Loomin hell

[Scuba-Sparky]

Hi Everyone.
Sounds good & even hopeful, will hold my breath for a ride report to see if all the gremlims have been shot!!

 

[monkeyboy]

Hi Everyone.
Sounds good & even hopeful, will hold my breath for a ride report to see if all the gremlims have been shot!!

Sparky - it was riding perfect all last week at least - only about 400 miles so far but it's not done that for longer than I can remember. It's in bits AGAIN in the garage this weekend after depositing loads of oil in final drive gaiter from the gearbox output seal

BTW - did you know that the design of that seal has changed? I phoned Bahnstormer to confirm the one they had sold me was correct as it's different from the one that came off and they said it's been updated. There is now no steel reinforcing ring on the back, and the inner lip loops slightly curved to me. Maybe they've had too many leeks

Anyway - hopefully it'll be back together in the morning and ready for another faultless week

 

[Scuba-Sparky]

HI Monkey Boy,
Typical!! If it not on thing its another!!
Just imagine if we had bought the 1200. . . .

 

[sproggy]

Sorry, been away in Munich. I decided to go and have a chat with the boys at the factory about the problem

It has not messed me about once this week and the fueling throughout the whole rev range seems completely different. I even surprised myself pulling away from a roundabout the other day with the eagerness and willingness of the engine.

This is good to hear, but I seem to recall that the problem has been intermittent for you in the past? So maybe it's a good idea to wait a while longer.........

It might be my megga obsessiveness and hyper sensitivity but crusing at exatly 3k doesn't feel EXACTLY right when I'm sitting in the saddle.

But isn't that a case of "they all do that, Sir"? These bikes tend to surge slightly and that I can put up with. I wouldn't expect the ECU to give a 100% smooth running motor but yours sounds good enough to stop me obsessing about it.

I am very surprised at the difference it has made and I guess the proof is that I'm willing to keep it on and pay the £240.

Well you have a 45 day no-quibble return arrangement with Motorworks anyway so you've got plenty of opportunity to keep testing it.

I'm guessing personally that it is something to do with the temp sensor or TPS connections.

That would be my guess too, based on how mine rides.

If you want to ride down and give my new ECU a go then come on down - if you want to try my old one and see how that treats you then I'll post it to you for a trial. That might at least show you the problems I was having and you can compare them with yours.

What you need to do is get someone with a perfectly-running single spark bike to fit your old ECU to it and see if the problem appears on their bike. That might be a more sure-fire way of confirming that the problem lies in the ECU as you're starting with a bike that runs well.

I'll not be doing anything more to mine before Christmas because of lack of time but it'll be interesting to hear how you get on over the next few weeks. Thanks for being a guinea pig

 

[monkeyboy]

Well... I reckon I can now put this ghost to rest

Another week with the fault count at zero despite the tiptoeing round in the nasty weather has finally convinced me that the ECU was the fault. When I think back to how it had been riding a couple of months ago it's now a completely different animal. Two years of head scratching and avoiding the inevitable of buying the most expensive part that could be at fault and changing everything but that part has at least led me to a conclusion that was becoming hard to ignore. So, ECUs fail it seems. Not in a 'there you are, I'm buggered, obviously, so change me' fashion but a 'catch me if you can, now you see me now you don't' sort of way. Judging by the responses of the people here it seems the late single sparks are the ones that exhibit the fault for whatever reason. If I see another ECU for sale on fleabay then I'll buy it as a spare.

Still, all's well that ends well I guess.

Happy Christmas

MB

 

[sproggy]

Monkeyboy, you have me convinced - the first thing on my shopping list once I've been paid at the end of this month is a replacement ECU

If we both find that this sorts the problem then it's pretty much guaranteed that a different ECU will sort out others with 2002 bikes exhibiting the same trouble. I can't wait to experience my bike running properly for the first time since I bought it.......

I'll post back here in a few weeks once I've fitted a replacement and the snow and ice has melted enough for me to ride the bike

 

[monkeyboy]

Monkeyboy, you have me convinced - the first thing on my shopping list once I've been paid at the end of this month is a replacement ECU

If we both find that this sorts the problem then it's pretty much guaranteed that a different ECU will sort out others with 2002 bikes exhibiting the same trouble. I can't wait to experience my bike running properly for the first time since I bought it.......

I'll post back here in a few weeks once I've fitted a replacement and the snow and ice has melted enough for me to ride the bike

Cool - I really hope you get the same results as me mate. As long as you can send it back then it's a no loose anyway innit. If it doesn't sort it, then I'll send you a box of things to swap and try

BTW - you might be able to get this cheaper

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BMW-GS-1150R-...mQQptZUK_Motorcycle_Parts?hash=item19b765dc43

 

[sproggy]

BTW - you might be able to get this cheaper

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BMW-GS-1150R-...mQQptZUK_Motorcycle_Parts?hash=item19b765dc43

Thanks I've put in an offer - we'll see what happens. It's bound to be a safe buy - ECUs never fail do they?

