Is my bike running rich?

[_pi_]

'03 reg 1150 GS twin spark with 3200 miles and standard exhaust/cat.

Symptoms:
1. rough to start - had idle speed turned up once already by dealer but with choke on still reving below 1200 before it is warm
2. feels down on power
3. soot on the exhaust outlet
4. fuel consumption low 30s mpg in town (london 8 mile commute)
5. perhaps unrelated but in another thread - it still uses a lot of oil (700ml in last 1000 miles).
6. more popping at RPMs below 3200 on overrun

ok i do give it some but low 30s mpg?!

help?!

 

[Fanum]

'03 with low mileage??

Get thee back to thy dealers and stamp your foot sir!!!

(politely of course ..but firmly!)

This surely is something for them to damn well sort out...and in the mean time you'll be needing a loan bike........



Not much help I know, but seems like it's the only answer...you'll no doubt get some very good advice here but with those symptoms on that bike it sounds like something they really ought to be sorting even if you do get some ideas as to what the prob is here.

 

[Jimb]

Check the TB balance, the cables "stretch " a bit when hew and yours is virtually new.

Obtain a Twinmax and learn to do it youirself as this is a proceedure best checked often and it makes a hell of a difference.
Takes 10 mins or less to check.

 

[_pi_]

Check the TB balance, the cables "stretch " a bit when hew and yours is virtually new.

Obtain a Twinmax and learn to do it youirself as this is a proceedure best checked often and it makes a hell of a difference.
Takes 10 mins or less to check.

but when they turned up the idle they said the TB were balanced...

will this change fuel consumption?

 

[Jimb]

Who is THEY, why don't you do it yourself, if you change the idle speed you then have to balance the TB's as its an integral part of the process, so if THEY changed the idle speed are you sure the TB's were balanced. Unless you do it yourself you will never know.

Yes it will change fuel consuption, and make sure the code plug is installed, it should be the yellow one.

 

[leigh]

Yes it will change fuel consuption, and make sure the code plug is installed, it should be the yellow one.


Not fitted on twin sparks Take it back to the dealer's.Could be something simple or more involved. Were the cylinder heads retorqued & valve clearances set at the 600 service? Has the lamda sensor recall been done? Might possibly be a problem with the throttle pot - had a couple of those recently

 

[_pi_]

Who is THEY, why don't you do it yourself, if you change the idle speed you then have to balance the TB's as its an integral part of the process, so if THEY changed the idle speed are you sure the TB's were balanced. Unless you do it yourself you will never know.

Yes it will change fuel consuption, and make sure the code plug is installed, it should be the yellow one.

'they' is the new park lane bmw service in battersea. i used them as it was warranty work - im not keen to invalidate my warranty. they claimed that the throttle bodies were balanced after the idle adjust.

otherwise i would be happy/keen to do it myself. i worry about BMW washing their hands of any more serious problems if i tinker about. was hoping there was something v silly i could check that might help.

 

[_pi_]

Yes it will change fuel consuption, and make sure the code plug is installed, it should be the yellow one.


Not fitted on twin sparks Take it back to the dealer's.Could be something simple or more involved. Were the cylinder heads retorqued & valve clearances set at the 600 service? Has the lamda sensor recall been done? Might possibly be a problem with the throttle pot - had a couple of those recently

taking it by the dealer's tommorow... dont think valve clearances set at 600 miles. what is a lamda sensor? where can i find a set of recall notices for my bike?

 

[_pi_]

I think i now have the answer - BMW had not done the recall work (it was not flagged on the system for the bike).

the work was simple - move the oxygen sensor (lambda) cable away from the lead beside it - apparently they interfere in the signal to the engine mgmt and the engine runs rough and with poor fuel economy. i was getting low 30s mpg and rough idle/power delivery.

a quick spin after the moving of the cable and it seems better. next tank of fuel will give the answer.

any other recalls for twin sparks?

thx for the help/replies.

 

[schnauzer]

the only other recall i know is the 'o' rings and bits in the fuel pipes..... just had that done on my 03 adv

 

[leigh]

I think i now have the answer - BMW had not done the recall work (it was not flagged on the system for the bike).




S'funny! Information's been around for a while with a range of affected chassis numbers.Must have slipped through