Up in Smoke - engine sounds like a box of spanners!

Hope you get it sorted, I saw the link Jaythro posted, does look messy!! Janie (from here) recently had similar happen to her, BMW covered a fair chunk, she only had to pay £500 and that was it, will see if I can find a link to what she posted on here too...

Also, as regards these enrichment devices, I take it people are talking about these??

http://sol2.be/Accelerator/English/#

If so... I'm wondering if it's worth getting one on my new 2010 GSA aswell..?? No idea what the difference is between the compact and extended versions however, other than a second remote temp sensor...

*edit*

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=238205

Thats the only reference of such I can find regarding Janies problem :) 80% gratuity from BMW isn't bad though! Especially when out of warranty! Plus, oddly... hers was left side...
 
Sounds like a dropped valve. It is a widely known problem on 1200's.The valves are 3 piece,and the top comes off!!! Why they don't use one piece ones I don't know ( cost........:augie), but the number of replacement engines they've had to provide must have cancelled out any savings made on valves. A mate of mine had one go out of warranty and BMW paid for the lot,a few months after if happened again,and yet again they forked out.Good luck with the repair.
 
Shurv said:
Why they don't use one piece ones I don't know
Click to expand...

it's not cost, it's because the heads and stems need different properties.


obviously it would be better if they didn't fly apart, but it's common practice to have two piece bearings, or even hollow ones filled with sodium. sometimes they come apart. ask VW.

BMW should perhaps have learnt their lesson with the R100 which did the same thing, but at least had the decency to last out for 60K plus :P
 
Still no excuse really .....Sodium cooled valve stems have been around since WW2 where they were used in both the RR Merlin & Griffin engines.
 
Thought I should let those of you who gave advice know how this has progressed ...

I had to get the bike to the dealer for inspection. As it was outside warranty they weren't prepared to discuss collecting it for me. Took 3 days before the dealer could do the inspection because of a backed up workshop. On inspection the right cylinder exhaust valve was the culprit as suspected. Has done a great job of mangling the piston etc. and because it threw so much oil through the exhaust the cat is also wrecked.

Dealer submitted a good will request to BMW which has an automated system. The system came back offering all parts FOC with me to pay the labour. Dealer then resubmitted the request for human consideration which took another couple of days. Response was the same - parts supplied, I pay labour.

The required parts add up to ~£2,000 and the dealer reckons £320 for labour so I'm happy enough. Had feared the worst on this and to be honest I think I've had a fair deal although there is no real excuse for such a young engine giving up so dramatically, especially as it doesn't seem to be the first. Only annoying part of the service on this is the delay. Has been 14 days now and likely to be another week as not all of the parts were available.

Have to admit that this has spoilt my bike mojo and has had me thinking about chopping for the last week. Very swayed to an 800 but I've never ridden one. I've even been on Bike Trader looking for prices on used KTM990s. Trying to wise myself up and in the last couple of days I've started to look forward to getting my own bike back. Hopefully I can get a few good miles under it soon and get back on form with it. No real need to change (other than a new found FD paranoia) and I could do better things with the money I'd need to spend on a new bike....

Like maybe do some actual 'adventure' travel rather than the commute and whatever rides I can sneak in at the weekend.

-----------------

Regarding the FD. This has I think blown out of proportion in my psyche ... :confused:

I had the FPC problem a few weeks ago and then the exhaust valve so feeling a bit unlucky. Has made me very paranoid about what (in my head) is an impending FD failure (too much time spent reading about problems on the forum). There must be lots of people with good miles on the clock who've never had an FD problem? When it does die does it bang and leave you at the roadside (again) or is it something that goes over time with a bit of warning?

Please tell me it's not worth worrying about with only 7,000 miles on the bike. I want to use the GS for a trip to India and I have it in my head that the FD is doomed to fail in the middle of Iran or Pakistan. :nenau
 
iaindoha said:
Please tell me it's not worth worrying about with only 7,000 miles on the bike. I want to use the GS for a trip to India and I have it in my head that the FD is doomed to fail in the middle of Iran or Pakistan. :nenau
Click to expand...

If there's doubt in your head now then it'll be there every day of your trip despite any well meaning reassurances here.

Either get the FD sorted or buy a reliable bike:thumb

.
 
Don't despair

You started by saying......."2007 model R1200GS with about 7,000 miles on it. No warranty" I may have missed it but firstly are you th original owner and secondly is this dealer the one who sold you the bike? If the answer to these two questions is NO it would seem that you have come out of it pretty well. If you don't know the origins & previous history of the bike it rather changes things.
 
Plus now you've made a financial contribution towards the repair the repair itself will now have a full manufacturers warranty :thumb2
 
Brian ROSEN said:
You started by saying......."2007 model R1200GS with about 7,000 miles on it. No warranty" I may have missed it but firstly are you th original owner and secondly is this dealer the one who sold you the bike? If the answer to these two questions is NO it would seem that you have come out of it pretty well. If you don't know the origins & previous history of the bike it rather changes things.
Click to expand...

Yes and No. The bike is 2007 model but was first registered in August 2008. I was bought it new from the BMW dealer in Qatar (I lived there at the time and it was the only GS they had in stock). Could have had a new 2008 model in the UK for the same money but anyway ...

I moved home last year and shipped the bike back with the rest of my stuff. Has sat in my garage for ages while I got it legal and sorted out my own licence.

So the dealer currently sorting it out is not the one I bought it from. I have bought a few bits and pieces from them: Rallye 2 suit, gloves, new battery, hand guards, vario mounting kit, replacement key. Had the last service there also (few weeks ago). I'll certainly talk to them if / when I decide to get a new bike.

As the bike was 1st registered Aug 2008 the warranty was up in Aug 2010.

I'm very happy with the result. The dealer has put it in the hands of BMW and they are being fair I think. My only negative is that it is now 2 weeks since the bike broke down and I am unlikely to have back for another week.

Like I said in my previous post, decent back-up aside, this problem together with the FPC failure I had just a few weeks ago has left me a little cool towards the bike and I now have an exaggerated paranoia about the FD which has made me consider a change to a new 800 / used KTM 990. I know that is just the buzz of maybe getting a new shiny toy getting under my skin and I'm trying to stay sensible. Hopefully I can get some decent miles under me soon and get back on good terms with my bike.
 
Nice 'n' Fat said:
Plus now you've made a financial contribution towards the repair the repair itself will now have a full manufacturers warranty :thumb2
Click to expand...

That's another positive that I hadn't considered

Thanks. :beerjug:

Anyone know if it's possible to buy an extended warranty even though my original has lapsed? Of course I'll ask the dealer but thought someone here is bound to know how that all works.
 
Would you be able to/would it be worth while getti.g the BMW extended warranty?
Pay 30 quid a month for a bit then cancel it?Just while you get the confidence back?
 
karnevil said:
Would you be able to/would it be worth while getti.g the BMW extended warranty?
Pay 30 quid a month for a bit then cancel it?Just while you get the confidence back?
Click to expand...

Can I do that even though there has been a gap since my warranty expired? Would almost definitely do that if possible.
 
Timolgra said:
Are you sure? I thought it only lasted until the bikes warrany expiry date.
Click to expand...



IIRC,and possibly I do not,but I thought as long as bike was dealer serviced the extended warranty could be applied.

Look it up on the BMW site you can download the policy. You get recovery with it too.
 
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