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Oil Change Seminar - Sunday, 27 February at 2:00 p.m.  

It's a beautiful day and you're coming up on 12,000 miles. How about relaxing in the carport changing your own oil?  Sure you can do it!  And save yourself a buck or two.  This seminar will focus on changing Oilhead engine and transmission oil.  Light refreshments.

A Chill In The Air (And In The Showroom)

Well, the groundhog saw his shadow, and the brisk air seems to be hanging around for a while longer yet, but don’t let that keep you from riding.  We have specials on a few of the demo models and used bikes here in the showroom that will warm your heart and leave you enough cash to pick up that electric vest that you’ve been wanting. 

2004 R1150RT – Keep warm behind the fairing of our demo model R1150RT.  With just 250 miles on it we have discounted this bike to $14,990 + tax, license, and doc.  That’s over $1,700 off of the M.S.R.P.

1998 R1200C – For those who are of a bit heartier nature check out this cruiser in the classic black with white pin striping and set up with BMW luggage.  Take it home for just $7,250 + tax, license, and doc.

Kathy's Saddlebag Liners
Made of Dupont Cordura® Plus, a very tough, 1000 denier nylon fabric with water repellent Urethane coating.  Kathy’s bags are backed with an Unconditional Lifetime Guarantee.

Expandable System Case Liners for R1100/1150RT, R1100/1150RS, & R1100S
For BMW System Cases with optional Deep Lids.  These liners have an additional expansion gusset in the center.  When the gusset is zipped shut, use the liners with the standard size System Cases.  But when you've installed the Deep Lids, simply unzip and open the gusset (the left bag in the picture).  Liners are available for virtually ALL BMW saddlebags.

Fastway Evolution II Footpegs
Take your ride to another level with F3 Evolution Footpegs. Unique pins for sure footing, huge platform to distribute shock, durable 17-4 stainless 
steel construction and three rail design for optimum mud flow through, the Evolution II pegs take 
durability and adaptability to new levels.

The advanced design of the new universal mounting collar system is the key to our footpegs 
versatility and strength. Machined from solid billets of 420 stainless steel, they offer you 
instant conversion from Standard to Low position and back again.

BMW Motorcycle Cooling Systems: Part 1

CAUTION: Exercise Extreme Caution when working around Cooling Systems and Hot Engines with Hot Exhaust Systems.  Severe Burns can result by touching the above mentioned components/systems, thus always wear protective gear for face/body protection and gloves.

Internal Combustion Engines – They Need the HEAT
Simply stated: Internal Combustion Engines are engines (mechanical powerplants) that combust (burn) a fuel and air mixture within a confined space (combustion chamber), at a controlled point in time (ignition point) and produce output (power) in terms of horsepower/torque, to move the vehicle.

Hint: for more detailed information (function/design) regarding Internal Combustion Engines, please cruise the web under: “4 cycle or 2 cycle engines”.  http://www.keveney.com is an excellent place to start.

Another cool site is http://www.mecc.unipd.it/~cos/DINAMOTO/twin%20motors/twin.html (scroll down for neat animations).

Just like humans (we combust food and have internal heat/body temperature), internal combustion engines have a range of “internal temperature” where they “feel” or operate the best, in terms wear, ability to produce the best horsepower, produce the best fuel economy, etc.  If our internal body temperature is not at or near 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, we feel either cold or hot, especially if we are sick and have a fever.  When we are hot, we sweat and are cooled off by the evaporating sweat.  On the other hand, if we are cold, we decrease the flow of blood to our feet, arms, hands, etc., thus preserving our core body temperature.  We have the advantage over internal combustion engines in that when it is cold we can add clothes and when it is hot we can shed some of the clothing.

Engines are asked to produce not only desired power and fuel economy, they must also meet strict government requirements on noise and pollution emissions. Engineers must design the engine cooling system (either air cooled, air/oil cooled, liquid cooled) to handle the extremes of hot and cold temperatures which are normally experienced while riding.  The objective here is to keep the engine operating temperatures as close to the ideal as possible.  An engine running at its design temperature will provide advantages to both the customer and the manufacturer in terms of good fuel economy, power, emissions, longevity, noise, emissions, drivability, and wear.

Riding Hint:
As mentioned in an earlier newsletter, start up the engine and ride the bike at a medium rpm level (3-4,000rpm) to bring the engine up to operating temperature as quickly as possible.  The most wear any engine experiences will be while it is cold.  We know that engines produce the best power and fuel economy when the oil temperature in the oil pan is in the 200-220 degree Fahrenheit range.  At this temperature, the oil lubricates best because it is viscous enough to flow through inside the engine and the oil pump needs the least amount of horsepower to perform.  Additionally, any water or fuel in the crankcase are burnt off at temperatures above 212 degrees Fahrenheit, thus removing some of the contaminants.

