K1100LT overhaul

So, when are you selling it?

 

The drilled original front disks are apparently prone to cracking. Is
this more likely a result of use of pattern instead of BMW pads?

Admirable for brand loyalty. But I would have considered fitting
aftermarket quality suspension, especially if I had decided to keep the
bike for a couple of years. When selling the bike on, I'd refit the
original shock, and sell the aftermarket shock separately.

Agreed; expert knowledge applied to such a bike is good value for money
when you are likely to get back the "investment" from your own use of
the bike.

Now ride carefully - remember that it never before has been as much at
risk of being written off by a careless 4x4 owner . . .

 

Now there's a thing, you see. I was in my revered motor factor's
place the other day and he asked me to look at a bottle of oil.
Volkswagen branded oil in a pristine white bottle, it was. Loads of
tiny print on the back of it, all in Hun obviously, made no sense
whatsoever. The thing is, this oil is what VW insist on for warranty
reasons. Eleven quid a litre and no indication of what it is. No
grade, no dino/synth indication, no API ratings. **** knows, eh?

 

Not even runes along the lines of VW 505.01 or such like?

 

Well Cooper Group used Castrol, non of your expensive BMW stuff and I
also use 20/50 in the R100, cheap but decent stuff changed regularly.

 

It's a doddle to do. Just have a small torque wrench to hand for the
re-installation, or a helicoil kit.

 

There may well have been, now you mention it. I'm off a'googlin' to
get to the bottom of this.

 

My A3 needs a specific VW 503 or 505 rated oil for the variable
servicing.

Incidently, are Audi the only manufacturer to supply a litre bottle of
the stuff in a handy little plastic holder in the boot?

Mine does use a lot of oil, esp. on stop/start commuting trips so I
guess it's there for a reason.

 

There has been a lot of discussion about this on Briskoda. There is a
Castrol alternative that are acknowledged to be acceptable for the VW
spec oil recommended for the variable servicing regime on the 2.0 TDi
PD140 engine like mine. That may be the case for the other VW specs. No
oil supplied for pikey Skodas - although unsurprisingly you can buy
Skoda packaged oil.

It did drink a bit at first but is settling down having reached 15000
miles.

--

+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR Moto Morini 2C/375 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+

 

VW also reckon the new Golf can go 25k miles without an oil change as
well.

I was quite skeptical when my Dad told me that about my Mum's GTI.

 

BMW Sawbridgeworth used to use Castrol, but I have been a BMW-free zone
for a while now so it may have changed. TOG's service sound like very
good value.

 

Use of any other oil will affect the ability of the service indicator
circuitry to make the right decision, allegedly. I read a very
interesting article last night about VW/Audi and the tendency of their
1.8T engine to sludge up with black crap unless the proper oil was
used. It affected so many engines particularly in the US that they
allowed warranty claims against proof of servicing - and then extended
their (transferable) warranty on the engine for up to eight years.

Probably, although Suzuki should consider doing similar and building
in a stash for a 5 litre can for their K-series Bandits.

Guess it is.

 

That's what is said in the owner's handbook.

Mine's a 2.0 FSI. Last time I had the oil changed, the mechanic said
that the oil looked a bit sludgy. It had done about 12000 miles at the
time.

heh. I was on the M4/M32 going into Bristol the last time I left it a
bit long and the oil warning light came on. In my frustration to get
off the motorway and to a garage to get the correct oil, I totally
forgot about the bottle in the boot! I won't forget again, I can tell
you.

 

I think I would be about a petrol engine, but there are those that say
modern oils are up to the job.

The brain on the Octavia is predicting 18000 for first service (24000
max allowed). Sounds about right given the use it gets. Few very short
runs and those aren't such an issue on a diesel anyway. The oil is black
as a bat already, but I am trusting the contamination sensors (how do
they work I wonder?).

--

+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR Moto Morini 2C/375 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Castrol Edge 5-30 doesn't fool them allegedly (they would say that
wouldn't they). I can't see Castrol risking saying it is suitable on the
pack if it isn't. The Briskoda lot reckon the brain is more likely to
shout foul and demand servicing sooner if you use more than half a litre
or so of the wrong stuff.

--

+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR Moto Morini 2C/375 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+

 

No. Jude's peugeot (206cc 2.0l) came with one of these, with velcro to
attach it to the floor mat. Good idea, what?

We've never needed to top hers up.

--
_______
..'_/_|_\_'. Ace (brucedotrogers a.t rochedotcom)
\`\ | /`/ GSX-R1000K3 (slightly broken, currently missing)
`\\ | //' BOTAFOT#3, SbS#2, UKRMMA#13, DFV#8, SKA#2, IBB#10
`\|/`
`

 

The article I read (complete with a copy of an official warranty
extension letter) inferred that part of the problem was that American
service personnel were not accustomed to the "European style" engines
- light, efficient and highly stressed in order to minimise
emissions(1) and were likely to drain the super efficient and highly
expensive German oil out and replace it with 20/50 dino juice that all
them agricultural V8s know and love, bless their shiny red necks.


1. USA average car mpg: 27. Euro average car mpg: 40.

 

Dad was a bit skeptical as well and has done oil changes every 10k on
top of the normal servicing.

Ford reckon my Fester needs it every 12.5k which is more believable,
but even they want a particular Ford oil. Although they do say that a
Castrol variant is acceptable as well..

 

I'd like to point out that mine has been exceedingly civilised as far
as lubricant consumption is concerned; despite the fact that it's only
managed about 9,000 miles so far (oh, the shame) I have noticed no
significant oil-burning (i.e. none) to date. AFAIK it was the K1 and
K2 which had over-zealously and unnecessarily enlarged oil galleries
to the head, which caused the issue in the first place; from the K3
(like mine) onwards this was returned to normal. Someone at Suzuki
decided that an engine which was itself a byword for reliability
needed more oil, and got it wrong, by a considerable margin. Hopefully
their tanto was well lubricated shortly afterwards.

As always, I stand ready to be corrected...

 

Pip tossed off:

Interesting

My last 2 VW's were both main dealer serviced, and always had VW
(Quantum) oil in them (they always left the part used cannister in the
boot, which (particularly with the Golf's voracious appetite for oil)
was a good thing.

Last time I took the Passat in for a service they had switched over to
Castrol (approved by VW, apparently), and left a small pack in the boot
containing a sealed 1L cannister, paper funnel, vinyl gloves and a
sachet of VW approved screenwash (any thing else blocks the nozzles,
apparently).

As I no longer have a VW, but had an almost full cannister of Quantum
oil for VW diesel engines, I poured this into the SO Hyundai when I did
it's fluids, with (so far) no ill effects.

--
Dan L

1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr

BOTAFOT #140 (KotL 2005/6)
X-FOT#000
DIAABTCOD #26
BOMB#18 (slow)
OMF#11