R1100 RS revisit and diagnosis

[rob <obray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi all,


Well, I finally cooled off enough to take my RS out from
time out mode and diagnose what was wrong with it. It had started
to run on one cylinder about a hundred miles from home. Rode
home, ignored bike. Well...

Checked spark, fine in both cylinders, so decided dealer had
better diagnostics. Result? Not Good...in the suspected "dead'
cylinder, 100% leakage. Yikes. In GOOD cylinder, 80% leakage!!
double yikes. Right side(dead) had a slice o' pie shaped chunk missing
and unaccounted for. No sign that it'd hit the piston or cylinder wall.
Both exhaust valves burned.

All this on a bike that's been meticulously maintained, for both
service and fluid intervals. What's particularly scary is that the
leakage had gone from under 10% to failure in 14k miles, bike has 44k
now. The wrenches guess is a combo of California gas as well as poor
metallurgy. When I asked about this, I was told it's not uncommon;
the 1100 RT's had some history , but never an RS. The 1150's, quite a 
bit more common.
Triple yikes! So, think I'll fix it (don't ask what they'll charge), 
but not
sure if I'll keep it. This has been the most capable BMW I've ever had 
in terms
of being flexible to do the things I want a bike to do. But...after 5 
tranny replacements,
all at BMW's expense, a sight glass blowing out and stranding me, fuel 
pump failing and
stranding me, and now this, I'm a weeee bit nervous. Damn. Sigh.

Thanks to all who responded originally!!


Rob

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End of oilheads-digest V1 #305
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