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Wondering about the cost of a pushrod seal replacement on both sides.

Assume that I am not doing it myself (and not interested in doing it myself) and am having the work done by a competent airhead mechanic.

What have you paid for the same work? Or what would you estimate the cost of such work should be?

Thanks in advance.

about $600

I had no idea what the number would be, only that it would be way more than fixing it would be worth.

It's all labor, so a very inexpensive job to do yourself (if within one's abilities), but awfully expensive to have done - plus you have to find someone who knows these bikes.

Another solution is to contact the local airheads and show up to a tech day. There's always some experienced bloke willing to work on someone elses bike and show you how to do it. If the leak's really bad, and there's no tech day in the near future, then think about hosting it yourself.

Depending on the number of miles, this sort of job turns into more than just the seals. The heads might need reconditioning, measurements of the cylinder bore might find it near out of spec, requiring a rebore, new pistons, and rings. What about pulling the rods and replacing the bearing shells?

Kurt in S.A.

The part of the job that is the BIG variable is removing the exhaust system. If the exhaust has been off in living memory and the exhaust nuts properly antsiezed when assembled the exhaust takes about 10 minuets. If the pipes have been in place for 40 years it may take 2 or 3 hours just to get them off and they will then need to be replaced.

After that the tube seals are easy as the heads do not have to be removed from the cylinders and the cylinders do not need to be removed off the pistons. That part should only take a couple of hours.

Of course if the bike is new to you, you may want to remover the heads and check the conditon of the bores.

I see you are in Portland.

I was there about a week ago and saw a whole bunch of airheads sitting in the showroom of this place: http://www.atomicauto.biz/?page=custom_page&p=1 I stopped and talked with a yound guy who seemed to know a lot about old BMWs. Maybe he could help you out for less than the local dealer.

Thanks for the replies. Bike runs fine otherwise, but sizable leak from left PR seal. Exhaust is fine.

Newborn as of two weeks ago and work is too busy to take a "break" to fix it myself. Chalk it up to supporting the local economy.

That display at Atomic is nice; not sure who you talked to though.

vespajg wrote:Thanks for the replies. Bike runs fine otherwise, but sizable leak from left PR seal. Exhaust is fine.

Newborn as of two weeks ago and work is too busy to take a "break" to fix it myself. Chalk it up to supporting the local economy.

That display at Atomic is nice; not sure who you talked to though.

Well then the job should cost about 2 hours labor plus the seals, hopefully less.

I spoke with a late 20ish guy with fairly long hair. Claimed to own a couple of the bikes, but I didn't clarify if HE owned them or the shop did. Shudda got a name.

Garnet wrote:

vespajg wrote:Thanks for the replies. Bike runs fine otherwise, but sizable leak from left PR seal. Exhaust is fine.

Newborn as of two weeks ago and work is too busy to take a "break" to fix it myself. Chalk it up to supporting the local economy.

That display at Atomic is nice; not sure who you talked to though.

Well then the job should cost about 2 hours labor plus the seals, hopefully less.

I spoke with a late 20ish guy with fairly long hair. Claimed to own a couple of the bikes, but I didn't clarify if HE owned them or the shop did. Shudda got a name.

His name is Seth and he is an accomplished /2 mechanic and a great friend. He has lately been taking on later models too.