Gear Indicator misbehaving

[Slipperyeel]

I've noticed on few mornings recently that in the first few gear changes after pulling away, the indicator has shown 6 on the RID. Within the next gear changes it all behaves and is almost forgotten.

It's an 05 GSA 1150. I'm guessing it's mechanical and I need to get the indicator module off for some tlc.

But I'm interested to know if there's anything else I should be looking at? Could it be electrical? Or should I just ignore it and wait to see if the indicator fails completely?

Cheers

 

[fatnfast]

I expect it's the switch unit on the back of the gearbox. Have you been riding in some very wet conditions recently as this can cause it to give spurious gear indications on the rid.
The wiring to it comes from a connector just under the tank on the left hand side and runs behind the starter motor to the round switch unit on the gearbox. I would check this wiring first for chaffing or grotty connections in the connector.
The switch is easy-ish to remove if you have a Y-piece fitted on your exhaust system. It's got a big spring clip holding it in place. Awkward to squeeze the ends together with pliers so I use a zip tie to pull the clip ends together.
I managed to open my switch up and clean it inside, but it only lasted a few thousand miles. A new switch fixed it.

 

[Ian J Hartley]

I'd put money on the switch unit at the back of the gearbox as being the cause of your problem.

Try giving it a clean if you can.

You can trace the switch loom up until where it connects to the bike loom ( left hand side ). If you disconnect the connector you can test the rid gear display by feeding earths to pins 1 to 4. As follows.

Earth pins 1,2,3,4 = neutral 0
Earth pins 1,3,4 = 1
Earth pins 1,2,4 = 2
Earth pins 1,4 = 3
Earth pins 1, 2,3 = 4
Earth pins 1, 3 = 5
Earth pins 1, 2 = 6

If you get these results, then the RID is OK.


Ian

PS. Obviously you will need power to get the RID to work. The connector is benign in that it carries no voltage, only switched Earth paths, so you have nothing to fear about poking around in the connector with power on.

 

[Slipperyeel]

Thank you both. I'm glad you both think the module on the gearbox. But I'm going to take your advice and follow the wiring loom first.

Ian. Grateful for your test details. On Saturday I'm going to do exactly this. Thanks.

Fatnfast. I've done some very wet journeys recently, so that may be the cause combined with no chance to dry out with all the damp weather. Thanks for the tips on removing the module


Many thanks. I'll report back

 

[robc]

Do you have HID's fitted? For what it's worth mine did this a few times shortly after I bought it from a member here. It turned out to be the drive for the HID that was too close to the RID. I knew this because it only happened when I started the bike with the headlight already on. Moving the HID driver a few inches away fixed the problem and it has never returned after 7 years.

Regards

Rob C

 

[Micky]

It could even be the bush the gear lever pivots in .... yes I know

But if it's gunged up and the gear lever (disconnected from the gearbox) is sticking and not allowing full and free movement it might be enough to make the switch misread, although the gears are going in OK

OK ... I'll get mi coat

 

[Slipperyeel]

Do you have HID's fitted? For what it's worth mine did this a few times shortly after I bought it from a member here. It turned out to be the drive for the HID that was too close to the RID. I knew this because it only happened when I started the bike with the headlight already on. Moving the HID driver a few inches away fixed the problem and it has never returned after 7 years.

Regards

Rob C

Both good thoughts

Yes, it has a HID fitted, but it's been there years...so I don't think it's on the list of suspects, this time.

I'll take a look at the gear change linkage, but in general I keep the bike quite clean (but if you saw it now is a mess with this weather!). But maybe it needs a clean and some lube in there. I'll take a look

Thanks

It could even be the bush the gear lever pivots in .... yes I know

But if it's gunged up and the gear lever (disconnected from the gearbox) is sticking and not allowing full and free movement it might be enough to make the switch misread, although the gears are going in OK

OK ... I'll get mi coat

 

[JonF]

Mine behaves oddly as well, but with slightly different symptoms. It lives in my garage, and when I put it in to first to ride up my short drive, the RID shows 5. Back into neutral while I walk down the drive to close the door, then ride off. Shows 5 for the first few seconds in first, then behaves perfectly normally. From Ian's post it looks like pin 4 on the connector may be gunged up.

 

[mspenz]

When mine started misbehaving I had to take it apart and give it a proper clean up, it's still working as it should 20k miles later

If you do decide to take it off the bike you will need ladies fingers to get in there, and whatever you do don't lose any of those little brass pins

Have a read of this before getting stuck in:

https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?53718-Need-advice-on-reattaching-the-gear-indicator-switch

Mike.