mmaiers92 Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 Hello all, I am a relatively new owner of a 2004 1150gs with 93,000 miles on the ticker. Absolutely love the bike but a few months ago it developed a vibration at all rpm, decreased idle speed, and shaking at idle. Things I have checked 1. Spark plugs are newer, look very clean. 2. Valve adjustment 3.TB balance (will not remain consistent, will stay level at idle but at higher rpm it wont stay balanced very well) 4. Confirmed primary coils are firing, rpm drops when each is unplugged. 5.secondary plugs are firing, vibration still present with primary coils unplugged. 6.TB shafts do not display excessive radial clearance.. 7. Injector spray pattern appears good and even. Ran injector cleaner aswell. 8.replaced O2 sensor. 9. Replaced throttle cables. All of these Items were done post symptom and have not had any effect on the vibration. One thing that really baffles me is that it vibrates under decel with the throttle closed, and the vibration stays unchanged when I switch the ignition off. When I pull the clutch in the vibration dissapears completely. This problem has me very confused, the vibration is enough to blurr the mirrors, and put my hands and feet to sleep. Please help with any suggestions! Link to comment
roger 04 rt Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 There are a lot of possibilities. What happens if you disconnect the lower plugs, does it run the same or worse? Link to comment
dirtrider Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 Hello all, I am a relatively new owner of a 2004 1150gs with 93,000 miles on the ticker. Absolutely love the bike but a few months ago it developed a vibration at all rpm, decreased idle speed, and shaking at idle. Things I have checked 1. Spark plugs are newer, look very clean. 2. Valve adjustment 3.TB balance (will not remain consistent, will stay level at idle but at higher rpm it wont stay balanced very well) 4. Confirmed primary coils are firing, rpm drops when each is unplugged. 5.secondary plugs are firing, vibration still present with primary coils unplugged. 6.TB shafts do not display excessive radial clearance.. 7. Injector spray pattern appears good and even. Ran injector cleaner aswell. 8.replaced O2 sensor. 9. Replaced throttle cables. All of these Items were done post symptom and have not had any effect on the vibration. One thing that really baffles me is that it vibrates under decel with the throttle closed, and the vibration stays unchanged when I switch the ignition off. When I pull the clutch in the vibration dissapears completely. This problem has me very confused, the vibration is enough to blurr the mirrors, and put my hands and feet to sleep. Please help with any suggestions! Morning mmaiers92 Diagnosing a vibration over the internet is very very difficult. As you have found out, diagnosing a vibration even while leaning over the bike is still very difficult. To even begin to help you we will need you to more define the vibration as there are MANY types of vibration, shakes, buzzes, or engine disturbances. It is a full bike shake, or more of a higher frequency buzz (felt in the seat, foot pegs, and handlebars or bar grips), or is it more of a droning type vibration? If you can exactly define the vibration & it's frequency range, or it's order, we can more get an idea on what could be causing it. At first read it sort of sounds like a stick coil problem but you have tested them (sort of) anyhow. Just because it will run on the upper coils at idle doesn't mean they are fully functional under engine road load. Have you verified that the o2 sensor pig tail isn't running along, or near, the R/H lower spark plug wire (there was a BMW service bulletin on this). This wouldn't be your riding load vibration but could be, or contribute to, you rough idle & shaking at idle. We also need to know WHEN the vibration started & how abruptly it started. Like did it just pop up one day, or slowly get worse, or has it always been there. We also need to know if it is the same intensity at all engine RPM's, or the same in all gear ranges, or the same at all vehicle speeds. Have you ridden the bike with the alternator belt removed just to eliminate that part of the external rotating things? Depending on the RPM range, severity, & frequency-- then things to look for are loose engine & chassis bolts, exhaust system ground out to frame or chassis, if it only happens moving then look at the drive shaft or wheel balance, etc. You might also want to give it a compression test if you get chance just to eliminate that possibility so you have a 'known healthy engine' starting point. If the disturbance is manly there when riding then possibly check fuel pressure & flow (possibly a fuel leak inside the fuel tank in the U shaped hose). If the bike is relatively new to you & it has always had the vibration then possibly a past owner installed new clutch parts incorrectly, or installed an unbalanced piston, or ?????? Give us some more exact information about your vibration & we can possibly give you more specific areas to look at. Link to comment
roger 04 rt Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 Good morning DR, Since he mentioned that pulling in the clutch eliminated the vibration, doesn't that suggest it is likely in the engine and its parts (e.g. alternator)? Link to comment
