‘12 1200gs leaking from filter after oil change

Yes, I made sure there is only one gasket/quad-ring/o-ring in there.


This is my third oil change on this particular bike, and there have been countless other oil changes on other vehicles over the last thirty years. Here’s where I’m at on this one:

Changed oil over the weekend and got distracted between buttoning back up and running to check for leaks. Monday morning early I let it run a bit before heading to work to check for leaks, and I find it dribbling. Dang it. Park bike, take car.

Thursday I get back to the bike and find it’s been dribbling oil since I left it. I assume the filter is not properly seated, so I remove it, clean everything up, replace it. Reset oil level, start bike. Damn it. Still leaking but only a drop every 10-15 seconds, which is less than before.

Maybe the filter has a bad crimp? Replace with another filter. Start bike. Damn it. Oil coming out in a stream now.


Both new filters, and the previously used with no leaks filters, are from BBY. I’m going to pick up a new/different filter and hope maybe I just got two duds.

But….other than properly fitting a proper filter, anything else this might be? Let me repeat this is all since the oil change. The top of the skid plate had no oil or residue on it all - just the usual dust/debris.

^ If you made sure that there's only one gasket, how tight did you put the filter on?

Hand-tight or what torque if w torque wrench?

I use exclusively Mahle filters and have not had any issues installing them w torque wrench - ymmv...

can only think a squashed used / wrong rubber packing has allowed the filter to bottom out before a seal has been achieved

years ago i bought a new no-name oil filter from the local beemer club and screwed it into my k75

started the bike and 'tonk', the oil pressure light came on

drained out the oil and removed the oil filter cover in the sump and found the filter had blown off the threads....

careful examination of the threads and comparison with the oil filter showed the threads to be 'different'

not sure exactly why that was....was the thread on the cheap filter cut wrong?, was the filter labelled wrong?, did a similar looking filter find its way into the right box at the factory or at a shop??

but since then have been careful to 'feel' for good threading and torque adequately.....as tight as possible by hand, then half a turn with correct cup spanner and wrench (less than spec i suspect but has never let me down and getting them off is SO much easier)

I have not been using a torque wrench - I have several but do not usually use them for oil filters. I have been turning it as tight as I can by hand and then between 3/4 and 1 more rotation with the wrench (as usual and as specified by the little pictographs on the filter).

The by-hand bit is tricky on these engines because the filter is essentially surrounded by the case once threaded in so there’s not much leverage via hand/fingers. It “feels” properly tight when tightened as above.

As far as the oring, not only did one come out with each filter, but I have literally had my head under the bike to check visually -it’s just been one each time.

It's that tricky part that got me to use torque wrench on my Hex/Camheads... For LC, I do use hand-tight as filter is exposed on LH side and easy to get "gutentight" as Ze Germanz would say...

Not sure what you paid for those filters from BBY, Amazon has Mahle OC306 (OE stuff) for ~$16 in stock so you may want to try them...

I never used a torque wrench either, until I had a problem. Now I always use one.

BBY sell MAHLE i have bought and used dozens from them Hand tite then 1/2 turn and NEVER had a leak ever....OP Issue sounds like 1 in a 100 very hard to figure whats happenening unless there looking at machined surface where filter mates.. That rubber seal on the Mahle is pretty thick and is it possible its getting hung up on something and twisted ?? Or possible ordered wrong filter

According to what they posted, it's Mahle air-filter but MANN oil filter...



I don't buy my consumables from BBY so not sure if this is out-dated picture or else...

here are mine never buy from anyone else

could you tell us the brand And number filter you are using ??? could it be wrong filter

Kewl - good to know that I've got alternatives for next time...

the brothers are always there to help!!

The Mahle filter i use on my 2011 F650 (twin) is a OC 619, and the one I use on my 2010 1200 gs (camhead) is a Mahle OC 306.
They look to be the same size but the OC 306 takes a different style wrench (12 point I believe), so there's something different, and that may be why it's leaking.

306 is Hex/Camhead OE filter and it's shorter than 619 for LC... Many LC bikes did come w 306 from the factory...

And yes, 306 uses flutes and need special oil filter wrench while 619 has flats and uses common oil fllter wrench...

Side-by-side: LC ...779 (619) vs. Hex/Cam ...541 (306):

The filters in question are, I believe, NLA from BBY; they are house branded but are 541 equivalent and look a LOT like the currently offered enduralast filters - other than saying BeemerBoneyard.

pics of box and dirty filter




I have another name brand appropriate filter (not bmw because running to the dealer would take a 2-3 hour chunk out of my already over booked weekend) and will try that tomorrow. This bike came to me with one of these BBY filters in place, and small collection of them as spares. I’ve run two with no issue.

I’ll report back tomorrow. If, for fun, I want to actually torque this but am too lazy to look up the value, maybe @Lead Wrist or @TUCKERS will share the value they use?

No need to be lazy...

Oil Filter requires 11 Nm or 8 Lbft w sealing ring wetted with used engine oil...

there are at least 3 different lengths you can use

with 3 types of head, if you include the welded nut

but they ALL have to seal well

I also fill the filter with oil before installing it at 11nm.

So what sort of incident convinced the experienced that a torque wrench was required on oil filters? Over tight filters leaked? Under tight leak? Most directions say x amount of a turn past contact. Is the value listed on factory manual? I cannot find in Haynes, only the std 1/2 to 3/4 turn. But Haynes does miss stuff. 11nm is close to 8 ft lbs which is close to how it feels when you’ve snugged 3/4 turn eh? Perhaps same standard expressed differently. If one has issues with being acertaining the 1/2 to 3/4 std then for sure whip out the wrench. Not everyone has a good “feel” for tight for sure. I’ve seen filters twisted to point of leaking at seam. Many a pro has experienced the filter that has to be chiseled off post diy oil change with too much enthusiasm.
I’d try old filter that didn’t leak if I didn’t have access to a completely different filter right off. If all your filters are same source but one didn’t leak at all would seem to say it’s not a filter.

I’d be looking at the center threaded steel adapter portion of filter mount. I could conceive the adapter coming loose, working way out, preventing full contact of filter. Be strange but this a strange scene.

^ Yes