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Fuel leak
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 8:15 pm
by M249Joe
Anyone had / have this type of leak?
http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/u ... 161&page=1
Good fix here.
http://bmwsporttouring.com/ubbthreads/u ... 161&page=6 I'll be CNC'ing a few of these plates if anyone is interested.
I don't have a leak but I'm pulling the tank to see....
Re: Fuel leak
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 9:39 pm
by M249Joe
Just pulled the tank. No issues but I'm going to replace the fitting, all the O Rings on the connectors I disassembled, and add the reinforcing plate.
This pic below shows the fuel pump controller. Might need to bypass it some day...
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthre ... 520&page=2
Nice kit here:
http://www.burnsmoto.com/bmw-fuel-pump-bypass-cable.php I need to see if this fits our bike.
Edit: Website updated, fits our bike.

POTENTIAL fuel leak
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 12:00 pm
by Lost Rider
OH MY GOD, a person with a 6 year old high mileage motorcycle with a problem!
Then there's the 3rd hand hearsay of "others" with this problem.... by tomorrow this will be the biggest problem ever heard of online for BMW motorbikes.
LOOK OUT, we should all stop riding our bike immediately and park them until BMW comes clean with this massive cover up.
Must be BMW's fault!
Just what we need another lawsuit!
I especially dislike the douchebag who says he installed a metal fitting into the plastic sleeve, then it started leaking, and now he's complaining and wanting to sue.
Pathetic society we live in.
I just can't help but dislike the other people with too much time on their hands and no sense of self-accountabilty or self-dependance. I hate the I'm gonna sue mentality. It's all the people like that make everything we buy more expensive, and the world a worse place.
I like the problem solving end of this story, but don't see the need to get the courts involved.
Thanks for posting Joe, clever fix for this "problem", and good luck with your proactive fix.
BTW, has anyone with an R1200R ever had this problem?....
Re: Fuel leak
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 12:30 pm
by mogu83
I'm still waiting for my rear drive to blow up. My friends in the Guzzi world assure me that it's common on the R1200 series, and they wouldn't recomend taking a long ride alone on my bike. They heard it from some guy that had a friend that thinks he read it somewhere.
I'm more from the Que Sera, Sera school of thought. If something happens I imagine I'll either handle it, or not.
BTW: coming up on 50K I did have the seal start leaking 1,200 miles from home. Made it home without drama, stopped to clean the rim every couple of hundred miles at fill ups. Checked the fluid when I repaired the seal and it was down about 10ml.
Re: Fuel leak
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 1:14 pm
by dbrick
I'm with Harry. Keep up with maintenance and pay attention...and you'll probably be OK; there's no way to reduce the possibility of trouble to zero. If you do draw the short straw, you get to have a travel adventure, perhaps even in your own driveway.
I did replace the OEM plastic QDs with the metal ones from Beemer Boneyard, but seeing the possibility of a Bad Outcome from removing the plastic fitting from the fuel pump flange and also because opening that joint is not necessary for removing the tank or changing the fuel filter, I left that connector alone.
Re: Fuel leak
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 2:20 pm
by M249Joe
dbrick wrote:there's no way to reduce the possibility of trouble to zero..
I agree.
But for a 2 hr job, I'll install a ring that captures the raised boss to prevent it from cracking. I'm leaving the existing fitting in.
We do not have the dealer network HD riders do. Whatever I can "fix" or carry spares of while traveling I will.
Cold in Ohio, so working on / exploring the bike is fun.
Re: Fuel leak
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 2:30 pm
by SF_Hooligan
Over on the
Bay Area Riders Forum there are a couple dudes constantly yakking about how the final drives are junk and won't last, as well as one dude who swears the 1200 motors are junk and the top end (right side, I believe) grenade at 12k because both his and his brother's bike blew their motors at 12k.
I'm really quite surprised anyone on this forum has a working motorcycle, given the horrible unreliability of these things.
Oh yeah - the above bit about the FPC going out is just another reason to NOT wash my bike.
Re: Fuel leak
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 3:18 pm
by dbrick
M249Joe,
If the ring can be installed without removing the original plastic QD, then I'd be interested to install one the next time the tank comes off.
As I understand it, the FPC fails on RTs and GSs because the tank/fairing design funnels water into the FPC recess - which faces up on these models - where it sits and mucks up the little circuit board. I've not heard of that happening on an R.
Re: Fuel leak
Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 3:59 pm
by M249Joe
Going into work tomorrow to make a ring. I'll post pics.
viewtopic.php?f=20&t=21467
Re: Fuel leak
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 12:20 pm
by M249Joe
Made a ring and installed it without removing the quick connect fitting.
Rough up and degrease the area the ring will be installed
Test fit
The ring has a cut out so this dimple fits in it
Put JB Weld on the fuel pump housing and the ring. The ring has a shoulder in it to prevent the epoxy from running over.
I decided to fill the ring up. Not sure if it's needed. The containment shoulder is .075" higher then the fuel pump housing boss.

