[sabel]

:shock: I have an 08 GL1800 that will be coming up on 8K as soon as spring comes and I'll have the dealer do the service.
While looking at the shop manual I noticed that the 8K maintenance requires the "secondary air supply system" needs to be inspected. I also noticed that at 12K the air filter needs to be replaced.
I'm quite puzzled, given that both are a major parts/wiring removal operation, why would they want each done at a different time? It looks like the secondary air system inspection is a greater amount of work than the air filter. Why not do both at 8K or 12K?
Actually I think I'll request that the dealer do neither until about 24K. I hate to see the seat, meter panel, top cover, control module, and gas tank removed this soon.
Any suggestions or recommendations?

 

[Fred H.]

I don't think anyone ever actually inspects the PAIR valves on this bike, because you have to pull the engine out of the frame to do it. It's pretty much a joke as far as I am concerned. The most you could do is inspect the hoses and clean out any goo from the crankcase vents in the airbox when you pull the filter out.

All the secondary air system does is allow some fresh air into the exhaust to allow unburned gas to finish burning off when the PAIR control solenoid is open. It shouldn't impact performance, just emissions.

One thing I would suggest doing, especially if you ride in the rain alot, is purge the drain hose on the left head of any water that got into the airbox.

 

[Pigeon Roost]

Being curious and wanting to wrench on the wing, I did the initial inspection. Like Fred mentions, about all you can do is remove the air filter and take a look to be sure the box is not gummed-up. Mine was near pristine clean and even now, when I look in there during my rather infrequent air filter changes, there is no puddled oil residue and not much to go wrong -- unless you goof it up with a cleaner agent. If you are in the apparently significantly large group that insists upon putting more than 4 quarts of oil in the case becuase the dip-stick is cantankerous to read, then maybe you should be prepared to wipe some puddled oil out of the bottom of the box because that is where the excess oil vapors are drawn from the crank case vents to be burned off. Fuel line inspections are similar. Use your nose and eyes to check that out.

prs

 

[Digger]

:shock: I have an 08 GL1800 that will be coming up on 8K as soon as spring comes and I'll have the dealer do the service.
While looking at the shop manual I noticed that the 8K maintenance requires the "secondary air supply system" needs to be inspected. I also noticed that at 12K the air filter needs to be replaced.
I'm quite puzzled, given that both are a major parts/wiring removal operation, why would they want each done at a different time? It looks like the secondary air system inspection is a greater amount of work than the air filter. Why not do both at 8K or 12K?
Actually I think I'll request that the dealer do neither until about 24K. I hate to see the seat, meter panel, top cover, control module, and gas tank removed this soon.
Any suggestions or recommendations?

IMO, if you ride the bike a lot (i.e. over 15,000 miles a year), you can safely adopt a "phase maintenance" approach.

At 32,000 mile intervals (when the valve lash inspection is indicated), I tear off all of the Tupperware and go to town with maintenance items.

In between, it's just pretty much motor oil, tire, brake pad, and rear drive oil changes.

 

[Bigdubya]

As the saying goes "if it aint broke don't fix it" I have more than once introduced problems into things by doing preventative maintenance