Inside The Engine – Where’s the Heat?
Following are some normal basic internal temperatures (Fahrenheit) within a typical internal combustion engine:

Combustion Chamber Gases:  4,500
Exhaust Valve Stem:  1,175-1,250
Combustion Chamber Walls:  400-500
Piston Top:  550-575
Top Piston Ring:  300-500
Piston Skirt:  200-400
Connecting Rod Bearing:  200-400

As seen above, Internal Combustion Engines are Heat Engines, meaning that heat must be present for proper function.  Some engines are designed to run slightly hotter, to improve emissions and fuel economy. Recent VW engines are designed this way.  On the other hand, engines that run below optimum temperature, will suffer from poor performance.  Remember internal combustion engines need heat to work properly.

Tidbit: The Manufacturer must also comply with emission and noise regulations before a single vehicle can be sold in that country.  In the late seventies, airheads could not be sold in Switzerland, not because of emissions, but because the valve train itself made too much noise while going down the road!

Engine Oil – Life Blood and Internal Coolant – It’s Hidden Inside
Beyond cleaning, lubricating, carrying contaminants, engine oil also functions as a cooling medium (especially in the BMW oilheads, to be discussed later).  Some engine designs spray oil via specialized oil jets, at the bottom/underside of the piston dome to control combustion heat.

Additionally, modern engines are run with a fuel mixture both close to the ideal in terms of fuel economy and power.  We know that internal combustion engines produce the best power and fuel economy just short of detonation!  As a result, engines will use either an oil cooler or liquid coolant to remove the excess engine oil temperature.  Additionally, the oil pan and the crankcase are also used to help dissipate some of the oil temperature, via the fins and reinforcement webs on the crankcase and oil pan itself.

Some liquid cooled engines use a “heat exchanger” to warm up the engine oil faster after a cold start.  The effort here is to get the engine up to operating temperature as fast as possible to reduce overall emissions and engine wear.

Tidbit: After the engine is shut off, the oil temperature in the engine will actually increase since the airflow past the engine has ceased and the heat is now being transferred back into the engine oil itself.

Before installing an oil cooler on a airhead (/5, /6, /7), check the oil temperature first using the installed oil temperature gauge or a special tool, such as a Infrared Thermometer, to quickly measure the approximate oil temperature.  By pointing the an infrared thermometer at the oil filter on a late model oilhead bike, we can get a real close figure as to what the oil temperature is within the oil pan.  We want an oil temperature close to 220 degrees Fahrenheit during normal riding conditions.  As the bike speed increases above 65 mph, you can actually see the oil temperature climb, because the air resistance of the bike quadruples and thus makes the engine work harder.  Remember increased engine rpm will also create heat due to friction of the internal components rubbing against each other.  It is a question of balance here.  More engine wear will occur during the first few minutes of operation when cold, then during hot running conditions, due to the thickness of cold oil.  Remember cold oil does not lubricate well.

In the end:  warmer is better, colder is bad.

Too Hot – Engine has Heart Attack – It will Seize – Ouch
It is not necessarily high oil temperature (temps above 300 degrees Fahrenheit in the airhead oil pan) that causes the engine to seize (connecting rod bearings), but rather the quality of the oil.  Quality oil which meets manufacturer specifications will tolerate more heat and shear, and contain a better additives package, but only to a certain level.  Insufficient oil has the same effect, for it cannot cool off and provide sufficient lubrication, especially at high rpm levels.

We use only BMW approved oils when servicing you bike.  When in doubt if a specific brand/grade/spec of oil is acceptable, please give us a call.

Accordingly, it makes sense to check the oil level before each ride and, on long trips, at each fuel stop.  Different riding styles can affect the quality of your oil over time.  If you only make short trips around town or ride in a harsh environment, you should consider changing the engine oil and filter each 3,000 miles.  Changing engine oil and filter on a regular basis is quite beneficial, since you are removing the contaminates (oil gets dark and dirty) and replacing oil that has lost some of its lubrication qualities due to shearing action of the piston rings, for example.  Used oil thickens (due to contaminates) as it ages, and additionally, no oil company can really tell you when the additives package is depleted within the oil.  Consider doing an annual inspection on your bike if you ride less than 3,000 miles a year.

In the next newsletter, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of aircooling, as seen in the airhead engines from 1923 to the advent of liquid cooled engines in 1984.  Subsequent newsletters will discuss liquid cooled (K-series), and modern oilhead engines.