All these tools can be used, but the Cam Alignment Jig is different for the 1200.

When using MY DIY Cam Chain Tensioner, yes 12mm of bolt extension is the same for the WetHead and the ShiftHead. This is NOT a direct application of tension on the Cam Chain...it's what's required only with MY DIY TOOL and is completely different than the number of turns with the OEM Tool. Totally "Apples and Oranges". There is no need to use any kind of cam chain device to do the Valve Clearance check. If you are just "somewhat close" to being at TDC, as evidenced by the piston near the spark plug hole, and the laser etched marks on the ends of the cams being "far apart, away from each other" (on the R1200 WetHead) then you will have the cams on the base circle so you can measure the clearance.

It could be several things...you don't mention using a Wake-Up tool...that's needed. Without the wakeup tool, the TPMS needs to roll several hundred revolutions to start sending the data to the RDC. Next, replacing a battery vs replacing the TPMS sending unit is mostly a problem...I replace the unit with a new one, even one from "off-shore" is preferable to me instead of the battery replacement method. The small decal with several numbers does not always correspond to the ID needed to activate the TPMS with the GS911...sometimes those numbers are irrelevant to what the RDC needs... My current version of the GS911 software allows me to both interrogate the new TPMS sending unit for its ID as well as choose to input the known serial number manually...at least that's what I remember from using this module of the GS911 about 2 weeks ago when I installed a pair of new sending units.

@@Boxflyer11 I did use th wake-up tool but did not get a successful learn routine. The 9 volt battery in my wake-up tool showed 100 percent charge with my battery tester. I can't verify if my tool is working properly. I will see if I can test it.

Just a note about the wake-up tool...be sure to direct the signal through the sidewall of the rubber part of the tire and not the metal of the rim. Sometimes that metal can make the signal too weak.

I have the BMW Original DVD from 2019 and the engine has not changed up until the 1300 as you know. I'm just an amateur mechanic, so don't go by anything I say or do.

@@Gallagher2112 Aw, shucks…I’m pleased to help out with your efforts to maintain your bike with some assistance from me. I hope that some of what you learned you can pass forward in the future. Take care, Brad

Me too! My "watch count" seems to fluctuate somewhat when people are trying to go through one of these services step by step.

Thanks, I'm just a regular guy using the BMW Service DVD to accomplish these tasks. ( I do have an A&P Certificate, so that specialized training helps)

One problem I've seen before is that the GS-911 software needed updating. For the EL-50448, it could be that the battery is weak, or the the current sensors have weak batteries. Also ensure that you are aiming the round "cylinder" end of the wake-up tool directly through the rubber sidewall of the tire, and not trying to send the signal through the alloy rim...let's see... you can also try to use the menu to "Learn NEW Sensor" and it will display the currently installed wheel sensors...those are my ideas so far, hope it helps.

Thank you!

I will go out and retry using the wake tool on the tire, not the stem.....will keep you posted

Glad you liked it

You're welcome!

@@m.f.m.67 You do all the engine rotation from the Left side, since that’s where you have access to the TDC pin. Both side cam chains are pulled into the engine from the top of the chain to answer the question, but no need since the important part of the reason for rotating is to lock the TDC pin.

@@Boxflyer11 Got it, thanks.

"The GREAT OZ has spoken!....Pay NO attention to that man behind the curtain!!!"

I have not had a BZ since I was in the US Navy! Thanks

Actually, I have 2 lifts. The one that sits in my garage is a hydraulic version that came from some warehouse that moved 55gal drums from one level to another, probably 5500 pound capacity...too heavy a structure to move from place to place. My second one is a 1200 pound capacity Handy Lift with a central air bag for the lift action. I keep it in my mobile 16ft maintenance trailer that I use to go to rallies where I do lots and lots of work on WetHead and ShiftHead bikes. Everything from changing tires and TPMS to full 12k service and even complete Cam and Follower replacements. I love my lifts!

@@drm4rtink The risk is possibly getting the cams out of time and the bike won’t run at all. Cam Timing ABSOLUTELY REQUIRES all 3 Special Tools to do this job…NO short cuts.

@@rumien1383 Where do you live…I may be able to do this for you.

@@Boxflyer11 Ireland, but I know a local mechanic. 👍

That rear caliper I had in the video had about 18k on it. If it is not lubed well enough from the factory and then encounters some water/spray/road film that gets past the accordion boot on the pin, and then get's passed over on some detailed maintenance, chances are that the loss of material from the alloy side will occur sooner rather than later.

