over flowing. Is that normal? The final drive oil was clean, and had just about 200 ml.

I replaced it with 180ml. Al is good, but... didn't have any compression aluminum washers. I did get some from a dealer, but

were not the size I needed. And as a result, there is a slight leak, enough to leave a few oil lines on the rear wheel. So am back

where I was, and will have to do it again, this time only after I get the right gasket rings. Can anyone point out the right sizes a

early 2008 RT requires? And where would be the best place to get them from? Am not sure if I can use Max BMW fiche. And they charge

 

Morning temesvar

 

How much gear oil that the trans holds is very dependent on how much gear oil drained out. If the gear oil was cold & you didn't drain it overnight, or the bike wasn't level, then it could take less to fill it than if you drained it hot & overnight. 750 mL is a little on the low side as a good drain usually takes around 800-900 mL.

 

On the final drive ring or washer that DEPENDS on what final drive that your bike has in it. Some of those final drives were changed at dealer level so your bike could have either one.

 

So does your final drive have a drain plug on the rear of the final drive & you have to tilt it down to drain it or is the drain plug on the bottom of the drive & it has a dedicated fill plug on the side cover behind the rear wheel?

Link to comment

Hi D.R.

The final drive has a drain plug right at the bottom, and fill at where the speed sensor goes in.

Have to remove the wheel to get to it, I think that is where the oil leak is at.

Link to comment
Hi D.R.

The final drive has a drain plug right at the bottom, and fill at where the speed sensor goes in.

Have to remove the wheel to get to it, I think that is where the oil leak is at.

 

Afternoon temesvar

 

Your final drive probably has a real fill plug (about the same height as the speed sensor but more forward).

 

In any case once removed those speed sensors can leak.

 

That speed sensor probably takes a 34527708523 O-RING - 15X2 & a 33117707796 CENTERING RING.

 

1200%20final%20drive_late_zpsimrqgujo.jpg

Edited by dirtrider
Link to comment

D.R., as always, good to hear from you! I tend to believe that is where the leak comes from.(speed sensor)

Will know for sure when I get to it, but first will get all the o rings and washers required. Good to know there is a other fill hole!

Two holes, next to each other, and I was using the wrong one... :dopeslap:

Link to comment

Evening temesvar

 

If you install a new centering washer (or reinstall you old one) just be sure to reinstall it with the rounded side towards the "O" ring.

Link to comment
My bike was built 03/2008. Would that be Gen2?

 

Evening temesvar

 

Yes, the change over point was somewhere around 8/2006.

Link to comment

I hope I will see you sometimes,D.R. and buy you a great steak! :thumbsup:

You have helped me several times!

I have ordered already the parts, plus the ones from

filling, and draining. Same for the gear box.

 

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...
My bike was built 03/2008. Would that be Gen2?

 

Evening temesvar

 

Yes, the change over point was somewhere around 8/2006.

 

I think it was more like August 2007.

My bike built date is 2007-05-30 and It doesn't have a drain or fill plug.

 

Your answer is still correct. A 2008 model has the Gen2

Edited by Dann
Link to comment
My bike was built 03/2008. Would that be Gen2?

 

Evening temesvar

 

Yes, the change over point was somewhere around 8/2006.

 

I think it was more like August 2007.

My bike built date is 2007-05-30 and It doesn't have a drain or fill plug.

 

Your answer is still correct. A 2008 model has the Gen2

 

Morning temesvar

 

You could be correct or it could be a US Canadian difference thing.

 

My U.S. BMW parts book shows the Gen 2 starting in 8/2006 (that would be a 2007 bike)

Link to comment
OldBMWMaster

I bought a 2009 R1200RT from a fellow club member. I understood him to say that the dealer had done all the maintenance when the flange recall was done. I stopped at the dealer last month and got the print out of the work completed and was told NO. Only the warranty work was done. I drained the final drive as soon as I got home and found very dirty RED gear oil, All the specs I have read say 180 cc [6 ounces]; but over 8 ounces came out. I replaced the red stuff with GL 5 80-90W...6 ounces. Interestingly, when I got to 6 pounces, the oil began to run out of the full hole. How did someone get over 8 ounces in there? What was that red stuff?

