Author Topic: On road trip, I broke down!.. (Read 37968 times)

TajMan · « **on:** May 23, 2013, 01:32:12 AM »

So my buddy and I were traveling from Utah to Washington state right now for sasquatch music festival!
Last minute both of us had to leave on the bike together, loaded down with tents and gear!
93 k1100 bike broke down in Idaho, we were freezing anyway in cold weather and high wind.

First, we were exiting and at low speed the bike was dying and not idling. Compression started twice, if you kept engine revved it wouldn't die.
Then we went to start bike, battery was almost dead. Compression started bike again and got back on the road. Bike wouldn't rev and make power much above 4k rpms or so. Wouldn't go faster than 40-50. For a sec seemed like it was running better and was doing 60mph.. Then power started cutting out worse. Seems like ignition coil thing. I could only maintain about 40mph. If I snapped the throttle real quick, its like it would make ignition work for a sec and I could maintain surges of power, kept maintaining 40mph for a bit... Then cutting out worse I came to a stop and died.

So that's what happened, good samaritan stopped and towed us 70 miles with me in the back of a toy hauler keeping bike held up! We are 40 miles outside of twin falls Idaho in a motel now.
Enterprise rent a car opens at 8am in twin falls, but we would love to get bike going if someone knows something!
Question, if stator developed a problem would that drain the battery then eventually cause this problem as bike didn't have enough electricity off low battery to fire ignition coils?
Makes sense.
Is there a bmw motorcycle dealership in twin falls Idaho?

lunchbox · « **Reply #1 on:** May 23, 2013, 05:03:29 AM »

Posted by TajMan:

Question, if stator developed a problem would that drain the battery then eventually cause this problem as bike didn't have enough electricity off low battery to fire ignition coils?
Makes sense.
Is there a bmw motorcycle dealership in twin falls Idaho?

Correct, it would also most noticeably cause the head light to dim, which you would likely only notice at night.

If you have a voltmeter you can check the battery for 12-12.5 volts. If you can start the bike then you should be about 13.5 volts at idle and up to about 14.6 volts with revs above 1500 rpms.

My experience with dying alternators so far has always been with autos, though the brick is basically a two wheeled auto, dry clutch, etc.

If I were in your shoes I'd check battery cable connections, ground connections, make sure the battery is fully charged and then get out the voltmeter.

I've also had a similar problem with a clogging fuel filter, basically dodgy fuel delivery causing poor running leading to a no start condition.

Your closest BMW dealership is:

118.1 miles    BIG TWIN BMW    2816 SOUTH ORCHARD BOISE, ID 83705    (208) 336-0367

STORE HOURS
Monday   Closed
Tuesday   9:00AM - 6:00PM
Wednesday   9:00AM - 6:00PM
Thursday   9:00AM - 6:00PM
Friday   9:00AM - 6:00PM
Saturday   9:00AM - 5:00PM
Sunday   Closed

Enterprise has pick-up trucks for rent, you could load up the bike, head to Boise, sort out the bike yourself or have the dealer do it while you and your buddy head for the Gorge.

I don't know how many miles a motobrick will go on a fully charged battery, but you could always disconnect the headlight, pack a spare fully charged battery and ride to Boise(bought at Walmart so you can return it in Boise if it's not needed) switching to the new battery if needed. Twenty-five years ago I once managed about 800 miles doing this in my '71 VW Karmann Ghia, pinching every penny I had while on a road trip in college so I avoided making the proper repairs until I got to my sister's house. I drove about 150 miles, pulled into a gas station asked for a charge while I lounged about for a couple of hours, drove off and repeated. Of course on a moto you get the possibility of being pulled over by the popo for no headlight and potentially compounding the headache to a much worse situation.

Hopefully others will chime in with more input. Goodluck!

TajMan · « **Reply #2 on:** May 23, 2013, 09:10:00 AM »

Its most deff the electtics, dim headlight and of course won't start now.
We'll see what we can do besides enterprise and charged batteries

TajMan · « **Reply #3 on:** May 23, 2013, 10:34:55 AM »

Loose pos. Battery cable.
We will secure and try to charge battery and try to keep going!