dirtrider Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 Good morning DR, Since he mentioned that pulling in the clutch eliminated the vibration, doesn't that suggest it is likely in the engine and its parts (e.g. alternator)? Morning Roger Yes, well sort of anyhow. It could still be in the drive shaft as a U joint problem can be load sensitive or only vibrate heavily under loading. It could definitely be in the clutch area as the only thing that disconnects or freewheels in the clutch pack is the disk itself. Link to comment
tallman Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 You aren't lugging it? RPM/s should live above 4k and enjoy 5-6-7 constantly. Since it "started" assume not. Anything done before the changes? Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 11, 2018 Author Share Posted August 11, 2018 When i first bought it, it ran like an electric motor smooth as silk. Then one day on the way to work my rear wheel fell off due to the previous owner not torqueing the bolts properly. This hapened at very low speed because I obviously could feel something was awry. This damaged the caliper, so I had the tank off bleeding the servo brake system.when putting the tank back on one of the cables popped out of the furrule on the right side TB and was placed back in the correct spot. The next day when I rode it to work the vibration was there. The vibration is high frequency, seemingly coupled to the powerstrokes of the engine. Difficult to even get to 5k rpm because of how uncomfortable it is, it vibrates the same amount in all gears so I do not believe it to be drive shaft related, and the FD does not exhibit any play at the hub. I have not checked the alternator belt yet, but that is a good idea. The other thing worthy of note is this engine has not had the cam chain tensioner upgrade, could the cam timing somehow get messed up causing different running of the cylinders? I keep hoping whatever it is finally breaks! Haha, but ive been riding it like this for about 3500 miles Link to comment
dirtrider Posted August 11, 2018 Share Posted August 11, 2018 Afternoon mmaiers92 When i first bought it, it ran like an electric motor smooth as silk. Then one day on the way to work my rear wheel fell off due to the previous owner not torqueing the bolts properly. This hapened at very low speed because I obviously could feel something was awry. This damaged the caliper, so I had the tank off bleeding the servo brake system.when putting the tank back on one of the cables popped out of the furrule on the right side TB and was placed back in the correct spot. The next day when I rode it to work the vibration was there.-- A couple of possibilities on this one-- First it that you pulled one of the lower spark plug wires partially out of the coil (worth a check anyhow). The other is that somehow that R/H cable isn't seated completely & the R/H throttle opening is way off in the vibration range. Have you ridden the bike with a vacuum gauge attached to both (each) TB's so you can compare the balance when the vibration is present. As a rule the TB's being out of sync effect the lower throttle opening ranges way more than the wider open ranges. The vibration is high frequency, seemingly coupled to the powerstrokes of the engine. Difficult to even get to 5k rpm because of how uncomfortable it is, it vibrates the same amount in all gears so I do not believe it to be drive shaft related, and the FD does not exhibit any play at the hub. -- Yes, a drive shaft/ U joint problem would be more road speed related than engine speed related. I have not checked the alternator belt yet, but that is a good idea. The other thing worthy of note is this engine has not had the cam chain tensioner upgrade, could the cam timing somehow get messed up causing different running of the cylinders?--On the cam chain tensioner upgrade?- very/very unlikely but I suppose anything is possible. When the rear wheel fell off it didn't fall hard on the under-bike exhaust system & bend that into the engine or frame did it? Maybe also look to see if the o2 sensor pig tail didn't come loose & is now hanging down on the hot catalytic converter shorting that out. Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 12, 2018 Author Share Posted August 12, 2018 I have ran it on just the lower plugs, but uave not actually checked theyre placement in the coil. I rode it home once with the lowere plug wires off and the vibration was the same. Both cables are seated fully at the TB's and in the bowden box, I even replaced the whole cable assembly to remove it from question, plus they were stiff at this point. When the wheel came off I was almost stopped, I obviously could feel that something was seriously wrong so I pulled over. Right as i came to a stop the bike went plop. No damage that I can see other than it bent the caliper and the wheel bolts were damaged. I installed a tire shortly after and had it balanced with no issues. Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 12, 2018 Author Share Posted August 12, 2018 One other thing worthy of note is that it ran considerably better with the O2 sensor unplugged. It would not cruise at 80 though it would begin surging. Which tends to point me toward igntion, richer mixture is easier to ignite therefore smoother running. Link to comment
