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"Vapor Lock"


Medic Mike

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On my way into work this evening my 06RT did something I have not had an issue with before. When I go to accelerate, whether it is a soft or hard acceleration, the bike acts almost like a vapor lock issue. I know it is not vapor lock due to the EFI, but that is how it acted. The bike has sat for about three days, has Ethanol free fuel in it from a place I routinely get it from and never had an issue before. I am supposed to be heading to OH Thursday morning....thus my quandary.

Here is an odd thing, when I shut the bike off (complete shut down) and re-start the machine this issue goes away. It seems to be effecting the right side.

My initial instinct was a fuel injector issue, yet why would it go away with a re-start? I brought the bike into work to go over it, tires, oil etc and make sure it is road ready for Thursday.

I have also recently (within two tanks) used BMW fuel injector cleaner I acquired from a dealer. Ran that through about three weeks ago.

Any ideas would be more than helpful as I try to figure out what to do next. I have to get to OH, that is not an option.

Thanks in advance everyone

 

Mike

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On my way into work this evening my 06RT did something I have not had an issue with before. When I go to accelerate, whether it is a soft or hard acceleration, the bike acts almost like a vapor lock issue. I know it is not vapor lock due to the EFI, but that is how it acted. The bike has sat for about three days, has Ethanol free fuel in it from a place I routinely get it from and never had an issue before. I am supposed to be heading to OH Thursday morning....thus my quandary.

Here is an odd thing, when I shut the bike off (complete shut down) and re-start the machine this issue goes away. It seems to be effecting the right side.

My initial instinct was a fuel injector issue, yet why would it go away with a re-start? I brought the bike into work to go over it, tires, oil etc and make sure it is road ready for Thursday.

I have also recently (within two tanks) used BMW fuel injector cleaner I acquired from a dealer. Ran that through about three weeks ago.

Any ideas would be more than helpful as I try to figure out what to do next. I have to get to OH, that is not an option.

Thanks in advance everyone

 

Mike

 

Evening Mike

 

Not a lot to go on-- The way you say it's acting has the ear marks of a failing stick coil but a stick coil issue usually doesn't go away after a re-start.

 

The other possibility is a failing FPC (Fuel Pump Controller)-- I haven't seen that problem go away after a re-start but that one is possibility.

 

An o2 sensor acting up is also a slight possibility but that shouldn't be the issue if you accelerated hard & the problem was still there.

 

If you can find someone with a GS-911 you might be able to get a failure code (or codes) that could point you towards the problem. Or a dealer computer to read the codes.

 

Has the problem started since your last fuel fill up? If so then possibly some water in the fuel tank bottom moving around as you accelerate. (can you get it to act up by doing some aggressive maneuvering & leaning without the accelerating?)

 

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DR:

I tried my best to describe what I noticed. If I maintain speed it does not occur, only when I accelerate. A slow acceleration it is slightly noticeable, but when I do a hard twist on the throttle the bike will actually shake. The Tach will bounce between the 5-6K I usually keep it at to 2-3k. It does not matter the gear I am in. I filled up the bike a week ago and have put approx 70 miles on it before I put on the cover and it sat for about four days. I will see if I can get it into the dealer for a code check and see what might be going on.

Thank you DR

Mike

 

Sorry, meant 4-5k not 5-6k on the tach

 

 

Edited by Medic Mike
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I had a 2008 R1200R that developed a problem that felt like the clutch was slipping under acceleration. If I was not accelerating the bike ran fine. I was on a bike trip many miles from home so I limped it home thinking it was bad gas. But after a few fill ups the problem was still there. When I got home I checked the bike with the GS911 and there were no error codes and the O2 sensors looked fine. A friend has a GS and he let me borrow a primary stick coil from his bike. I put it on the left side and no change. I put it on the right side and problem GONE. I bought a new stick coil and away I went. Years before the problem I had a oil leak around the stick coil caused by the rubber "doughnut" on the valve cover not being installed properly. I think the oil got into the coil and caused the problem.

 

Roger L

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Roger:

Thank you for the info. I have not noticed an oil leak for the year I have had it. This was a sudden onset type of issue. The bike has been humming along great until this evening. I may hop on it and ride around the paring lot of my work and see what else I can use to describe the issue at hand.

Thank you all

 

Mike

 

Update:

I just ran the bike around work for the past 15-20 minutes. Nothing...yet. The water in fuel is what makes the most sense to me and what I thought first when it happened. I have a 20 miles ride home, mostly super slab. That should give me a better idea hopefully.

