More and more threads are appearing that mention a sudden inability to start one of these bikes.
"It started fine yesterday, today it just goes whirr-click and the clock has reset!"
It is tempting (and understandable) to think that the battery has insufficient power. People have even been known to dash off and buy a new one only to find that it has made no difference.
In 9 times out of 10, the problem is finally traced to the starter-motor failing in one way or another.
It is relatively easy to test the starter if your bike will not start. Press and hold the starter button for a short time and then feel if the casing of the starter is hot.
The known failures are for the magnets inside the casing to become detached (they are only bonded in place).
This photo shows a starter, having been stripped, three of the four magnets have come loose, broken-up and caused the starter to seize. (The black blob is what's left of the magnets).
You can see the wear on the armature where as the magnets broke-up they began to bear on it. This particular one just became sluggish when starting before seizing altogether.
Another but rarer cause of a failure is the grease retaining plate becoming detached and jamming the armature.
This one has burnt through the plate and slightly damaged the armature:
The good news is that the motor will work without the plate but for how long is still guess-work before the grease either affects the armature or the gears dry-out and seize.
As a short-term fix, it can be re-fitted sans plate until a replacement is sourced.
There are other applications for this starter, mainly small French cars but the direction of rotation of the starter differs from application to application.
If you source one from car breaker, take the original and check that the information on the plate is the same before you part with any cash.
Alternatively, contact Steptoe to see if he has a second-hand one, they appear on ebay (there's a recon supplier on ebay, about £110 per unit, supplied with 12 months warranty) or you can buy the parts on-line such as this:
http://www.euromotoelectrics.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=3&Redirected=Y
Here's the BMW parts fiche, you will see that the most often required part (the case and magnets) is not listed separately:
Don't rush off to buy a new battery until you have explored the possibility that your starter is the problem.
(Now someone-else can post how to remove the starter).
"It started fine yesterday, today it just goes whirr-click and the clock has reset!"
It is tempting (and understandable) to think that the battery has insufficient power. People have even been known to dash off and buy a new one only to find that it has made no difference.
In 9 times out of 10, the problem is finally traced to the starter-motor failing in one way or another.
It is relatively easy to test the starter if your bike will not start. Press and hold the starter button for a short time and then feel if the casing of the starter is hot.
The known failures are for the magnets inside the casing to become detached (they are only bonded in place).
This photo shows a starter, having been stripped, three of the four magnets have come loose, broken-up and caused the starter to seize. (The black blob is what's left of the magnets).
You can see the wear on the armature where as the magnets broke-up they began to bear on it. This particular one just became sluggish when starting before seizing altogether.
Another but rarer cause of a failure is the grease retaining plate becoming detached and jamming the armature.
This one has burnt through the plate and slightly damaged the armature:
The good news is that the motor will work without the plate but for how long is still guess-work before the grease either affects the armature or the gears dry-out and seize.
As a short-term fix, it can be re-fitted sans plate until a replacement is sourced.
There are other applications for this starter, mainly small French cars but the direction of rotation of the starter differs from application to application.
If you source one from car breaker, take the original and check that the information on the plate is the same before you part with any cash.
Alternatively, contact Steptoe to see if he has a second-hand one, they appear on ebay (there's a recon supplier on ebay, about £110 per unit, supplied with 12 months warranty) or you can buy the parts on-line such as this:
http://www.euromotoelectrics.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=3&Redirected=Y
Here's the BMW parts fiche, you will see that the most often required part (the case and magnets) is not listed separately:
Don't rush off to buy a new battery until you have explored the possibility that your starter is the problem.
(Now someone-else can post how to remove the starter).
)