My normal search didn't pull that one up - no wonder with a "GS 1150R" description.....

 

[sproggy]

BTW - you might be able to get this cheaper

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BMW-GS-1150R-...mQQptZUK_Motorcycle_Parts?hash=item19b765dc43

Got it First offer refused (well, it was worth a try.....), second offer accepted. Probably won't get it for a couple of weeks now but will let you know if it does the trick.

 

[sproggy]

The ECU arrived today. Rushed home from work (as much as the weather would allow - an 850/1100 screen isn't quite as effective in a downpour as an Adventure one....I might as well have been swimming), whipped the tank off the 1150 and switched the ECU over. Put it back together and.......it wouldn't run. Yup - throttle cable out of its seat

Anyway, I went out for around 20 miles, still in torrential rain, and it's like a different bike. Smooth, progressive throttle response and no lurching at all. If I was being picky (and I am, generally) there is a little bit of surging around 3k rpm but it's the "they all do that, Sir" surging, not the awful lurch/misfire that I had before and the bike has the cat fitted at the moment and I haven't tried different CCP jumpers yet so I reckon putting the y-piece back on and trying jumpers will sort that.

So subject to more road testing early indications are that mine's sorted too Scuba-Sparky, you may want to invest in a second hand ECU.



So what's the conclusion - bad batch of ECUs in 2002 or something else on the bike that messes up the ECU? To be honest, though, I don't care - after 6 months I've got a bike that runs (almost) right and now I'm just going to enjoy it. But for anyone reading this in the future, if you have a 2002 bike that doesn't run right and can't be sorted with careful setup, try a different ECU.

 

[monkeyboy]

The ECU arrived today. Rushed home from work (as much as the weather would allow - an 850/1100 screen isn't quite as effective in a downpour as an Adventure one....I might as well have been swimming), whipped the tank off the 1150 and switched the ECU over. Put it back together and.......it wouldn't run. Yup - throttle cable out of its seat

Anyway, I went out for around 20 miles, still in torrential rain, and it's like a different bike. Smooth, progressive throttle response and no lurching at all. If I was being picky (and I am, generally) there is a little bit of surging around 3k rpm but it's the "they all do that, Sir" surging, not the awful lurch/misfire that I had before and the bike has the cat fitted at the moment and I haven't tried different CCP jumpers yet so I reckon putting the y-piece back on and trying jumpers will sort that.

So subject to more road testing early indications are that mine's sorted too Scuba-Sparky, you may want to invest in a second hand ECU.



So what's the conclusion - bad batch of ECUs in 2002 or something else on the bike that messes up the ECU? To be honest, though, I don't care - after 6 months I've got a bike that runs (almost) right and now I'm just going to enjoy it. But for anyone reading this in the future, if you have a 2002 bike that doesn't run right and can't be sorted with careful setup, try a different ECU.

That's excellent news Sproggy. I hope you got a bargain on that ebay ECU you lucky bugger The difference it made sounds like mine. TBH it felt different from the moment I first pulled away. If I'd have been blindfolded I'd have sworn it was a different bike.

It looks pretty conclusive that it was bad ECUs towards the end of the run but having said that it may be to do with the way we ride. You and I both ride all year round and so the ECU is constantly exposed to big temperature differences, getting very warm then very cold on a daily basis at this time of year. Mine first started getting bad in the winter a couple of years ago and it felt like carb-icing even though it couldn't be. It seemed to be worse on mornings hovering about 0 degrees and misty mornings used to trigger it too. Thinking about it now it wasn't so bad in the summer when the expansion and contraction would have been a lot less. I suspect this is a factor as our mileages are quite different (40k isn't it?) and it's unlikely to be an age related thing. It would be great if someone could open it up and find out a definitive answer

Hope yours continues to function properly now Sproggy. Have a good new year

MB

 

[sproggy]

That's excellent news Sproggy. I hope you got a bargain on that ebay ECU you lucky bugger

I'd better not tell you in case you cry, but it wasn't the Motorworks price Thanks for the tip about that - I owe you a pint or three

The difference it made sounds like mine. TBH it felt different from the moment I first pulled away. If I'd have been blindfolded I'd have sworn it was a different bike.

Same here, although I had just climbed off a 93k mile 850 so I guess it would feel different.... Accepting what I'd just climbed off, the 1150 did seem to have a huge amount more low-end pull than I remember (as you say - when you first pull away) which caught me by surprise. I kept my left hand and foot poised to change up at the point where it would stutter previously......but it never did - just pulled smoothly throughout the rev range. You should have seen the smile on my face!

It looks pretty conclusive that it was bad ECUs towards the end of the run but having said that it may be to do with the way we ride. You and I both ride all year round and so the ECU is constantly exposed to big temperature differences, getting very warm then very cold on a daily basis at this time of year.

