Looks like Stevie Wonder built my engine....

Decompressing

Well-known member
UKGSer Subscriber
Joined
Apr 21, 2008
Messages
652
Reaction score
64
Location
England
Has anyone else got an engine so poorly put together as this one?! This is my second K1600GT and it's a very late 2021 bike, one of the last non-TFT bikes.

I'm the second owner of this bike and I bought it through the dealer network in July this year so I don't think I can really go back at this stage as, despite the fit of the block, its obviously sealed where it should be, there's no excessive engine oil or coolant usage, although it did go back to be checked as the coolant tank was completely empty, not long after I bought it. TBH, I couldn't say what the level was when I bought it so I don't know if it all dissapeared over a period of time or one instance of boiling over. It was apparently pressure-tested after being refilled and I've done about 2500 miles over the summer without the level dropping.

The bikes now done coming up to 4,000 miles.

Just can't believe the quality process could allow that to go out!

My first one was a 2011 bike and was fine, didn't have anything like this and no corrosion either throughout its life.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_7597.jpg
    IMG_7597.jpg
    241.5 KB · Views: 437
  • IMG_7598.jpg
    IMG_7598.jpg
    244.2 KB · Views: 436
  • IMG_7599.jpg
    IMG_7599.jpg
    241.7 KB · Views: 432
  • IMG_7601.jpg
    IMG_7601.jpg
    241.7 KB · Views: 433
  • IMG_7603.jpg
    IMG_7603.jpg
    246.4 KB · Views: 431
jeez, they look like they have been forced to be put together!!! Shocking......on my K1300 the mating surfaces look mm perfect, nothing like that attrocity. Be interesting to see if the cylinders are misalinged too - surely it would put additional lateral stressed on the crank which in ttime would cause the crank bearings to wear faster than normal......but all guess work!
 
I would still raise that with BMW, they should be embarrased into changing that bike. Certainly no harm in trying.
 
What do the engine blocks on other K1600 GT's look like ?

Those casings look to either having been badly misaligned during assembly or something has been wrongly machined.

I would not accept that level of build quality on a new and very expensive motorcycle
 
I would have thought the mating surfaces had dowel pins to ensure accurate location. It may look as if things are badly aligned, but I'd be very surprised if they are.

Just looks a bit messy!
 
If Stevie Wonder assembled that engine, Ray Charles did the drilling.

Really strange isn't it, hard to believe they were all released like that but the fact that it all works as it should suggests the internals are properly aligned.

Is it possible that the mold for casting one of these parts was re-made, and your bike has a mismatch of old and new?? Just guessing, I have no idea how they manufacture these bikes.
 
Funnily enough, it does all work (so far!), but I'm shocked that this managed to leave the factory like this, and then undergo de-crating and PDI by the supplying dealer without being picked-up.

I'm in a slightly weaker position being the second owner but if I'd been the original purchaser and I'd seen that, I wouldn't have accepted it.

I'm certainly going to bring it up with my local dealer when it goes in for its 6k service.
 
I would have thought the mating surfaces had dowel pins to ensure accurate location. It may look as if things are badly aligned, but I'd be very surprised if they are.

Just looks a bit messy!

Indeed, the holes where the bolts go will not have that much play for it to be an assembly issue.
 
Strange - saw your post on the K16 forum too. It's a 2021, but do you know the actual build date?

I wonder if they changed the head casting at some stage, say for Euro 5 compliance.

Whatever, it's always worth raising the question formally, as you propose, just in case problems ever emerge later. Presumably there is no record of any engine warranty work whilst in previous ownership?
 
If it was a new bike i would not have accepted it cosmetically it's rough i doubt a dealer will do anything now, but as Wapping said does it work?
 
Strange - saw your post on the K16 forum too. It's a 2021, but do you know the actual build date?

I wonder if they changed the head casting at some stage, say for Euro 5 compliance.

Whatever, it's always worth raising the question formally, as you propose, just in case problems ever emerge later. Presumably there is no record of any engine warranty work whilst in previous ownership?

Yes, it was built in December 2020. The supplying dealer were pointedly asked twice whether there had been any warranty work and/or problems with the bike (I needed to address that question as the bike was only 5 months old with 400 miles on the clock), but they denied any work had taken place or any issues with the bike, so I bought it. I didn't think a lot of the dealership to be honest after I'd done the deal (the salesman told me a big porker which I caught him out on) so I doubt I'd use them again. They were in Tunbridge Wells in case you were wondering.

I will certainly ask my local dealer to look into it and confirm that nothings been taken apart etc when it goes in for service.
 
With the casing offset to that degree the bolt holes in the lower casing must not be centred in the lugs with only a thin width of metal to the rear of the bolt holes. Over time this might fail?

I would definitely be taking this back to the dealer you bought it from, regardless of whether I was the first owner or not.

Also, even if it doesn't fail you might find it harder to sell.
 


Back
Top Bottom