Quick Disconnect replacement Pictorial, and Boss Clamps!

QD Change Pictorial!

As promised, I changed out my quick disconnects and added the clamps on the female bosses for the quick disconnects. The following is a pictorial on how it was done. Please feel free to use it, or not, for your personal use.


Needless to say, I had a full tank of gas when I decided to do this. I used an old male QD and length of hose to drain the tank.

On the 05-07 there is a QD on both the left and right sides, two QDs on the 08-09 left side. The process is the same no matter which bike you have.


Starting on the left side, remove the large side cover, then the fuel pump cover.


Pull the power plug to the fuel controller and the plug to the tank level gage. The pop the plastic disconnect loose.


You can see the cracks on mine. It is not leaking (yet)!


Use a 19mm wrench to remove the female QD.

There will be fuel floating in the intake, and some of the sealant will mix with it.


Remove the fuel and clean the sealant. I used an old acid brush cut tight and shortened the handle to clean it.


This is clean enough to move forward. Notice the cracks are fairly far down the boss.


Pre-tighten the clamp so there is just a little slack in the nut/bolt combination, then squeeze it over the plastic boss. Snug it lightly. This is a 2.5mm Allen and a 5.5mm socket or wrench.


Use some of the supplied sealant to cover the threads of the new female QD as shown. It doesn't need to be excessive, just this much will do. (Let it sit at least 10 minutes to firm up.)


Thread the female QD in and snug it down semi-firmly. Remember, this is plastic you are threading into, and it has sealant. Do NOT over tighten it.

Once you have the QD snugged down, tighten the clamp a bit more. No need to tighten it more than the QD, just semi-firmly. (If you are a gorilla, use two fingers to snug it down!)


I have only a few photos of the next parts.

Use a small standard screwdriver to spread the factory hose clamp. Work it back and forth until it has enough slack to slide the clamp down the hose.


Then take a straight pick and slide it into the male QD between the QD and the hose. (This is critical to loosen up the hose and allow it to come off.) Work it all the way around, then grab the hose with a pair of pliers (I used thick needle nose) and the QD with a pair of standard pliers. Twist and pull until they separate.

Note: If the hose shows any signs of cracking or dry rot, replace it with the appropriate fuel line.

Press in the new male QD, put the new clamp on first, then firmly snug the clamp on the hose. Make sure that you have the QD properly oriented before you tighten it down.


Press in the new male QD to the female QD and install the two electrical plugs.

If you have two in the left side, do the second one before mating the male and female sides and plugging in the electrical plugs.

Note: Completing the right side QD it is critical that you make sure the fuel level is lower than the plug.

If you have right side plugs, please read on.


Stock QDs on the left side. You can see the cracks in the white plastic plainly.

The process is the same as the left side.


Unscrew the female QD. Use a 19mm wrench to loosen and remove the female QD.


The cracks are deep, as you can see there is even air showing through the crack at the 4:00 position. Fortunately this is a return, so less pressure causing leaks.


Do the same as previously described: Work off the old hose clamp then hose. Then install the new QD, clamp it on, and reinstall it on the female QD.


Close-up of the newly installed QD's.

Once both are installed and connected you can fill the tank back up. Non-pressure test will show leaks on the right side if done incorrectly.

Once the non-pressure test shows no leaks, start the bike and check the pressure side (left side) for leaks. Double-check the right side as well.


These are the tools, and old parts, from my change out.

If no leaks, reinstall the fuel pump cover. Then the side covers. You are done.

Man your timing is perfect Jim! I just brought down a new set of Q.D. and was going to install in the next day or two...
My bike is in pretty good shape thanks to you and your DVD's...


Regards, Jim...

Those cracks look scary.
Shouldn''t this be a BMW Recall item or maybe notify the NHTSA?
How can BMW design such great bikes to ride and mess up on the small parts that could be very dangerous if they fail.
Had to change my 1150 disconnects just so I could take them apart without breaking but read where some failed in use.
The 1200's look like the whole plastic plate could fail with massive fuel spillage and possible fire.
Looks like a good fix but BMW should furnish a set to every owner.
Thanks for your posts, refer to them and your DVD often.

Let's leave the recall discussion for the other thread please.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=711467

Though the cracks look really bad, I had no leaks, and though the cracks were fairly deep the clamps will prevent further cracking. As for the whole plate failing, it has not happened on any bike yet, and even a leak has been fairly minor. My ST did leak, but not until I changed the female QD to metal. I probably over tightened it. Fixed it like this.

Thanks,

Jim

Excellent pictorial, thanks!

I see that the key part of the repair is the round clamp that surrounds the QD boss. What is that part?
The quick-disconnects themselves are standard parts, I assume, like from McMaster-Carr? Or, are all these items in a parts kit someone sells? With the sealant?

Regards, Robert

Jim,

It should be good for another 120,000 miles!

where did you sorce your parts?? AND is there any problem with the factory QD? couldn't you just install the ring?

The clamps come from only Beemerboneyard as far as I know. Mike also sells the QDs, though you can find them elsewhere. Mike's prices are very good.

http://www.beemerboneyard.com/fuliqudise.html

Jim

See above.

You could just install the ring.

The factory QDs tend to snap off with age and use, so I replace them as a matter of course.

A snapped off QD will strand you, and it can happen from vibration just going down the road.

I have a couple of broken ones at home. I'll take photos tonight.

Jim

Does anyone know how to send this to the NHSTA to convince BMW to make this good?

Rod

The original thread was http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=711467

It has info on NHTSA. JVB, I'm assuming, put the repair info in this thread not to clutter up the discussion in the original thread. I'm not one of the designers of the space shuttle by any means, but this design wasn't one the finer moments in German engineering. The fix above is IMO head and shoulders above epoxy/JB Weld fixes, but if I was trying to follow in the footsteps of Ewin McGregor and Charlie Boorman, I wouldn't be all that comfortable with it, jus sayin'

Great work as always, Jim
Looks like these they are sold singly, so someone would need to buy two for a full repair...correct?

Yes, but it depends on the bike. The return line on some bikes will not require it, and to be fair, since it is under a lot less pressure, the return line is far less likely to leak.

Jim

Good stuff, Jim. This is the first order of business on my ST next spring, but I'll have Anderwerks do it.

I did the ST last year. It is just as easy.

Jim

Jim, you are truly a prince among the inmates!
This is just what I needed to give me the courage to make what is now obviously the appropriate repair. My clamps are in the mail; I'll order the QDs now, too.
Thanks,
-ceej

What he said, .

As always Jim, thank you for taking the time to share, I have bookmark the thread. For our prep for S.A. this fall, someone suggested that I do this mod.

I feel I can tackle it no problem.

Thanks again

Nice work Jim. The new garage looks very professional!

Glad I could help guys!

Jim

I read this on another site and have to say You the MAN JVB

Seems like a cost cutting thing from BMW (It will make it out of warranty, and save the mothership $$$)

Glad there are some who identify the issue and find a cure, again to JVB