Bushes worn out in throttle bodies? - advice wanted

[Pacific]

Hello All. I need your advice to help make sure I don't get stitched-up!

Two weeks ago I bought an approved used 2002 1150GSA with 17K on the clock. I'd spent some time looking at prices and was happy to pay the extra for the ease of buying from a dealer and the reassurance of the 12-month warranty. I'd ridden an 1150GSA, an 1150GS and a 1200GS before making my decision but I didn't take the bike I actually purchased for a test ride before buying it. Call me stupid but it didn't cross my mind that there might be something wrong with an approved used bike!

After leaving the dealer, as soon as the bike was up to temperature, I discovered that it had what I would describe as a fuelling problem. When I got home and hit this forum I discovered the 'dreaded surging'.

Anyway, I took the bike into the local dealer - (not the one I bought from) and the Senior Tech gave it the once over and took it for a test ride. He then gave me a list of stuff wrong with it including in his words 'the throttle bodies are rattling their tits off' and causing the surging. Apparently, this isn't covered under the warranty and he suggested I took it up with the dealer I bought it from.

I have pulled the CCP (as advised by Steptoe) and it has made a small difference but the bike still surges badly when you try to hold a steady speed (I've tried all gears and different speeds and it doesn't make any difference - anyway doing 30 in 5th isn't a solution in my mind).

The original dealer has agreed to collect the bike and inspect it. They say that the throttle bodies weren't worn when I took the bike - that's 300 miles ago!

What I would like to know is what would you guys would settle for as a fix to this problem? If the bushes are worn out, what should the dealer do to fix this? Can the bushes be replaced or do the throttle bodies need to be replaced?

Thanks for taking the time to read this, any tech advice you can offer would be much appreciated!

 

[pomm001]

Hello All. I need your advice to help make sure I don't get stitched-up!

Two weeks ago I bought an approved used 2002 1150GSA with 17K on the clock. I'd spent some time looking at prices and was happy to pay the extra for the ease of buying from a dealer and the reassurance of the 12-month warranty. I'd ridden an 1150GSA, an 1150GS and a 1200GS before making my decision but I didn't take the bike I actually purchased for a test ride before buying it. Call me stupid but it didn't cross my mind that there might be something wrong with an approved used bike!

After leaving the dealer, as soon as the bike was up to temperature, I discovered that it had what I would describe as a fuelling problem. When I got home and hit this forum I discovered the 'dreaded surging'.


Surging is not uncommon, it varies from bike to bike and some dont do it at all
the condition can be greatly inproved by first re-setting the tappets and rocker end float , after that balancing the throttle bodies .nd have the TPS voltage cheched
In my case Brisk plugs made a slight improvement.
get these done correctly and in that order and it should go away.


Anyway, I took the bike into the local dealer - (not the one I bought from) and the Senior Tech gave it the once over and took it for a test ride. He then gave me a list of stuff wrong with it including in his words 'the throttle bodies are rattling their tits off' and causing the surging. Apparently, this isn't covered under the warranty and he suggested I took it up with the dealer I bought it from.
Again once you have had the above done see if the throttle bodies still 'rattle' i doubt very much if they are worn out at 17 k and from memory there are no serviceable bushes anyway.
Again the 'rattle' on idle is not that uncommon, my understanding is that as the distance from the throttle butterly is very close to the inlet valve, as the inlet valve closes the air charge bounces back in the form of a shock wave and 'hits' the butterly ( as its almost closed at idle) and resonates hence the rattle at idle only.

Get the bike tuned properly by, do not mess with the throttle bodies if you are not confident on how to balance,dont be tempted to adjust the throttle body stop screws as thes are factory set
I have pulled the CCP (as advised by Steptoe) and it has made a small difference but the bike still surges badly when you try to hold a steady speed (I've tried all gears and different speeds and it doesn't make any difference - anyway doing 30 in 5th isn't a solution in my mind).

The original dealer has agreed to collect the bike and inspect it. They say that the throttle bodies weren't worn when I took the bike - that's 300 miles ago!