TimTyler · « **Reply #4 on:** May 23, 2013, 10:42:55 AM »

Lucky you! :yippee:

TajMan · « **Reply #5 on:** May 23, 2013, 11:05:20 AM »

Its charging, hooked up with jumper cables to a big semi's battery.
Good connection, and I secured the pos. battery cable. It cranks over healthy sounding electrically, but it won't start! Seems like still no spark.
Is there an ignition coil fuse or something that could have blown?

TimTyler · « **Reply #6 on:** May 23, 2013, 11:37:51 AM »

Is the semi idling? That could be bad for your electrics. Safest way it to charge the batt while it's disconnected from your bike.

It's easy enough for you to check your fuses. They're all in one place.

TajMan · « **Reply #7 on:** May 23, 2013, 12:25:18 PM »

Cranks but won't start.
All fuses seem ok, and I reconnected one positive lead I forgot to.connect the first time.
Still won't start, I can't hear the fuel pt mp when cranking. Killed the fuel pump? Which fuse is it F1-F10? What fuel pump is an interchange? Ford mustang pinto peugeot? My last hope..

TimTyler · « **Reply #8 on:** May 23, 2013, 12:29:34 PM »

Did you reconnect the fuel pump power connector on the right side behind the tank?

TajMan · « **Reply #9 on:** May 23, 2013, 01:40:33 PM »

Started with pos cable connected and kickstand up!!

Electrically weird, ignition coil cutting out again sometimes, when you use anything like horn or blinkers that causes ignition power to cut out.

In twin falls now. Replacing the battery at interstate and hoping that fixes! Hopefully not just for a couple hundred miles..

TajMan · « **Reply #10 on:** May 23, 2013, 04:34:31 PM »

Help still!

So strange, seems like a bad alternator and bad ignition coils when they heat up?

With battery filled new, should have been at 70% charge. Wouldn't crank barely, but compression started and seems to work fine. Rode for.about 25 miles, problem came back. First the ignition.starts.cutting out and you go slower, then.cuts out more.and bike dies completely.
Let the bike sit a few minutes, and you can compression start bike again it will run fine.for a minute, then starts cutting out again and dies quick.

Does this sound like purely a dead battery is causing ignition to.cut out and I prob have bad alternator?
90 miles from boise
Feels like other vehicles i've owned that suffer from.a dying ignition coil when they heat up too hot

johnny · « **Reply #11 on:** May 23, 2013, 04:57:37 PM »

no telling what happened when you jumped your moto with a running semi tractor...

the reason i say that is because you may have more than 1 problem now...

im thinking the 1st thing to do is calm down... approach the situation methodically...

when it dies is the clock on... is the head light on... have the fuses been verified as good... have fuses been removed and reset... was the under tank fuel pump connector removed and reset...

if it were me i would replace the battery right now to eliminate that... then move on from there... perhaps dirty kill switch or dirty ignition switch...
did you remove and reset the motronic... could the fuel filtet be clogged... are the sparkplugs and wires tight...

j o

TajMan · « **Reply #12 on:** May 23, 2013, 05:05:04 PM »

I am calm and have been explaining very carefully,
.I just replaced.battery with new.

Problem its having.now, is the same problem it was having before semi, I know this.
Sorry I charged with a semi

TajMan · « **Reply #13 on:** May 23, 2013, 05:18:26 PM »

Battery level.is.low.when engine.dies, but with new battery it is.good.enough now.to honk horn etc with engine.running,.which it.wasn't.before.

