Cold Start Lever Detent Positions?

[NYTransplant]

Hi all, I'm an absolute Newbie here and this is my first post.

 

I've done a quick search and I'll apologize in advance if I missed something obvious.

 

I just picked up my newest addition yesterday. Its a '99 Mandarin R1100S. From what I understand, the Cold Start Lever has 3 positions. Mine seems to have none. When I pull it up, it comes right back down. Is this a common issue? Anyone have any advice on the fix?

 

Thanks a bunch!

 

Tim

[Jim Moore]

The lever works as follows. All the way down is off. Half way up is, well, half. It will stay in that position. All the way up is "full" for lack of a better word. It must be held in the full position. If you pull it up to full and let it go, it will go back down to half. I'll bet your lever is at the half position right now. Try pushing the lever down to see if it goes to the off position.

[E30TECH]

The lever works as follows. All the way down is off. Half way up is, well, half. It will stay in that position. All the way up is "full" for lack of a better word. It must be held in the full position. If you pull it up to full and let it go, it will go back down to half. I'll bet your lever is at the half position right now. Try pushing the lever down to see if it goes to the off position.

 

And make sure you dont keep it in the middle position. The increased idle speed will overheat the engine at a standstill - enough to melt the tupperware and oil sight glass.

[NYTransplant]

Thanks so much! I will check when I go home tonight what position the lever is in. I didn't try to push it down.

 

This forum is great! I have read previously about the "warm-up" being a big no-no. I'm glad I found that tidbit because my tendency would be to warm up the bike.

 

Tim

[Ken H.]

To add just a bit, if your lever doesn't behave as Jim accurately described it, you have a cable problem. Out of adjustment or something more to be explored.

[LGannon]

I was just about to ask the exact same question, thanks.

[UberXY]

warm up is a no no. I never use the cold start lever, ever. I start the bike, arm the GPS, snick it into 2nd gear, and love every moment of riding my RT.

[Alan D]

warm up is a no no. I never use the cold start lever, ever. I start the bike, arm the GPS, snick it into 2nd gear, and love every moment of riding my RT.

 

Why start in 2nd gear?

[UberXY]

warm up is a no no. I never use the cold start lever, ever. I start the bike, arm the GPS, snick it into 2nd gear, and love every moment of riding my RT.

 

Why start in 2nd gear?

 

my driveway is a steep downhill affair.

[redryder]

my driveway is a steep downhill affair.

 

I think that's what my first wife had too!

[E30TECH]

my driveway is a steep downhill affair.

 

I think that's what my first wife had too!

 

[ShovelStrokeEd]

First off, an 1100S doesn't have any tupperware in the vicinity of the exhaust to worry about. So go ahead and warm it to your heart's content.

 

Second, here is an easy guideline to properly setting the cable length, the adjuster is just inside the left hand control module. With the bike warmed to operating temperature, the lowest position should have the bike idling at 1100 RPM or so. Detent position, under the same conditions will have the idle speed up at around 1500-1800. Top position (you have to hold it there) will kick the idle to 2200-2400.

 

On cold mornings with mine, I would hold the lever in the top position, turn on the key and wait for the fuel pump to stop and then hit the starter button. As soon as the motor would catch, I would release the lever to the detent position. Idle, with a cold motor, will remain about 900-1000 RPM. Now, as the motor warms, the idle speed will begin to creep up, when it gets to that 1500 RPM point, I flick the lever full down and ride away.

 

You can do this on an RT as well and never experience any frying of the tupperware. That really only happens with extended periods (measured in minutes) of fast idle. The minute or so it takes for the engine to reach something like operating temperatre (more like just starting to get warm) won't see the pipes anywhere near hot enough to damage anything. In terms of engine life, it will also go a long way towards prolonging the useful life of the motor.

[harleyjohn45]

Thanks so much! I will check when I go home tonight what position the lever is in. I didn't try to push it down.

 

This forum is great! I have read previously about the "warm-up" being a big no-no. I'm glad I found that tidbit because my tendency would be to warm up the bike.

