Mountain of Issues - rolling progress any help :)

[garvey2003]

Thought I would combine my posts as I am starting to have a good long list of issues.

Love the bike and I know this is all down to teething issues of owning a neglected 85k R1150GS

Problems

1. Indicators flash too fast ONLY when head lights are on.
   flash normal with side lights or no lights. Battery holding its charge etc
2. Right hand side oil leak - Looks like it's the inner gasket - Anything else I should know or check
3. Right hand rocker cover bolts don't seem to tighten up very tight - to scared to crank it.
   I think I should invest in a torque wrench, whats the torque setting for them
4. ticking/knocking noise from right hand side - if I hold the throttle cable pully bit in the noise stops
   Looks like you can get a re-build kit for them. If I leave it for a month or so, will this be fine? do I need to reset anything after the repair?
5. Pitting on stanchions
6. Rear seat lock bracket broken - its wedged in place at the moment the lock it's self is fine just the bracke that holds it in place
7. Engine paint in major need of sorting - DIY job once the we have a little warmer weather.
8. Ignition barrel bottom wires hanging out - taped up at the moment
   I wonder if this has anything to do with the indicator issue. I hate electrics
9. Crunching gears when changing down from 6th to 5th.
   If I firmly step on the gear selector with clutch fully in, most of the time it changes fine. worse fear is the gearbox needs work but hoping its a selector or clutch issue????

any suggestions or ideals or local help greatly received

As you can see, she's riddled with issues but not put me off YET, think she's been ridden hard and put away wet

Thanks in advance
Garv

 

[Stewart H]

Right hand cover bolts probably stripped, get a helicoil kit, only tighten them using a short allen key, there is a shoulder on the bolts so go careful, I did my engine paint in situ using satin hammerite aerosol, looks a lot better, try lubricating the gearshift linkages before worrying too much about the box, 85k is just run in

 

[IanPorter]

Rocker cover bolts are 8Nm so not very tight

I had to helicoil one of mine as the previous owner stripped the thread

the oil leak sounds like it's jut the seal around the spark plug as you found, I've had that one too

 

[ChrisH Kerry]

#1 sounds like a bad earth to me if only happening when headlight is on. Check where earth points are and take them off frame clean up and replace.
#2 You know answer to that as stated above
#3 Common problem having these bolts strip - if so helicoil
#4 Ticking/knocking sounds like throttle body spindle bushes, if you put a finger on the part where cable goes and it stops there's your answer.Repair kits available from few sources or get them rebuilt by someone (few on here do them .. )
#5 That one has been answered elsewhere
#6,#7,#8 Minor cosmetic details - well not sure about wires hanging out ignition barrel ...
#9 Check the movement of the gear lever.. mine was very stiff ( ha ha...) and wouldn't change down easily. Took it apart, cleaned up the pivot and is fine now. Worth checking before more serious stuff is considered.

Hope some of that helps.

 

[metropolis2k]

• Crunching gears when changing down from 6th to 5th.
  If I firmly step on the gear selector with clutch fully in, most of the time it changes fine. worse fear is the gearbox needs work but hoping its a selector or clutch issue????

Mine does that a bit. Never had a full answer as to why but I've noticed it depends on revs and speed so can be 'managed' (not much of a solution though I'm afraid!)

 

[Uncle Crumpet]

Do you pop the throttle when changing down?

 

[Old Codger]

Ignition Barrel Wiring

Known to fracture

Replacement part not too expensive

Could save a whole lot of problems including getting stranded

Fitting not too difficult if you know how

If you are not sure ask for pm,s how to do it Better not for general forum knowledge

Seat lock mechanism worth renewing the assembly

 

[Bendy toy]

I always pop the throttle on down-shifts (missmatch the clutch/throttle) so the revs blip. Get it right and you can down-shift faster than up with no gearbox stress.

 

[Fanum]

Indicators flash too fast ONLY when head lights are on.

Sounds like one of the front indicators is earthing through the headlamp connections.

Incomplete circuit, so less resistance, so flash rate increases as if one of the bulbs has blown.

As mentioned above already, the headstock wiring is a serious suspect for this......they are often too tightly cable tied up where they need to flex, so the wires get brittle and can break inside the loom around the headstock....a short up there could cause these symptoms.

That's the bad news....the good news is that the headstock wiring is actually a sub-loom (I think) and isn't stupidly expensive.

Have a look at the RealOEM website.......you'll find it very useful for identifying parts and so on.....then Motorworks, James Sherlock and Motobins websites are well worth a good look too

Neil (Steptoe) is also a font of knowledge......if you need a spare part, try him first, his shop site and phone numbers are on the GSShop link that you'll find here.

