Hot Starting Issues — 1250 GSA

Thanks guys for your feedback, I sent the new MBYZ16H (240cca) back to Motobatt, they have refunded me the full amount. I phoned today to buy the MHTX16 (350cca) and they don't stock it !
Searching around online there is nothing available. Messaged Bikersworldonline, as they sell a lithium battery that would fit, and is 300cca however have advised against fitting it as lithium batteries charge at a different rate and would not be compatible with BMW canbus.
Spoke to Church Stretton independent BMW specialist for 40 years, he's never heard of this problem !!
So now it seems get the valve clearance adjusted to the max value, buy the Yuasa YTX14H-BS (240cca) and maybe a Norco charger and hope !!
In 30plus years of bm's never had bollocks like this !
Have BMW acknowledged this problem exists and what have they suggested?
Or is it like the shaft, it's not a serviceable part sir and no problem. Then last year yes there is a problem and we will replace free of charge at 36,000 miles !
 
Scotdick said:
Thanks guys for your feedback, I sent the new MBYZ16H (240cca) back to Motobatt, they have refunded me the full amount. I phoned today to buy the MHTX16 (350cca) and they don't stock it !
Searching around online there is nothing available. Messaged Bikersworldonline, as they sell a lithium battery that would fit, and is 300cca however have advised against fitting it as lithium batteries charge at a different rate and would not be compatible with BMW canbus.
Spoke to Church Stretton independent BMW specialist for 40 years, he's never heard of this problem !!
So now it seems get the valve clearance adjusted to the max value, buy the Yuasa YTX14H-BS (240cca) and maybe a Norco charger and hope !!
In 30plus years of bm's never had bollocks like this !
Have BMW acknowledged this problem exists and what have they suggested?
Or is it like the shaft, it's not a serviceable part sir and no problem. Then last year yes there is a problem and we will replace free of charge at 36,000 miles !
Click to expand...
I sympathize mucho.
Hated every minute of it when it happened to me.

Valve… adjust… happy you will be… 😊


PS1:
MHTX16 Hybrid available here:
www.motoshopitalia.com

Motobatt MHTX16 AGM Hybrid Battery Lithium-Lead High Perform

Battery for motorcycles and scooters Motobatt MHTX16 Hybrid high performance sealed and charged ready to use. Motobatt Hybrid batteries exploit the best of Li
www.motoshopitalia.com www.motoshopitalia.com

PS2:
And during my ordeal with all this, I think I found out that this one is also better than the stock battery. 240CCA and 16AH, too:
www.batteryset.com

BATTERIE MOTO YUASA GYZ16H 12V 16AH 240A - Batteries Motos, Scooters, Quads, Motoneiges Moto - BatterySet

Découvrez toutes les caractéristiques de BATTERIE MOTO YUASA GYZ16H 12V 16AH 240A et commandez en ligne sur BatterySet en toute sécurité.
www.batteryset.com www.batteryset.com
 
I’m surprised that you say “Motobatt” no longer stock the Hybrid battery? Do you just mean the agent that sold you the original battery and not Motobatt themselves ??

Hendler Wholesale in Thorne, Doncaster are the UK importers and warranty agents of Motobatt products , maybe give them a call and check directly with them ?

01405 480000
[email protected]
 
Thanks very much guys, I'm waiting for EBay to process my £80 refund from Tanya then I'll order from Motoshopitalia.
Apologies was under the impression Tanya were importers.... rang Hendler 10.05am Saturday no reply, their website says MHTX16 'no stock' !
At least I can see some light at the tunnel end 😂👍
 
Scotdick said:
Thanks very much guys, I'm waiting for EBay to process my £80 refund from Tanya then I'll order from Motoshopitalia.
Apologies was under the impression Tanya were importers.... rang Hendler 10.05am Saturday no reply, their website says MHTX16 'no stock' !
At least I can see some light at the tunnel end 😂👍
Click to expand...
Went to my local Synter Motoradd Warwick today, tried to explain the problem,, showed them the exhaust valves piece on this forum set to max and they had no idea what 'max' meant, saying they would set to within BMW tolerances and fit a new battery either 200 or 240 cca.
Not sure what to do regarding Motoradd they just tow the party line saying not really seen this problem ! Plus their hourly labour charge is astronomical. The local specialist Church Stretton Motorcycles after 40 years has never heard of the problem !!

Has anybody used a dealer that knows and understands the problem ?
 
Dealers close ranks, sniff, chase fluff around their navels and lie about never hearing of your problem.

Just replace the shit OE battery yourself and spare yourself from the pantomime performance of bike dealerships, it’s embarrassing and your time is too precious to waste on such shit.
 
Scotdick said:
Went to my local Synter Motoradd Warwick today, tried to explain the problem,, showed them the exhaust valves piece on this forum set to max and they had no idea what 'max' meant, saying they would set to within BMW tolerances and fit a new battery either 200 or 240 cca.
Not sure what to do regarding Motoradd they just tow the party line saying not really seen this problem ! Plus their hourly labour charge is astronomical. The local specialist Church Stretton Motorcycles after 40 years has never heard of the problem !!

