F.I. Left hand throttle body screw not right

[Deleted account 240528001]

I've been a member a while. I've tried lot's and I've tried even harder to understand how the boxer engine works. I have a problem though and I'm wondering how simple/difficult it will be to get it right.

Ok, here goes:

I've spotless fuel lines and injectors. Everthing is working fine but the bike is out of sync. This is not entirly BMW's fault. The headstock got smashed and the whole top of the bike had to be rebuilt. One lad rebuilt it, (was fired afaik) and a very decent mech who I've met fixed the problem. Did 1000miles and bike started to accelerate on right hand turns! Checked and messed with cables and hey presto! Problem fixed! Alas, no! Idle dropped by 300 rpm That's the problem! Then did another 3000miles in Europe. Need a service bad now and I've just put a remus to give it a bit of oomph.

I'm very happy to do the balancing after the cold valve job, end rocker float adjustment and the big chain yoke on the front of the bike but once again I've read (from a new to me source) that the left hand throttle body screw is NOT TO BE TOUCHED on F.I. boxers of the '99 era. It must be set in the factory. Remember, this is the throttle body that raises the idle when I move it butterfly wheel gently. Not sure I feel comfortable just using the screws. Certainly not doing another zero zero. I just want it right once.
http://users.pandora.be/mitec/migsel/forumdoc/synchro_twinmax_eng.pdf

Long story short folks, Do I need to get it setup again by my friendly local Motorad dealer again or can I do this myself?

Just looking for viewpoints and advice please. Not sworn testimony I'll try and answer any questions I can...

 

[Deleted account 240528001]

Also, the bike was robbed. Not crashed. Just thought it needed clarifaction

My gut reaction is bring it to the shop. I'm so cynical at the moment, I bet they just do a zero zero with a co2 reader shoved up the exhaust

 

[pablo666]

I've been a member a while. I've tried lot's and I've tried even harder to understand how the boxer engine works. I have a problem though and I'm wondering how simple/difficult it will be to get it right.

Ok, here goes:

I've spotless fuel lines and injectors. Everthing is working fine but the bike is out of sync. This is not entirly BMW's fault. The headstock got smashed and the whole top of the bike had to be rebuilt. One lad rebuilt it, (was fired afaik) and a very decent mech who I've met fixed the problem. Did 1000miles and bike started to accelerate on right hand turns! Checked and messed with cables and hey presto! Problem fixed! Alas, no! Idle dropped by 300 rpm That's the problem! Then did another 3000miles in Europe. Need a service bad now and I've just put a remus to give it a bit of oomph.

I'm very happy to do the balancing after the cold valve job, end rocker float adjustment and the big chain yoke on the front of the bike but once again I've read (from a new to me source) that the left hand throttle body screw is NOT TO BE TOUCHED on F.I. boxers of the '99 era. It must be set in the factory. Remember, this is the throttle body that raises the idle when I move it butterfly wheel gently. Not sure I feel comfortable just using the screws. Certainly not doing another zero zero. I just want it right once.
http://users.pandora.be/mitec/migsel/forumdoc/synchro_twinmax_eng.pdf

Long story short folks, Do I need to get it setup again by my friendly local Motorad dealer again or can I do this myself?

Just looking for viewpoints and advice please. Not sworn testimony I'll try and answer any questions I can...

Sorry but that is gibberish to me. On the LHS do you mean the Brass screw? The throttle stop screw? or the cable adjustment screw? What the heck is the butterfly wheel? The big chain yoke on the front?
I just can't picture what bits you are talking about

 

[MOTOTECH]

Sorry but that is gibberish to me. On the LHS do you mean the Brass screw? The throttle stop screw? or the cable adjustment screw? What the heck is the butterfly wheel? The big chain yoke on the front?
I just can't picture what bits you are talking about

You need to be from our fair land to understand.
Give me a shout Fatknucles & we'll soon have you sorted.
Brian.

 

[Deleted account 240528001]

You need to be from our fair land to understand.
Give me a shout Fatknucles & we'll soon have you sorted.
Brian.

It's ok. It is ambiguous. I'll send a pm before I head for the west tomorrow. Funny how I think 400 miles round trip is just 'heading out on the bike for a bit'

I really like my bike. I'm just learning. I don't even ride a gs. I'll subscribe next year...soon in fact. It's just a boxer engine and this place has the best collective minds on the subject!

My bike is a bastard offspring from the period between the 1100 and 1150 gs/r/rs I like it. Here's some more info:

No. I have not adjusted the clutch cable at the handlebars. That's new to me. What does that do to the equation? Where's my co'2 adjuster?


No, I have not adjusted the brass screws. They control the amount of air being introduced to the engine.

Nor have I adjusted either of the throttle stop screws. The throttle screws are at the fuel injectors (F.I.) and they meet at a junction box. Afaik the left throttle body screw is factory set.

I've dropped 300 rpm

What can I do to make this bloody bike that is perfectly serviced run 300 rpm faster? I'll take a bit of surging and ride round it.

 

[Carl]

I've tried even harder to understand how the boxer engine works. I have

Remember, this is the throttle body that raises the idle when I move it butterfly wheel gently. Not sure I feel comfortable just using the screws. Certainly not doing another zero zero.

No offence meant matey... but it sounds like the best solution would be to stop reading about zero zeros and the like, put the tools away and get someone who knows what they are doing to give it the once over.