dirtrider Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 One other thing worthy of note is that it ran considerably better with the O2 sensor unplugged. It would not cruise at 80 though it would begin surging. Which tends to point me toward igntion, richer mixture is easier to ignite therefore smoother running. Afternoon mmaiers92 Usually when a vehicle runs somewhat good but then won't go faster than 80 it is due to a fuel flow (supply) issue. It might be time in your troubleshooting process to run a fuel return hose flow test. If you get a decent stream of fuel flowing from the return hose that means that the pump, internal hoses, filter, etc can provide enough pressure to open the 40+ psi pressure regulator valve & still supply extra fuel to run the engine. If you don't have return fuel flow then you have something wrong with you fuel supply system (usually split U shaped hose inside the fuel tank) Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 12, 2018 Author Share Posted August 12, 2018 Do you just T a gauge into the return line and read while riding? After installing the new O2 sensor it will run 120mph. And it definitley doesnt run well at lower throttle settings either, very lumpy pulling from lower rpm Link to comment
dirtrider Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 Do you just T a gauge into the return line and read while riding? After installing the new O2 sensor it will run 120mph. And it definitley doesnt run well at lower throttle settings either, very lumpy pulling from lower rpm Afternoon mmaiers92 I don't think I fully understood your 80 mph limit-- So it WILL go over 80 mph (to 120mph/)? It if will pull to 120 then you should have plenty of fuel available. We need to get back to the base complaint here. Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 12, 2018 Author Share Posted August 12, 2018 When I had the O2 sensor disconnected it ran smoother and idled better, however when I tried to cruise above 80 with it unplugged it would start to surge. After replacing the O2 sensor everything went back to normal and I have full power at high speeds, but vibration and poor idle are present. Link to comment
dirtrider Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 When I had the O2 sensor disconnected it ran smoother and idled better, however when I tried to cruise above 80 with it unplugged it would start to surge. After replacing the O2 sensor everything went back to normal and I have full power at high speeds, but vibration and poor idle are present. Afternoon mmaiers92 How long after starting the engine do you get the bad idle to show up? Also, do you own an ohmmeter? Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 12, 2018 Author Share Posted August 12, 2018 The poor idle starts immediatley upon start up, and idle speed is decreased from what it was. I do own an Ohm meter Link to comment
dirtrider Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 The poor idle starts immediatley upon start up, and idle speed is decreased from what it was. I do own an Ohm meter Afternoon mmaiers92 OK, on the poor idle right after starting-- Allow engine to cool off, then start engine & allow to idle, as SOON as the problem appears see if you can determine if one side header pipe is cooler than the other side (careful that you don't get burnt). You might ohm out the lower plug wires through the coil-- To do that remove the lower plug wires from the spark plugs, then measure the resistance from the metal inside one side plug wire to the metal in the other side plug wire (you want to see around 18k to 24k resistance (if you show an open, or infinity, then you have a problem in the lower coil/wire area) Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 15, 2018 Author Share Posted August 15, 2018 Sorry I havent had a chance to ohm the plug wires, but I do have a temp gun I can check the header pipes with tomorrow morning when the engine is cool. On the way home from work last night I disconnected the stick coils and rode about 8 miles like that and the vibration was still about the same. Something that really puts my mind in a pretzel is that it vibrates pretty bad on deceleration, and if i switch the ignition off it remains constant. I believe I have a compression tester that will work and will bring it home today and see if both cylinders are equal. Also I really want to thank everyone for their well thought out replies, I really appreciate the help! Link to comment