Has anybody used a dealer that knows and understands the problem ?
Click to expand...
I have. My BMW dealer. But that’s in France.
I came to them exactly as you did. With knowledge from this forum.

And the chief mechanic said « Yep. That is correct, I’ve seen it once and read a note about it. I’ll set your exhaust valves to max » (within tolerance indeed)

Which he did, which solved my problem.
 
Synter Motoradd Warwick said it's all very well for people on forums to quote this and that, they're not doing the work, we have to be responsible as if we damage your bike in some way, we are responsible, therefore we must follow guidelines.
Can I ask what actually is setting the exhaust valves to max is there a setting figure to quote?
 
Globetrotter said:
Indeed, it doesn't sound like the valve clearance adjustment going off what I've learnt recently, good call though, merely the lower CCA is just way Way WAY too weak for the GSA from the OEM battery. Would potentially save you a small fortune going with the latter, too... Had to order mine from Italy as there wasn't any in the UK last month 😄 good luck!
Click to expand...
It's not just the GSA, my 2019 RT did the same thing. Changed the battery all good so far
 
Mr Bean said:
How does this help the starting issues, when at a regular temp?

Genuinely keen to understand the reasoning.
Click to expand...
So am I.
Would prefer actual reasoning rather than pet theories or random guesses…
 
Mr Bean said:
How does this help the starting issues, when at a regular temp?

Genuinely keen to understand the reasoning.
Click to expand...
I am not an engineer and couldn't understand either in the first place.

But the chief mechanic at my BMW shop is very good at explaining engineering to philistines like me.
I will try to replicate what he explained to me back then:

- twin engines have bigger cylinders that inline 4s (for example, our engines have 625cc cylinders when a 1200cc inline 4 only has 300cc cylinders)
- for an electric starter motor, bigger pistons are much harder to move than smaller ones, especially in high compression engines
- to help the electrical starter motor move the pistons, there is a decompressor
- but even the decompressor may have difficulties decompressing enough if the exhaust valves do not let enough pressure out
- hence the fact of adjusting the exhaust valves to the highest values within tolerance, to help relieving pressure.
Edit: this is worse when hot because everything is dilated under heat.

On top of that, at the risk of repeating myself, here are a few points, not aimed at anyone in particular, and certainly not at you, Mr Bean. I appreciate the need to understand, I am exactly like that too.

Here goes:
1. I do not wish to win an argument
2. I have nothing to sell or prove
3. I have been through the worst experience of these hot starting issues, to the point where every single time I stopped when commuting to work, it happened to me and I had to work for 2 hours from a gas station to wait for my engine to cool down. So I reaaaally know the topic
4. My BMW dealer knows about the issue and offered this solution, which backed up 100% what I read here.
He said it is an official solution that was first mentioned to him by a German colleague from Munich during some seminary meeting or something
5. It solved my issue right away and it NEVER happened again (and made my bike feel a lot more dynamic in the process, cherry on the cake)
6. I did add a Motobatt Hybrid just for good measure and due to the trauma of being stranded so many times on the side of the road, but a more powerful battery only hides the problem, which continues existing in the background.
 
Scotdick said:
Synter Motoradd Warwick said it's all very well for people on forums to quote this and that, they're not doing the work, we have to be responsible as if we damage your bike in some way, we are responsible, therefore we must follow guidelines.
Can I ask what actually is setting the exhaust valves to max is there a setting figure to quote?
Click to expand...
This is part of regular maintenance. Valve adjustment, I mean. So BMW have charts, with min and max values within which the valves have to remain adjusted.
So Synter Motorrad can rest addured that they will not be out of line, they would still 100% respect the maintenance guidelines.

Here, the point is to go to the max value within the chart, i-e the value that lets the most pressure out.
Puckmeister had it done too, I believe.


And remember, valve adjustment is part of every other maintenance schedule! It is standard work!
 
Last edited:
MAgnus.LPA said:
- but even the decompressor may have difficulties decompressing enough if the exhaust valves do not let enough pressure out
- hence the fact of adjusting the exhaust valves to the highest values within tolerance, to help relieving pressure.
Edit: this is worse when hot because everything is dilated under heat.
Click to expand...
If you adjust the valve clearances to the maximum, it means that the valve opening will be marginally smaller and therefore the opposite of what is being suggested.

In my previous experience valve clearance generally close up a little when hot, again the opposite of the suggestion.
 
^^^^^^^^^

Exactly.
👏

If it’s related to making the decompressor work to its max potential a *smaller* valve gap would be more suitable.
 
yep, the valve gap is a moot point anyway as a decent battery cures it.
 
Hann said:
yep, the valve gap is a moot point anyway as a decent battery cures it.
Click to expand...
Absolutely right Mr Hann. After being left high and dry more than once in my 1150 RT days due to underperforming batteries, and never being confident in my current 1200 GSA's reliability to fire up (an eerie momentary stillness before each and every stuttering start), I bought and fitted a hybrid thingy and for months now the bike has been roaring into life like a rhino on heat. I rarely offer advice on this site but I am sure that this brilliant double-edged sword is the way to go.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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