It is possible to change the breather tube without removing anything (but yes it is a tight space).
Removing the coil cover gives a bit more work space, if I don`t remember wrong.

I have no experience with any substitute (have always a new one laying around, since it have a rather short average life), but it could be a problem due to the rather sharp bends on it.

Inge K.

 

My question is two part: do I have to remove the gas tank and air boxes to replace the tube (no clearance as far as I can see), and second, has anyone substituted anything else in place of the this piece even for the short term?

No you don't have to remove the gas tank.
You would have more working room if you did remove the airbox lower section.

Other problems with the bike: a few drops of oil leak from the weep hole under the engine,

Sounds like the clutch nut o-ring is leaking. Not uncommon for the o-ring to be bad from age and/or heat.
Not a dealer required repair, but you do have to remove the transmission to do the job.

 

Thanks for the reply's. I was able to get the old hose out and look it over....it's molded and very thin walled. There are some molded radiator bypass hoses that have sharp bends like this one, but I was able to find one on line so I'll just have to wait on UPS.

Hopefully I can wait till fall to replace the clutch pushrod "o" ring cause right now the weather is too hot for tearing a bike apart (110° everyday in my workshop).

Cris

 

.....right now the weather is too hot for tearing a bike apart (110° everyday in my workshop).

Cris

At least at 110 in TX it should be a lot drier heat than here in Iowa.
We've been 97+ with 60% humidity for about the last 2 weeks.
Talk about a sweat shop. I work up a sweat just walking out the back door to cook on the grill.

 

What kind of oil is leaking from the weep hole? Is it dark (engine oil) or does it smell like gear oil? (sulphur/rotten eggish)

If it's motor oil then it's probably the clutch nut O-ring. More on clutches and how to replace the O-ring can be found here: http://www.motobrick.com/index.php?topic=332.0

If it's gear oil then it's either the transmission input seal or the seal at the rear of the clutch pushrod.

 

Duck,
To be honest, I didn't smell the oil, but will...I know 90wt has a distinctive odor, both gear box and engine oils are clear right now. I called around today just to see what the locals are getting for a tranny removal, clutch and all related seals: $1,300 out the door.
I'll do the job this fall....
I was able to seal (temporarily) my worn crankcase breather hose by sealing it with a spray on rubber sold at autoparts stores...this stuff is used for coating tool handles and such...worked pretty good!

Cris

 

Okay,
It is gear lube, so where is the clutch pushrod "o" ring...inside the transmission? Does the tranny lube end up getting on the clutch friction plate?

Thanks again,
Cris

 

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=0574&mospid=51741&btnr=23_1155&hg=23&fg=21

Probably either 2 or 12.

I'd don't think it's very likely to get on the clutch disk. I had a 12 go and it didn't. If it's a 2 then the gear oil will most likely just drip down the front of the tranny.

 

I was able to seal (temporarily) my worn crankcase breather hose by sealing it with a spray on rubber sold at autoparts stores...this stuff is used for coating tool handles and such...worked pretty good!

Cris

Cris,

Do you have a product name or manufacturer for that spray-on rubber? I have a spare driveshaft boot that has a tiny crack. I'd like to repair that crack to make the boot usable again. Do you know whether this stuff vulcanizes with the existing rubber to form a permanent bond? TIA

 

Do you have a product name or manufacturer for that spray-on rubber?

Sounds like he used something like Plasti-Dip. Other people have used "liquid electrical tape" for similar patching. 3M also makes a real rubber electrical tape, that is not vinyl (maybe Scotch 70), which I've used for many things (but never electrical work). Rubber will vulcanize with time.

 

Robmack,
Rema1000 is right, it's Plasti-Dip, my wife picked up a can of the stuff at Home Depot for under 6 bucks. I sprayed on 5 coats and it filled all the cracks and got me through the weekends riding, which wasn't much due to my tinkering on the bike getting to know all the bits and pieces found under the tank that required periodic service. I have a new hose, clutch cable and plugs coming in the mail this week, so I can discard the "fixed" hose. What I thought was unique, was the coolant hose running through the crankshaft cover on the right side of the engine....bizarre!
Duck,
Thanks for the tranny part numbers.... The smaller one (12) might be buried deep inside one of the end covers (difficult to access), while #2 looks like the input shaft seal.

Cris

 

# 12 you find at the rear end of the clutch pushrod.

Inge K.

 

Ingek,
Then is it possible to replace that little gem without having to pull the tranny?
Seems to me that it might not be the culprit, rather #2 up front on the splined shaft.

Thanks,
Cris

 

I'm afraid you're going to have to pull the tranny for either one.

First off, to figure out what the problem is. If the pushrod is wet then it's the rear one. If the push rod and it's hole are dry then it will probably be leaking down the front panel of the transmission from the input seal.

I don't see how you could replace the rear one without removing the pushrod and, on a K75 or 2V K100, that only comes out of the front of the tranny. I did the one on my K1100LT without removing the transmission but the pushrod will come out of the rear on the 4V bikes.

If it's #12 then it's a bear to get out. The seal is in a metal collar with extremely tight tolerances and you pretty much have to destroy it to get it out. To install it pound it in carefully with a socket of almost the same diameter that will catch the rim of the metal cup it's in but not the outer wall where it mounts.

If it's the input seal then you're "supposed to" disassemble the front of the tranny but that's not really necessary. You can mutilate the old one to extract and then pound the new one in (gently) from the front.

 

Duck,
Thanks for the advice, I'll pull the tranny and do as you suggested. It's going to have to wait a while due to the heat; August is not looking too good from where I'm standing.

Cris

 

Duck,
Thanks for the advice, I'll pull the tranny and do as you suggested. It's going to have to wait a while due to the heat; August is not looking too good from where I'm standing.

Cris

Let us know how the tranny pull, and bearing swap, goes, Cris! (including any cuss words, blood, or unexpected parts, and when). 16 hours' ride north of you, we're too busy riding to be wrenching right now! But I'm sure in a few months, you'll get the last laugh.

 

Rema,
When I do the seal deal, I'll take some pic's and post them. I usually take my time opcorn: and never have all the parts I need anyways...
Got my new crankcase breather tube, while it's new, I'm going to Plasti-Dip the heck out of it before installation since I have a mostly a full can of the stuff, and it seems impervious to oil and heat (so far). Those tubes are thin walled, but at least they are available for our older model bikes.

Cris