Starting Problems

[gopher]

Hi All,

I've been having a little problem over the last month or so and can't seem to find a answer either here or on the chaingang website.

Maybe one time out of five when I start my bike it runs for a few seconds and then dies. Start it again and just the same. If I then turn the ignition off and on again it starts and runs fine.

I'm thinking it there might be a problem with one of the sensors but that's as far as I (in my very limited techie knowledge) can think.

The bike is a '00 FI GS, 35,000 miles. It's been serviced recently but the problem didn't start straight away so I think that rules out a problem with the service.

For what it's worth I always follow the same starting procedure - ignition on, red light goes out, don't touch the throttle, press and hold the starter button.

If it helps it's never happened when the bike is warm.

I'm sure there's a really simple answer and fix for this!

Thanks and happy riding,

Finn

 

[richc]

Whne it's doing this, does it always start correctly on the 3rd try?

 

[gopher]

Hi Richc,

No, once it's giving problems it wont start until you turn the ignition off and back on again. Sometimes it idles for a moment or two and then dies. It's something that I can live with as I've found a quickfix but I'm worried it might be something that gets progressively worse.

Cheers

 

[brassmonkey001]

Check the wiring to the back of the ignition switch. I've heard of a couple that have had problems there.

 

[Smelly Biker]

Clean the throttle stub !

Mine was a bit tempramental a while back...turned out to be gloopy scunge in the throttle assembly clogging things up (air bypass if I remember correctly).

BMW in San Jose noticed while servicing valves & took it upon themselves to sort it out. Nice folks, did'nt charge for their time or the can of carb cleaner

Other known culprits :-
- loose battery terminals
- brain reset needed 'cos its got the 'zero throttle' position wrong (disconnect battery for 10 minutes).

 

[Beemerboff]

One other suspect is the load control relay which feeds power to the BMS unit.

This is a known fault , but BMW WONT EVEN TELL THEIR DEALERS ABOUT IT!!.

Replacement of the troublesome Tyco unit with the Bosch equivalent cured all my starting problems and let me get it sold before SOMETHING ELSE WENT WRONG.

 

[VAL. H.]

One other suspect is the load control relay which feeds power to the BMS unit.

This is a known fault , but BMW WONT EVEN TELL THEIR DEALERS ABOUT IT!!.

Replacement of the troublesome Tyco unit with the Bosch equivalent cured all my starting problems and let me get it sold before SOMETHING ELSE WENT WRONG.

Two simple things you can try.

Firstly look under the throtle side 'right side when sitting faceing forward', side 'faulse tank' pannel. There is an air censor that plugs in to the air intake snorkel. It's sometimes forgotten to be reconnected. Re connect it.

Also you could try resetting the throttle. It's very simple: turn the ignition on, then Slowly turn the throttle to fully open and then slowly back to the stop.

Not sure what it actualy does or why it works, but it does.

Val.

 

[Tea Urn]

starting problems

Can recomend resetting the throttle, this has worked for me before
but you might have to do it more than once

 

[gopher]

Fixed (for now)

Hi all,

Thanks for your replies. I reset the BMS unit (no resetting throttle position) and it seems to have cured the problem.

Thanks again and happy riding,

Finn