 

Tim

 

i wonder why the bike will melt plastic and sight glasses at idle. how do the BMW police bikes avoid this problem. it not uncommon for them to idle for extended periods of time. do these bikes have to be shut down when they are working traffic. we have traffic lights in our town that can be several minutes before changing. not flaming, just curious.

john

[Boffin]

[quote

 

i wonder why the bike will melt plastic and sight glasses at idle. how do the BMW police bikes avoid this problem. it not uncommon for them to idle for extended periods of time. do these bikes have to be shut down when they are working traffic. we have traffic lights in our town that can be several minutes before changing. not flaming, just curious.

john

 

At idle there is less of a problem, it is when the bikes are run at fast idle on the lever that the problem occurs. As a data point, this morning before my commute I started the bike and let it idle on the detent whilst I donned helmet and gloves. By the time I had done this the header pipes were glowing cherry red for about 9 inches.

 

The police bikes can sit at proper idle for extended periods as they have a fan on the oil-cooler, keeping the temperatures in check.

 

Andy

[E30TECH]

At idle there is less of a problem, it is when the bikes are run at fast idle on the lever that the problem occurs. As a data point, this morning before my commute I started the bike and let it idle on the detent whilst I donned helmet and gloves. By the time I had done this the header pipes were glowing cherry red for about 9 inches.

 

This happened in what - 3 minutes?

[UberXY]

Can't see the point of idling fast. Well tuned fuel injection rides off without the slightest stumble on the coldest morning, I could see a cop on fast idle for a few minutes keeping the loaded alternator on the positive side, but no other possible reason. My exhaust pipes have never been red and never will be - what a great scenario for reducing effective life of valve seats.

[Boffin]

Can't see the point of idling fast. Well tuned fuel injection rides off without the slightest stumble on the coldest morning, I could see a cop on fast idle for a few minutes keeping the loaded alternator on the positive side, but no other possible reason. My exhaust pipes have never been red and never will be - what a great scenario for reducing effective life of valve seats.

Oh I agree, yesterday's start-up was atipical, I normaly get on the bike, start it and ride. Yesterday I slipped from routine for reasons unknown and noticed the glow from the headers. Scary.

 

Andy

[Boffin]

At idle there is less of a problem, it is when the bikes are run at fast idle on the lever that the problem occurs. As a data point, this morning before my commute I started the bike and let it idle on the detent whilst I donned helmet and gloves. By the time I had done this the header pipes were glowing cherry red for about 9 inches.

 

This happened in what - 3 minutes?

 

About that, maybe less.

 

Andy

[philbytx]

Here's a start technique that works in all weathers and in most cases of tune ...(and especially in the COLD!)

 

When you first start the bike, hold the detent up to the top position until the RPM's rise up to and then steady around 2300 THEN drop it down to the middle detent. Ride the bike until the 2nd bar shows on the RID then put the cold start lever down to off .

[E30TECH]

At idle there is less of a problem, it is when the bikes are run at fast idle on the lever that the problem occurs. As a data point, this morning before my commute I started the bike and let it idle on the detent whilst I donned helmet and gloves. By the time I had done this the header pipes were glowing cherry red for about 9 inches.

 

This happened in what - 3 minutes?

 

About that, maybe less.

 

Andy

 

[NYTransplant]

The lever works as follows. All the way down is off. Half way up is, well, half. It will stay in that position. All the way up is "full" for lack of a better word. It must be held in the full position. If you pull it up to full and let it go, it will go back down to half. I'll bet your lever is at the half position right now. Try pushing the lever down to see if it goes to the off position.

 

Yup, that was it. Just my ignorance in action.

 

Thanks again for the quick replies.

 

Tim

[E30TECH]

The lever works as follows. All the way down is off. Half way up is, well, half. It will stay in that position. All the way up is "full" for lack of a better word. It must be held in the full position. If you pull it up to full and let it go, it will go back down to half. I'll bet your lever is at the half position right now. Try pushing the lever down to see if it goes to the off position.

 

Yup, that was it. Just my ignorance in action.

 

Thanks again for the quick replies.

 

Tim

 

Glad to see it was an easy 'fix'

 

[Kenny_McCormick]

Even at the middle position my bike will stall if I don't give it some gas -- I would love to be able to idle and heat things up!

 

Any ideas what's wrong?

[Jim Moore]

Any ideas what's wrong?

You can adjust your fast idle cable to raise the rpm at the first detent position. If that doesn't work, your lower throttle cables have too much slack. You would need to re-synch your throttle bodies and take the slack out of the cable on each side.