HEADER VALVE QUESTION

[septikangel]

Not posted for some time, but still enjoy the site.
Enjoyed a few different bikes since 2016 when I had a new 1200GSA.
Didn't own it long enough to suffer any issues and am now considering a return to a 1200/1250 GSA.
Do the GS bikes suffer with the sticking exhaust valve in the headers as often as I've read that RT's appear to?

 

[PhilBoy]

Yes still suffer with sticking valve unfortunately. So put decat headers on with out the valve is the way to go.

 

[malcopopolo]

I have had the ecu to stop closing the valve so effectively always open.

Often they stick in the open position. No issues

 

[Alan R]

None of the posts in this thread make any sense to me. What is a header valve?
Alan R

 

[BobT]

None of the posts in this thread make any sense to me. What is a header valve?
Alan R

Not sure either. Header is American for manifold.

 

[Alex_TE]

None of the posts in this thread make any sense to me. What is a header valve?
Alan R

The (apparently fairly frequently occurring) issue is discussed here for example;

https://www.ukgser.com/forums/showt...is-it-solved?highlight=sticking+exhaust+valve

 

[Engineer]

None of the posts in this thread make any sense to me. What is a header valve?
Alan R

I think they mean the exhaust valve downstream of the catalytic converter - header valve is not the correct terminology.

 

[Alan R]

I think they mean the exhaust valve downstream of the catalytic converter - header valve is not the correct terminology.

Ah yes, now I understand. Well yes, to my knowledge of 10 bikes, 50% suffered a seizure of this non lubricated, noise abating butterfly valve. Not surprising considering it’s location in the hostile hot exhaust gas stream. Within warranty, BMW replace the header pipes. Out of warranty, live with it as it doesn’t throw up a yellow warning triangle.
Alan R

 

[GSNZ]

Ah yes, now I understand. Well yes, to my knowledge of 10 bikes, 50% suffered a seizure of this non lubricated, noise abating butterfly valve. Not surprising considering it’s location in the hostile hot exhaust gas stream. Within warranty, BMW replace the header pipes. Out of warranty, live with it as it doesn’t throw up a yellow warning triangle.
Alan R

I guess you could live with it if the valve is stuck open .Before taking delivery of my 2013 GS a few months ago , I had the valve wired open , servo motor and cables removed off the bike ,and a Healtech version of the Servo Buddy plugged into the servo plug . No fault codes will be stored this way .

 

[septikangel]

I apologise if I didn't give quite the correct terminology, but some kind folk gave me the answer i was enquiring of.
I've owned and serviced and have knowledge of many Yamaha Exup systems, but while having owned new BMW's, have never had cause to delve further.
I knew little.
I've learned a lot, with thanks.
Now how do I close this thread while keeping the exhaust valve open (or closed?)

 

[Alan R]

I apologise if I didn't give quite the correct terminology, but some kind folk gave me the answer i was enquiring of.
I've owned and serviced and have knowledge of many Yamaha Exup systems, but while having owned new BMW's, have never had cause to delve further.
I knew little.
I've learned a lot, with thanks.
Now how do I close this thread while keeping the exhaust valve open (or closed?)

No need to apologise, for my part, I genuinely didn’t twig about which you were speaking, as it were. The valve in question is a bit different from the Yamaha Exup of which you are familiar. The older non LC bikes had the valve in a separate unit betwixt the header pipes and the end can. Eliminating the valve was a simple matter of removing and replacing with a bit of straight pipe. I understand that in order to comply with Euro 4 regs, the valve was incorporated into the header pipe to prevent removal and therefore frustrating, in particular, German TUV construction regs. As stated above, it is possible to disconnect the servo and fit a device to fool the ecu into ‘thinking’ the device is still in place.
Alan R

 

[hawkeye]

I apologise if I didn't give quite the correct terminology, but some kind folk gave me the answer i was enquiring of.
I've owned and serviced and have knowledge of many Yamaha Exup systems, but while having owned new BMW's, have never had cause to delve further.
I knew little.
I've learned a lot, with thanks.
Now how do I close this thread while keeping the exhaust valve open (or closed?)