dirtrider Posted August 15, 2018 Share Posted August 15, 2018 Sorry I havent had a chance to ohm the plug wires, but I do have a temp gun I can check the header pipes with tomorrow morning when the engine is cool. On the way home from work last night I disconnected the stick coils and rode about 8 miles like that and the vibration was still about the same. Something that really puts my mind in a pretzel is that it vibrates pretty bad on deceleration, and if i switch the ignition off it remains constant. I believe I have a compression tester that will work and will bring it home today and see if both cylinders are equal. Also I really want to thank everyone for their well thought out replies, I really appreciate the help! Afternoon mmaiers92 Are you absolutely, positively, 100% sure that both side throttle body throttle plates lift off their base idle screws at exactly the same time & hit the wide open stops at exactly the same time? it vibrates pretty bad on deceleration, and if i switch the ignition off it remains constant -- But, this heavily points to mechanical problems more than fueling or electrical. Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 15, 2018 Author Share Posted August 15, 2018 I will do a thorough check on the idle stop and WOT stop this evening. Hopefully a compression check will shed some light on the mechanical issue part. Thank you again Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 17, 2018 Author Share Posted August 17, 2018 Just performed a compression test and both cylinders produced 120 psi in a few seconds of cranking. Using a digital temperature gun, the left header runs cooler than the right by about 50 degrees F, the heads near the exhaust port only showed a delta of about 30 degrees. Test performed at idle, engine warm but not hot. Link to comment
dirtrider Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 Just performed a compression test and both cylinders produced 120 psi in a few seconds of cranking. Using a digital temperature gun, the left header runs cooler than the right by about 50 degrees F, the heads near the exhaust port only showed a delta of about 30 degrees. Test performed at idle, engine warm but not hot. Morning mmaiers92 120 psi cranking is on the low side-- Did you run the compression test with #5 fuse removed (that stops fuel spray) & with the throttle held wide open (that lets enough air into the intakes to compress)? That 50°f delta is something to think about?-- have you checked the throttle plate operation to verify that both sides lift off the base idle stop screws at the exact same time & hit the wide open stops at the same time? Link to comment
roger 04 rt Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 What about the possibility that the injectors are grossly unequal? Link to comment
dirtrider Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 What about the possibility that the injectors are grossly unequal? Morning Roger That was definitely an early thought & possibility but his stating--- " it vibrates pretty bad on deceleration, and if i switch the ignition off it remains constant", sort of points away from that. Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 17, 2018 Author Share Posted August 17, 2018 I didnt pull the #5 fuse, and the plates were closed, which explains the low number. Ill do some examination of the throttle stops tonight, a good motorcycle mechanic friend of mine wants to see it. Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 17, 2018 Author Share Posted August 17, 2018 So I just went out and in a rather unscientific manner checked to see when the throttles are opening, and both seem to move off the stop very close to each other, and reach the WOT soo and near the exact moment. Should this be done with a feeler gauge or something? Down at low RPM it is very lumpy and shakes hard if i put a load on it. it smooths out a bit between 2600-3500rpm then comes on strong at about 3800 and is just about unbearable at 4500. So while whatever it is effects it with the ignition off, it also effects it with it on, and changes with load. I remember before this problem arose, you could lug it and it was still smooth. Link to comment
dirtrider Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 So I just went out and in a rather unscientific manner checked to see when the throttles are opening, and both seem to move off the stop very close to each other, and reach the WOT soo and near the exact moment. Should this be done with a feeler gauge or something? Down at low RPM it is very lumpy and shakes hard if i put a load on it. it smooths out a bit between 2600-3500rpm then comes on strong at about 3800 and is just about unbearable at 4500. So while whatever it is effects it with the ignition off, it also effects it with it on, and changes with load. I remember before this problem arose, you could lug it and it was still smooth. Evening mmaiers92 Sounds like your throttles are opening close enough to not cause what you are feeling. It sure sounds to be mechanical. You sure that you definitely don't have a bent exhaust system or something bent in the final drive/drive shaft area? Can you feel the problem revving it in neutral? Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 18, 2018 Author Share Posted August 18, 2018 Yes you can very much feel it revving in neutral. Just examined the exhaust, nothing bent or damaged or loose. Took it to my friend and used his sync tool and it was rock steady and even. Turns out my manometer is very sensitive. He thinks I should put a set of plugs in it and check fuel pressure just for grins and to rule it out, which isnt a bad idea. Link to comment