Re: Fuel leak
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 12:27 pm
by Lost Rider
Nice work! That should do the trick, and looks like you must really know your way around a metal shop.
That seems much easier and more satisfying than trying to organize a class action lawsuit like that RT rider.
Now what are you going to improve the R next, plenty of winter left in Ohio?
Re: Fuel leak
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 12:35 pm
by M249Joe
Lost Rider wrote:
Now what are you going to improve the R next, plenty of winter left in Ohio?
Note to self..... Don't start a project on a 45 degree day in January. Order parts before you start a project.
Could be riding but I ordered O Rings and the bike is going to sit for a few days. Off to ride the '83 Suzuki without heat.
Re: Fuel leak
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 12:41 pm
by roger l
Joe:
That looks like a very good solution to the problem. Do you have a drawing of the part for those of us with the ability to make the ring ? It might be a good winter project.
Thanks
Roger L
Re: Fuel leak
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 5:11 pm
by deilenberger
So Joe - once you have the shop setup to make the rings - it's probably a snap to make a BUNCH of them.
If it can be gotten for less then $20 - I'm in for one. And I might even stretch that to a bit more.
Still riding my unreliable BMW R1200R motorbike at 51,000 miles, funny thing, only thing that ever acted up was the fuel strip - once. Replaced under warranty and it's still chugging right along. It has used a number of sets of rear brake pads and it might be time to replace the rear rotor in another 20k or so..
BTW - correct on the FPC - it's the position on the GS and RTs that does'm in. Nothing like a connector sitting with a puddle of water in it. Rumor has it BMW has changed the design apparently (dunno what's different)..
BTW - from having read that ADVRider thread a long time ago - I seem to recall the pump mounting plates that were cracking where a white plastic? Guess I'll have to go look. If so - usually black plastic is stronger and more UV resistant (due to carbon added to it) - at least in the telco industry (from back when I worked at Bell Labs next to a group that did failure analysis on stuff like that..)
^^^ went and looked - the ones in that thread are black plastic, so my memory failed me. There was a prior thread on this in either that forum, or the ADVRider forum.
Re: Fuel leak
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 5:13 pm
by deilenberger
M249Joe wrote:Lost Rider wrote:
Now what are you going to improve the R next, plenty of winter left in Ohio?
Note to self..... Don't start a project on a 45 degree day in January. Order parts before you start a project.
Could be riding but I ordered O Rings and the bike is going to sit for a few days. Off to ride the '83 Suzuki without heat.
If you're talking the fuel line connector O-rings - they are a standard "011" size. Order viton (BMW like to use nitrile, which isn't near as long lasting around fuel systems..) I paid something like $9 for 100 of them. Gave most of them away to friends, kept about 30 to have around so I'll never have one fail (carry a few in my tankbag..) Eilenberger's "Law of Spares" comes into effect.
Re: Fuel leak
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 5:16 pm
by dbrick
Joe,
Nice! I have neither ability nor tools to make one, so if you do crank up to make a bunch, I'd like to buy one as well.
Re: Fuel leak
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 11:06 pm
by xprof
Joe, I'm with Dave (dbrick). Count me in if you do!
Re: Fuel leak
Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 9:36 am
by M249Joe
deilenberger wrote:
If you're talking the fuel line connector O-rings - they are a standard "011" size.
Order viton (BMW like to use nitrile, which isn't near as long lasting around fuel systems..) I paid something like $9 for 100 of them. Gave most of them away to friends, kept about 30 to have around so I'll never have one fail (carry a few in my tankbag..) Eilenberger's "Law of Spares" comes into effect.
Thanks! I'll look for them at mcmaster.com
For the aluminum rings:
Looks like $33.00ea delivered via USPS with signature required. PayPal +3.5% or money order
I can make them slight press fit or .010 on the diameter oversize for the epoxy to be between the ring and the boss.
Who ever wants one, email me at
r1200rfuelring
at
zoominternet
dot
net
Re: Fuel leak
Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 7:08 pm
by M249Joe
="deilenbergerIf you're talking the fuel line connector O-rings - they are a standard "011" size. Order viton (BMW like to use nitrile, which isn't near as long lasting around fuel systems..)
Bikes back together and no leaks. Thanks "O" Rings worked. $7.00 per 100 LOL
Re: Fuel leak
Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 8:47 pm
by deilenberger
M249Joe wrote:="deilenbergerIf you're talking the fuel line connector O-rings - they are a standard "011" size. Order viton (BMW like to use nitrile, which isn't near as long lasting around fuel systems..)
Bikes back together and no leaks. Thanks "O" Rings worked. $7.00 per 100 LOL
That's much better then the dealer price of around $1.10/each..

And the viton ones should last longer.