I don't think it's usage. My bike was like this when I bought it and the previous owner didn't use it for commuting. It did live outside under a cover, though. There must be people who use '99 - '01 bikes the same way we do and also bikes that undergo more extreme temperature variations (in the US particularly, I'd guess) so I reckon it's either sub-standard ECU assembly (dry joints or similar) or a faulty component. I'm not inclined to investigate further, though - ECUs aren't so expensive that it's worth trying to trouble-shoot and fix a faulty one.

Mine first started getting bad in the winter a couple of years ago and it felt like carb-icing even though it couldn't be. It seemed to be worse on mornings hovering about 0 degrees and misty mornings used to trigger it too. Thinking about it now it wasn't so bad in the summer when the expansion and contraction would have been a lot less. I suspect this is a factor as our mileages are quite different (40k isn't it?) and it's unlikely to be an age related thing.

I always had a feeling that mine was worse in damp weather, but cold weather seemed not to affect it. I can't really remember back to the summer - whether it was better then because of the weather or because the problem itself has got worse since then. Mine's done 29k miles which I think is about half what yours has done? There are bikes out there that have done 10 times what mine's done, in all weathers, and their ECU is still going strong.

Hope yours continues to function properly now Sproggy. Have a good new year

I will now I've got the bike working properly Have a good one yourself

 

[Scuba-Sparky]

Morning Monkey boy & Sproggy
Its good to hear good news , it was starting to put me off the old girl

So guess whats in first place on the New Year 'Must buy!' list?
Just out off intrest, the ECU's you have fitted were they from an 02 or 01 models? Just so if I see one at the right price, might even phone Steptoe up If Im feeling brave. . . . . .

 

[sproggy]

My ECU was from an '01 model apparently. I doubt that Motorworks would know what age of bike monkeyboy's replacement was from. Anything from 2000 onwards should be good - they all have the same part number (but an '03 onwards one won't work because the twin-spark ones are different).

There's an RT one on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390053145185

but it's from an '02 model so you might decide not to risk it

Steptoe said that he has some so he's worth a try. Otherwise Motorworks have them and they come up occasionally on eBay. You could also put a wanted ad on the forum.

Please post back here once you've fitted a replacement and let us know if it sorted the problem.

 

[monkeyboy]

Is the RT one on ebay the same as the GS one then Sproggy?

Re Steptoes ECUs - he has some you can borrow (ie go to his and swap them over and test) but none for sale last time I spoke to him.

I don't know what year mine is from so hopefully it'll be OK. Motorworks would have one I'm sure but they're about 240 quid. Well worth it if you're about to ride the bastard over a cliff as I was ready too

Good luck anyway - hopefully it'll work on yours like it has on mine and Sproggys.

As a matter of interest - what are the stats of your bike, and what sort of riding do you do? Do you ride in all weathers etc?

MB

 

[sproggy]

Is the RT one on ebay the same as the GS one then Sproggy?

The part number is the same for the GS and RT ECUs - 13617658614. So on that basis yes, they're the same. In fact all single spark 1150s (GS, RT, R, RS) have the same part number for the ECU so I would guess they're fully interchangeable.

But that part number doesn't appear on either of my ECUs - they both display "0 261 206 173" which is the same as quoted for the RT one on eBay. A different part numbering system? 13617658614 is from RealOEM online parts system:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/select.do?kind=M&arch=0

 

[Steptoe]

ECU's have a different part number for different years.

And i do now have a spare ecu 2000 12k miles or a 2001 28K miles or a 2002 6K miles

 

[sproggy]

ECU's have a different part number for different years.

That does sound more likely than what RealOEM claims. Or did they come originally with different part numbers for each year but all have now been superceded in terms of a new replacement?

And i do now have a spare ecu 2000 12k miles or a 2001 28K miles or a 2002 6K miles

Hmmmm, a 2002 ECU........appealing........

 

[Scuba-Sparky]

Hi MonkeyBoy
My wee beasty is an 02 1150 with 56k on the clock, generally I ride all year round and in most weathers, but as some silly twit dug a 3 foot deep trench pass the garage door two months ago! Have not been out for a few months!!! Did think it was wet weather related to start with. As giving a generous spray with wd40 under the tank did make it run better, but it did the same when in the south of France and in Morroco (weather )
Will see if I can get the ebay one, as anything is better than whats on there at the mo.

 

[Steptoe]

That does sound more likely than what RealOEM claims. Or did they come originally with different part numbers for each year but all have now been superceded in terms of a new replacement?

Not sure how a factory fresh item fits in the scheme of things - But they used to have different internals, if you wanted to chip the motronic you needed a chip to match the year of the motronic.

Out of curiosity and for the benefit of mankind and fellow gsers I've tried fitting year specific chips into different year motronics and you get all sorts of strange side effects .

But you can run on any year unchipped motronics no problem ( obviously not twin spark units).