New guy with 71 R75/5 rebuild

[Ron Baker]

Hello, new to the forum with some questions about a 71 R75/5 I'm restoring. I bought it about 7 years ago and I'm finally going back together with it. I've been looking at the awesome job Mellville has been doing and only wish mine looked that good. (Should have taken more pics too) Anyway I decided to take the heads in to the machine shop to have the valves/guides checked. Well it seems as though both intake valves have had it as well as all the springs and guides. My question is there a standard valve guide for that year or do there need to be removed first and measured. I looked on MaxBMW fiche and they list 4 different part #. I called Chicago BMW and they said to pull them and measure. Any Suggestions?

[Deleted User 62]

Send them to Rob Grauer, or a BMW head specialist, not any ol' VW shop will do.

[Duane Ausherman]

Listen to Tim, your local shop may do a fair job on standard stuff, but how important is your bike to you?

It takes considerable experience to replace the valve guides. New ones come in a few sizes. Only with experience can one measure the old hole and know which one to use. The hole isn't round.

Then the new guide needs to be reamed. Few shops have the reamer.

Even removing the old guide can pull out material from the head. Not good.

It is your bike, do as you wish. Keep reading, as more will show up with advice.

[melville]

Hello, new to the forum with some questions about a 71 R75/5 I'm restoring. I bought it about 7 years ago and I'm finally going back together with it. I've been looking at the awesome job Mellville has been doing and only wish mine looked that good. (Should have taken more pics too) Anyway I decided to take the heads in to the machine shop to have the valves/guides checked. Well it seems as though both intake valves have had it as well as all the springs and guides. My question is there a standard valve guide for that year or do there need to be removed first and measured. I looked on MaxBMW fiche and they list 4 different part #. I called Chicago BMW and they said to pull them and measure. Any Suggestions?

Thanks! If you're 7 years in, I don't feel so bad about being 4 years into mine. Take some pics and post 'em up!

[Ron Baker]

Send them to Rob Grauer, or a BMW head specialist, not any ol' VW shop will do.

Thanks for the info. Sounds like I need to pick up my heads, After all this work I'd hate to heave a head messed up. How do I get hold of Rob?.

[Duane Ausherman]

Just like you find anything, use Google. I would try "Bob Grauer bmw motorcycle" and see what happens.