K100RS 16v water temp sensor

[Filmcamera]

In my continuing struggle to have the fan work correctly and come on automatically at the right temperature I have brought a new water temp sensor from Max BMW.

When I came to install it today I realised it is quite a big job, mainly in just taking tons of things off to be able to get to the sensor.

Does anyone know any shortcuts or time saving methods of doing this without having to take the entire airbox etc off to get to the sensor?  One of my main concerns are the one time use clamps on the throttle body/airbox which I only just installed.  Are they really one use meaning I have to order four more before even starting this job?

[The Mighty Gryphon]

I am pretty sure you can get to the sensor by removing the radiator and leaving the airbox in place.

[Filmcamera]

Yes you probably can but that might be an even more daunting prospect.  I will read up on it and roll up my sleeves and get it done tomorrow

[Laitch]

I will read up on it and roll up my sleeves and get it done tomorrow

The clamps can't be reused. That's why they're labeled one-time use. That label isn't part of the massive global web of BMW's avaricious schemes that Gryph is always fighting. It's actually true.

You can use screw clamps on them if you can find the correct diameter and band width. Suzuki apparently has some that work well. Some have even used ordinary stainless steel hose clamps for the bottoms of the manifolds and made it back from the brink of the abyss, apparently.
 

[wally.fisher]

The clamps can't be reused. That's why they're labeled one-time use. That label isn't part of the massive global web of BMW's avaricious schemes that Gryph is always fighting. It's actually true.

You can use screw clamps on them if you can find the correct diameter and band width. Suzuki apparently has some that work well. Some have even used ordinary stainless steel hose clamps for the bottoms of the manifolds and made it back from the brink of the abyss, apparently.

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[wally.fisher]

You can use cable ties, well I do, but get good quality ties that can be pulled up tight. Remember the width is important.


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[Martin]

You can get stainless steel cable ties.
Regards Martin.

[Filmcamera]

I ended up taking the radiator off, which turned out not to be nearly as bad as I had feared.

The new sensor is in and....

drum roll please

The fan comes on automatically!!!

Yay finally!!

It comes on at a slightly higher temp than I expected, just a shade over the 3/4 mark and stays on until just about bang on 1/2 way point, does that seem about right?

I also installed new sparks plugs and new HE leads.  All the brake work is done (new pistons, new seals, new EBC pads etc), tomorrow I plan to do a quick throttle body balance before taking the missus to Volcano Arenal at the weekend.

[rbm]

That sounds right.



The temperature should hover normally around point 2 "GREEN" mark.  The fan should come on at point 3 "RED" mark or a bit before, and turn off at point 2 "GREEN" mark.

[Filmcamera]

That is pretty much exactly what it did! Perfect, one less thing to worry about. I am really looking forward to the weekend to see if the rough running and bogging down has been fixed now the ECU is getting the correct temp form the sensor.  My kat tank of gas got me 130 miles...

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Wow!  130 miles is terrible.  You should be able to get at least 200 miles.

On my 16V the temperature stays around the blue mark on the gauge illustration.  The fan comes on just below the red mark and shuts off at the green center mark.  The only time it ever got to the red zone was when I first got the bike with a dead fan and a plugged radiator.

[Filmcamera]

I think I screwed p the throttle body balance this morning.  I am pretty sure it is that because before doing the balance the bike ran fine, even after I changed the plugs and HE leads.

I had them all nicely even both at tick over and at 2000 but when I took it for a test ride it ran like total crap.  No pick up on the throttle and didn't want to rev over about 5,000.  I am thinking maybe I have closed the brass screws down too much and the bike is starved of air? I am going to try again tomorrow but was wondering if anyone else has ever had the same issue and what caused it.

What are roughly the range of readings I should expect on a carb ture more or less (either upside down or right side up?)

[rbm]

The brass screws only affect engine running at idle.  Off idle, they have no effect.  So it can't be that.  What else did you touch when doing the TB sync?  Think of anything, however innoquous it might seem.

[Filmcamera]

The only thing I noticed is a little odd.

