2009 R1200RT Coil and Wire Questions

[The Rocketman]

This is a two part question.

I changed my upper and lower sparkplugs today for the first time since owning this bike. Got it with about 14,000 miles and have 58,000 today. I assume they've never been changed until I did them this morning.

 

First question relates to rust seen on lower coils. Just surface rust nothing terrible. Is this fairly normal, just a cosmetic issue and should I just ignore it? Photos of coils below, plus clean upper plugs and rusty lowers. I did coat the ceramic part of the new plugs and lightly coated the inside of the coil rubber boots with Permatex Tune-Up Dielectric Grease on install.

 

 

[The Rocketman]

Part two:

Only on the lower left side. After removing the plastic covering the lower coil, I found a wire that is basically crushed. Assume it was that way since birth, crushed flat under that plastic cover. Not sure where it goes, but its not the actual coil plug wire. Don't notice anything wrong with the bike and don't see any exposed wires or missing sheathing. Should I just ignore it and just put it back (obviously not crushing or flattening it this time-which I did not do in the first place as I've never had it off), or should I cut it, solder it and tape it together? The flat spot sheathing also feels hard, as compared to the "rubbery/flexible/pliable" sheathing before and after the flat spot.

 

[lkraus]

Looks melted, rather than crushed.  I'd guess that at some point it was not held by the tie wrap to the left, and the wire rubbed on the hot engine at a couple spots.  If it hasn't caused a problem yet, I'd probably leave it be.

 

[Boxflyer]

@The Rocketman Those plugs look TERRIBLE!  The center electrode started out round as you know, and now is eroded to very much oval.  The ground electrodes also show loss of material, so the gap must be HUGE.  Makes for extra work on the stick coils.

The rust on the coils is not such a big deal since it's on the outside and we know it's been exposed to water while riding for some 12+ years.  Maybe a wipe off with some spray to remove the rust and help against further surface rust.

 

As far as the pinched wire...it's unknown what the condition of the contained wires are, so I'd cut open the outer cover and then repair the insulation on the wires within if you do find something crushed inside.

No wiring on our bikes was ever designed to be showing bare wires along their runs...so getting those wires repaired should not be too hard, but it does require you to at least cut into the outer cover to find out. 

 

You are doing some good basic maintenance here...keep up the good work!

Brad

[The Rocketman]

@Boxflyer For your viewing pleasure before I toss them....

 

 

[wbw6cos]

Yuck!  Those will make him throw up.  

[The Rocketman]

Brad will forgive me. He's that kinda guy.....

New plugs are shiny clean. Just waiting for a 16mm deep thin walled socket to arrive. Any day now........

Didn't feel like grinding one down.

Used the R1200C socket wrench in the tool bag to remove and install the RT plugs. Can't use it to torque them down.

 

[dirtrider]

14 minutes ago, The Rocketman said:

@Boxflyer For your viewing pleasure before I toss them....

 

 

Afternoon Rocketman

 

You are lucky that you haven't failed a stick coil, once the electrode gap gets that large the spark will tend to arc internally inside the coil to the internal RFI shield rather than across an electrode gap that large. 

[The Rocketman]

Thank you for that. Sometimes being lucky helps. Inside both ends of the coils look fine. Should I clean the surface rust off the outside of the lower coils and maybe paint with high temp paint or just leave it alone?

[dirtrider]

22 minutes ago, The Rocketman said:

Thank you for that. Sometimes being lucky helps. Inside both ends of the coils look fine. Should I clean the surface rust off the outside of the lower coils and maybe paint with high temp paint or just leave it alone?

Afternoon Rocketman

 

 

Should I clean the surface rust off the outside of the lower coils and maybe paint with high temp paint or just leave it alone?--- Personally I probably would. Probably run it on my wire wheel then paint with a high-heat engine paint. Might even hit those rusty areas with a rust killer first. 

[The Rocketman]

An update:

So the whole impetus for undertaking this (which should have been routine maintenance, but wasn't, but will be from now on....) was a "stuttering" when accelerating at high revs, as in doing 60 or 70 and opening the throttle somewhat expeditiously  to go even faster. Most noticeable at 80 mph+. Otherwise, bike runs perfectly.

