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EWS Intermittent Message '09 R1200T and no-start condition


The Rocketman

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The Rocketman

2009 R1200RT. Bike ran fine yesterday. Today, cranks without starting. Swapped in a brand new spare FPC with no improvement. Got the EWS message only after switching kill switch from on-to-off-to-on. Read threads on replacement & possible loose plug. Tried both my keys. Smell fuel.

Assuming antenna ring is bad:

(1) Do these things just die with no notice?

(2) Would a bad EWS allow the bike crank without starting?

(3) Anyone have a part number so I can order one while Black Friday sales are on-going?

(4) Is this a BMW dealer part only, or any aftermarket available?

 

Thanks,

Larry

Edited by The Rocketman
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49 minutes ago, The Rocketman said:

2009 R1200RT. Bike ran fine yesterday. Today, cranks without starting. Swapped in a brand new spare FPC with no improvement. Got the EWS message only after switching kill switch from on-to-off-to-on. Read threads on replacement & possible loose plug. Tried both my keys. Smell fuel.

Assuming antenna ring is bad:

(1) Do these things just die with no notice?

(2) Would the bike crank without starting?

(3) Anyone have a part number so I can order one while Black Friday sales are on-going?

(4) Is this a BMW dealer part only, or any aftermarket available?

 

Thanks,

Larry

 

Afternoon Larry

 

This doesn't sound exactly like an EWS  (Elektronische Wegfahr Sperre) problem but you just never know. 

 

Turn the  key to off then remove it (away from the motorcycle), then wait a few minutes, then return to motorcycle (first, make sure that kill switch is turned on before inserting key).

 

Then inert key & turn to on,  then allow dash to go though a full boot up  (after boot up does the gear indicator come on showing neutral ?).

 

See if EWS still shows????

 

If EWS still shows then push motorcycle to another location (sometimes RFI interference in the area can interferer with the key pellet being recognized. Then try starting.

 

If EWS comes back on (whiteout messing with the kill switch) then post back.

 

If EWS doesn't come back on then your problem is probably somewhere else.

 

If you smell raw  fuel while cranking  (& no fuel leaks) then it is getting fuel so EWS is not the problem with the no-start.

 

Maybe try removing a spark plug & looking for signs of water on spark plug  (water in fuel can wet out spark plugs on a cold start). 

 

 

(1) Do these things just die with no notice?-- They can depends on the failure type or what in the EWS system has failed--Sudden failure is usually a broken antenna winding wire or broken wire into the antenna ring.

 

(2) Would the bike crank without starting?-- Could but usually not, depends.

 

(3) Anyone have a part number so I can order one while Black Friday sales are on-going?-- I can find you one but there are some updated antenna rings  so best to call dealer for latest part number. Latest part number that I have is----  61357705247 Ring Antenna ----  (little over $50.00) 

 

(4) Is this a BMW dealer part only, or any aftermarket available?-- Pretty well a dealer only item. 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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6 minutes ago, The Rocketman said:

Here's a photo of mine assuming the square thing is the EWS?):

 

 

 

 

Afternoon Larry

 

Yes, sort of anyhow, that is the little devil, but that isn't the EWS that is the EWS antenna ring  easy to get to but difficult to remove as the antenna ring-part surrounds the ignition switch. 

 

By 2009 there were very few problems with the antenna ring itself as they got the updated antenna ring. Some problems with broken wires going to the antenna ring but not many.

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The Rocketman

I'm heading over to the house now to follow your suggestions. In a few days I need to pull the entire nose off to install some Cylcops LED's. Since the whole front end is coming off, do I still need to remove the upper triple tree to get to the EWS, if indeed that is the problem? Also, do these new EWS's come with new keys, or do I have to buy them too?

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34 minutes ago, The Rocketman said:

I'm heading over to the house now to follow your suggestions. In a few days I need to pull the entire nose off to install some Cylcops LED's. Since the whole front end is coming off, do I still need to remove the upper triple tree to get to the EWS, if indeed that is the problem? Also, do these new EWS's come with new keys, or do I have to buy them too?

 

Afternoon Larry

 

Antenna ring comes by itself, it is ONLY an antenna so it just reads whatever key is within 2" of it so new key is not needed.  You will need new screws, personally I prefer to not use those darn  BMW  OEM one way drive screws. Screws are  M8 X 31mm, I use stainless steel button head from my old  stainless steel screw kit (no idea on a part number). If you want to  stick with the OEM one way drive screws you will need a special  drive bit to install them. 

