HES? Bike dies

[gregneedham]

Searched threads, read 4 pages, but still need some help. 2000 1150 GS, 106,400 miles.

This weekend I took off the tank, changed all the fluids, air filter, alt. belt, etc. (did not change fuel filter.) Got it all back together, ran great. In fact, it still runs great. Except it dies.

In the last 40 miles, since the work, it has died 4 or 5 times. Symptoms seem unrelated to RPM or on-throttle, off-throttle. I have read all the threads on Hall sensor, motronic, fuel filter, etc. What I haven't been able to find on the threads is that when my bike dies, everything just shuts off...RID lights go off, bike dies, done. Stop, turn off the key, turn it back on, start up and go.

Other than that, bike is running perfectly. Smooth, idles great, haven't noticed the tach jumping around, etc. I have wiggled the wires under the steering, no effect.

I need to replace the sparkplug wires, as I discovered over the weekend that they are worn, but would that cause the electrical system to shut down completely, then come right back on?

Final note: I was just outside in the driveway, and i started the bike up, let it idle and it would die, then without touching the key, the RID would light back up and I could hear the fuel filter start up. As the bike idled, I could move the kickstand up and down and no effect. I don't think it is the switch on the kickstand.

Any help appreciated.

Greg

 

[ianboydsnr]

sounds like a dodgy earth, so check the battery connection

 

[pikeydave]

Well you sound like you've got a logical brain on your shoulders so start methodically working through.

Some suggestions:
Battery terminals, earth strap. hot wire the sidestand to eliminate it, wear in the ignition barrell.

 

[gregneedham]

Thanks for the replies. Would a cracked spark plug cable cause the bike electrics to shut down?

 

[pikeydave]

Thanks for the replies. Would a cracked spark plug cable cause the bike electrics to shut down?

shouldn't do. That's HT to the plug but check your fuses for any corrosion, loose connections etc. You've a miley bike and this is the sort of probs that come with age and use.
Are you twin spark?
(too lazy to backtrack)
EDIT: Did backtrack and have seen the age of your bike; ignore

 

[gregneedham]

No, single spark. I didn't think it would.

Prior to working in the bike this last weekend, I put 4000 miles on the bike and never had a hiccup. So I am thinking I either crimped a wire, shorted something out, or the HES has gone bad in a moment of exquisite timing.

Would a bad HES cause the electrics to shut down completely, then come back on just as fast?

 

[motobiker]

No.. my HES died a nasty death a couple of weeks ago. had no effect on the electrics whatsoever. Had the slassic 'bouncy rev counter needle' - was strange to read about a symptom on so many threads and then actually see it.

I think you can rule out the HES as the source of your particular problem

 

[gregneedham]

It's looking like either a battery connection issue or a short. I know the wiring on my bike is well worn. If I find wiring with compromised insulation, what is the accepted method of repair? Do I just tape off the effected areas or try to replace either the whole wire or just replace the bad section?

Thanks again for all the help.

 

[sethmopp]

On mine I had a loose positive terminal. The bike would run OK, but on start up it would cause the RID to flicker, zero-ing the clock and sometimes if it caught, it was lumpy and would sometimes then cut out. If it didn't, the bike would run well and sometimes when re-starting (especially with a warm engine) would fire up without issue. I tightened up the terminal, but it had still done it once or twice (once could have been a bit of water getting past the filler cap seal in heavy overnight rain). I wonder if my battery's starting to fail (Westco battery 2 years old), though it will spin it over well enough. The bike is a 2000 1150 with 118000 miles. Once running OK it hasn't died on me though. I have a couple of minor wiring probs (neutral light doesn't work, neither does the charging light - time to look at them methinks?

 

[Uncle Rob]

try grasping the main wiring loom by the headstock,they fill with water and rot the connectors which gives you symtoms that you descibe

 

[Littledumptruck]

Sounds to me like you need to go back over everything you've done. Make sure all connections are back as they should be, and that you haven't disturbed or broken any adjacent ones.

I replaced some glow plugs on an old diesel van year's ago, spent days trying to find why it wouldn't start. Bought extra parts, only to find I'd earthed one of the live wires by letting it turn to the side touching a metal fuel pipe, doh...

I always try and remember that whenever something that used to work doesn't after being played with.

 

[Voyager]

Just a thought . . .

Have you blocked/trapped the tank breather pipe ?

If its not breathing the fuel pump will eventually be unable to suck fuel - I don't know how intelligent the ECU is and whether that would cause it to shut down ?

It should be easy to check before you go digging under the tank again

It'll be something simple somewhere


Bob.

 

[motobiker]

Just a thought . . .

Have you blocked/trapped the tank breather pipe ?

If its not breathing the fuel pump will eventually be unable to suck fuel - I don't know how intelligent the ECU is and whether that would cause it to shut down ?

It should be easy to check before you go digging under the tank again

It'll be something simple somewhere


Bob.

no.. the ECU isn't that clever on these bikes.

And digging under the tank is exactly what he will have to do as its pretty obvious that taking it off in the first place is the root cause of this problem.

 

[Packer]

+1 for a trapped fuel or breather hose under the tank.

Too much of a coincidence in my opinion that this should occur after the tank has been off.

Another idea, on such a high mileage bike there may have been a considerable accululation of water in the left lobe of the tank and in handling it off the bike this has now been transferred to the right lobe from where the pump draws the fuel. Take the tank back off and completely drain it. Easier said than done if you haven't previously done the fuel filler mod. You could try syphoning it in place I suppose