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/2 service

Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2021 12:40 am
by Rick S
I’m looking for any info on service for my ‘66 R60/2 in the SE Wisconsin area. I live in New Berlin a suburb of Milwaukee. The bike runs fine but I’d like to have the slingers cleaned and replaced. Also thinking about restoration
Thanks
RickS

Re: /2 service

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 7:18 pm
by xackley
My 1958 R69 has 62000 miles.
Oil change, spark plugs, adjust valves for the last 50K.
Personally, I would not mess with anything unless there is an obvious problem.
Back when unleaded gas was introduced everyone was saying replace valves and seats or the engine would die.
Mine running unleaded gas for 40K has the same power and compression it did in the 1970s.

If you do replace the slingers, make sure the mechanic is a good as the factory experts. It would appear that most here would disagree, but it is not like these motorcycles are ridden 10 thousand miles a year, so the odds are well in favor of never having a slinger related problem.

Don

Re: /2 service

Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 7:22 pm
by schrader7032
I tend to agree that slingers are likely not an issue for the lifetime of the bike once the slingers are replaced. Frequent oil changes will help with that...on the order of every 1000 miles or every 12-18 months IMO.

Re: /2 service

Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2021 8:00 am
by Daves79x
I pulled apart (finally) my basket case R60/2. It showed 56,000 miles. The slingers were over full and the crankpin oil feed hole to the front big end bearing was plugged so solid I had to drill through it. At 60,000 miles, you are running on borrowed time, my friend.

Dave

Re: /2 service

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 12:55 am
by miller6997
The slingers on my R69S were serviced at 57,000 miles after forty-some years of thousand-mile oil changes and otherwise good maintenance. They were half full. The bike just turned 90,000 miles and hasn't missed a beat.

Re: /2 service

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 5:14 am
by cwf
Is there any evidence, scientific or empirical, that changing the oil more frequently than recommended by BMW (every 1200 miles for 50, 50S, 60 and 69S) (Clymer recommends every 2000 miles or 60 days) is beneficial? Paricularly, given that modern oils are better quality, the modern use of magnets in the sump and that old BMWs are probably ridden more respectfully these days.

Charlie.

Re: /2 service

Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 6:26 am
by schrader7032
I doubt there is a controlled experiment that will show how slingers fill up these days with the newer oils. But my understanding is that it comes down to particulates that are captured in the oil. Any engine is going to create by-products of combustion some of which will end up in the oil. In the olden days with non-detergent oils, those particulates would settle out of the oil into the bottom of the pan. One maintenance item then in the past was to drop the pan and scrape off all the sludge. But with detergent oils, those particulates are held in suspension and with no filter, are constantly running through the engine. The reasonable theory is then to change the oil more frequently so that the particulates can be removed routinely. Also, by doing it more often, the idea in my mind is that you limit the time that the particulates can clump together and make things worse.

Definitely using magnets can help with the metallic stuff, but not all of the stuff is metallic. IMO it's a small price to pay for a bit of piece of mind...it couldn't hurt...plus you get fresh oil a bit more often!

Re: /2 service

Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2021 1:57 pm
by xackley
Since I got mine in 1978 the oil is changed when the dip stick says the oil is low. If I remember the specs, bmw said to expect it to use about a quart every 1000 miles. So dump a little over a quart and through in 2 quarts.
Good or Bad it Gets Valvoline VR1 40w.

Thinking back to the first years when I put on thousands of miles a year, I would top it off as necessary, and change when convenient. But since the mid 1980 it's been about every 1K.

Don

Re: /2 service

Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2021 12:15 pm
by cwf
One apparent fact : engine oil for older vehicles contains ZDDP (Zinc dialkyldithiophosphate) which has anti-wear properties but causes catalytic convertors to fail earlier, so has been removed or reduced in modern oils and this lasts about 2,500 miles. So, from this point of view, 2000 to 2500 miles is OK.

Given that I pay about USD 40 for 5 litres of straight 30 in UK and that we (some of us) are trying to use less oil and oil products, I'm not keen to throw it away more often than necessary.

Charlie.