Need some advice!

New battery in. But no joy. Starter motor is about to come out... everything else is working as it should along with a nice punch from the battery.
 
Starter off. Have used Mike P's post (thanks again Hartley). By the looks of it the oil plate between the planetary gears and the armature has come away and been frying the armature...pic below. It matches closely one of Mike P's images. I'm guessing the vibration of 7hrs of 150-60k had shaken it lose?

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So it looks like I'm gonna have to crawl to the BMW dealer and fork out €398!! Crap. But they do have one.

Grateful for any comments. Does my diagnosis sound right?
 
Take the plate out and try it without. If it runs just put it all back together.

The same happened to mine 5 years ago, holes in the plate and slow starting. I removed the plate and the starter still runs with no plate 5 years later......
 
That's it exactly. Have you tried to remove the grease plate from the armature.

Wash out the ground up stuff.

If your magnets are undamaged, you might get away with it.

The armature windings are pretty robust.

The same thing happened to me, and I managed to recover the starter motor, minus grease plate.

What have you got too loose?
 
By the way, the armature windings are copper, and the grease plate is steel. I don't think the two metals will weld together. Though I might be wrong.

They just look welded, but that's the heat transfer.
 
Right. Went to the dealer to take the hit. Bloody guy was serving someone else and never acknowledged me! Got your replies while I was waiting. Used a teaspoon from the dealer coffee bar and managed to lever out the plate. This is what I found on the inside gave of the plate.

But I'm unclear why this would stop the motor turning? Is it just because it shorts it?

uploadfromtaptalk1408360884922.jpg

Anyway, it works! But now another problem has revealed itself. I'd rather forgotten about it due to the non starting.

When I got to the end of the motorway yesterday, down to slow speeds, I thought the bike was running rough. Like a plug was misbehaving. Now I'm trying to start it and it's lumpy as hell and won't stay alive. Could it be the plugs after that sustained high speed outing? A lot cheaper than €400 tho!
 
Check your secondary coils - it could be one of those has gone down. Somewhere on here there is a guide.
 
Thanks topcat. But some weeks back I checked the stick coils to discover it doesn't have them. Regular plug cap.

Any ideas?
 
With the bike running pull off in turn each of the lower secondary plug caps.

If the engine stops, which ever side you disconnected, the corresponding stick coil will be toast.

If this has no effect, repeat the procedure disconnecting the plug in the stick coil. You could have a duff HT coil pack which feeds both lower secondary plugs.

But check all the obvious things first like connections and of course if you've had the tank off the throttle cables seated in throttle bodies.
 
Thanks topcat. But some weeks back I checked the stick coils to discover it doesn't have them. Regular plug cap.

Any ideas?

Didn't you say your bike was an 05 GSA with servo, then it has stick coils, or the previous owner has modified it some way. He could have repositioned the stick coils. Follow the HT lead.
 
With the bike running pull off in turn each of the lower secondary plug caps.

If the engine stops, which ever side you disconnected, the corresponding stick coil will be toast.

If this has no effect, repeat the procedure disconnecting the plug in the stick coil. You could have a duff HT coil pack which feeds both lower secondary plugs.

But check all the obvious things first like connections and of course if you've had the tank off the throttle cables seated in throttle bodies.
Thanks for the notes. I'm about to double check the plugs and cables etc. If it's a coil I don't see how I was able to get a happy 100+ mph out of it? Wouldn't it have lost its edge?
 
Hard to tell, they can start to break down at any time. Did you ride through any rain towards the end.:nenau
Half way through the ride it pissed down... For about an hour.

But I stand corrected. It has stick coils. They're just not on the bottom plugs as I thought. Here are both of them. LH one is a little corroded, RH is in better nick. But after all I've read about them, appearances can be deceiving. I'm tempted to go to the dealer and buy new ones. Seems so much cheaper than a bloody starter motor!

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On closer examination the LH corroded coil is looking swollen and is pushing out the metal sheathing. I'm off to the dealer. Can't fix sick coils (unlike the motor)!

uploadfromtaptalk1408366054933.jpg
 
This story is getting even more exciting. Whilst checking the throttle cable was seated properly I moved one of the fuel lines (us, gently) and limea booby trap the F ing QR connector broke!!! Bloody fuel everywhere. It would have been funny except it was fuel. So two things to buy from the dealer. I just how they have some...

Back soon with better news I hope.
 
I bet it was a plastic male one that broke. Mine broke ages ago.

You should get the metal male ones from BMW as they stopped fitted the plastic ones Years ago because of this problem

The plastic female connectors are OK.

The reason why the plastic males breaks is because at the point where the lock tab engages the plastic is only 0.5 mm thick.
 
With regard to the rough running - you have checked to ensure you haven't dislodged the bowden throttle cable whilst working on the bike have you. Somebody will be along soon with the photo;)
 
I bet it was a plastic male one that broke. Mine broke ages ago.

You should get the metal male ones from BMW as they stopped fitted the plastic ones Years ago because of this problem

The plastic female connectors are OK.

The reason why the plastic males breaks is because at the point where the lock tab engages the plastic is only 0.5 mm thick.
You're spot on.

This is the feckerthat broke.

uploadfromtaptalk1408373703416.jpg

And here's the metal replacement. At least it's one upgrade I won't have to do (I'm trying to be positive, I've had a handful of the classic failures all in 24hrs!)

uploadfromtaptalk1408373796488.jpg

And after all that, the sodding cable was sitting up out of the holder! But the coil was going/gone as it wasn't idling properly.

I'm now going to clean up my mates garage which I've completely taken over and then try pressing the start button....
 
All fixed! Running even better than before. Super smooth on idle. That coil has obviously been on the way out and the 7hr motorway run finished it off.

Can't thank you all enough for your help and input.

Here's hoping the riding can stay again without a hiccup! Extremely fortunate this all didn't happen on the hard shoulder...
 


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