CVT issues/questions

Bornfree

Member
Nope ... but keep us posted. 12K miles is the recommended replacement interval for CVT Belt & rollers but it looks like you may need some additional replacement parts which should be completely covered under your 36k mile warranty.
 

TwoPort

Member
12K miles is the recommended replacement interval for CVT Belt & rollers

No. No. No. No. No. It is not "recommended" except by dealers who need an early retirement. I suspect ilmostro went to the same dealer I used to go to about whom I've written in detail elsewhere on this forum. They took "recommended" to the next level of "mandated or your warranty is void" which led to the unravelling of the whole "CVT, Belt & Rollers" retirement scheme. It is all based on inspection and mechanic's expertise. Unnecessary maintenance has created a sad chilling effect on potential purchasers, made some people sell the bike, and soured people on the purchase. It needs to stop....(IMHO).
 

Bornfree

Member
No. No. No. No. No. It is not "recommended" except by dealers who need an early retirement. I suspect ilmostro went to the same dealer I used to go to about whom I've written in detail elsewhere on this forum. They took "recommended" to the next level of "mandated or your warranty is void" which led to the unravelling of the whole "CVT, Belt & Rollers" retirement scheme. It is all based on inspection and mechanic's expertise. Unnecessary maintenance has created a sad chilling effect on potential purchasers, made some people sell the bike, and soured people on the purchase. It needs to stop....(IMHO).

Nevertheless, that is the annotated maintenance schedule printed in my 2016 Owner’s Manual. I’m not at those miles quite yet … what are you recommending as the “proper” interval to perform such maintenance/inspection?
 
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TwoPort

Member
Nevertheless, that is the annotated maintenance schedule printed in my 2016 Owner’s Manual. I’m not at those miles quite yet … what are you recommending as the “proper” interval to perform such maintenance/inspection?

Thank you for the opportunity to pontificate.

The BMW NA corporate service rep defined "proper" as: "A relationship with your mechanic to inspect and recommend." The maintenance schedules are areas to look and and that's it. Getting to the nub of the issue - it seems all the excessive replacement "churning" centers around CVT and drive chain in he absence of inspection. Its done at the service counter. I haven't heard of anyone getting hit with other excessive motor adjustments, for example.

I had the (prior) dealer requiring me to replace the chain, belt, and CVT rollers at 12K miles at the service desk - without even looking at it - or the warranty would be void which was kooky and over $1,200.

Regarding chain replacement: As discussed elsewhere on this forum, a sealed, oil-bath chain can probably go for a loooong time. My chain has about 17K miles on it and my mechanic inspected it and said it was in fine.

So far as CVT and Belt issues, as this thread shows - sometimes there are problems that need to be fixed and an inspection finds them (hopefully before the failure). Jamie had a significant problem in the CVT area as well - a bearing if I remember right that ruined the CVT and belt party. But there's been no systematic reports of worn CVT/Belt parts that are just ready to be replaced at 12K miles. Actually, its been to the contrary - they can easily last 24K+.

I don't know what the ragged edge of top mileage for Belt/CVT rollers is - and its not like I'm trying to set the record. But if the mechanic says it looks good then its good. My Belt and CVT have 13K miles and they were inspected and said to be fine.

BTW - I'm almost at 32K and I'm on the original brake pads. That actually confuses me. Too many freeway miles I guess.
 

Bornfree

Member
TwoPort ... I have a local bike shop (not BMW ... which requires a 2 hour roundtrip) who is an authorized Kymco service center ... "Kevin" tells me he can do everything that BMW can/will do (but only when it is really necessary) except he will not be able to reset the computer/service reminder. Sooooo (IYO) should I let it go til 24K (even to be checked) unless I notice any unusual noise or vibration?
 

TwoPort

Member
TwoPort ... I have a local bike shop (not BMW ... which requires a 2 hour roundtrip) who is an authorized Kymco service center ... "Kevin" tells me he can do everything that BMW can/will do (but only when it is really necessary) except he will not be able to reset the computer/service reminder. Sooooo (IYO) should I let it go til 24K (even to be checked) unless I notice any unusual noise or vibration?


"Sooooo (IYO) should I let it go til 24K (even to be checked) unless I notice any unusual noise or vibration?"

I personally would NOT WAIT for an inspection till 24K even if I thought it would go that far. Its so simple for the mechanic to look and the drive train is apparently a key area watch since it shows up in the annotated service book. This is my second service at the "new" BMW dealership and they both involved an inspection of the Chain and belt, so I think my inspections will occur about every 6K miles at oil change time. It seems reasonable to me. IN any event, the mechanic can't recommend if he has not inspected and that is the key. (I think it is anyway)
 

Bornfree

Member
"Sooooo (IYO) should I let it go til 24K (even to be checked) unless I notice any unusual noise or vibration?"

I personally would NOT WAIT for an inspection till 24K even if I thought it would go that far. Its so simple for the mechanic to look and the drive train is apparently a key area watch since it shows up in the annotated service book. This is my second service at the "new" BMW dealership and they both involved an inspection of the Chain and belt, so I think my inspections will occur about every 6K miles at oil change time. It seems reasonable to me. IN any event, the mechanic can't recommend if he has not inspected and that is the key. (I think it is anyway)

Since I change my own oil, maybe I should learn to do my own inspections on this.
BTW ... apologies to ilmostro, if it appears we are hijacking his thread.
 