dirtrider Posted August 18, 2018 Share Posted August 18, 2018 Yes you can very much feel it revving in neutral. Just examined the exhaust, nothing bent or damaged or loose. Took it to my friend and used his sync tool and it was rock steady and even. Turns out my manometer is very sensitive. He thinks I should put a set of plugs in it and check fuel pressure just for grins and to rule it out, which isnt a bad idea. Definitely not a bad idea. If you can feel it free revving in neutral then that puts the problem in the engine, alternator, or clutch area so something going on there. Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 18, 2018 Author Share Posted August 18, 2018 I think there may be a couple contributing factors, the idle that shakes and you can hear an occasional miss, this dissipates a bit once its hot. But I would think any problem would show up in the sync? Like if a cam was out of time it would show up on the compression test.... it sure seems like it SHOULD be ignition... Alternator belts- this bike was built on 7/03 should it be the 592mm belt? The clutch would naturally be the last resort, if nothing else can be found. But as far as I know it is the original clutch at 94k miles Link to comment
dirtrider Posted August 18, 2018 Share Posted August 18, 2018 Afternoon mmaiers92 I think there may be a couple contributing factors, the idle that shakes and you can hear an occasional miss, this dissipates a bit once its hot. But I would think any problem would show up in the sync?-- Not necessarily, the sync is just showing air intake through a restriction. It can still show a decent sync even if you turn the fuel off or turn the spark off (as long as you can find a way to spin the crankshaft) Like if a cam was out of time it would show up on the compression test.... -- If a cam was way out it sure would. As long as it has been re-synchronized to the existing cam phasing then it might not show blatantly. it sure seems like it SHOULD be ignition...--It could but doesn't really sound like it. Alternator belts- this bike was built on 7/03 should it be the 592mm belt?--Yes should be the 4PK592 The clutch would naturally be the last resort, if nothing else can be found. But as far as I know it is the original clutch at 94k miles Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 18, 2018 Author Share Posted August 18, 2018 So aside from replacing plugs, belt, and checking fuel pressure do you have any other recommendations? Could a vibrating belt cause this? Have you ever heard of pieces leaving the clutch? Rode it up a windey road last night and it was awful, the vibration causes so much noise and is so uncomfortable, it makes me so sad because it handles so well. Link to comment
dirtrider Posted August 18, 2018 Share Posted August 18, 2018 So aside from replacing plugs, belt, and checking fuel pressure do you have any other recommendations? Could a vibrating belt cause this? Have you ever heard of pieces leaving the clutch? Rode it up a windey road last night and it was awful, the vibration causes so much noise and is so uncomfortable, it makes me so sad because it handles so well. Evening mmaiers92 Somehow you are going to have to figure out what type of vibration you have. Unfortunately we can't feel it, hear it, or experience it over the internet. If it is mechanical then spark plugs won't have any effect on it. If it's mechanical then the alternator or belt might have some effect but a belt would be a fairly light buzz type disturbance not a heavy vibration. The clutch (disk) could have a piece come loose but if it is the clutch disk then you would have no vibration with trans in gear & clutch lever held in free revving the engine. To really give you more precise info we would need a LOT more very specific info on your vibration frequency, relation to engine RPMs (like faster than engine RPM, 1/2 engine RPM, twice engine RPM, etc (basically you need to explain it so we can feel it) Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 19, 2018 Author Share Posted August 19, 2018 The vibration is dependent on engine speed and has little or no relation to wheel speed. It seems to be at the correct frequency for engine rotation. The best mental visual i can provide would be a bench geinder with a wheel that is out of balance. Very buzzy and irritating. The engine seems to make alot of noise compared to when I first owned it, this could purely be a product of the various components vibrating with the vibration though. As far as the clutch goes it would have to be part of diaphragm/pressure plate assembly as disengaging the clutch eliminates the vibration. Link to comment
dirtrider Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 The vibration is dependent on engine speed and has little or no relation to wheel speed. It seems to be at the correct frequency for engine rotation. The best mental visual i can provide would be a bench geinder with a wheel that is out of balance. Very buzzy and irritating. The engine seems to make alot of noise compared to when I first owned it, this could purely be a product of the various components vibrating with the vibration though. As far as the clutch goes it would have to be part of diaphragm/pressure plate assembly as disengaging the clutch eliminates the vibration. Morning mmaiers92 If the above are correct statements then you might be somewhat pin pointed the problem area. (re-read your statements to see if they apply as written) This--The vibration is dependent on engine speed and has little or no relation to wheel speed--tells us that the problem is probably not in the trans output or rear drive train. This--disengaging the clutch eliminates the vibration--tells us that the problem is either not in the engine, or if in the engine, is engine load related not balance related. Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 19, 2018 Author Share Posted August 19, 2018 While disengaging the clutch makes the vibration go away, this is also with the throttle closed. Once I rev it back up the vibration is present again with the clutch still disengaged. Im confident it is not in the driveline (trans, prop shaft, FD) the question is, is it imbalance of weight? Or is one cylinder running drastically different from the other? Link to comment