Link to comment
dirtrider
I bought a 2009 R1200RT from a fellow club member. I understood him to say that the dealer had done all the maintenance when the flange recall was done. I stopped at the dealer last month and got the print out of the work completed and was told NO. Only the warranty work was done. I drained the final drive as soon as I got home and found very dirty RED gear oil, All the specs I have read say 180 cc [6 ounces]; but over 8 ounces came out. I replaced the red stuff with GL 5 80-90W...6 ounces. Interestingly, when I got to 6 pounces, the oil began to run out of the full hole. How did someone get over 8 ounces in there? What was that red stuff?

 

Afternoon OldBMWMaster

 

Most likely that red gear oil was the BMW super synthetic gear oil 75w90 GL-5. Bright red in color & looked a lot like ATF but smelled heavily of sulfur (that is a very good BMW final drive gear oil)

 

Your final drive originally came with a little over 220cc's in it from the factory so I have no idea why you couldn't get over 6 oz back in it. (the fill spec at change time was reduced to 180cc to prevent seal damage from over-pressure)

 

 

 

 

Link to comment

There is no "full" hole.

That opening on the rear of the housing around the 9 a clock position is the old drain hole for the 05-09 models.

Fill through either the ABS sensor opening or some have a separate fill hole.

Both are located at the top side between the rear drive flange.

Link to comment
dirtrider
There is no "full" hole.

That opening on the rear of the housing around the 9 a clock position is the old drain hole for the 05-09 models.

Fill through either the ABS sensor opening or some have a separate fill hole.

Both are located at the top side between the rear drive flange.

 

Afternoon Bernie

 

The 2009 1200RT does have a separate final drive fill hole with threaded plug.

 

 

Edited by dirtrider
Link to comment

Is it not on the top around the ABS sensor?

How can 6 oz overfill the drive? Or is it creating a air bubble?

 

Link to comment
OldBMWMaster
There is no "full" hole.

That opening on the rear of the housing around the 9 a clock position is the old drain hole for the 05-09 models.

Fill through either the ABS sensor opening or some have a separate fill hole.

Both are located at the top side between the rear drive flange.

 

Afternoon Bernie

 

Yes it does...and it was a FULL hole after 6 ounces...lol

 

 

The 2009 1200RT does have a separate final drive fill hole with threaded plug.

 

Link to comment
OldBMWMaster

Conclusion::: I just changed the final drive oil in a 2009 1200 RT that still had the factory grease in it at 77,000 miles.

 

And yes, it did stink.

 

Now where can I find that super RED oil? Source anyone?

Link to comment
greiffster

 

Afternoon OldBMWMaster

 

Most likely that red gear oil was the BMW super synthetic gear oil 75w90 GL-5. Bright red in color & looked a lot like ATF but smelled heavily of sulfur (that is a very good BMW final drive gear oil)

 

 

Same stuff came out of my '08 GSA. That stuff stinks.

Link to comment
Conclusion::: I just changed the final drive oil in a 2009 1200 RT that still had the factory grease in it at 77,000 miles.

 

And yes, it did stink.

 

Now where can I find that super RED oil? Source anyone?

BMW

I use Amsoil, it's brown.

Link to comment
dirtrider
Conclusion::: I just changed the final drive oil in a 2009 1200 RT that still had the factory grease in it at 77,000 miles.

 

And yes, it did stink.

 

Now where can I find that super RED oil? Source anyone?

 

Afternoon OldBMWMaster

 

Now THAT is a darn good question. BMW has changed oil vendors since they carried that red Super Synthetic gear oil. I'm not sure if the current BMW gear oil is still the same or not as I bought a couple of cases back in 2010 so I have some on hand here.

 

That red super synthetic was only a U.S. offered gear oil as far as I know as the BMW recommendation WAS Castrol SAF-XO gear oil (kind of golden brown) but it wasn't cleared for import into the U.S. back then so they swapped to the red super synthetic in it's place (the quarts that I have on hand say made in USA).

