GSA died on me today

Lee Frost

Lee Frost

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Lovely weather tempted me to take the GSA out this afternoon with Mrs F. Been on an Optimate, last ridden about a month ago. Fired up fine, rode perfectly then after half an hour lost power and died. Fuel gauge said 60 miles still left but I ended up running the battery down trying to start her and we were in the middle of nowhere. Ended up being recovered. The battery is now on charge and there's fresh gas in the tank so I'm hoping by morning she'll be back to normal. But anyone else had the same problem - and what was the solution? It's an 09 bike, 14k miles, superb condition, no warning lights, engine temp fine etc etc. I'm baffled and hoping the fuel gauge is wrong!
 
No blockage in fuel pipes ?
Is the battery ok ?
Not got much knowledge on bmw could be a rectifier problem something electrical check all connections could be something loose,windy and damp today,.
I only live around the corner in Alnwick,I was up in Edinburgh at the Scottish Motorcycle show today bloody bad weather up there.
Hope you get sorted.
 
When you say "lost power and died" do you mean you lost electrical power and it died or did you lose engine power and it died?
I'm assuming it was not electrical as you Said you then run the battery down trying to start it,
The fuel gauges can be a bit unpredictable, mine told me I had a range of 21 miles left today but when I filled it up I put 34.8 litres in, it might have done another 20 miles but I also may have just as easily ran out of fuel after a few more miles.
Do you know if there was any fuel still in the tank?
Was there fuel in the right side of the tank and none in the left?
 
We're down in Surrey, rode out to Ashdown Forest. Battery seemed fine and there was plenty of power when I tried to get the bike started. Blocked fuel pipes? Who knows, but how the feck do you check for that anyway? :thumb2
 
Hi Gazza,
The bike was running fine for half an hour then the revs started to drop suddenly but picked up - then dropped off a minute later as I pulled into a lay-by and that was that. All the hallmarks of fuel running out but bike was saying Range 60 miles and the gauge was also showing fuel (on the last notch). No fuel warning light had come on. No idea if there was fuel in the tank as you can't see in and the bike's too heavy to give it a wiggle!
 
Could be a failed fuel pump controller. Could also be the sucking jet pump issue. If it's low fuel, try leaning the bike over to the left to get fuel back to the left tank wing where the supply pump sits.


Sent via my iThingumabob
 
I'll try that tomorrow, through with the bike on the side stand earlier and leaning to the left, it didn't work.
 
Even though it'll make me look like a knob, I'm hoping it is low fuel as the solution is cheap and doesn't involve getting the bike uplifted to a dealer/mechanic! To make matters worse, I forget my wallet as we headed off so even if I needed fuel, I had no means to actually buy any! :blast
 
My guess old fuel plus ran dry as its been stood for a month too (evaporation)

Ps should keep £20 under your seat for emergency


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iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Exactly the same thing happened to my 08 on the way to holyhead to catch the ferry for our first tour last year.
Pulling away from some lights sudden loss of power ,coasted onto the footpath tried to start but nothing ,
Then she says could it be petrol :anger no I say it's showing half tank so I have a look and can see a bit in there but not a lot so a big wiggle of bike ensues ,
Low and behold she fires up :bounce1so off we go to try and find a petrol station that's open on a Sunday in wales ................:mad:we got 1mile and that was that so a call to mrs nash and she sent a breakdown man out with some juice .
Turns out fuel strip has shit it and the stealership want best part of 200 nicker :eek:
Stuff that I just use the trip computer and I carry a 1.5 l fuel friend bottle for piece of mind .
I'll tell you I broke some speed limits that day across north wales to make that ferry :thumb
 
It won't be battery because that will just die and you will get no power whatsoever.

If it's a fuel transfer issue, you have to lean the bike right over on it's left side. It is doable and i've done it on 1200's and 1150's. Advisable for two people if you can.
 
When I first purchased my 08 GSA I had much the same issue of cutting out when the display showed half a tank etc. I had run out of fuel. Was the fuel strip and taught me to go back to my old ways of using the trip meter even after the fuel strip was replaced.
 
Stujw70 said:
When I first purchased my 08 GSA I had much the same issue of cutting out when the display showed half a tank etc. I had run out of fuel. Was the fuel strip and taught me to go back to my old ways of using the trip meter even after the fuel strip was replaced.
Click to expand...

+1

My fuel level drops to five bars and stays there, use the trip.
 
Bike's running fine this morning after an overnight charge and a gallon of unleaded! I'd obviously run out of fuel and the gauge is inaccurate. Only had this bike since December so it was the first time the fuel had got so low. Tank now full and I'll be using the trip as my guide in future! Thanks for the advice and info chaps.
 
Pukmeister said:
Could be a failed fuel pump controller. Could also be the sucking jet pump issue. If it's low fuel, try leaning the bike over to the left to get fuel back to the left tank wing where the supply pump sits.


Sent via my iThingumabob
Click to expand...

I'm with Pukmeister, same thing happened to me - new pump sender cured my problem. Symptoms were like running out of fuel.
 
Lee Frost said:
Bike's running fine this morning after an overnight charge and a gallon of unleaded! I'd obviously run out of fuel and the gauge is inaccurate. Only had this bike since December so it was the first time the fuel had got so low. Tank now full and I'll be using the trip as my guide in future! Thanks for the advice and info chaps.
Click to expand...

It may not have run out of fuel it could be the sucking jet pump, you need to brim it and see if it took a full load, with 60 miles left on the range if it seems c6 L short on what it should take you know it's not the strip but the sucking pump.

And you need to know that because going by the trip is no good if the pump is not sucking all you have in the tank
 
Hi Lee,

As mentioned the fuel strips can be hooky, and the jet *ucking pump equally unreliable. My GSA died on me with 2 miles showing on the OBC - you'll say I'm a muppet but I knew the fuel strip was shonkey and my calculations told me there should be 6 - 7 litres still in the tank (I'm square when it comes to fuel and economy :D ) . When I shook the bike I could hear a load in there. BMW assist chappy came along and obviously at first thought I was a stupid numpty :blast I then had a bet with him saying I reckon I'll get no more than 27 litres in. We took it to the petrol station and all I could get in was 26ish litres in the 33 litre tank!

The question you'll now have is at what point will your bike stop picking up fuel, if this is the problem. Go easy until you get it fixed.....and be prepared!

Best o'luck ;)

PS. This happened to me when I'd only had the bike a month, so similar to you.
 
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