On cylinder 4 if I move the injector connector up or down the engine tries to die, like there is a broken wire or something in the loom connection.  I only have to twist the injector maybe 1/2 inch clockwise or anti-clockwise and it seems to effect the idle  and running.  The same thing does not seem to happen on the other injectors.

[rbm]

I'd concentrate on that problem.  It sounds like a more likely cause for your symptoms than the brass bypass screws. 
- check the connector for loose contacts
- check the contacts for loose crimps
- check for bared insulation on the injector lead that might be shorting to ground (where tie-wrapped to the fuel rail)
- do you have wire retainers installed on all the injectors; vitally important
- check the state of the ICU connector although I think it is a very very remote possibility as the cause.

I'm thinking it's weird that you can rotate the injector.  Maybe they are not well seated in the block.  The pressure of the fuel rail should hold them rigid. But then if they were looe, you'd have fuel spraying all over the place.

[Filmcamera]

Thanks I will go through the connections carefully. I do have the correct wire retainers on the injectors yes, there are no fuel leaks as far as I can tell.  The injectors are newish, I installed them maybe three or four months ago when I did an overhaul of the throttle bodies. The injectors have always rotated in the fuel rail since with the bike running fine.

The other thing was that in the morning yesterday when I went to start the bike to warm it up before balancing the throttle bodies it was really hard to start.  I needed to give it full choke and then work the throttle to keep it ticking over, if I stopped revving it would die, it took over a minute before it would hold an idle even with full choke.  Normally, since I live in a pretty warm place, with the first click of choke it fires right up and settles into a fast idle at 1500 revs within seconds meaning after ten seconds I can reduce the choke.  I think I am going to double check the new spark plugs and maybe even put the old ones back.  The plugs are an 18mm fitting and my 18mm socket is a tight squeeze in the hole in the cylinder head.  It is possible one or more are not fully tight and I am losing compression or something.  They seemed fine originally but maybe have worked lose after riding the bike a couple of times.

[Laitch]

The other thing was that in the morning yesterday when I went to start the bike to warm it up before balancing the throttle bodies it was really hard to start.  I needed to give it full choke and then work the throttle to keep it ticking over, if I stopped revving it would die, it took over a minute before it would hold an idle even with full choke.  Normally, since I live in a pretty warm place, with the first click of choke it fires right up and settles into a fast idle at 1500 revs within seconds meaning after ten seconds I can reduce the choke.

That condition would follow having an intermittent fuel injector connection problem—starting and running will be sometimes good, sometimes no good.

[Filmcamera]

Here is a video showing what I mean about the injector

[Laitch]

Here is a video showing what I mean about the injector

Good grief! It's time to disconnect that to determine whether there is a break in the loom wire, the wire's connector or a problem with the injector's terminal. Swap injectors and try it again, or test the wire's connection with a multimeter. It must be tropic torpor that is contributing to these conditions. :giggles

[Filmcamera]

Another video showing how ir runs when actually riding.

[Laitch]

Another video showing how ir runs when actually riding.

No surprise there. A motorcycle abuse investigation should be opened by local social service authorities.

[Filmcamera]

I agree but what is causing it and how do I fix it? In 18 hours I am supposed to be riding off in the clear morning sun for a weekend of fun and relaxation sans kids my lovely wife. Whilst we CAN take the car that was not the idea at all.

I have refitted the old spark plugs and old HE leads and if anything it rides better - either that or I am getting used to it, still not right though.

At this point all I have done since it was working great is change the broken water temp sensor for a working one, a procedure that seemed to work since the fan now comes on when it should.

[Martin]

FC carefully remove the outer covering on the injector loom so that you can wriggle the individual wires. This should reveal the break or bad connection. You might have to remove the insulation from the wire to enable a repair. Solder and heat shrink the repair. If the fault is in the connector a temporary fix can be made by removing the connector and using small spade connectors, and covering with heat shrink. If you don't like the look of the repair you'll need to hunt down a second hand injector loom. But at least you can ride it. :2thumbup:
Regards Martin.

[Filmcamera]

It was the injector.  I swapped out the number 4 cylinder brand new injector for the one that was in there before and  Boom she runs like a champ again.

Weekend Volcano trip saved!  (My skin too..)

Thanks for all the help everyone