 

[motobiker]

No offence meant matey... but it sounds like the best solution would be to stop reading about zero zeros and the like, put the tools away and get someone who knows what they are doing to give it the once over.

+1


zero zero was a very early attempt to cure surging on early 1100s... the yanks became addicted to it. Mainly due I suppose to the reputation of Rob Lentini who developed it. They still are i guess.. In the mid to late 90s it was by far the biggest subject on the forums... that and the leaky seal that trashed so many clutches. I don't think it ever caught on over here... certainly when my first gs surged the dealership fixed it without all that faffing around.

 

[how far to]

+1 dont touch the TPS,"zero zero"is a measure of last resort,if no ones messed with the TPS you will not have to mess with it!Cheers

 

[Steptoe]

+1 dont touch the TPS,"zero zero"is a measure of last resort,if no ones messed with the TPS you will not have to mess with it!Cheers

You can adjust the TPS without any problems at all, as it's nothing to do with the zero-zero procedure so loved by our cousins across the atlantic .

In fact the BMW tool to set the TPS on the 1100 doesn't even give you an actual reading. You just set it so 0-0 shows on the hand held unit. Which translates to about 3 volts or under, which isn't the optimum setting.

It's better set at 3.67-3.75 - simple procedure that just requires the TPS to be turned a fraction.

Saves doing all the zero-zero bollox.

 

[how far to]

You can adjust the TPS without any problems at all, as it's nothing to do with the zero-zero procedure so loved by our cousins across the atlantic .

Title;"Zero=Zero Adjusting the Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) for optimum performance and driveability"Rob Lentini (updated 05/28/01) www.ibmwr.org

 

[Steptoe]

You can adjust the TPS without any problems at all, as it's nothing to do with the zero-zero procedure so loved by our cousins across the atlantic .

Title;"Zero=Zero Adjusting the Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) for optimum performance and driveability"Rob Lentini (updated 05/28/01) www.ibmwr.org

If it needs explaining you better read about what the TPS actually does. Or try a search for TPS adjustment in the forum.

It has nothing to do with zero-zero of the throttle stop screw procedure and the potential problems that you'll almost inevitably get.

Adjusting the TPS is an entirely separate harmless thing, which require nothing more than a digital multimeter.

 

[how far to]

You took me to task as the TPS "has nothing to do with the Zero-Zero procedure"Quite clearly it has,its in the title of the article,check the link.Cheers

 

[Steptoe]

You took me to task as the TPS "has nothing to do with the Zero-Zero procedure"Quite clearly it has,its in the title of the article,check the link.Cheers

You can adjust the TPS without anything to do with the zero zero procedure, it does not need to be adjusted in conjunction with the throttle stop screws.

Do you understand what the TPS's function is. And what happens when it's adjusted ?

The link doesn't show any reference to TPS units, just to a club website.

 

[how far to]

Look in oilhead technical articles,one click,the "Zero-Zero"thing is about adjusting the TPS.The title of the article is;"Zero-Zero Adjusting the Throttle Position Sensor for optimum performance and driveability"You quoted me,then stated that the TPS has "nothing to do with the Zero-Zero procedure"You Sir,are incorrect

 

[Steptoe]

IMHO the zero zero is bollox.

I've had bikes arrive here which have had running problems and the owners have decided after reading on the internet that the zero zero is the answer to their problems.
So they go ahead and poke around ( not really knowing what they're doing ) and all they're doing is making adjustments that cover up the original problem, and the bike is no better off, but they're further up the garden path.
So they carry on poking, all the while getting further and further away from the original problem and with a bike that no longer responds to any normal adjustments.

An example is a fuel injector low on voltage ( failry common problem) where the owner decides that he's been told a zero zero will cure the surging and rough running. The bike usually ends up running like half a pound of ham.

Of course it doesn't help one jot. It's just made the original problem that much harder and time consuming to find.

Every bike i've ever had in has been made worse by attempting to do a zero zero. It's always been something else that has needed tweaking.

 

[Steptoe]

Look in oilhead technical articles,one click,the "Zero-Zero"thing is about adjusting the TPS.The title of the article is;"Zero-Zero Adjusting the Throttle Position Sensor for optimum performance and driveability"You quoted me,then stated that the TPS has "nothing to do with the Zero-Zero procedure"You Sir,are incorrect

The term zero zero is used as a reference to setting the throttle stops.

I must admit i haven't found or read that particular article you refer to, i'm going by all the other zero zero articles i've read.

And seeing as the TPS isn't set at zero zero unless you feck about with the throttle stops, i don't see where your coming from.

I'll ask again - Do you understand the function of the TPS, and what adjusting it does.

 

[Steptoe]

"You Sir,are incorrect

I do it for a living - Those that can't teach, or dispense advice after reading the internet.

I'm out of here.

 

[davegs]

zero ,zero

I do it for a living - Those that can't teach, or dispense advice after reading the internet.

I'm out of here.

Hear, hear, well said that man
Dave (Abba fan )GS

 

[Steptoe]

I do it for a living - Those that can't teach, or dispense advice after reading the internet.

I'm out of here.

Ohh dear - I do apologise. I must seem a right pompous twat. Sorry.

 

[Hillhound]

Fatknucles,
listen to Steptoe (his reputation here speaks for itself), or
Mototech who has done work for me and is heartily recommended.

Both of them make a living from working at bikes and specialise in MBW's so I have no doubt you will get good advice from either one based on good old fashioned experience of what works.