Help Please - 1400 miles from home

[ElevenFifty]

2004 1150RT dual spark 76000 mi

 

last 4 tanks of fuel averaged ~ 49mpg

voltage is 13.5 when running

valves adjusted nicely and throttles synced 1500 miles ago

was running like a top 2 days ago

 

Last night:

- bike started hard and ran rough at idle

- acceleration seems normal

- 4000 rpm, steady speed, I feel a slight hesitation, what I imagine is described as 'surging'

- re-filled the tank this morning ... avg dropped to ~41mpg (but I am further north so the blend might be different and I tend to average around 42 mpg in the winter)

 

This morning:

- pulled primary plugs - look okay but are a little lighter gray than I am used to seeing

- started rough but improved with warm up

- rode 5 miles or so, normal operating temps, slight hesitation

 

Biggest concern: I drove through W.VA and rural PA and am concerned that I got water or particulate contamination in the fuel I bought from older stations. I am 80 miles from a dealer with a 250 mile ride in the other direction tommorrow. If I had a fuel filter I'd install it.

 

QUESTIONS:

1. IF this is a fuel filter problem, will it give me ample warning?

2. I haven't checked the secondary plugs (but they are always wet looking anyway) ... could a bad secondary plug cause these symptoms (rough start and idle/'surging' at steady rpm/normal operation during acceleration)?

 

FINALLY: I just noticed a strange and probably unrelated event - At idle, clutch in, brake lever activated ... THEN - release the brake lever and I hear a 'churp' simultaneous to a mis fire of the engine (non-fire is probably more accurate-it just skips a beat)... after the first surprising occurrence of this 'symptom' I was able to get this to happen again a couple more times out of 30 or 40 attempts to repeat it.

 

[mrduck]

One of my stick coils went bad and did the same thing you're describing.

Try pulling the plug wires off one at a time when it's running and see if any difference.

If no change then there's your problem. (maybe)

 

 

 

I'm sure someone else here will chime in on how to do this!

[Rob L]

If I had a fuel filter I'd install it.

 

If it is the fuel filter, use a NAPA 3032 or the equivalent at Autozone or whatever is in the area.

[daveinatlanta]

David - sorry to hear about this. As one other person suggested, I'd certainly try to eliminate the primary stick coil as a problem first. Remove the primary spark plug cover and while running, you can just slide the low voltage connector out of its connection with the coil. If the engine sounds about the same, then that coil is probably bad. This assumes your problem is not an intermittent one.

 

What you're describing, rough idle and ok acceleration, is what I experienced when I first got my bike. The dealer narrowed it down to a defective coil.

 

If not that, then perhaps you do have bad fuel which would behave similarly but probably more prone to being intermittent.

[ArthurKnowles]

Just as an FYI, if you are concerned about water in your fuel, the solution for that is easy. Buy a bottle of STP fuel addative, HEET, or similar product that absorbs the moisture and burns it in the engine. That will get rid of the water if there is still any in the tank and you haven't already gotten rid of it.

[BMW_Ken]

I also had similar symptoms and found the problem to be a failed primary stick coil on my 2004 R1150RT.

 

Best of luck.

[smiller]

- bike started hard and ran rough at idle

- acceleration seems normal

It doesn't sound like your fuel filter. If the filter was restricted enough to cause idle problems then I doubt that the bike would accelerate normally and run (mostly) OK at speed.

[ElevenFifty]

Thanks all -

 

Buttoned it up and rode to Worcester MA to pick up a filter and talk to the service guys there ... The bike sputtered a bit early in the ride but ran much better on the 30 mile return trip and after a complete cool down, started and ran normally. The service guy's first question was if the bike had been outside yesterday ... it HAD - sitting in front of my friends house near Worcester while we caged our way into Boston.

 

The guys in the BMW dealership said that there was an afternoon downpour and they would not be surprised if my symptoms were caused by water in the tank, leaking in around the filler cap.

 

Right now, the bike is running great again but I will monitor it closely and the first sign of a repeat of the symptoms will lead me to a new coil. I have a new filter and secondary plugs on the bike ready to install which means I'll never need them! Maybe I should pick up a stick coil as insurance!!

 

Thanks.

[jfremder]

I wish I would have read this yesterday...

 

After completing a 48/10 (8600 mi.) trip, I performed a 48K service, including new throttle cables, and my first use of Autolite 3923's on our '04 R1150RT. I didn't ride the bike for a three weeks after the service, and it was low on fuel. I noticed the last tank on the trip it was running a bit rough off idle. I dismissed it as overdue for the service.

 

Rode the bike for the fist time after the service a couple days ago. It stalled three times, was very rough on cold start, wouldn't idle even with the 'choke' on.

 

Retraced ALL my steps, plugs, cables, synch, etc. spent 3 hours on the bike AGAIN... No change. in fact it was getting worse.

 

Finally, put it all back together, drained the tank, then drove it completely dry. re-filled with 1/3 gallon of fresh fuel after it ran dry. Took forever to restart, ran awful for 30 seconds, then suddenly, it ran like a new bike. It took another 6.7 gal. at the pump!

 

I asssume it was bad fuel or water or both.

 

Lesson learned, go with the SIMPLE solution first.

[Haynes]

The symptoms decribe a few possible problems. I just replaced the stick coils on my bike which was misbehaving like yours. Is there someone with whom you could try their stick coils in your bike for a short test?

To purchase a pair, or even just one, it's an expensive exercise if you're taking a trial and error approach.