 

I don't know if you can get enough access with the front removed as you still have to deal with those darned one way screws (you need to drill them out so need fairly straight access). If you have a small 90° drill motor then maybe. 

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The Rocketman

OK I removed the key. Walked away for a while, re-inserted the key, transmission in neutral, kill switch in normal starting position, went through start-up check (full boot-up) and bike still won't start but no EWS warning on dash now. Smell fuel while cranking. Water can't be in the spark plugs as I haven't washed the bike in weeks, went for a 200 mile ride Thanksgiving Day, and had the bike running just yesterday. Nothing was touched between yesterday and today except for adding fuel stabilizer which I've done countless times before.

My local independent BMW mechanic says EWS intermittent warnings are common, and sometimes a bad EWS shows up on a GS-911 and sometimes not. I think I'll have him diagnose it first, then if necessary have him do the ring. He said its a couple of hour job.

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6 minutes ago, The Rocketman said:

OK I removed the key. Walked away for a while, re-inserted the key, transmission in neutral, kill switch in normal starting position, went through start-up check (full boot-up) and bike still won't start but no EWS warning on dash now. Smell fuel while cranking. Water can't be in the spark plugs as I haven't washed the bike in weeks, went for a 200 mile ride Thanksgiving Day, and had the bike running just yesterday. Nothing was touched between yesterday and today except for adding fuel stabilizer which I've done countless times before.

My local independent BMW mechanic says EWS intermittent warnings are common, and sometimes a bad EWS shows up on a GS-911 and sometimes not. I think I'll have him diagnose it first, then if necessary have him do the ring. He said its a couple of hour job.

 

Afternoon Larry

 

If you smell raw fuel during cranking then it probably isn't an EWS problem. (it won't squirt any fuel when EWS is enabled)

 

You still could have a water in fuel issue if you filled the fuel tank during that 200 mile ride. Water can stay mixed with the fuel while riding then will settle out when motorcycle is parked. So next cold start fuel pump sucks up that settled water.  (worth a look anyhow) 

 

Is neutral light on?

 

 

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The Rocketman

So should I pull both top plugs, and what exactly should I be looking for? Or should I buy some HEET water remover, pour that in the tank and wait (how long) before re-starting? The tank is full. If I shake the bike, will that mix up the possible water in the fuel to get it started?

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1 minute ago, The Rocketman said:

So should I pull both top plugs, and what exactly should I be looking for? Or should I buy some HEET water remover, pour that in the tank and wait (how long) before re-starting? The tank is full. If I shake the bike, will that mix up the possible water in the fuel to get it started?

 

If you have enough water to prevent starting then HEET won't help.

 

Remove one (or both) top spark plugs & look for signs of water on/in  the plug. 

 

If it (they) are dry then you are probably not getting injection but if wet then you are getting injection with no ignition & plugs will be wet.  If plugs are dry then back to the possibility of an EWS issue but if wet then you have other issues.

 

If top plugs are wet then also remove lower plugs to see what comes out.

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The Rocketman

Plugs just look a bit wet (more dry than wet, I guess) but with fuel, doubt if its water. Blue flame (sort of) shoots out when starting with plugs removed.

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11 minutes ago, The Rocketman said:

Plugs just look a bit wet (more dry than wet, I guess) but with fuel, doubt if its water. Blue flame (sort of) shoots out when starting with plugs removed.

 

Afternoon Larry 

 

Blue flame during cranking usually means that some fuel is being injected & lower plugs are firing (this doesn't point to an EWS issue, in fact it says the BMS-K is reading the key then allowing injection & spark. 

 

Put the plugs back in (it doesn't sound like a water issue unless the wet looking on the plugs is water) then try starting by holding the twist grip to about 1/4 throttle, if still no start then try more throttle yet).

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Just now, The Rocketman said:

Freakin' amazing.

1/4 throttle and she fired right up.

 

Afternoon Larry

 

Good show, put that in your memory  bank.

 

I have  2009 hexhead & sometime need to give it a bit more throttle to  cold start in very cold weather. 

 

If this is the first time that your bike has done  this & it isn't real cold then possibly your last gasoline fill up was real heavy on alcohol (or some E-85 got into the gas station's normal fuel tank).

 

 

 

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The Rocketman

A million thanks again for guiding me down this road. This is the first time this has ever happened, and its only in the high-30's. I've ridden in single digits with no issues before. Maybe too much Stabil got sucked into the injectors? Maybe E85? Who knows, but all is good. Thanks again.

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