R1100RT Sudden Idle Problems

[Robt_J_Webster]

Took the bike in to the local dealer to replace the ABS unit the other day, and when I picked it up, I noticed that the idle was a little erratic. I wrote it off as being cold, and but after leaving the dealer, the bike stalled twice. Never done that before! Once it was warm, it idled rough. This thing has always idled like a dream, so this is all new. Took it back to the dealer, and they upped the idle speed, which stopped the stalling, but didn't get rid of roughness. I went home, and re-syched the bike at idle using the brass bleed screws, and got the bike running in some semblence of it's previous self. After riding for a while, I noticed that the idle had become a little rough again. Repeated procedure, with same results.

 

Here is what I noticed:

1. Bypass screw on left injector open quite a bit farther than right.

2. Bypass screw on left side dirtier than right.

3. Bypass screw on left side much easier to turn than right side.

4. Bike runs perfect once off idle, no sign of vibration or surging at speed.

5. Clock was off when I picked up the bike, so obviously, battery had been disconnected.

6. Rubber covers on vacuum ports still there, and clamps on cylinder side of throttle bodies tight.

7. These symptoms started immediately after the work on the bike, no problems before.

 

I would rather avoid going back to the dealer, in that it eats up a lot of my time, and am not real happy about the condition of the bike from the last trip. Kind of suprised me, because this dealer has been good as gold in the past.

 

Any suggestions?

[Woodie]

Throttle cable hung up, or not seated fully?

[Robt_J_Webster]

Checked both sides, and them seem to be seated OK. Butterfies are hitting stops, so I don't think that's the problem. Will check again, however. Oh, I neglected to mention in the original post that the dealer did the 30000km service while it was in.

[Tipover_Bob]

Robert:

I am just a tinkerer here, mess with my own stuff, often mess it up, sometimes get it right.

 

Sounds like your man messed with the left side throttle stop and possibly the TPS setting. These durn things are tricky. I like the Lentini method of zero-zero for setting the TPS and the left throttle stop. Then I am not clear on how to set the right throttle stop because when the final balancing is done you want the right throttle to rest on the stop at idle and not on the crossover cable, dig it?

Tipover Bob

[DGuy]

Sometimes idle problems indicate that you need clean the idle circuits. Pull the idle screws and and with the engine running, spray carb cleaner into the idle circuit. Do one side at a time.

 

I seem to need to do this about once every two years.

[rondob4]

My bike has exactly the same problem...since I'm ignernt, can someone detail this procedure for me, at the idiot level? Which screws, how much carb cleaner, do I have to pay attention to the number of turns of the screws, etc.?