Intermittant failure to start - Limp home mode light on

[Britracer]

Intermittant failure to start - Limp home mode light on

Ok, so my prior salvage bike is all done, took it to the track for its debut.

Got it out of the trailer the night before Friday practice, go to start it and that light below the low fuel light is on. The "limp home" light according to the manual.

I could only crank but not start and leave the bike running. This bike has been a lot of work, I replaced the clocks, airbox, main wire harness. It had been out on the street (albeit in race clothing) for a couple miles.

I miss the entire practice day Friday f'ing around, disconnecting the PCV thinking maybe that was soemthign to do with it. Didn't change anything so i drive 2 hrs to the nearest dealer. I go to get it out of the truck and show them and the light was off, the bike started and ran fine.

They look at the fault history which was numerous and cleared that and then it started an ran fine several times. I get it out at the track and nervously started it a couple of times then it just sat on the reat stand all night.

Next morning (Saturday, first of two race days) it's back to the light on and not start! Then later a friend came over and said his CBR 1000 has a deal whereby you turn the key on and off several times and it clears some faults. I try this and the light goes off! So, without having any practice, never set tire to track on this bike, I grid up on the Expert Unlimited grid! What a great way to go into that for the first time. I made good but was pissed to have never got to practice. Anyway...

The third of my UNL races the bike started and ran fine also...both races it ran fine. Awesome power BTW...smoked a new R1 on the Brainerd straight!!! Actually, smoked everything from the back of the grid on start.

Then the bike comes back to pit for the night having ran fine for these two races. Next morning, after the bike hadn't moved even a hair, the light was back on! Sunday, i missed the first race and practice again. Later that day I was going to show my tire guy the issue while looking at my tires and the light was off again when it turned the key on! It ran fine the rest of the day for my last two races. WTF?

Apart from a great upshifting gearbox, not perfect on all the downs, this bike is proving to be a bit of a strange beast.

So, I finished my six races on my trusty '09 Ninja 250 but missed two on the Beemer!!! My 250 contingency is paying for the big bike right now and can hardly keep pace.

Has anyone ever had such a deal with their S1R? I am going to get a GS-911 from Hardracing if they have one as this is so intermittant that I can't be assured the dealer will find the fault when I get there.

Then today i'm unloading the trailer and park the bike in the garage, turn the key on and it's got the light on again!! I have three weeks to figure this out. I'm not pre-registering until it starts every day!!

I want to get it to Road America this summer but right now I'm not sure it's gonna behave itself.

I'm venting, but in the midst of that, would as always, appreciate any expert advice over opinion. This is a serious downer right now.

Thanks all, happy times.

BTW, check this out!!! 190mph at the end of the straight at Brainerd...I gotta get some more of this bike, but reliably! this is a German trying to make a point to an Englishman...why did I sell my 675!!?

http://www.momentumphoto.net/wordpre...11_06_3469.jpg

[viperclaw]

When you had the "clocks" replaced, did the dealer use their computer to retrofit it? It is hard to say what it could be without troubleshooting with the bike in hand.

I have seen similar issues with some race prepped bikes but this usually occurs when the ECU and clocks are swapped to another bike. The "adaptation values" being reset--with the BMW shop computer--will solve the problem but as I am not on the race team I am not sure how long this lasts. I believe they have stopped swapping units from bike to bike to keep this problem from happening.

Does it make a strange almost grinding noise for a second or two when you turn the key on?

[Bluebeemer]

I have the same problem but it only happens when I turn off the traction control at the drag strip. No mods done to my bike. Sometimes it goes away when I flick the key on and off sometimes I have to remove the fuse and it goes away. 8,000 miles and only does it at the drag strip very frustrating to get up to get ready for staging and it happens. Had the dealer look at it he found somthing with the fuel servo and replaced it but it happened again last Friday night. Ive done many track days and street rides never a problem. Britracer do you have the traction control off or on when yours does it?

[Britracer]

Originally Posted by viperclaw

When you had the "clocks" replaced, did the dealer use their computer to retrofit it? It is hard to say what it could be without troubleshooting with the bike in hand.

I have seen similar issues with some race prepped bikes but this usually occurs when the ECU and clocks are swapped to another bike. The "adaptation values" being reset--with the BMW shop computer--will solve the problem but as I am not on the race team I am not sure how long this lasts. I believe they have stopped swapping units from bike to bike to keep this problem from happening.