What I would like to know is what would you guys would settle for as a fix to this problem? If the bushes are worn out, what should the dealer do to fix this? Can the bushes be replaced or do the throttle bodies need to be replaced?

Thanks for taking the time to read this, any tech advice you can offer would be much appreciated!

i hope this helps

 

[Pukmeister]

A mates 2003 R1150GS Adv had the same problem, cured by SPC fitting new throttle bodies under warranty at 23k miles. His was an approved used bike imported from Germany by SPC (Now reopened under new management as Bahnstormer Motorrad). They tried rebalancing etc but nothing worked so the throttle bodies were replaced and the fault cured.

Is your warranty with BMW or with the supplying dealer? If with BMW its worth taking it up directly with them, surely the entire bike is covered under a BMW warranty?

If the warranty is with the supplying dealer only, then you are in their hands and your only protection is the sale of goods act. If the bike was not described as having the fault when you bought it yet it is clearly not "fit for purpose" then you will have to go to court and get the judge/magistrate to believe that 300 miles is insufficient to develop the fault, then award in favour of you versus the dealer.

I read a post somewhere, possibly Advrider, where someone in the USA had used replacement spindle bushes from a Bing carburettor repair kit to repair their throttle bodies as these parts are not available for fuel injector throttle bodies. The sizes were identical as I recall. If all else fails this might be a repair option?

 

[Pacific]

Thanks for the information and advice, I now have some idea of how the dealer should go about fixing this.

The 'rattle' is very noticable on tick-over (a very loud tick being a better description that a rattle). If you hold the throttle bodies you can feel that the noise is coming from there. I know some sound here is normal but my brother's 1150GS sounds nothing like this.

The bike has a BMW AUB Warranty so is not limited to the supplying dealer. The local dealer has advised returning it to the orginal dealer as there are also other things wrong. I'm not convinced that this bike was checked properly before being re-sold - certainly not test-ridden.

Anyhow, I'll let you know what the supplying dealer intends to do once they have had it back for inspection.

Thanks.

 

[Bigtwin]

Bike is not fit for purpose with faults like that. Tell them that you are notifying them of same, and will reject under the Sale of Goods Act if they don't fix pronto.

Need any more help - post on the offences forum.

 

[blues n twos]

I would be royally pissed if this happened to me. You prob paid around the 7k mark from a dealer as well

As others have said I would take it up with BMW direct if the dealer is stone walling. Not a good introduction to owning a BMW bike.

I have an 04 ADV and there is sometimes a ticking from the throttle boddies but no surging. It did this when I bought the bike on 4800 miles and does it now on 10k but still no surging.

Sounds like you need to push hard for new throttle boddies.

Funny how bikes differ. My 1150 had 36k when I sold it, no surging, ticking, and the valves didn't need adjusting after 20k without touching them

Keep us informed how you get on with this problem and good luck.

Jon

 

[Pacific]

Potentiometer

Just an update to close this thread - the surging problem with my bike was resolved by the good people at Southport Superbikes and was due to a problem with the potentiometer.

I took the bike to them for an inspection and rode it away with the problem fixed and no surging.

 

[Big Jets]

I had 2 weeks left on my warranty when I took my bike for its MOT the mechanic told me that my throttle bodies where a little worn when Itold him the bike was still under BMW warranty the job was undertaken with no fuss whatsoever.(Mottorrad central Glasgow).

 

[Packer]

I had 2 weeks left on my warranty when I took my bike for its MOT the mechanic told me that my throttle bodies where a little worn when Itold him the bike was still under BMW warranty the job was undertaken with no fuss whatsoever.(Mottorrad central Glasgow).

Seriously good dealership IMHO.

I've only bought one bile in over four years and don't exactly spend a fortune with them but they are always helpful and friendly.

Of course as it's BMW they aren't exactly cheap. Of course if you want cheap you can always buy Russian, Chinese or Korean.

 

[rudiemoto]

any good mill engineer can make brass bushes for throttle bodies i have a mate who is a gunsmith and can make anything i will buy a t/body and see if he can make and mod them .will keep you posted.