Air Filter “Post It” Note

Engraving the odometer reading into the plastic when the new air filter was installed is a simple and indestructable way keeping records of this items maintenance.Yeppur, that reads “130k” (in miles of course).

Disconnect Water Temperature Sensor Connector

Rotate the connector and pull with increased force and it slides off.

Hard Staring After Sitting Cure

Fresh fuel and battery fully charged then cranking and cranking with no start- DOH! Easy cureis to inject 10cc of motor oil into the sparkplug holes and “voila!”, instant compression.

Where to get a syringe and not spend money? Use an old 2 part epoxy kit like this one from JB Weld. Quick cut with a diamond wheel on a Dremel or using a hacksaw (a vice to hold it sure helps). One may need a small tube on the end to ensure it gets into the cyclinder. Additionally, I added a small o-ring for improved performance.

Recycle, Reuse, Reconquer

L-Jetronic Unit Pin Out

A print out in a plastic bag with the pin out diagram on the bottom of the storage box lid makes testing and trouble shooting much easier. Travel with confidence with knowledge under your dupa.

Tighten Up Those Airfilter Housing Latches

Adding then heating a small diameter piece of shirnk tubing on to the airfilter cover latche’s pivot point will keep them in place.

Additionally, one may rotate them into position without gravity rotating them downward as we all know how tight space is around the airbox when trying to snap these little devils into place.

Wonky Sidestand – Tighten Up

After 41 years the sidestand was classified as wonky. The slack in the unit caused it to rub the exhaust upon retraction. I pulled the sidestand bolt and bushing which showed definite signs of wear. Checking online parts catalog revealed an upgrade bolt (longer) and bushing (grooved for grease flow). Additionally another bushing was required due to the incresed length of the bolt. The came the typical dealer price jolt- US$65.86 for the three parts.

Smooth Suspension Operation

Frequesntly spraying the fork tubes and rear shock shaft with silicone is a great way to keep them from attracting debries and grimes ensuring smooth operation. A bit dribbles down on the seals which can only helps extend their life span. I have had only two fork seals leak in 42 years and 133,000 miles.

Stop Oil Spills

That used HVAC airfilter is a great oil spill and spash catcher. Benefits also included the fact it has a low coefficient of static friction hence sliding the oil drain pan out from undermeath is smooth and reduces spills from sloshing. A great place to put drain plugs, bolts, ad the oil filter cover to let the oild drip off. Also, those ridges in the cotton pleats catch bolts, nits, and washers from rolling away down a rabbit hill. Give it a tray, a great repurpose of a disposable item and no stains on the floor keeps mama happy.

Winter Storage Maximus – November-March Time Frame

Having a BMW K100 8 Valve in Texas than moving to Ohio is a real hassle in the winter but here’s how I make the most of it.

Oil Change – Valvoline Full Synthetic Restore and Protect 5W30 seems thin but average Ohio temperatures are under 70F and 5W30 has been approved by BMW. First time trying the “Restore and Protect” product as it is supposed to clean and engine 100% internally. My old piston rings could sure use a good cleaning. The oil is only available as 5W30 in the USA but in Australia there is a 10W40 version. When April arrives the thin oil comes out.

UPDATE: My plugs were slightly oily and the piston rings may have been sticking before the Restore n’ Protect. Though I only had a 100 miles and an additional 2 hours garage fast idling run time over the winter, the sparkplugs look much btter after a 100 miles on mt 15W40 summer oil during early April. I will definitely use the 5W30 Valvoline Restore n’ Protect next winter.

Fuel Removal – The fuel tank is pulled, components remvoved and washed with vinegar, than baking soda and dish soap, a touch of phosphoric acid on nasty spots, another baking soda and dish soap rinse then a final water rinse. Yes, I do it every winter here in NE Ohio. Give it a few days to dry and while that’s happening a great time to clean and DeOxit the under tank connectors and inspect all the fuel lines.

Fuel Fill Up – Colder air during the freezing winter so I use ethanol-free mid-grade 90 octane which actually is more flammable than high octane which I normally run. I run the engine every week on the center stand until the radiator fan comes on. This keeps mositure out and oil in the piston rings. A fan on the exhaust header keep them from getting red hot. Stabil fuel stabilzer added as usually during winter storage. Additionally this year I am running an experiment…

Testing Red Line 60103 SI-1 Complete Fuel System Cleaner – as my piston tops look like a carbon mountain range. Going to add 16 oz. to 5 gallons of gasoline. A stronger concentration more than the directions state but those tops are nasty and if it thins the motor oil its coming out in May anyways. The Red Line product was chosen as it contains a lot of PEA, stands for Polyether Amine, a powerful detergent used in fuel additives. It is known for its ability to clean engine parts effectively, particularly in gasoline engines. PEA works by attaching to carbon deposits and lifting them away, allowing them to be burned off or flushed out through the exhaust (plus it is on sale as on Novermber 2025 for 8% off at $15.99 for the 16oz. bottle).