Does it make a strange almost grinding noise for a second or two when you turn the key on?

When i replaced the clocks, i took it to the dealer and they flashed it to the ECU. The real mileage appeared after. The clock had 11 miles, the bike has about 5600 so it shows that now. They didn't get the bike fully running as i had solder-spliced some wires that were damaged on the original harness running up to the clocks. The resistance levels they beleived, made the bike self diagnose a problem and run run right. The check engine light never came on then thought. I bought a harness from David Ur (told it was in good condition). I fitted the main harness, didn't bother with the engine one as that was not damaged. The bike ran perfect every time i started it in the garage. Got it all finished and ran it around the block. Then i took it to the track and the issue started. Like i said, two morning races i missed, one each day, basically then the other two each day it started and ran like a trouper. I was a little worried it may cut out part way through a race but never did. I had more on my mind once i hit the track anyway!

It doesn't make any grinding noises. I must admit, there are more of those fuel-injection clikcing noises when it does light up on the speedo without the warning light. Also, the exhaust valve servo at the front left spins and clicks more when it's good. I will be getting shipment of the GS-911 tomorow and will hook that up and see if it tells me anything. The light has been on for each day this week since i got back from the track. I check it each day to see if the light has gone!

[Britracer]

Originally Posted by Bluebeemer

I have the same problem but it only happens when I turn off the traction control at the drag strip. No mods done to my bike. Sometimes it goes away when I flick the key on and off sometimes I have to remove the fuse and it goes away. 8,000 miles and only does it at the drag strip very frustrating to get up to get ready for staging and it happens. Had the dealer look at it he found somthing with the fuel servo and replaced it but it happened again last Friday night. Ive done many track days and street rides never a problem. Britracer do you have the traction control off or on when yours does it?

Isn't that an f'er?...i know how you feel dude and it's very distracting from the day's events. I must say, i was always glad to get on my Ninja 250R last weekend and get my reliable finishes!!....and starts! +1 to Kawi! Anyway, how exactly do you turn the traction control off just with the ignition and clocks lkit up and engine not running?....Can you then activate it once up and running? I must admit i wouldn't want to lose all that stuff. BTW, do the different modes run independantly of whether you have the ABS or DTC turned off?....always wondered how many ways you can run this thing.

[Britracer]

I plugged the GS-911 and got the following code that couldn't be cleared as it's still present:

20000: Throttle-valve servomotor (EGAS controller (initialization))
The fault is currently present.

The engine light is on which is what has been happening. So does anyone know how to narrow this fault down further?

I know what it is now but what are the most probable causes and what are the reasons this could be intermittant?...and ultimately what the main fix is.

BTW, when I checked all the real-time settings, the throttle valve is showing
0.78% with the engine off. I was wondering if this value is normal for the pre-start or whether it should be zero. i won't know until the bike is normal and doesn't have the fault.

[viperclaw]

Could be bad wire somewhere but probably not if you did not replace or have to repair the engine wire harness. Check to make sure the potentiometers for the throttle bodies are plugged in fully. I believe there are two. Check for any damaged wires in the area as well--below the tank of course.

If it cannot be cleared then it is a current fault and a dealership can more easily diagnose the problem--hopefully.

Good luck.

[Stang10189]

there is a problem with either your wiring or the servo motor or the sensor that tells the comp the position(% servo is turned)

[Britracer]

Originally Posted by viperclaw

Could be bad wire somewhere but probably not if you did not replace or have to repair the engine wire harness. Check to make sure the potentiometers for the throttle bodies are plugged in fully. I believe there are two. Check for any damaged wires in the area as well--below the tank of course.

If it cannot be cleared then it is a current fault and a dealership can more easily diagnose the problem--hopefully.

Good luck.

Thanks for your ideas guys. I think I will be taking the tank off again! I never replaced the engine harness, just the main one. I am wondering If I should change the engine one being as though I do have the replacement one...here goes another day!

[Britracer]

Originally Posted by Stang10189

there is a problem with either your wiring or the servo motor or the sensor that tells the comp the position(% servo is turned)

Without a trip to the dealer...I wonder how to narrow it down futher....apart from wiring, where would this sensor be?...internal or external to the engine?...I was also wondering if thwere was an intermittant relay issue.