2018 Final Drive oil specs

[kioolt]

I've scanned through the owner's manual and I can't find out what the specs are for the final drive oil.  If it's in the owner's manual could someone tell me where or at least tell what I should use?

[David.]

RealOEM lists BMW Synthetik OSP, http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showpar ... Id=02_0103,
this'll be the same as Castrol Syntrax Longlife 75w-90 or equivalent.

[AC53]

180 ml of any GL-5 spec 75w-90 Synthetic Gear Oil by any top-tier manufacturer is what you need.

[T6pilot]

Final drive on wethead bikes is so easy to access, I’ve started changing every oil change. DIMPLE DRAIN PLUGS makes some nice strong magnetic drain plugs for engine and final drive, worth the look


Jim

[dengieken]

I just brought a new R1250RT in 2018.
The manual now specs SAE 70W-80 Hypoid Axle G3 oil for the rear drive.
It looks like the genuine BMW oil with this spec costs about £40 for 500ml!
What can have changed inside the drive to warrant using this super expensive oil?
Will the dealers still use GL5??

[milleplod]

I just brought a new R1250RT in 2018.
The manual now specs SAE 70W-80 Hypoid Axle G3 oil for the rear drive.
It looks like the genuine BMW oil with this spec costs about £40 for 500ml!
What can have changed inside the drive to warrant using this super expensive oil?
Will the dealers still use GL5??

Probably nothing. BMW have a history of changing ('improving'....hah!) oil specs to something that, for a while, is only obtainable via dealers at predictably stupid prices. BMW used to specify Castrol SAF-X0 75w-90....only available from dealers. The gears in the drive aren't special magic ones that require oil with secret ingredients, but marketing would have us believe that.

If you do some Googling, or contact a specialist such as Smith and Allan (very helpful tech advice from them) you'll soon find an equivalent that meets the spec. I'm not even sure that 'G3' is a proper spec, although others may know differently. GL-3 is an obsolete spec, the usual sources don't seem to show G3 as an API spec at all, so I suspect it's BMW-speak for 'let's confuse the customer', ie a spec of their very own....marketing again!

Merry Christmas btw!

Pete

[David.]

[milleplod]

GL-5 then! G3 must just be BMW's branding for it.

Pete

[David.]

The BMW stuff could be made by Fuchs, "Hypoid Axle Oil G3 (Fuchs Titan EG 4218)", https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/f25- ... id/1EFiDSn, may have migrated across from cars.

A BMW part number would be helpful, what is the service interval.

Fuchs say, "TITAN EG…. are a range of oils only for first fill applications. They are sold in bulk to BMW and other OEM’s. They are not made available for the service fill on the same names."

https://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthre ... 897&page=2

[milleplod]

Looks like more smoke and mirrors stuff from BMW when it comes to all things oil-related! I'd bet that, as long as the stuff you use meets the GL-5 spec, it will be fine. Some would lose sleep over it...."will my rear drive explode?"....I wouldn't! 


Pete

[David.]

A BMW part number would be helpful.

Found a parts catalogue for an R1250RT, https://www.carolinaeuro.com/fiche/diag ... p?id=60124.

In section #33_1715, Bevel gear, rear, it lists the Hypoid axle oil G3. After that, in both #33_1716 Bevel Gear, Single Parts & #02_0103 Service, Engine Oil / Inspection, it lists BMW Synthetik OSP. The latter is used across the R1200RT model range.

Perhaps the Hypoid axle oil G3 is indeed a first fill/running in oil.

The BMW Synthetik OSP is 75w-90, a viscosity which is readily available from the likes of Castrol etc.