Just take the piss out of him and take no crap- he can be a grumpy git sometimes but he knows his onions

 

[garvey2003]

thanks guys for some good info, funny enough on the way home tonight I lost power when I turned right, low speed so was not to much of a drama. turn the bars back and the power returned.

When I got home I checked out the ignition and under some dodgy tape was a broken wire. Thought to my self, I'll re-solder that until I get a replacement. By the time I stripped all the old electrical tape I found why the bottom of the ignition was hanging, it's been taped up after a not very good repair.

two wires on the ignition have borken where its soldered and one wire about two inches from the barrel.

I've managed to solder and tape them all ready for work tomorrow but will take it all off tomorrow and so a proper job of soldering new wires.
You got to love the GS's I know I do even with the failures

The ticking on closer inspection is coming from two locations. the Throttle body which goes if I pres the cable pully and from inside the rocker cover. the Rocker cover ticking comes and goes but seemed to be louder on the way home.

Think I will replace the inner gasket and repair the ignition this side of christmas and then address the rest.

One final question, anyone have a spare ignition harness knocking about he or she would like to sell or give me for a Christmast prescent

cheers Garv

 

[Welshman]

Check the geachange input link is tight on the splines that was the problem on mine it was horrible for a while

 

[Bendy toy]

Solder will always give the best electrical connection. BUT, if the wire is in a high flex area it can break more easily when soldered. The solder wicks down the wires and leaves that section stiff so the movement gets concentrated into a smaller section of the wire. Covering the repair with a good length of heat shrink helps because this is stiffer than clean wire but less stiff than soldered wire.

I found the solder issue out the hard way when I used too much on the old style bullet connectors. The wires snapped off about 5mm down from the bullet where the wicked solder stopped.

 

[Old Codger]

Ignition Wiring

The Ignition Barrel Wiring

Is about £54 plus the Vodka and Tonic at Motobins other suppliers are available

If the wiring,s that far gone and brittle it will probably go again after repair

Imagine an ignition cut out at the wrong moment (ie murphys law) in the middle of an overtake with oncoming traffic

How lucky do you feel ? Russian Roulette ?

If you do change it don,t cable tie it in too tight as it needs to flex

 

[garvey2003]

Ignition wiring ordered, New inner gaskets also ordered

Listening to the ticking, I have two types, one from the throttle body and the other under the rocker cover. Guess it might need adjusting or something

Not going to bother until the gaskets turn up, from Motorworks so guess good delivery?

OhI've noticed another issue the oil window looks like it may be leaking a little. checking the documents it had it replaced about 6 months ago.
do you think its oil let over from when it was done or will have to sort it again?

 

[Keith Chapman]

do you think its oil let over from when it was done or will have to sort it again?

Wipe it clean then check it again after a few rides.

 

[ian6760]

Listening to the ticking, I have two types, one from the throttle body and the other under the rocker cover. Guess it might need adjusting or something

Mine used to tick and still does, I just got used to it!

If your not used to boxer engined bikes they make all sorts of clicks and clunks that sound out of place but are fine.

Get a heli coil kit to sort the rocker cover bolt, check or renew the spark plug seal which will hopefully cure the oil leak and start weraing ear plugs and the world will be a better place.

 

[garvey2003]

Not to bothered with the noise just worried in case it's doing more damage.

Looking about fo rthe helicoil on here, it would seem its M6x1 but is it 6mm or 8mm lengh or doesn't it matter?

 

[Bendy toy]

Go as long as is practical with the metal you have to play with. Longer threads are stronger.

If you have enough metal to work with, consider using Keensert thread inserts. They are stronger than helicoils because they are a sleeve in solid contact with the parent metal. Also there are no gaps around the coils so electrolytic corrosion is less likely. Loctite will really fix them permanently.

This is the wrong size, but shows what is is.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CAMLOC-KE...t=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item1c2daf162a

Failing that good old helicoils will do the job.

 

[garvey2003]

My Gaskets turned up so decided to get them fitted, the rocker cover bolts seemed to be secure and fine so thats a bargain. no oil leak either, result!
The ticking/knocking noise from the cylinder has gone too, Guess not enough oil was getting to the parts instead it was leaking across my boot

Indicators flashing fast with headlight on I think is down to the wiring. I had a quick look and it has block connectors fitted to the headlight, looks like its been cut and re-joined. Fingures crossed thats that.

The main issue I have to deal with is the right switchgear, the cancel indicator button has stopped and now as of this morning the the starter button is starting to fail.
Strip down tonight and see whats what as I'm not paying £140 for a new one for some stupid buttons

 

[davegs]

Switches

If this is a repeat I apologise but after a heavy knock (understatement of the decade!) My indicator switches started sticking but after removing the covers and replacing same all was well. They had become slightly out of line and that was the cause. Put all back and perfect £140 cheaper times two!, try it costs nothing.