I fitted an ES-Eliminator from Healtech to my R1250GS (Part Number ESE-BM1). All you have to do is remove the exhaust can to check the valve is open (it can then go back on). The electronics which control the cables plug into the engine just behind the rear brake lever, simply unplug the OEM plug and plug in the Healtech unit. Valve stays open, no error messages on the TFT and no problems with an MOT (mine just went through the MOT no worries). Bit noisier on start up, that aside, makes no difference to performance etc

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334466866745?hash=item4ddfc75e39:g:m8MAAOSwxfFin1YE

 

[knutk]

Another option is to simply disconnect the two cables, open up the servo unit and remove the cables and then allow the servounit to remain connected.

 

[casbar]

Another option is to simply disconnect the two cables, open up the servo unit and remove the cables and then allow the servounit to remain connected.

Interesting, have you actually tried this and can you confirm that there is no error code if you follow this approach? All my dealings with this over the years have shown, just disconnecting the cables still throws an error on the ECU. Which doesn't matter on pre 1250s but on 1250s there is an engine warning light.

 

[BobT]

Another option is to simply disconnect the two cables, open up the servo unit and remove the cables and then allow the servounit to remain connected.

In my opinion you are spreading fake news here as the servo needs some resistance and a limited travel of the cables to not throw a code.

 

[CPJS]

In my opinion you are spreading fake news here as the servo needs some resistance and a limited travel of the cables to not throw a code.

Not fake news, that's what I did on two different bikes until on the second bike the servo died, then I plugged in a gizmo to get rid the error code.

 

[casbar]

Not fake news, that's what I did on two different bikes until on the second bike the servo died, then I plugged in a gizmo to get rid the error code.

But did it stop the error code? Because it didn't on the bike I tried it on. The servo needs to pull the flap closed, then the spring on the flap resets the servo. If the servo isn't connected to anything, how does it reset itself? That is the bit that throws the error code. That is why people fit a servo buddy to fool the ecu into thinking the servo is operating and resetting. Again if disconnecting the cables stops the error codes then that is not the behaviour I found.

 

[Alan R]

In my opinion you are spreading fake news here as the servo needs some resistance and a limited travel of the cables to not throw a code.

Fake news - Not a helpful term to use here. It implies a deliberate attempt to dissemble. It would be more polite to ask the question - does that approach produce a fault code, or not? Of all the contributors to this thread, Knutk probably knows more than most.
Alan R

 

[knutk]

Interesting, have you actually tried this and can you confirm that there is no error code if you follow this approach? All my dealings with this over the years have shown, just disconnecting the cables still throws an error on the ECU. Which doesn't matter on pre 1250s but on 1250s there is an engine warning light.

I had a -15 GSA with Acra header. The wires where removed but the servo remained connected. The bike never threw a faultcode or and kind of warnings related to the exhausr flap. The sevo seemed to be quite happy with the wires removed.
True it was an Euro 3 bike, but the design appears to be similar to the newer ones.
I see the point to the no-load issue, but a well lubricated valve will pose little to none strain on the motor. There was no strain type of measuring mounted to my bike, so the only type of load warning ( by meassuring the current to the motor) would be a waning for a high load.

I can not guarantee 100% that BMW has done some internal changes to the newest bikes, but before jumping to ordering an elimlnator dongle,, testing is as easy as merely disconnecting the wires to the exhausrflap and see if the warning is being triggered.

 

[BobT]

Fake news - Not a helpful term to use here. It implies a deliberate attempt to dissemble. It would be more polite to ask the question - does that approach produce a fault code, or not? Of all the contributors to this thread, Knutk probably knows more than most.
Alan R

I am pleased that you have an idol to worship, but the OP asked about 1200/1250 bikes and your idol has admitted that he is talking about an older bike that was Euro3!
How many people will now disconnect the valve and find that it does throw a code, so saying that it won't is fake news.