Bike's running great but what the......

[RPG]

Continuing the post on the cold starting problems I was having with my '04RT, I checked the oil temp sensor this weekend per Twisty's recommendation and it checked out fine.

 

Replaced the Tupperware after cleaning the oil temp connector (and applying a little Dielectric to boot).

 

Rode my other bike on Sunday so when I went to ride the RT into work yesterday I notice that the oil temp gauge is showing 1 bar even when dead cold. The bike starts easily enough and the ride into work is perfect as usual.

 

Me and a friend decide to ride out for lunch and again when I go to start it I notice that 1 bar is showing on the display. Now it is 90F out but never have I seen that before on a dead cold engine no matter what the outside temp.

 

And finally on the way home I notice the same thing except the temp gauge gradually gets up to 6 bars instead of the usual 5.

 

Again the bike appears to be running fine.

 

So, the Engineer in me says just for the hell of it, pull fuse #5 and reset the Motronic. I pull the fuse, wait about 10 minutes, replace, switch the ignition on and do the throttle exercise. Now, the bike won't start. After about five attempts and with the fast idle set, it finally fires but doesn't sound good as the idle is really rough.

 

My young wife is calling and she wants me to check out her new Victoria Secret's collection so I hightail it inside. (wouldn't you?)

 

So this morning I wake up with a big smile on my face and I'm contemplating whether to take the R90s or /5 into work but go to start the RT (just to see if the same problem is there) and alas, the oil temp is showing zero bars per normal and the motor fires up quicker than I can ever recall. And the idle is dead smooth.

 

I'm not complaining but I'm lost as to what just happened.

 

RPG

[boatzo]

Its' all in your head !! The Victoria's Secret exercise, took your mind off your problems and now everything is a clean fresh start. Forget the engineering and enjoy.

[tobyzusa]

Dude, it's pretty simple... Victoria Secret can fix most any problem....

[T__]

Continuing the post on the cold starting problems I was having with my '04RT, I checked the oil temp sensor this weekend per Twisty's recommendation and it checked out fine.

 

Replaced the Tupperware after cleaning the oil temp connector (and applying a little Dielectric to boot).

 

Rode my other bike on Sunday so when I went to ride the RT into work yesterday I notice that the oil temp gauge is showing 1 bar even when dead cold. The bike starts easily enough and the ride into work is perfect as usual.

 

Me and a friend decide to ride out for lunch and again when I go to start it I notice that 1 bar is showing on the display. Now it is 90F out but never have I seen that before on a dead cold engine no matter what the outside temp.

 

And finally on the way home I notice the same thing except the temp gauge gradually gets up to 6 bars instead of the usual 5.

 

Again the bike appears to be running fine.

 

So, the Engineer in me says just for the hell of it, pull fuse #5 and reset the Motronic. I pull the fuse, wait about 10 minutes, replace, switch the ignition on and do the throttle exercise. Now, the bike won't start. After about five attempts and with the fast idle set, it finally fires but doesn't sound good as the idle is really rough.

 

My young wife is calling and she wants me to check out her new Victoria Secret's collection so I hightail it inside. (wouldn't you?)

 

So this morning I wake up with a big smile on my face and I'm contemplating whether to take the R90s or /5 into work but go to start the RT (just to see if the same problem is there) and alas, the oil temp is showing zero bars per normal and the motor fires up quicker than I can ever recall. And the idle is dead smooth.

 

I'm not complaining but I'm lost as to what just happened.

 

RPG

RPG, is there any chance you did the throttle exercise with the choke (fast idle on)? If you did then it didn’t reset correctly at closed throttle street idle,, it would then take a little riding / running time to re-calibrate itself to both “O throttle ” & “WOT”..

 

Other than that it’s a guessing game.. I guess if it happens again do a little probing of the sensors, proper spark, injector pulse width, & fuel tank for vacuum to see if anything looks skewed there..

 

Twisty

[Godfather]

Not to hijack, but what is the throttle dance after pulling and replacing fuse #5...I am still a newbie to alot of these tricks. Thanks

[RPG]

Yes Twisty, it's certainly possible. I tell ya, with visions of green lingerie dancing in my head, I'm amazed I could even find the starter button. It might have been a matter of just half my brain working at the time.

 

Also, thanks much for your responses to my Cold starting issue. The diagram you sent of the oil temp sensor made it real easy to locate.

 

As mentioned previously I did a fuel filter change and am still not 100% confident I hooked up the vacuum hoses correctly inside of the tank. Any chance there's a diagram around? Like something that shows if I blow through the little hole under the gas cap I can expect air to exit out a certain vacuum hose? Or pics/diagrams showing exactly where each hose connects (the ones that attach to the fuel pump plate)?

 

RPG

[Paul Mihalka]

Not to hijack, but what is the throttle dance after pulling and replacing fuse #5...I am still a newbie to alot of these tricks. Thanks

Don't worry. It only applies to R1150 bikes, not R1100.