Skutorr

Active member
I have a '16 650GT with a little over 12K on it.

For the last few thousand miles it has been making an intermittent knocking/rattling noise, most noticeable at idle hot or cold, and having intermittent vibration issues felt through the floorboards, most prominently at highway speeds. it seemed to me to be a CVT/clutch/variator issue.

I took it to the dealer a few weeks ago and of course it was behaving normally. They offered to look at it during a $900 12K service and I politely declined. :)

Fast forward to today. I finally had my rollers and guides from Dr. Pulley and my belt from Italy and some free time to tear into it.

I found the ends of the shafts where they go into the cover bearings badly grooved (bearings felt fine) and the shivs badly grooved where the belt would ride at highway speeds.

Has anyone seen this before? I buttoned it back up and made an appointment with the dealer. This doesn't seem right to me.

IMG_1526-X2.jpg


IMG_1527-X2.jpg


IMG_1529-X2.jpg


IMG_1530-X2.jpg


The end of the shaft is discolored by HEAT! That is NOT NORMAL! It appears that the shaft might be rotating within the bearing; many of the outer bearings have failed on the C650s. REPLACE BOTH outer bearings and make sure all the tolerances are correct and that everything is torqued correctly.
 

justscootin

Member
I had the (prior) dealer requiring me to replace the chain, belt, and CVT rollers at 12K miles at the service desk - without even looking at it - or the warranty would be void which was kooky and over $1,200.

Regarding chain replacement: As discussed elsewhere on this forum, a sealed, oil-bath chain can probably go for a loooong time. My chain has about 17K miles on it and my mechanic inspected it and said it was in fine.

I don't know what the ragged edge of top mileage for Belt/CVT rollers is - and its not like I'm trying to set the record. But if the mechanic says it looks good then its good. My Belt and CVT have 13K miles and they were inspected and said to be fine.

I am going to change my belt for the second time really soon. I am going to have 30000 miles. 15000miles each. There is a wear mark on it if you know what to look for. (a little flat on the side of the top edge of the belt. When it disappears it should have been replaced or it will cut grooves in the aluminum).

I am also going to install the third chain adjuster. The chain is not what you need to think about. The chain will go at least 60000 miles (till the end of the adjuster #4) not any place on the maintenance schedules do they mention the adjusters so the dealers don't know any different (sorry to say they are stupid people) and can't read between the lines.

I will also be changing my transmission fluid during this same service.

As for the finally I will be doing the valves
 

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TwoPort

Member
I am going to change my belt for the second time really soon. I am going to have 30000 miles. 15000miles each. There is a wear mark on it if you know what to look for. (a little flat on the side of the top edge of the belt. When it disappears it should have been replaced or it will cut grooves in the aluminum).

I am also going to install the third chain adjuster. The chain is not what you need to think about. The chain will go at least 60000 miles (till the end of the adjuster #4) not any place on the maintenance schedules do they mention the adjusters so the dealers don't know any different (sorry to say they are stupid people) and can't read between the lines.

I will also be changing my transmission fluid during this same service.

As for the finally I will be doing the valves

That is SUPER helpful! Thank you justscootin.
 

justscootin

Member
You don't want the chain to tight as it does need slack. When you have the adjuster in place you should have less than (I think) 3/4 of an inch of play. If you have this much then you put the next adjuster in.

As for those of you that would like to check the easy way, open (remove) the black oval shaped BMW cover on the side of the chain housing. You can see the chain, with a screw driver lift the chain and you can see the amount of space you have. The plastic piece around the chain has an indicator arrow when to replace the adjuster

Keep adjuster #1 as you can use it again when you get a new chain at or around 6000 miles

I did the final drive oil and chain adjustment yesterday. Installed a #2 and it really needed a #3.

Also did an oil and filter and another set of tires. PR4’s this time.

I have no idea how y’all are getting such mileage with so little wear. 13k and this thing consumes everything in its path.
 

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TwoPort

Member
... once this problem is fixed I’m trading the POS in on something else.

The consequences of vehicle failures. :mad: Some time ago I had a BMW 750iL and loved it. Then they came out with the new body style and lots of new electronics. While it was all under warranty it spent about 1/3 of its leased life in the shop replacing all kinds of stuff that was going wrong. Next car was a Mercedes.
 

davidh

Member
;)

Soooo... The dealer asked me to send him the pictures so he could send them to BMW to look at. We'll see if they say anything before I bring the bike in.

I was looking on MaxBMW's parts fiche and the input shaft, output shaft, variator discs, and the outer dive disc all show as NA. I'm thinking this will not bode well when it comes to replacing these items.

I didn't see anything in the pictures that caused me concern. With just over 58k miles on mine, I've done more than a couple belt/roller-slider/clutch replacements.

The rattling at idle could definitely be from worn variator guides. I just replaced mine and it's amazing how much quieter it is.
 
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