Edited by Medic Mike
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Morning All:

Left from work, varied my speeds, gears, throttle aggressiveness and so on. Not a thing happened. The bike purred as normal....so to use a good medical term, the stuttering was probably of an idiopathic nature.

Hopefully the trip to Summit County OH goes off without issue(s).

Thanks again everyone.

 

Mike

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Sounds like the bike needs a Italian tune up. :/

 

" I usually keep it at to 2-3k."

 

Yes, big yes to Bernie.

 

No, no, no, no no, no, no to your quote.

No offense, but you are seriously lugging the bike.

 

Take it out, get it up to and bounce it off the rev limiter, a few times.

In 4th, 5th gear.

Run it waaaayyyyy up in rpm's, vary.

Guarantee it will run better.

Best wishes.

Edited by tallman
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When I first got my '06 RT, it took a few tanks of gas before I realized that 2-3k rpm is too low for anything other than first or second gear. Your engine will be happiest, accelerating smoothly and getting better gas mileage if you keep the revs above 3k, with the useful lower limit increasing a bit as you go up the gears. A range of 3000-4200 rpm is the most responsive for most of my legal riding speeds.

 

Just like trying to ride a multi-speed bicycle in too high of a gear, low rpm puts more stress on the engine when you try to accelerate.

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I think this is the GS. But same basics, I believe.

"Old" should apply to his bike, I think...

BMW_R1200GS_torque_hp.jpg

 

DR?

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I am not sure if the Edit is showing up well. I mistyped when I said 2-3k. I usually run the bike between 4-5k. Fourth gear and 60 is this bikes happy spot. Typically on a non-superslab ride I bounce between 3-4 gear.

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Mike, that makes better sense, as I don't think you could get up to the speed limit in top gear at 2-3K rpm. :)

If it acts up again, see if you can borrow some lower stick coils from a local member and see if this cures your problem.

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Mike:

Where are you going in Summit County, Ohio? I live in Northfield which is in Northern Summit county. Have fun with your ride north. If you are taking back roads make sure that you take RT16 thru Virginia and West Virginia.

 

Roger L

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Roger:

Heading to Cuyahoga Falls. That is where I was born and raised(actually Northampton Township, but we got annexed by the Falls in the mid 80's) and spent most of my life there till I moved to NC in 2008. All of my family is there, thus my journey North.

Thanks for the tip on Route 16. Already changed my GPS map to slip it into journey up.

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Route 16 looks like a road that would require weekly exploring if one lived nearby - that'll be a great ride Mike!

 

The Google version

 

 

You really need to be ale to look at the route zoomed in - so hopefully the link works without reverting it to Its desired route. :dopeslap: BTW North is left, East is 'the top' of the image

 

rt%2019%20va%20wv_1.jpg

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Mike:

If you are going to take back roads going north and you like twisty roads make sure that you pick up RT 16 south of Marion Virginia. The section of RT 16 from Marion Virginia to Tazwell Virginia is referred as the Back of the Dragon. It is a very nice road. The only "bad" section of RT 16 is thru Beckley. But other than that area it is very nice 2 lane country road. If you take RT 16 all the way thru West Virginia take RT 800 north thru Ohio.

Have fun and ride safe

 

Roger L

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Roger:

When I planned it out, I am looking at a 17 hour day...without food and fuel stops. Rt 16 is marked on Basecamp for when I have the time to be able to enjoy it. Looking it over....it seems a lot of fun and several fellows riders have taken it. Unfortunately...for this trip I am going to have to pass on it. Might try to sneak it in when I come back home. Supposed to meet up with a friend of mine in Waynesboro, VA for a few days of twisties. Will try to convince them to skip the BRP and hit Rt16.

 

Dave:

I see a possible FART route...depending in where it is located this year. I have also heard NC 800 is a little fun as well. Will try to get out there and scout it before FART.

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The 2008 R1200RT I once owned would misfire under moderate to heavy load. Idle was a little rough when warmed up significantly.

 

Problem was cracked spark plug insulators on the main (horizontal) plugs (both) ... something apparently easy to accomplish if hammering the stick coils on.

 

Yes, one of the safety features of a motorcycle is its ability to accelerate away from a problem very quickly. On these models you give that away running below 4000 rpm. They shouldn't be ridden like Airheads, Oilheads, or Harleys.

Edited by lkchris
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Kent,

That is the reason I always rode ready to move the bike quickly without having to shift and kept it in the higher rpm range, particularlay in town/traffic.

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