Lets see the before the carbon removal test code named ‘Operation Rocky Top”.

Yes I have a cheap bore camera found at a 2nd hand shop for a dollar. A decent automotive bore camera isn’t really very expensive.

Finally results will be posted in May 2026. If the Red Line product fails to impress, I will try another PEA based product. Sadly the bike won’t be able to do an Italian tune-up as due to snow, salt, and ice on the roads and will only be running at fast idle once a week for the next few winter months. What do your think? Any suggestions? ATF, water, Techron, Gumout Regane?

If one has a dual 12 volt socket outlet on top the coild cover, why not convert one to a standard automotive size? It will cost half of an adpater or Euro-plug to be able to use it. Obiviously most 12 volt acessory devices come with this larger size anyways.

Need a place to mount an adroid phone as a digital speddomtere, GPS, & a garage door openeer? Look inside the green box and one can see a piece of Zinc-Plated Steel Perforated-Round Angle metal bar attached. Using the bolts that adjust the windscreen flap attaches securely. Of course it’ll take a bit of Slavic engineering but having certain items in plain view and reach is a big plus in my book (or my bike’s webpage).

Upgraded my battered auxillary driving lamps to these “Bling” lights I would as openbox sale on eBay for US$15.00. Very super sold construction and list for over US$100.00 on Amazon. To get them level to be horizontal to the ground I took a rasp to the underside of the fiberglass fairing to create a level surface. Sure why not- it’s old and I own it!

I am not a big fan of crash bars so I opted for these on both sides of my engine. No longer available at EuroMotoElectric in the States, KpartsHolland still offers them. Having the misfortune back in 1998 of sliding out on a turn at night on diesel fuel in the pouring rain in Bavaria, I can only request everyone remembers to install the fuel caps after a fill up. One broken finger, a hole in my left valve cover, and a bunch of adrenline were the consequences. To return to my campsite, I stuffed a bandana in the hole and drove until the oil pressure light came on. Once it lit, I pulled in the clutch, killed the engine, and coasted. Bike almost to a stopped, I retstarted it got up to speed until the oil pressure warning light flashed, then repeated the process. Luckily being in Munich the valve cover was only US$65.00 (now there over $200 in the USA). May I recommend getting a pair before the become unobtanium.

Check Sparksmith for specifications. My decision based on the folding heatsink fins as opposed to having a fan (or a super cheap Chicomm bulb). Not much clearance for a fan. Sold as single units instead of an automotive pair, I carry a regular Halogen as a back up incase the bulb or driver fails. Good light pattern in a square K headlamp and extremely visible light improvement. 25 watts of power used which is half that of standard halogen H4. Legal in the USA? Times are changing…

One can view a YouTube video showing more details.

Here’s the finshed modification.

A) Original cover used. Blue dots (rubber plugs) on right side something I had laying around. Only left side brackets hold cover on.

BONUS: One can ream out the hole on a dual power accessory bracket for use with standard automotive plugs.

B) Using a grinder I removed the rivets on the original coils to use the coil cover mounting brackets. This setup allows only the left side brackets to be used.

A homemade bracket from leftover parts after a bathroom sink repair cut and used to connect coils.

C) Parts I cut and used to make bracket.

I am a pack rat lite always saving any hardware from other repairs or scavenging from items the neighbors toss out.

D) Bottom View showing wires soldering inward.

E) Rearview showing mounting setup.

Ever look at K1100 closely? Lots of fun little upgrades from the BMW K100 8 Valve series. Here’s my hack to install a protective heat shield over the header pipes. I cut along the yellow lines with an angles grinder. Addtionally remove the bracket marked with a red “X” and rebent it into an L-shape as to attach the rear of the shield to the left middle transmission mount bolt.

Why did I cut the shield? The K1100 shifter is shaped differently to clear the shield. Rather than buy another shift lever, I just kept the original BMW K100 8 Valve component. The cut was made to tuck it in closer to the engine/transmissionSee below pitures for the difference and the front bracket made to mount the shield.

NOTE: I removed the muffler to install the hacked shield. And yes, it hsd brrm trdt ridden and works. It’ll be a nice upgrade when the summer heat rolls around.

Easy to do with nylon tees but for the price and durability of this set up I went for it. So goodbye to rotted and missing vacuum caps. The 5/16′ vacuum hoses did no fit on the throttle body port nipples tight, so I put shrink tubing the exact size of the hose but did not heat it. Before slipping the shrink tubing over I strecthed it a smidgeon with needle nose pliers. Once slipped on the port nipples it was a snug and secure fit. Unit zip tied to fuel injector rail.

Adding auxillary electrical devices can be challenging with such tight space under the fuel tank and seat. The relay box has room for 2 more relays and is a very rain proof location. I added one for driving lights and another for high power heated grips. Next: where to place fuses to power them.

The BMW K100 8 Valve fuse box has to open locations, slots 4 & 5, on most motorcycles. The terminals go inside the fuse box relay making connection to the additiional relays easy.