dirtrider Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 While disengaging the clutch makes the vibration go away, this is also with the throttle closed. Once I rev it back up the vibration is present again with the clutch still disengaged. Im confident it is not in the driveline (trans, prop shaft, FD) the question is, is it imbalance of weight? Or is one cylinder running drastically different from the other? Afternoon mmaiers92 THAT, is basically what we need to figure out & doing that over the internet is very difficult as we can't ride or feel the bike. As a rule, something drastically out of balance in the engine stays there no matter the throttle position but is usually very RPM influenced. As a rule, a weak cylinder or other engine runability disturbance is throttle position & engine load sensitive & u-s-u-a-l-l-y gets better at higher RPM's & worse at lower RPM's under heavier engine loading, or at throttle up conditions. Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 19, 2018 Author Share Posted August 19, 2018 I would describe it as RPM sensitive, it definitley gets worse as rpm rises, it does not smooth out anywhere. When I rode up the windey road friday i really reached in the rpm range to see if it did anywhere, maybe hitting 6k and it was just terrible. It got continually worse as RPM increased. The only thing that makes me think it could be "engine health" related is the poor/shaking idle and rather "Harley like" chugging at low rpm. Of course if something is somehow majorly unbalanced in the clutch/flywheel area it could cause this feeling. Link to comment
dirtrider Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 I would describe it as RPM sensitive, it definitley gets worse as rpm rises, it does not smooth out anywhere. When I rode up the windey road friday i really reached in the rpm range to see if it did anywhere, maybe hitting 6k and it was just terrible. It got continually worse as RPM increased. The only thing that makes me think it could be "engine health" related is the poor/shaking idle and rather "Harley like" chugging at low rpm. Of course if something is somehow majorly unbalanced in the clutch/flywheel area it could cause this feeling. Afternoon mmaiers92 Well, RPM sensitive does point more to a mechanical issue that a firing frequency issue. Lets start over a bit on how & when it started-- Was it basically smooth & OK until the rear wheel fell off? What (ALL) did you do when you had the fuel tank removed? Did the rear wheel fall all the way off or just very loose & flopping around? Did the rear of the bike drop to the ground? Link to comment
Tri750 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 The location of the O.P. could be helpful as perhaps someone nearby could be a second set of eyes or ears. Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 19, 2018 Author Share Posted August 19, 2018 All was well and good until that fateful day when the rear wheel came off, yes it did actually come all of the way off. I was barely rolling when it did and it just sort of went plop. The wheel never really came "out", it was still propping the bike up by the rotor and caliper. I then laid my jacket on the ground and gently laid the bike on to it, removed the wheel the rest of the way, A neighbor came out with some tools, i removed the brake pads (caliper was bent) and bolted the wheel back on and rode it the half mile home. I sourced a replacement caliper, rotor, pads, and wheel bolts. Removed the fuel tank and went through the bleeding procedure for the servo assisted power brakes. While doing this I had my smart charger hooked up to the battery. When reistalling the tank I knocked one of the throttle cables out of its ferrule on the right side TB but reinstalled it. When I rode it to work the next day i could feel the vibration in the pegs. It seems to me that it has gotten worse since day one. I live in North County San Diego, and commute south to the san deigo area. Link to comment
