Startup problem

YELLOPER1L · 08-30-2011, 08:06 AM

Well I asked for it when I posted in the 'There's nothing wrong with my bike' thread last week. For the record my bike is a June 2010 model with all the toys and has just under 6k on the clock. Completely stock from an engine point of view. It has about a gallon of fuel in it, (no fuel warning light yet).

I didn't use the bike over the weekend though I did give it a nice polish on Saturday. When I went out to the bike this morning to come to work I put the key in as normal and pushed the starter. It cranked but at the point at which it usually fires the cranking noise shifted pitch and there was nothing at all. I switched it on and off a few times and tried it again but all I got was a weird cranking noise again, almost like the started wasn't connected to the engine. Anyway, I pushed it back and forth for a bit almost like I was trying to jump start, (a solenoid went on my car once and I was able to start it doing this), but it was no use.
I left it for a couple of minutes and then just kept my thumb on the starter caranking it and eventually it fired but as soon as the revs dropped it cut out. I did this a couple of times and eventually I got it to idle properly and I rode it to work without a problem. It did smell like it was running really, really rich when it finally started so I don't know if it could have flooded whilst cranking.

When I got here I switched it off and then immediately tried to re-start but it was playing the same games again. I left it in the car park in the hope that I'll go down to it this afternoon and it will be start with no issues but I'm not holding my breath. I just hope I don't have to call BMW recovery out to it tonight!

Has anyone experienced this? I did the obligatory search and couldn't find mention of it.

HyperM3 · 08-30-2011, 11:38 AM

Hard to diagnose these things but while you were cleaning your bike, did you maybe accidentally knock a wire loose? Did you lift/remove the gas tank for any reason? Was there a smell of fuel or just rich out of the exhaust while riding?

YELLOPER1L · 08-30-2011, 12:13 PM

No I definitely didn't accidentally knock or pull any wiring. It wasn't a fairing off polish either; just the shiny bits!
Anyway, after dreading starting it again all day I went down to the car park and it fired up first time like it usually does. I also made a stop at the supermarket on the way home and it started immediately yet again! I'm happy but I can't help but feel a little puzzled. It was making such a weird noise this morning that I've never heard before. If it does it again I'll record and post it.

skapan · 08-30-2011, 03:22 PM

Stopped for a coffee after about an hour's ride, after sitting for a while mine did something similar when I tried to start it. Not really a weird noise when cranking, but when it normally starts it just kept cranking. For some reason I immediately thought of Windows Vista, so I turned the key off, waited 30 seconds, turned key on and it started normally (rebooted I guess). It has started normally ever since (I'd say over 50 times) so I sort of forgot about the incident until I read your post.

There was some talk of the kill portion of the start switch staying engaged even when in start mode, but that's all I know. Could make sense in this instance. Oh, I also scanned with the GS-911 afterwards, no codes set.

Britracer · 09-02-2011, 04:56 PM

The GS-911 will be a good tool for you in this case, mostly because you can have it ready for when you get this problem. I had similar and by the time i'd get it to the dealer the issue would be gone!

My fault was determined to be the throttle body servomotor. I had to change out the entire throttle body assembley and it fixed the issue.

YELLOPER1L · 09-02-2011, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Britracer

The GS-911 will be a good tool for you in this case, mostly because you can have it ready for when you get this problem. I had similar and by the time i'd get it to the dealer the issue would be gone!

My fault was determined to be the throttle body servomotor. I had to change out the entire throttle body assembley and it fixed the issue.

Yes I think I'll have to invest in one. It's been absolutely fine every day this week apart from that one morning. You can't beat an intermittent fault for pissing you off!