 

I've read a lot about spark plug gaps and (mostly) lower coils being suspect. I now have 4 brand new shiny plugs installed which hopefully will cure the problem so I don't have to buy new lower coils. As noted, since there's no actual way to test the coils off the bike, its pot luck if it is indeed the coils. I've read more likely lowers than uppers. Time will tell when I get out on the highway for a test ride. Fingers crossed new plugs did the trick.

 

I did wire wheel and sand paper off the rust on the metal rings around the lower coils. Gave the rings 3 coats of VHT paint. AFTERWARDS, read the instructions that said to insure 2000 degree protection you have to bake the part in the oven at 250, 400 and 600 degrees at 30 minute bake/cool intervals to cure the paint. Obviously I couldn't put the coils in the oven, since they have plastic and rubber parts. So to make myself feel a little better, I used my heat gun on low setting (maybe 500 degrees) for just a couple of minutes, which probably did nothing at all. Called Rustoleum and they said there's no time limit between painting and curing so they might just cure when used in the bike. I doubt its gets that hot around the coils, so again time will tell whether it adheres or just blisters and peels off. Bought high heat paint, as seen below:

 

 

Also with respect to that "crushed" wire. It has been relocated so its not being crushed by the lower coil plastic cover any longer. Since nothing on the bike isn't working I chose to leave it alone for now rather than slicing open the sheathing and inspecting the wires within for damage. May save that for a rainy day. I have been told "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". However here is a photo of what that wire gazinta. Some spring loaded sensor cap thing. I'm sure someone here will recognize it. It's just above and to the rear of the oil site glass.

 

 

Good news is after re-assembly the bike starts and runs. Took it for a 5 minute ride in the parking lot. I also had no leftover bolts which is also a good sign.

 

Soon as I have some free time I'll hit the highway and report back on performance.

 

BTW, BMW coils are $207 for each upper; $217 for each lower.

Euromotoelectrics has Enduralast brand uppers on sale for $99 which they say "are made in the same factory as BERU coils under the same requirements and quality control as genuine BMW coils". No warranty if you purchase and replace one stick coil at a time. 

Enduralast lowers are $132 each (Right side out of stock)

 

But lowers need you to modify the OEM plastic covers, which I'm not to keen on doing:

"(1)The new Beru 90 degree ignition coil will fit straight into the sparkplug cavity, but note the connector is angled slightly differently from the original position angle. The coil wiring harness is long enough to accommodate connecting to the new connector position, but is made much easier if the nylon cable tie (ziptie) is cut near the bottom of the harness to provide more coil harness cable connector length from the throttle body to the new angle position.

(2) The plastic cover that fits over the lower coils need to be slightly trimmed to clear the new connector angle This can be done with snips, scissors or a rotary cutting tool (Dremel, etc) .

(3) Re-installation is the same as with original coil, however it must be noted that the trimmed plastic Lower coil covers have to compress the newer type rubber grommets that are part of the new BERU 90 degree coils. Upon remounting the plastic coil covers, replace all the nylon zip ties that were cut at the bottom of the throttle bodies."

 

So hopes are I won't need any new coils.

 

 

[dirtrider]

Afternoon Rocketman

 

I'm not sure I would go after the lower coils first if the problem isn't gone. 

 

BMW phase shifts the firing on the lower plugs so at higher speed they are pretty well out of the performance picture.  

 

A problem or misfire at lower RPM's then, yes, go after the lower coils, or lower spark plugs.

 

But at higher RPM's then way more likely it's one of the upper coils, or upper spark plugs (if it is a coil or spark plug issue) 

[The Rocketman]

Well that clears things up and helps a lot, especially since the upper coils are more economical than the lowers and easier to access.

[The Rocketman]

Fairly certain the new plugs cleared up the bike's sputtering problem. Today went through all 6 gears @ 6-7K RPM each, and no more hesitation or sputtering under hard acceleration. I think we are good to go.