I think I screwed it up. (First Post)

[bncceo]

Hey Guys,

 

I bought my first BMW last Monday in Fort Worth. After exhaustive research, I purchased a used 02 R1150RT with 43000 miles on it. I had the dealer do a full service and check the whole thing out before I rode it home, which was about 350 miles away. After the first week, I have to say I love the bike. It is everything I wanted.

 

However, this morning I ran it clean out of gas. I expected it to happen because I had 290 miles on the ODO. I mainly did it to see how far a tank would get me. (I would like to note that even though the low fuel light was on, the fuel guage still read three bars.) The only problem is that when I put gas back in it, the bike would not start.

 

Let me give more details. I put a gallon of gas in the tank. Press the ignition, it turns over a couple of times and then quits. Then it would not attempt to start again. The battery was good even though I ran it mostly down trying to get it started.

 

Guys, I hate for my first post to be a problem, but there are no dealerships around here and I have no clue. (Clymer is on order) I have been lurking around here ever since I decided to get a beemer, and I know there is a ton of knowledge here.

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Ken H.]

A gallon might not be enough to get it started. There is quite a bit of unreachable space on the left side. Riding will splash some over to the right side, where the pickup is, but level (or on the left leaning side stand) a gallon might not get the fuel level high enough. Either add some more or (possibly with the help of a friend) lean the bike waaay over to the right, the try again with the bike straight up right.

 

Also what does the fuel pump sound like when you turn on the key? Normal sounding short whine?

[Marty Hill]

Very bad to run them dry. Fuel pump can/will go kaput.

 

Good luck

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

When you turn on the ignition, can you hear the humm of the fuel pump for a couple of seconds? This is not the quick "whee" of the brakes, but a definite "hummm". If so, then your fuel pump is working. If so, try the "lean it way over to the right" as described above.

 

Good luck.

[bncceo]

When I turn the key, There is a very quiet sound almost like static from a radio followed by a louder higher pitched whirr which I am assuming is the brake servo.

 

I have now filled the tank almost all of the way up. I attempted to start again with no luck. I turned the key on and off again several times, thinking there may be air in the line and the fuel pump will prime it out. However, this did not help either. The only result was a brief kickover before dying again.

 

Perhaps something was sucked into the fuel filter and plugged it?

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

I turned the key on and off again several times, thinking there may be air in the line and the fuel pump will prime it out. However, this did not help either. The only result was a brief kickover before dying again.

 

 

 

Smart - that'll clear air out of the loop. However, there are still the individual lines going from the regulator to each injector.

 

<speculation>

in running out of fuel, you've filled these lines with air, and I think the only way to clear them (without a lot of hassle) is to crank the engine for a while.

 

You could crank while holding WOT to minimize the wait, but then of course once it finally does fire it's gonna rev like a bastage. Might be safer to just remove each injector from its throttle body (but leave the fuel and electrics connected to each injector), then crank the engine until you see the injectors are squirting fuel. Then pop the injectors back in, and you should be able to run.

</speculation>

[BobFV1]

You ran it dry to see how har a tank would get you? I would not recommend that in any case - why not just run it to the light to see how far that is? Too late now. Running it dry sucks all the crap at the bottom of your tank in to the fuel system. I would take it to a BMW dealer and have it professionally serviced - then Gas up every 180 miles or so, just to be on the safe side....

[AviP]

Might be safer to just remove each injector from its throttle body (but leave the fuel and electrics connected to each injector), then crank the engine until you see the injectors are squirting fuel.

Like he said, this should positively confirm if the fuel pump is working. Fuel filter and pump access is a PITA (compared to some Japanese bikes). BTDT.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

When I turn the key, There is a very quiet sound almost like static from a radio followed by a louder higher pitched whirr which I am assuming is the brake servo.

 

Is it still doing this even now that you've filled the tank completely?

 

One more possibility: the pump can't reprime if the downstream line is full of pressurized air. If this is the problem, then you could maybe fix by removing the high-pressure line from the fuel manifold - so that the pump is pumping against zero pressure - and cycle the key on/off a few times to prime the pump.

[Nevets]

Dumb question: Kill switch on?

[GordonB]

Not so dumb, I've been thinking the same thing.

[Green RT]

Dumb question: Kill switch on?

 

Mine won't crank with the kill switch off. Will yours?

[Ken H.]

Mine won't crank with the kill switch off. Will yours?

The 1100s, unless they've had the sidestand start mod, won't crank. The 1150s will crank but not start.