 

I just grabbed a quart of the BMW super synthetic & it has no BMW part number on it (that is strange as most BMW have specific part numbers)

 

In any case the quart bottle (yep a quart not a liter) has a clear viewing strip on the side of the bottle & it is marked in Ml (only BMW would provide a quart bottle with Ml markings) -- you can clearly see the red fluid in the that viewing stripe)

 

So bottom line here- unless you can find a BMW dealer that still has the old stock 75w90 gear oil then you might have difficulty finding the old stock BMW red BMW gear oil.

 

But the good news is BMW did the original fill with Castrol SAF-XO gear oil & that is available in some places or from E-Bay. OR, the SAF-XO recommended by BMW is the same as Castrol Syntrax Longlife 75w-90 (just make sure it isn't a LS "Limited Slip" Syntrax, or available from some Land Rover dealers as Land Rover LRN 7591.

 

Added: I just pulled a quart out of another case here & low & behold those bottles do have BMW part numbers-- Part# 07510394082.

 

 

Edited by dirtrider
Link to comment
OldBMWMaster

Thanks dirt rider. The gear oil I put in yesterday is "GL-5 SAE 80W-90 Gear Oil"

 

"High Performance Extreme Pressure Gear Lubricant" Made in USA

 

It is branded MasterPro.

Link to comment
dirtrider
Thanks dirt rider. The gear oil I put in yesterday is "GL-5 SAE 80W-90 Gear Oil"

 

"High Performance Extreme Pressure Gear Lubricant" Made in USA

 

It is branded MasterPro.

 

Afternoon Shooter606

 

Most 80w90 gear oils are not synthetic (a few are though)-- while BMW doesn't outright specify synthetic gear oil all the gear oils they do specify are synthetic based.

 

One thing to keep in mind-- if you ride in real cold weather those 1200Rt's hold such a small amount of gear oil that a thicker gear oil (ie 80wXX weight non synthetic) can pack to the outside of the ring gear track & lack good cold weather lubrication.

 

 

Link to comment

Came to the forum to find something, and noticed this thread; figured I'd add on to it...

 

I came up on being due to replace FD and gearbox fluids in both a 1988 K75S and 2005 R1200RT. When I chatted it up with my local BMW parts guru and told him I needed the requisite fluid de jour (seems like I get something different with each visit) he surprised me with BMW's latest installment: an inexpensive US made SAF-XO packaged in a black 1qt BMW container. I don't know who's making it for them, but I've been riding both bikes and they feel great.

Link to comment
Came to the forum to find something, and noticed this thread; figured I'd add on to it...

 

I came up on being due to replace FD and gearbox fluids in both a 1988 K75S and 2005 R1200RT. When I chatted it up with my local BMW parts guru and told him I needed the requisite fluid de jour (seems like I get something different with each visit) he surprised me with BMW's latest installment: an inexpensive US made SAF-XO packaged in a black 1qt BMW container. I don't know who's making it for them, but I've been riding both bikes and they feel great.

 

Morning Jay1622

 

Sounds like got the C-SAF-XO - PN- 07512293972.

Link to comment

Interestingly if you google that part number it comes up with differential oil under a bunch of various brands and prices. Betcha they're all exactly the same. Under the Fuchs brand it's only ~ $10

Link to comment
Interestingly if you google that part number it comes up with differential oil under a bunch of various brands and prices. Betcha they're all exactly the same. Under the Fuchs brand it's only ~ $10

 

Afternoon w2ge

 

Yes, a number of gear oil's will show up under a Google search (that is Google trying to lead you to a similar product) but I only see the BMW supplied SAF-XO under that exact part number. SAF-XO is a Castrol (only) gear oil so the others will make you believe their offering is the correct SAF-XO but the fine print usually says "equivalent to" or "same as" but I would be willing to bet when you get it there is nothing on the container that says Castrol, or SAF-XO. (it's the Internet, vendors can claim about anything plus who polices it)

 

At $10.00 per quart or per liter common sense tells us that it isn't really SAF-XO gear oil.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...