More woe! What is going on!

[Santa-2512]

Nip into your neareast BMW car delaership ,

its used on a myriad of BMW cars Mini, E36, E34, E39, F10 F11 E32 E38

so will more than likey be off the shelf

 

[Slipperyeel]

Nip into your neareast BMW car delaership ,

its used on a myriad of BMW cars Mini, E36, E34, E39, F10 F11 E32 E38

so will more than likey be off the shelf

Thanks. Good idea.
I don't think it's the relays... Though they shouldn't be so expensive, therefore I don't mind getting them.
But to be honest, I think it needs to go back to a Motorrad dealer here...only because they (BMW where the last ones in there and now the symptoms are way worse and coming back from the flippin alternator they fitted.
I'm not looking for a blame game. I simply want it fixed. Nothing more. But right now. Attaching a battery bothers me...

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Thanks. Good idea.
I don't think it's the relays... Though they shouldn't be so expensive, therefore I don't mind getting them.
But to be honest, I think it needs to go back to a Motorrad dealer here...only because they (BMW where the last ones in there and now the symptoms are way worse and coming back from the flippin alternator they fitted.
I'm not looking for a blame game. I simply want it fixed. Nothing more. But right now. Attaching a battery bothers me...

Just buy a new bike

 

[SBD]

Well, first, if you don’t have a battery attached. Use a decent multimeter to measure the resistance from the live battery lead to the negative lead. If it isn’t very high (with everything switched off), I’d not attach a battery.

I think getting it taken to a dealership might be a good solution, though it might prove expensive. They should be able to find the problem, and their evidence should help if you have a dispute with the dealer who got you back on the road.

Of course, it might be an expensive way to fix something unrelated that’s broken on the way home.

 

[Slipperyeel]

Just buy a new bike

I've had the same thought. A few times! But this bike, until now, had been a really good apple. I'll get it fixed, though that is going to be a journey in itself . I couldn't sell it like it is anyway... A new one is looming for sure

 

[Slipperyeel]

Well, first, if you don’t have a battery attached. Use a decent multimeter to measure the resistance from the live battery lead to the negative lead. If it isn’t very high (with everything switched off), I’d not attach a battery.

I think getting it taken to a dealership might be a good solution, though it might prove expensive. They should be able to find the problem, and their evidence should help if you have a dispute with the dealer who got you back on the road.

Of course, it might be an expensive way to fix something unrelated that’s broken on the way home.

Thanks for the advice. I've got a fairly good DVM and this will be my job this morning. It's clearly such a big short I'm hoping it's not that difficult to find. I know, famous last words

It could well end up at a dealer, in part because BMW did the last work on the bike, they may absorbs a little bit of a cost. I'm not the kind of person to get into a blame game, I move forward...I just want the actual problem found and fixed so this story is in the past.

 

[autogs]

Are you expecting a uk bmw dealer to do subsidised work because of what the foreign bmw dealer did?

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Are you expecting a uk bmw dealer to do subsidised work because of what the foreign bmw dealer did?

No…no…no

The BMW mothership may look favourably on their authorised main dealer failure to detect and fix ….perhaps

 

[Slipperyeel]

No…no…no

The BMW mothership may look favourably on their authorised main dealer failure to detect and fix ….perhaps

This was my thinking. It's a maybe... they may not care though, in the hope/expectation I'll buy a new one

The dealer in France saw my bike as being 'really old' despite their comments it was actually in excellent condition!

 

[autogs]

It's a nice idea but can't see it happening! But who knows it's "off season " they may have the time to be gratuitous?

 

[digby]

That's exactly what I'm bloody thinking! Bit of a miracle it got me home!

Do you know where the relay is?

2011 GSA

Sorry no
But I’m sure somebody here does

 

[Slipperyeel]

Sorry no
But I’m sure somebody here does

Ah. I found it (them)! See above, some pics there also

 

[Slipperyeel]

Ok. Just got the DVM onto it - not a thorough check as I'm supposed to be working

But across the battery terminals (battery removed) I'm getting a 5.3Ohm reading, so that confirms a big short as suspected. I'm going to take a look this evening.

I don't have a probe for checking this kind of thing. Any tips on finding the short itself, visually and/or with the DVM?

My first port of call will be the plug in the alternator and I'll trace the big + and - cables from the alternator

 

[Steptoe]

I’m not sure what exactly has been going on ( too many posts and threads to read through everything) .. but if it’s a new alternator and you suspect it’s shorting, not knowing age of bike or denso or Bosch alternator, the plugs are different on each alternator, and only one alternator is available, so they supply a plug to fit, so the old plug is cut off and the new one is soldered in place.. something you can quickly check, that is if it needed a plug swop

 

[Slipperyeel]

I’m not sure what exactly has been going on ( too many posts and threads to read through everything) .. but if it’s a new alternator and you suspect it’s shorting, not knowing age of bike or denso or Bosch alternator, the plugs are different on each alternator, and only one alternator is available, so they supply a plug to fit, so the old plug is cut off and the new one is soldered in place.. something you can quickly check, that is if it needed a plug swop

Thanks steppers. This is useful info. I'm going to get the plug off as no.1 check.
For your info, it's an OEM Denso unit that's been fitted.

ps. Yes. Lots of posts . It's a bit like a river, just dive in wherever you're at!

 

[Santa-2512]

Are you expecting a uk bmw dealer to do subsidised work because of what the foreign bmw dealer did?

If the defect us due to the part, it matters not one bit whether it was a UK or non UK dealer, the costs get picked up by the mothership