Hexhead service bulletins?

[sardineone]

Saw a recent post by Dirt Rider that made me think of the subject. Since I do my own service, my 06' BMW has only been back to a dealer for minor recalls. Does anyone have a source for service bulletins on the Hexheads for the home mechanics???

 

Why I ask is back in 1986 I got burned on a Honda I owned since I did my own maintenance. I missed an important tech bulletin on the Honda CB1100F to Loctite the cam sprocket bolts for example. Yes, I had one back out and fall into the motor luckily when starting, but still ruined a cam chain.

[dirtrider]

Saw a recent post by Dirt Rider that made me think of the subject. Since I do my own service, my 06' BMW has only been back to a dealer for minor recalls. Does anyone have a source for service bulletins on the Hexheads for the home mechanics???

 

Why I ask is back in 1986 I got burned on a Honda I owned since I did my own maintenance. I missed an important tech bulletin on the Honda CB1100F to Loctite the cam sprocket bolts for example. Yes, I had one back out and fall into the motor luckily when starting, but still ruined a cam chain.

 

Morning sardineone

 

Some of the safety bulletins are on the NHTSA web site but are difficult to find due to being motorcycle related & not specifically categorized.

 

As far as BMW specific bulletins-- those are sent to your local BMW dealer but not publically offered. Legally I can't post them as they are BMW proprietary & I don't have BMW's permission to do so. I would also imagine that it is against this web sites policy to post BMW copyrighted or proprietary info without BMW's permission.

 

You can visit your local BMW dealer & ask if they will look for specific service bulletins on your 2006 by imputing your bike's VIN. (you need a customer friendly dealer for this to work)

 

You can also post your intended service here in advance so you can get the members input on any special precautions or service procedure updates that they know about.

 

 

[sardineone]

Thanks Dirtrider. I'll get a hold of a dealer to be proactive. So far my bike has given me very little trouble and hope that trend continues.

[lkraus]

I think that we hear about most of the service bulletins these days thanks to the internet. Maybe we don't see the actual bulletin, but word gets spread when somebody has work done by the dealer and then mentions it somewhere online. This sort of information was a lot harder to find back in 1986.

[Mark C]

Question:

I noticed early hexheads had 2 temp. sensors on heads, later models went to one.

I also noticed alot of them go out, fail and the bike won't start until you at least un-plug defective one. It works but has to warm up before it will take throttle at all.

Have you seen many failures?

Thanks,

Mark

[dirtrider]

Question:

I noticed early hexheads had 2 temp. sensors on heads, later models went to one.

I also noticed alot of them go out, fail and the bike won't start until you at least un-plug defective one. It works but has to warm up before it will take throttle at all.

Have you seen many failures?

Thanks,

Mark

 

Afternoon Mark

 

I have never seen or know of anyone that failed, or has a failed, the cyl head temperature sensor(s) on the 1200 BMW hexhead.

 

The early (pre 8/2006) 1200 hexheads did have a cyl temp sensor on each head, the later ones went to only one sensor but then shared the output (GS-911 still shows 2 cyl head temp inputs but on the post 8/06 bikes they will always read the same temp for both sides).

 

 

 

 

 

[Mark C]

Thanks,

Well, it's weird that I couldn't get this one started without unplugging that one left sensor on 2008 model.

It was instant start when unplugged, no start when attached?

W/o GS 911 I am in the dark though and glad I tracked it down this far.

Mark

[dirtrider]

Thanks,

Well, it's weird that I couldn't get this one started without unplugging that one left sensor on 2008 model.

It was instant start when unplugged, no start when attached?

W/o GS 911 I am in the dark though and glad I tracked it down this far.

Mark

 

Evening Mark

 

The cyl head temp sensor shouldn't prevent cold engine starting, it can have some effect but usually a little throttle (1/8-1/4) & they will start right up.

[Mark C]

I agree, it shouldn't, but I experimented 2 dozen times, with same results. Plugged another used one in, same result.

Only explaination is a combination of sensors are out.

I replaced the battery, tried re-set tps, will not start unless unplugged!

 

[dirtrider]

I agree, it shouldn't, but I experimented 2 dozen times, with same results. Plugged another used one in, same result.

Only explaination is a combination of sensors are out.

I replaced the battery, tried re-set tps, will not start unless unplugged!

 

Morning Mark

 

It could be another sensor also acting up, or could be low fuel pressure, or a BMS-K issue, or ?????

 

Part of the duty on the cylinder head temp sensor is to tell the BMS-K that the engine is really cold (like overnight cold soak). The primary temperature input into the BMS-K is the oil (eng) temp sensor. If both the oil temp sensor & the cylinder temp sensors show the same low temperature then the computer knows the engine is overnight (cold soak) cold.

 

Without a GS-911 it is difficult to verify much when it comes to engine input things (like temp sensors)

 

Maybe we can go after this from another direction--

 

EXACTLY WHEN did your starting problem appear?

 

Was it suddenly or did it come on gradually?

 

How long before the problem showed up did you fill the fuel tank?

 

Any battery disconnects or wire disconnects just before the problem showed up?

 

As of NOW, once you get it started does it run & ride out OK?

 

Will it pull a high speed in 6th gear??????

 

Anything else done to bike just before problem showed up?

[Mark C]

It starts and runs fine once you wait 2 minutes to warm & drive off.