@@susandavis5833 You are welcome. Seeing the step by step process and taking the mystery out of it makes doing maintenance on these bikes doable. Hope you enjoy doing the 12k!

@@shojivic That’s Great! My son and I have always enjoyed working on all kinds of projects together. He’s now 39 and doing the same thing with his kids… I’m so proud!

It's not a "necessity" to do this Cam Timing...as a matter of fact, the only reference to using these tools in the BMW Service DVD is to use them when a Camshaft is REPLACED. That said, if you live anywhere close to New England in the USA, where I live, or could attend one of the BMWST.COM START or FART Rallies, I do this procedure on 2 bikes a day. To answer your question, the engine needs about 12k miles to allow everything in the valve train to break-in and normalize before doing this. If you do it before that, then you might need to do it again after it gets 12k miles on it...if you have well over that mileage, no problem, you will just enjoy a smoother engine that might run better.

@frankpfeiffer7645 That sounds like too much clearance on 1 or more of the valves. It doesn't sound like a Cam Chain slap from low performing Cam Chain Tensioner, but it could be. It's funny that you put this question on a Brake video vs one of the Engine or Service videos...

@@Boxflyer11 thank you so much ! I thought i just like to contact you, so i put it on the first video i see from you. thank you !

That’s OK, I got a chuckle out of that.

Hi Dave..."buddy"...the Torque Adapter is also 5/8 inch. Available on AmazonUK as Stanley Proto J5120. Sorry, I don't sell or ship outside the States.

No problem 👍

You are welcome

Glad you enjoyed it!

Glad you liked it, I need to get back in the garage and make more!

It’s no longer available.

@Boxflyer11 Thanks for replying! I've been scouring the forums on that troublemaker of a topic tensioner, did you ever come up with a kit to sell?

This is just the way the BMW Service DVD specifies the engine to be tuned over. There is very little resistance on the crankshaft once the spark plugs are removed.

It doesn’t make any difference in the readings you get, but I loosen the CCT tool before rotating the engine to reduce the pressure on the cam chain guides.

@@Boxflyer11 yes, I know the reason for loosening the tensioner to rotate the engine, but the initial valve clearance check was done with the tensioner loaded to 12 turns. I think I will do the before and after clearance checks with the tensioner loaded and unloaded just to satisfy my curiously. I Purchased the feeler gages you mentioned on a BMW riders post. I have also verified the feeler gages are accurate. Thank you very much for this excellent video.

Yes, you can do some minor adjustments to it, I was not sure how to do it when I first made this video 6 and a half years ago. See the *UPDATE* in the Description of the video.

I look at it as an opportunity to get to know your bike better. There seem to be systems on any kind of machine where integrating engineering and other design elements come into conflict…in this case, the accessibility of the air filter is a prime example. I don’t like it either, but knowing the steps to get this done helps I hope.

@@Boxflyer11 You are absolutely correct, and I so appreciate your video about how to get to the air filter!! I would likely never have attempted it without your help. I surely wasn't ridiculing you - just venting about how BMW buried it six feet under ....

@duanecarlson5008, working with the dealership can be frustrating...at times, but while still in the warranty period is really their business. The relationship of the clutch noise and clatter under load sound to me to be different sources, but one thing you don't mention is the miles on the bike. I've been doing borescope documentation on the last 15 or so bikes I've worked on...almost every bike under 15k miles still show that both sets of valves have not seated completely. What this can result in is poor sealing of the combustion chamber making uneven power pulses. If it's the intake valves that are still breaking in, the intake charge can be affected so that even more uneven combustion occurs. Overall assessment, is that running the bike with lots of heavy throttle (but not high RPM) to finish the break-in of the engine is critical...nothing that the dealer, or other maintainer can do, it's the process of getting everything settled in with the engine to make it run smooth. The Service DVD only references using the Cam Timing Tools for replacement of a camshaft...NOT for the re-adjustment back to factory original setting that I do in this series...dealers are not inclined to do this for any complaints related to noise or perceived poor running. Another important maintenance step in this troubleshooting effort is to use some high PEA concentration fuel system cleaner. I don't recommend using more than 1oz per gallon of fuel, and try to only do 2 tank fulls per oil change to guard against oil contamination. (recent oil analysis does not show degraded oil quality, but enough is enough) I like Redline SI-1 or Chevron Techron. I'm in Rhode Island, and work in my garage. I'm not a business, just an enthusiast working for free on other folks bikes...I don't charge for any work I perform. Good luck with your bikes.