dirtrider Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 All was well and good until that fateful day when the rear wheel came off, yes it did actually come all of the way off. I was barely rolling when it did and it just sort of went plop. The wheel never really came "out", it was still propping the bike up by the rotor and caliper. I then laid my jacket on the ground and gently laid the bike on to it, removed the wheel the rest of the way, A neighbor came out with some tools, i removed the brake pads (caliper was bent) and bolted the wheel back on and rode it the half mile home. I sourced a replacement caliper, rotor, pads, and wheel bolts. Removed the fuel tank and went through the bleeding procedure for the servo assisted power brakes. While doing this I had my smart charger hooked up to the battery. When reistalling the tank I knocked one of the throttle cables out of its ferrule on the right side TB but reinstalled it. When I rode it to work the next day i could feel the vibration in the pegs. It seems to me that it has gotten worse since day one. I live in North County San Diego, and commute south to the san deigo area. Afternoon mmaiers92 Have you positively inspected the muffler & catalytic converter (over it's entire length) for being bent, or kinked, or damaged? Did the rear wheel get jammed on or against the muffler when it came off. You wrote above that you did verify that the throttle plate cams are lifting off the idle screws at the about the same time & hitting the wide open stops at about the same time so that part should be OK. Unless the wheel coming off somehow bent the transmission case I can't see what else would have been damaged other than the exhaust. How did the engine crank back up after laying on it's side? Any heavy blue smoke or difficult cranking? Doesn't seem likely but I suppose possible that the low side cylinder could have filled with crankcase oil & you somehow bent a connecting rod due to hydraulic lock at re-crank-up. Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 19, 2018 Author Share Posted August 19, 2018 I just went under and inspected and looked over the whole thing, its has the cat delete y pipe on it and doesnt have any damage, no contact points on the frame. When I installed the new O2 sensor I had the y pipe and muffler off, both came off easily and exhibited no damage. I dont recall it having any difficulty starting after laying on its side, I have seen it smoke a little after sitting on the side stand, but if a rod was bent it would definitely show up in the compression test. I dont know if the wheel falling off actually caused the problem at all, perhaps the slight jarring was the final straw for whatever has failed causing this vibration? Link to comment
dirtrider Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 I just went under and inspected and looked over the whole thing, its has the cat delete y pipe on it and doesnt have any damage, no contact points on the frame. When I installed the new O2 sensor I had the y pipe and muffler off, both came off easily and exhibited no damage. I dont recall it having any difficulty starting after laying on its side, I have seen it smoke a little after sitting on the side stand, but if a rod was bent it would definitely show up in the compression test. I dont know if the wheel falling off actually caused the problem at all, perhaps the slight jarring was the final straw for whatever has failed causing this vibration? Evening mmaiers92 This is very difficult to understand over the internet as we still haven't totally defined if it is mechanical or combustion related. Most points to mechanical but so far not much telling us why. How does the exhaust note sound when the vibration is present? Is it different than when the bike didn't vibrate? If you can't tell of define it then maybe try riding a bit with the muffler removed as a cylinder misfire should really stand out then. Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 20, 2018 Author Share Posted August 20, 2018 It does seem to sound different, it was really quiet before and not so throaty, now it seems to make more of an exhaust note. Of course this is also really difficult to gauge because its been a long time since it ran right and i have no other frame of reference to compare it to other than my memory. Link to comment
tallman Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 Not the culprit, but for fun please verufy that R hand cable is completely routed properly. Great idea to get a 2nd set of ears and eyes on it... Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 20, 2018 Author Share Posted August 20, 2018 I think I just need to take apart the bike and put it back together again Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 21, 2018 Author Share Posted August 21, 2018 Does anybody know any good BMW mechs in the san diego area that would be able to help diagnose this issue? If it is mechanical the only thing I can really think of would be the clutch assembly, if its combustion related I have no clue at this point Link to comment
mmaiers92 Posted August 22, 2018 Author Share Posted August 22, 2018 So one thing about the clutch, when starting off on a hill its kinda difficult for the clutch not to slip excessively when starting out, like once you slip it, it just starts slipping and you have to slow the engine down to get it to lock up, and I wouldnt say im revving the engine too much, maybe 2500 to start out on a steep hill. Ive never had the clutch slip under load before though. Could this possibly indicate a problem with the clutch? Maybe broken fingers on the diaphram? Im just trying to give myself more reason to inspect the clutch. Link to comment
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