How can you tell if your K100 is a 8v or 16v?

[nunya]

Heyo,

K Gumbie here,
I'm just looking for parts and wanting to order some spark plugs but unsure which to get as I don't know which my bike is?
Is there a way to tell on the bike itself how many valves there are?
Otherwise, I got this info from OEM
K589 (K100, RS, RT, LT) (1982-1991)
K100 RS 83 (0502, 0503, 0513)
EUR
09/1988

Also, side note, anyone know what the big bolt in the lower fork clamps are? mine is missing and needs replacing

Thanks!

[John Lang]

Open Max BMW's site and enter the last 7 digits of your bike's VIN to get the details you seek.

https://shop.maxbmw.com/fiche/PartsFiche.aspx

[Laitch]

. . . I got this info from OEM
K589 (K100, RS, RT, LT) (1982-1991)
K100 RS 83 (0502, 0503, 0513)
EUR
09/1988

You've got a European K100RS made in 1988. It has two valves per cylinder for a total of 8 valves. The 4V models started production a couple of years later. The 4V models have a slightly different camshaft cover design that usually has 4Valve stamped into the spark plug cover. Of course, you can always remove the camshaft cover to count them yourself. Now that's settled, you can use realoem to identify those bolts and their part numbers.

[Duckbubbles]

If you notice in the picture above, on a 16V the valve cover bolts are lined up symmetrically up and down.  On an 8V the bolts are offset slightly.  Otherwise the engines appearance is the same with slight differences in the cam chain cover.

Frank

[frankenduck]

slight differences in the cam chain cover.

Very easy to tell from the plug in the timing cover. The 4V has a plug in front of the cam chain tensioner, 2V does not.

4V cover:

[frankenduck]

has 4Valve stamped into the spark plug cover.

It's cast into the spark plug cover, not stamped.

[sooprvylyn]

Very easy to tell from the plug in the timing cover. The 4V has a plug in front of the cam chain tensioner, 2V does not.

4V cover:

What is rhe purpose of this plug? I didn't see any obvious purpose when I took the cover off, took the plug out, and powdercoated the cover.

[Laitch]

What is rhe purpose of this plug? I didn't see any obvious purpose when I took the cover off, took the plug out, and powdercoated the cover.

If it weren't there, oil might splash out the hole or insects and worms could get tangled in the timing chain.

[frankenduck]

What is rhe purpose of this plug? I didn't see any obvious purpose when I took the cover off, took the plug out, and powdercoated the cover.

In order to do the valves of a 4V K you need to swap "buckets." You have to take the cams off in order to do that which takes tension off of the timing chain. There's a BMW special tool that goes through that plug hole to keep the cam chain tensioner depressed when there's slack in the timing chain.

Page 28 here:
http://www.kbikeparts.com/classickbikes.com/ckb.tech/0.ckb.tech.files/shopmanuals/BMW_K1100_LT_RS_Repair_Manual.pdf

[frankenduck]

If it weren't there, oil might splash out the hole or insects and worms could get tangled in the timing chain.

And some of the hamsters might escape from their wheels resulting in a loss of power.

[sooprvylyn]

I love this site...knowledgeable people are awesome. Thanks man.

I have spare hamsters too, so easily replaced if the engine crew escapes

[nunya]

Thanks all :)