[RT Pilot]

RPG. . .I just went throught that whole fuel filter change operation (who would have guessed that Sharpie markers are erasable with gasoline?). . .anyway, I discovered the error of my ways by having my wife blow (don't ask) into each of the two tubes that come out of the gas tank. When blowing into the hose that vents to the ground (at the bottom of the bike), you should hear the air coming from the small hole near your gas filler cap (with the gas cap open). If you don't, or you can't get air into the hose, you have them reversed. Let me know how that works out for ya. . .

 

Rob

[BFish]

Yes Twisty, it's certainly possible. I tell ya, with visions of green lingerie dancing in my head, I'm amazed I could even find the starter button.

RPG

 

 

ain't gonna touch that one

[RPG]

Rob, thanks so much. Just what I was looking for. I too did the permanent marker thing when I pulled the fuel filter assy. apart and found that the words 'permanent' and 'gasoline' are sometimes mutually exclusive. i.e., the stuff I marked didn't stay marked for long. DOH!

 

I would have designed the whole fuel pump/filter apparatus thing a lot differently, but that's another story.

 

RPG

[RT Pilot]

When I had the fuel pump out of the tank, I wanted to remove the "sock filter" from the pump to check it for debris, but I couldn't remove it. I decided not to strongarm it, so I just reinstalled everything as it was (with a new filter cartridge). Did you remove the sock filter from the pump? If so, how did you get it off? Does it just pull off, or unscrew or what? Just wondering. . .

 

Rob

[chrisz]

I'm not complaining but I'm lost as to what just happened.

RPG

 

I'm having issues with my bike, can you send photos of your wife in the Victoria Secret outfit?

[RPG]

Rob, I never removed the sock as there wasn't any debris to speak of. But it looked fairly impossible to do anyway.

 

Rick

[AZBaldur]

So, the Engineer in me says just for the hell of it, pull fuse #5 and reset the Motronic. I pull the fuse, wait about 10 minutes, replace, switch the ignition on and do the throttle exercise. Now, the bike won't start. After about five attempts and with the fast idle set, it finally fires but doesn't sound good as the idle is really rough.

 

My young wife is calling and she wants me to check out her new Victoria Secret's collection so I hightail it inside. (wouldn't you?)

 

So this morning I wake up with a big smile on my face and I'm contemplating whether to take the R90s or /5 into work but go to start the RT (just to see if the same problem is there) and alas, the oil temp is showing zero bars per normal and the motor fires up quicker than I can ever recall. And the idle is dead smooth.

 

I'm not complaining but I'm lost as to what just happened.

 

RPG

The symptoms you describe are caused by overly pressurized nuts. The correct fix, as you were fortunate enough to stumble upon, is to take care of your better half before you do anything else. When mama's happy, everybody and every thing is happy!

[RPG]

yes, pressure must be relieved on a regular basis to maintain even a normal level of mechanical troubleshooting skills. When Mama's happy, bike runs better.

 

RPG

[BFish]

you guys are not helping me concentrate. gonna grab the RT and head to the local VS...purchase whatever and then hopefully relieve some pressure later on. thanks for the advice.

[mrduck]

Do they have your size?

[RPG]

RPG. . .I just went throught that whole fuel filter change operation (who would have guessed that Sharpie markers are erasable with gasoline?). . .anyway, I discovered the error of my ways by having my wife blow (don't ask) into each of the two tubes that come out of the gas tank. When blowing into the hose that vents to the ground (at the bottom of the bike), you should hear the air coming from the small hole near your gas filler cap (with the gas cap open). If you don't, or you can't get air into the hose, you have them reversed. Let me know how that works out for ya. . .

 

Rob

 

Rob, on my '04 there are three hoses that hang down behind the right brake lever. One goes to the cannister but the other two head up and inside towards the tank. I had my wife lay on the ground and told her to blow (hard) into all three hoses. She said she didn't like the taste (that's all I'll say) but the longer of the two hoses that routes up inside the bike did vent to the little hole under the gas cap. The other one seemed to produce a gurgling sound.

 

Not concerned as the bike has been running perfect lately. I think there would be a sign if I had the tubes backwards.

 

thanks,

 

RPG

[Spyder]

I had my wife lay on the ground and told her to blow (hard) into all three hoses. She said she didn't like the taste (that's all I'll say) but the longer of the two hoses that routes up inside the bike did vent to the little hole under the gas cap. The other one seemed to produce a gurgling sound.

 

 

She sounds like a keeper RPG!

 

She helps you work on your bike?

[RT Pilot]

Sorry for the delay on replying--just got back from my Maine trip last weekend. It sounds like you lucked out and got the hoses hooked up correctly the 1st time around--I ain't that lucky, but I am somewhat of an expert at RT tank removal / installation now. . .and my wife has yet another line on her resume . . .hehehehehehe

 

Regards, Rob

[Guy_Fawkes]

I want to know if I pull the right fuse will my wife call me inside because she is wearing something from VS? I had a sgt. once who always said, "If mamma ain't happy, no ones happy!!!!" Never a truer word spoken.