Forums > Maintenance > 2 hour labor to change fuel-line quick-release in BMW toront

also, is there a quick fix for a broke quick release? in case this happens on the road far from dealers.

 

I've done the job on three (3) oilheads: an RT, a GS, and an R.

It took me more than two (2) hours to do the job on each bike, start-to-finish, since even with the R, a lot of body parts and the tank have to be loosened and scooched out of the way in order to get enough slack in the hoses to get tools in to do the work.

Plus I like to carefully lift things out of the way and then to ponder the sinews and nerves of the bike's inner workings as they are revealed.  Pay a little respect to the machine.  Kind of Zen thing.

I doubt however that a pro stops to ponder the machine.

The RT was a full-day endeavor because of all of the fairings and gaining access beneath the big plastic tank.  The GS was difficult because the quick-connects are buried beneath the big steel fuel tank and difficult to access.  That steel tank weighs about 900 pounds with some fuel in it.  If I remember correctly, the R presented a challenge because the oil-cooler on the starboard side had to be loosened in order gain slack in the fuel hoses.  Same challenge with the plastic tank.

Since the dealership jammed you into the repair schedules of folks who had previous appointments and got you out in one day, personally I would have been thrilled with the deal.

I routinely expect to pay double the normal price for out-of-town repairs or emergency repairs.  It's just a little toll that Life seems to expect to be paid by a traveler.  Balancing the scales, maybe.

Did they replace the factory-crimped hose clamps with stainless worm-gear clamps, or new crimp-clamps?

C

 

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401K? Retirement? Ha! Don't be ridiculous!

they replaced all the parts with the factory once.

 on k1200rs the job seems to be a lot easier then on your bikes. the quick release is just under the fairing. and both hoses are long enough. they would stick out 2" if you straighten them. nothing is on the way but the fairing. 

you are right that i should pay double for emergency. it's just all my experiences with emergency fixes were by far better. they would do it right in front of me and wouldn't charge extra. this experience was a surprise to me.

 how come you had to replace the quick-release so often. is it a common problem? should i carry a spare one if i go on the long trips?

thanks,

--Kirill 

 

"a common problem"

As I understand it, the vendor for the quick-connects in '03 and '04, and maybe '05, provided certain batches of quick-connects with a defect in the male side of the connection such that the male plug-in thingie would crack at the base.  At 75 psi, the fuel would first drip, and then spray as the crack widened with vibration.

However the failure on our GS was sudden and dramatic:  fuel just suddenly started spraying out the starboard side like a pressure-washer.

Good times.

The leaks on the other bikes started as a drip and a vague fuel odor as the dripping fuel evaporated on the engine case.

C

 

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401K? Retirement? Ha! Don't be ridiculous!

I had enough slack in my Rockster so I did not have to loosen up, or otherwise move the gas tank or the oil coolers at all. It took me under an hour to replace both fittings with the Omegas, and fuel injection type hose clamps, and I consider myself very fussy for details. Not sure how this helps, but is my experience.

 Kirill,

Just like auto dealerships, there is a "minimum repair shop charge" and you just hit it.  Be thankful they got you in off the street so quickly.  Never mind what we all know, it's called "business"... so they can afford to be there the next time you really need them.

Ray

 

I feel your pain, but I cannot be the judge on the cost as my ride is a 96GS and I install them myself originally on the side where I can get to them quickly, without even removing the tank.

But the reason I am writing is because I was at the BMW Las Vegas store about a couple months ago and saw that they had "metal" quick releases... a bit pricier... but since myself have broken about 2 or 3 (don't ask) I thought it would be a good deal. When I use up the spare that I carry always I will invest in those... they should not break... the ones used now are very delicate...

 You be well...

 

Ara & Spirit

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Homeless on the road with my buddy Spirit... writing... cooking... pictures... new friends... experiencing this beautiful country... what else can we do? http://www.theoasisofmysoul.com

 CDN

 

thanks to everyone for the replies. i guess if i'll go for a long journey in deserted places i'll have to carry a spare one with me. 

just out of curiosity what other spare parts do you carry? 

I replaced the same on my '02 RT, it took a couple of hours and I knew what I had to do.  Although I was kinda cheesed off at the fact I JUST got it back from the re-call to fix the fuel crimps and the dealer totally missed the source of my intermittant leak (blasted crack in the connector). Anyway I'm glad that I didn't suffer the same jetting of fuel and roadside BS you went through. That stuff can be frustrating.

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The best day of the year is the first day of winter, because every day after it is just a little longer.

I changed out my QD's on my RS with Omega's with Viton o rings... 02 RS

 

The 5/16" hose barb fittings work.

Omega Quick couplings:

Phone: 1-800-622-2378, speak with Steve @ extension 2520

Order:
(2) each P/N FT-LCD170-VITON
(2) each P/N FT-LCD220-VITON

http://www.omega.com/Green/pdf/ftlc.pdf