Glad to help

@Boxflyer11 I live about a 12 hour drive from the nearest bmw dealer. It can be a drag traveling every year to the dealer. It saves time and money doing it myself. That's why having a GS is the best bike to own living way out like I do. It's a lot easier owning a GS than other bikes since everything is easy to do and has easy access to the main components

I use Honda M-77 Moly paste since it does not get dried out/hard and no longer protect.

I was making one set from 2 that covered just the range needed for the 1200/1250. One set was from Amazon, and one set was from Hornig...which is no longer available. Sorry, I have not found another source for the second essential set.

Thanks, I’m just an enthusiast with a specific interest in maintaining modern Boxer bikes. This last week, I performed 9 Cam Timing and Valve Clearance checks including one R1200 that got all 4 new Cams and 8 Followers. I’m hoping to re-film this same 4 part series for the R1200 WetHead since the previous coverage is a couple of years old.

With the GS-911 you can program a known serial number of a TPMS to the bike. The bike may also pick up the new serial number on it's own when the rim rotates enough...sometimes as much as 5 miles. When I found out that the wake up tool is only about $10, I knew that I could use it for many occurrences and it would justify having it.

@@Boxflyer11 the Schrader sensors on my 2016 R1200GSA has a barcode and number under it but no known sensor ID number Am I missing something?

It will be a much easier job the next time you do the service...thanks for the report and tips.

I don't mean to compete with any dealership, I really wanted to show owners that this service (not called for in routine schedules) can be done by a competent mechanic if you have access to the special tools required.

Thanks, I'm really trying to give back to our community and help folks engage more with their bikes to have a better overall experience.

Great to hear!

@@Boxflyer11 Hi Can you give me a bit of advice. My brakes seem to be not as good as they were i have bled them and they were good, then they went off for a couple of days again and then came back hard so i don't think it is air in the system although if i pull them in a couple of times they get better. could this be a fault with the ABS unit? Sorry if this doesn't make sense if not let me know and i will try to write it better. i looked at your videos as they are normally brilliant but cant see a video on this. thanks Scott

@@scottyoung2995 The first thing I would suggest would be to apply both the hand brake and the foot brake at the same time, then bungee or strap each of the actuators in the brake on position...leave them this way overnight/8hrs. This may help free up a bubble in one of the master cylinders...it could also help if you tapped on each master cylinder with a plastic screwdriver handle, piece of wood, or something to induce some vibration/shock into the master cylinders to get a small bubble to float up to the top.

I don’t have a video, that description is as good as I can do. The Decompression mechanism works the same regardless of valve clearance when the valves are within the acceptable range. This exact device is on all WetHead 1200 and ShiftHead 1250 engines and I have never seen a problem with this one in doing almost 160 Cam Timing checks and even more valve clearance checks.

It is a compression release mechanism. When the starter is rotating the engine for start, the centrifugal force is not moving the counter weight out and a small, half round pin pushes on the rocker arm of the front exhaust valve. This momentary opening of the exhaust valve reduces the compression in the cylinder and eases the effort required by the starter motor to spin the engine. As soon as the engine RPM gets above approximately 350-370 RPM the engine is probably running on its own, the starter overruns its gears, and the centrifugal force on the weight of the compression release causes the half round pin to rotate so that the flat side of the pin now misses pushing the rocker for the exhaust valve for all engine speeds and normal compression continues.

Enjoy!

Thanks. Yes, I like to install Speed Bleeders the first time I service bikes. This makes the process of periodic bleeding of the brakes a task that's easy, and not one that you might shy away from, or find an excuse to pass over until next time.

Click on the links for them.

Thanks Mark! Like I was told flying in my first Navy A-7E squadron..."You won't live long enough to make ALL the mistakes yourself! Learn from those before you!"

In the other video covering the Front Brakes I did a couple of days ago, at 32:26, (kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJjCpnVuirxmppIfeature=shared&t=1946),I discuss why I don't feel the need to use the GS-911 for routine brake bleeding.

I couldn't have made these 2 videos without expert assistance holding the calipers and doing the videography. Thanks!

A long video to show lots of things that can become problems if left unserviced.

@@Boxflyer11 Yes, my friend, you are right. I wish you health, wellness, and success. Excellent content. Thank you 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

Sorry it is sooo long, but I try to make it real time with all the little issues that can come up.