Really doesn't like any throttle at all b4 then.

Now this is running it as unplugged.

I Took old sensor out because it ran rough when hot idle.

Thinking a replacement from a bike that ran fine would fix.

Instead more problems with no start at all.

 

I cut the old wire in half and plugged it into nothing.

There are 4 wires, red one looks like thread or possible fiber, not wire.

One is yellow and one is black (copper). Only reading when ignition is on is from black and yellow, low volts , like 5v

Another one is bare steel wire.

But connecting those two causes a no start also.

 

I also pulled old junk sensor apart.

It looks like a heat sensor that might have been sealed into ceramic or white resin on tip.

[Mark C]

D.R.,

Just drove it up mountain in 6th gear, no problem.

It starts and runs fine once you wait 2 minutes to warm & drive off.

Really doesn't like any throttle at all b4 then.

 

Now this is running it as unplugged heat sensor. It has a code in manual , looks like Ti with a slash through it?

 

Original problem :I Took old sensor out because it ran rough when hot idle.

Thinking a replacement from a bike that ran fine would fix.

Instead more problems with no start at all.

 

I cut the old wire in half and plugged it into nothing.

There are 4 wires, red one looks like thread or possible fiber, not wire.

One is yellow and one is black (copper). Only reading when ignition is on is from black and yellow, low volts , like .3v

Another one is bare steel wire.

But connecting those two causes a no start also.

 

I also pulled old junk sensor apart.

It looks like a heat sensor that might have been sealed into ceramic or white resin on tip.

Thanks,

Mark

[dirtrider]

D.R.,

Just drove it up mountain in 6th gear, no problem.

It starts and runs fine once you wait 2 minutes to warm & drive off.

Really doesn't like any throttle at all b4 then.

 

Now this is running it as unplugged heat sensor. It has a code in manual , looks like Ti with a slash through it?

 

Original problem :I Took old sensor out because it ran rough when hot idle.

Thinking a replacement from a bike that ran fine would fix.

Instead more problems with no start at all.

 

I cut the old wire in half and plugged it into nothing.

There are 4 wires, red one looks like thread or possible fiber, not wire.

One is yellow and one is black (copper). Only reading when ignition is on is from black and yellow, low volts , like .3v

Another one is bare steel wire.

But connecting those two causes a no start also.

 

I also pulled old junk sensor apart.

It looks like a heat sensor that might have been sealed into ceramic or white resin on tip.

Thanks,

Mark

 

Morning Mark

 

Can you post a picture of the sensor that you are working with & it's EXACT location on engine?

 

The cylinder head temp sensor only has 2 wires (brown/yellow) & (yellow/white) on bike side of the connector.

 

 

[Bernie]

It sounds to me like Mark is talking about the Oxygen sensor. That has 4 wires.

[dirtrider]

double post__

Edited June 13, 2017 by dirtrider

[dirtrider]

It sounds to me like Mark is talking about the Oxygen sensor. That has 4 wires.

 

Morning Bernie

 

OK, if you are sure that it is the o2 sensor then I will back out of this thread so you can work with Mark.

 

I prefer not to guess on what it is until he provides a picture or more specific info on EXACTLY what we are working with.

[Bernie]

Good afternoon, Dirtrider.

My apologies to mix in.

Have a good day!

[Mark C]

Yes 2 pin connector but cable has 4 wires.

[TestPilot]

Mark,

 

Your link takes me to Outlook's sign up/sign in page, not your photograph.

 

[dirtrider]

Yes 2 pin connector but cable has 4 wires.

 

Morning Mark

 

Your picture doesn't work so lets try this another way.

 

Verify that "FOR SURE" we are working with the L/H cylinder temp sensor?

 

[Mark C]

I got pictures and am right about this.

But

How do you do it? What icon allows that? there is no link I see to attach anything to these email/ messages like normally found on sites?

On the bottom left of my view it says HTML is disabled?

[dirtrider]

Morning Mark

 

In Photo shop click on the picture that you

want to link to, click on share, a box or

list should open, then copy the direct URL

into your clip board. Then follow picture below--

 

 

 

[dirtrider]

Afternoon Mark

 

You might also try something like

 

http://imgur.com/

 

I haven't ever used it but my co-workers say that it works good.

 

Once you have the hosted picture URL then post it here per the picture I posted above.

[Mark C]

This I do everyday, so much simplier

http://r.ebay.com/H6uJUA

Thanks for checking it out.

Mark

 

[dirtrider]

Afternoon Mark

 

Yep, that is the cyl head temp sensor. I can't say as I have ever cut one of those apart before. (not many fail)

 

My wire diagram shows some sort of shielding so that is probably what those other wires are for.

 

I still don't think that ONLY a bad cyl temp sensor will cause a no-start. Maybe some hard staring & possibly need to hold the throttle open a little during cold cranking.

 

The main player in cold starting is engine temp sensor (does your dash temp gauge read correctly?)

 

If the engine temp & the cylinder head temp match (fairly close) then the fueling computer knows the engine is cold-soak cold). If they don't match then then it knows the engine is not totally cold for starting concerns.

 

Have you tried a 30 minute battery disconnect then a re-connect & new TPS re-learn? If not you might try that to clear the adaptives.

 

You really need a GS-911 to look at your engine input sensors. Otherwise it is all guessing.