www.boxertrix.com

Just had to post this after tackling the fuel filter last night in the garage. I got finished at 12.00pm, thoroughly knackered, sick with petrol fumes and totally pissed off with the over complexities of modern motorcycles. The job went ok.........but totally unnecessary. Job finished I got all the panels back on the bike....big mistake, as I hadn't tested to see if the fuel pump was kicking in. Of course it was not so all the panels back off and the reason was I had'nt clicked the fuel pump wiring box together correctly. The whole job left me bemused and dissappointed. There was dirty fuel coming out of the old filter but I think it must have been changed before as I could blow air through it and it certainly was'nt blocked. The BMW fuel pipe clips within the tank are a real hassle and I'm not even going to bother fitting the quick release couplers I bought from Motorworks for the external pipes. There is'nt much room for them and a couple of fuel pipe clamps are all that is needed to get the pressurised pipes off. One thing I did notice and it's worth others checking was the main wiring harness has rubbed badly against a sharp edge of the battery tray. This is on the left side of the bike when seated on it. The battery tray really needs to come out to gain proper access to the loom so that insulation tape can be rapped round the loom. Removing the battery tray looks less than easy and I also have the dreaded Spyball security box comlicating the operation. Christ......when I was finished a simple Honda 500 twin with traditional motorcycle values looked good in comparison. Remember when everything was just under the seat ?

I've got to do this soon Scotty, I've done most other stuff but this scares me a bit for some reason Can you reuse the BMW style clips inside the tank or should I get some replacements?

Ta

Hi Jason. No I don't think you can use these style clips again. You can pull the pipes off but one can't push them back on. They look like they have been crimped. In the end I just chucked them out and pushed the two internal rubber hoses onto their mountings as there is a good 1 1/2 inches of mounting space. I would buy a couple of small screw clamps that are reusable.

Just one other point. You have probably done this a load of times but it's worth mentioning. Be careful when unscrewing the hose clamps off the pressurised fuel lines on the right of the engine. They are a funny kind of clamp with a small bolt to retain the screw. When unscrewed this bolt falls away from the clamp and can be lost as I managed to do with one of mine. Its no problem fitting this clamp when the pipe is in place though as it can separate and then wrap round the pipe in situ.

The BMW type clamps that came with the couplers I purchased are the same type that are used inside the tank and a bit naff I think. There is an outer race that twists round an inner one to tighten but through time the assembly seizes up. More overcomplex stuff from BMW. The screw on ones are the ones to go for. I decided not to fit the quick release couplers due to the clamps that BMW provided with it.

scotty wrote:Hi Jason. No I don't think you can use these style clips again. You can pull the pipes off but one can't push them back on. They look like they have been crimped. In the end I just chucked them out and pushed the two internal rubber hoses onto their mountings as there is a good 1 1/2 inches of mounting space. I would buy a couple of small screw clamps that are reusable.

Just one other point. You have probably done this a load of times but it's worth mentioning. Be careful when unscrewing the hose clamps off the pressurised fuel lines on the right of the engine. They are a funny kind of clamp with a small bolt to retain the screw. When unscrewed this bolt falls away from the clamp and can be lost as I managed to do with one of mine. Its no problem fitting this clamp when the pipe is in place though as it can separate and then wrap round the pipe in situ.

The BMW type clamps that came with the couplers I purchased are the same type that are used inside the tank and a bit naff I think. There is an outer race that twists round an inner one to tighten but through time the assembly seizes up. More overcomplex stuff from BMW. The screw on ones are the ones to go for. I decided not to fit the quick release couplers due to the clamps that BMW provided with it.

Cheers Scotty - I know about those fuel line clips and their tiny nuts! I'll get some screw on hose clips cos those BMW once only things are RUBBISH

scotty wrote:Hi Jason. No I don't think you can use these style clips again. You can pull the pipes off but one can't push them back on.

I managed to force them back on, bit of a pig but just doable, though I was a bit scared that I was going to snap something, but God was on my side, I also lost a screw from one of the worm drive clips, luckily I did have a spare for that one, as my garage floor is a small woodland at the back of the house and dropping anything means its lost, whole spanners seem to dissapear into the undergrowth

I have to do mine soon also. To tell you the truth you have put me off even attempting it now. I don't mind getting to the battery/air filter but I don't know if I can be bothered with all the extra hassle. I think I might ask Boxerman for a quote.

CC Mac.....It's not a hard job, it's just that it's probably totally unnecessary in that your fuel filter is probably functioning ok. I've done about 18,000 since buying the bike last year and did'nt know when the filter had been changed last. It was working perfectly and there was no petrol in the tank so the job was basically a waste of time. The only real thing to watch is levering off the clamps that hold the two internal tubes within the tank. They look as if they have been crimped on and you might need a small screwdriver to lever them off. To replace if you don't have any screw clamps then I would'nt bother with anything as the tubes will stay in place by simply pushing them on with no clamp. The other thing to watch is scratching the fairing panel on the top of the tank as you will need to turn the tank upside down to get access. Support the tank with some soft rags / newspaper.

Can the tank be turned over before removing the tubes or do you have to lever them off while it is on its side ? I am trying to picture the proceedure.

IIRC I did this by removing the tank centre panel. That requires removing the petrol cap, but you can then replace it on its own if needs be. Once you've run the tank low enough to do the filter there shouldn't be much petrol left sloshing around anyway.

I didn't find it too bad a job and you shouldn't be put off doing it. Some people find it a bit more of a chew than others.

CC Mac........What Me-109 says would be the best way. Just remove the centre panel on the tank and put the fuel cap back on. You have to put the tank down on a work top so that you can remove the plate underneath the tank to get access to the fuel filter. It's not hard so don't be put off doing the job and put it into a dealer who will charge the earth. The whole thing is just bemusing compared to other bikes where the fuel filter is fixed to a visible external fuel pipe and takes 2 minutes to replace. Just take your time and you'll be ok.

Cheers

Scott

I will give it a go when they start salting the roads, cheers chaps.