I heard of a 1200 that had over heated to the point that the sight glass had bulged with the heat and the oil was carbonised. After it cooled it was possible to turn the engine over but with loud rattling noises. That would be the melted camchain and timing chain guides and tensioners allowing the chains to thrash about plus possibly a bad piston/bore. My guess is that the thermostat failed closed and the engine just got hotter and hotter until it seized. Whichever, the question I have is why BMW do not have a software instruction in the ECU to close down the engine, either cut the fuel or the ignition or both before the engine gets so hot it gets cooked to the point described. It surely would be simple enough to look at what the temperature sensor was saying and then decide to close the motor down?
Overheating - no cut out?
- Thread starter mikeant
- Start date
What thermostat? It is oil cooled needing the air flow to do the cooling. You must have run the engine for a very long time stationary to do that sort of damage. 
There is an engine temperature sensor because I can read this off my GS911 and its read from the ECU. I assume this is the oil temp.
That'll be the thermostat that opens the oil cooler circuit
It says something in the manual about running the engine with the bike stopped (or not to do it). Personally I reckon its common sense on an air cooled motor with no cooling fan.
The only issues I had with my old '04 GS was a rattle and oil warning light flicker when stuck in heavy traffic, requiring extra revs to keep the oil pressure up and then filter to the front of the queue and get some air moving across the oil cooler again ASAP on the open road.
Didn't happen again once they changed to 20W50 viscosity oil.
The only issues I had with my old '04 GS was a rattle and oil warning light flicker when stuck in heavy traffic, requiring extra revs to keep the oil pressure up and then filter to the front of the queue and get some air moving across the oil cooler again ASAP on the open road.
Didn't happen again once they changed to 20W50 viscosity oil.
BeamishTripleBlack
Registered user
My guess is it was a bike left on its side stand running for a long period, Astle had an RT that completely destroyed itself after the owner had forgotten to switch off after recieving a phone call! They were attempting to get BMW to pay for the rebuild but it was plainly obvious it was cooked (dont know the outcome)!
Deleted account 190920001
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In general this is a judgement call. Many would argue that cutting the engine is a really bad and potentially dangerous thing to do. A bike still running even if it is damaged that can get you out the middle of the road is better than stranding you. Its not like there isn't any warning, it has a temp gauge and I assume if you really try to overheat it you will get the warning triangle. Use the mark I brain, if its overheating badly get it to the side of the road and let it cool.
Hot
Most likley never checked the oil level and it cooked, a "know it all" aquaintence of mine did this on his RT (no one on here). This seized and threw a rod!.
expensive repairs. (yes, we did laugh!!).
Most likley never checked the oil level and it cooked, a "know it all" aquaintence of mine did this on his RT (no one on here). This seized and threw a rod!.
expensive repairs. (yes, we did laugh!!).
Roymondo
Registered user
I don't think there is any overheat warning other than the reading on the Temp gauge on the LCD display - no yellow (or red) triangle etc.
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The overheat warning sensor is located on the front seat 
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