Everything I.see points to.ignition.coils or.alternator. With a 70% battery and.engine running, battery should.charge further right?

johnny · « **Reply #14 on:** May 23, 2013, 05:59:26 PM »

what is a 70% battery...

http://ibmwr.org/ktech.shtml

http://www.motobrick.com/index.php/topic,666.0.html

j o

kioolt · « **Reply #15 on:** May 23, 2013, 06:32:44 PM »

I think it is your alternator. Have you put a voltmeter on it with it running to see if it is working? It could be the coupling on the end of the alternator. I'd check that before I bought a replacement alternator.

johnny · « **Reply #16 on:** May 23, 2013, 07:37:02 PM »

has anybody had a 50 alternator fail... it would be an unususal occurance...

well at least the motronic was disconnected in order to get the jumpers on...

we are pulling for you... keep us informed...

j o

Scott_ · « **Reply #17 on:** May 23, 2013, 07:48:12 PM »

Quote from: johnny on May 23, 2013, 07:37:02 PM

has anybody had a 50 alternator fail... it would be an unususal occurance...

Actually yes I have.....It wasn't charging. Turned out to be the slip-rings, where the regulator brushes ride, were crudded up and dirty from setting and exposure to high humid air. Took it all apart, cleaned and polished the copper and re-assembled. All was well after that.

mystic red · « **Reply #18 on:** May 23, 2013, 07:56:39 PM »

Note to self....get rid of yellow as an text color option......................

Posted by TajMan:

Question, if stator developed a problem would that drain the battery then eventually cause this problem as bike didn't have enough electricity off low battery to fire ignition coils?
Makes sense.
Is there a bmw motorcycle dealership in twin falls Idaho?

Scott_ · « **Reply #19 on:** May 23, 2013, 10:37:26 PM »

Quote from: mystic red on May 23, 2013, 07:56:39 PM

Note to self....get rid of yellow as an text color option......................

Posted by TajMan:

Question, if stator developed a problem would that drain the battery then eventually cause this problem as bike didn't have enough electricity off low battery to fire ignition coils?
Makes sense.
Is there a bmw motorcycle dealership in twin falls Idaho?

+1

lunchbox · « **Reply #20 on:** May 24, 2013, 04:02:37 AM »

Quote from: TajMan on May 23, 2013, 05:18:26 PM

Battery level.is.low.when engine.dies, but with new battery it is.good.enough now.to honk horn etc with engine.running,.which it.wasn't.before.

Everything I.see points to.ignition.coils or.alternator. With a 70% battery and.engine running, battery should.charge further right?

25 miles on a 70% charged new battery and it craps out like it did the first time suggests the alternator is bad.

$20 multimeter from OReilly's Auto Parts (or borrow from trucker or service station) will allow you to verify this, they also have some tool rental deal where you buy it and return it if money is tight. It will also allow you to check the coils, call dealer to get electrical specs of coil, or you could pull a plug and compare spark quality between the two coils(not a definitive test though may shed some light.)

Try to get a full charge on the battery even if it's new so you can rule out weak battery.

As Johnny said, "...approach the situation methodically..."

Goodluck!

sidenote: for my eyes yellow text works great on blued dark curve theme, changed it to blue.

wmax351 · « **Reply #21 on:** May 24, 2013, 04:10:36 AM »

Running without the headlight could give you a bit more distance. You could stick a big car battery on the back to get some more range too.

I'd check the voltage regulator, etc. You could pull the alt and take it to an alternator shop.

TajMan · « **Reply #22 on:** May 24, 2013, 09:40:28 AM »

Thanks guys, much love.
We had to leave bike at a gas station before Boise.
I will trailer the bike back down to salt lake after 5 days from now.
My buddy and I are on a greyhound bus this morning headed to quincy Washington, on a trip of our lives

Looking back at everything, won't know more till I can charge battery, replace positive & negative battery cables with new thick gauge wire, and test alternator output. Possible it was all just caused by a dying battery combined with old bad cable connections and the perfect storm of events

motodude · « **Reply #23 on:** May 24, 2013, 10:39:01 AM »

Hall Effect sensors?

Tom

johnny · « **Reply #24 on:** May 29, 2013, 11:56:56 AM »

1-how was the squatch music festival... if you can remember...

2-update on your motobrick please...

j o

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Author Topic: On road trip, I broke down!.. (Read 37968 times)

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