First real problem with my 2004 R1150RT

[casticus]

It has been awhile since I have posted on here.  Looking for thoughts from the "collective" wisdom here.  I have a 2004 R1150RT with about 68k miles on it (bought it new).  Rode the ton out of it until we started having kids in 2008. I only put maybe 1000k/year on it a year now.  I had it out this past weekend due to the unseasonably pleasant warm weather here in Michigan.  Started normal, started riding, put about 3 gallons of gas in it, and not long after while riding when I was at closed throttle coming up to a stop the engine cut out.  Got it started while rolling and had to keep RPMs up to keep it running.  Adjusted fast idle switch up one spot from off and rode it the rest of the ride (about 60 miles).  Parked it.  Next day wouldn't start.  Just turned over and would catch for a second and die.  Pulled plugs and they are good, disconnected charcoal canister in case it was the issue didn't solve anything, pulled airfilter and tried starting without air filter, got it to start and run after spraying a little carb cleaner in the air intake of the air filter box.  It ran at slightly elevated throttle and warmed up fine but wouldn't run on it's own after going back to normal idle of 1k RPM.  There was a fair amount of gray smoke coming out exhaust (not white which I believe is normal, and not black).  A couple of times it sounded like the bike almost was wheezing.  

 

With it starting and running I believe I have crossed out air/fuel/spark as problems.  When it was running it wasn't rough at all.  Has the correct amount of oil.  

 

Any suggestions of what else to start checking?

[Skywagon]

Had similar thing years ago after gassing bike. After exhaustive trouble shooting, turned out to be bad fuel. I pulled the tank, drained it, replaced hoses in tank since I was there, fueled it up, ran like new. The fuel was a major brand premium. 
 

I would start with bad fuel since that’s the last thing you did. 

[dirtrider]

15 hours ago, casticus said:

It has been awhile since I have posted on here.  Looking for thoughts from the "collective" wisdom here.  I have a 2004 R1150RT with about 68k miles on it (bought it new).  Rode the ton out of it until we started having kids in 2008. I only put maybe 1000k/year on it a year now.  I had it out this past weekend due to the unseasonably pleasant warm weather here in Michigan.  Started normal, started riding, put about 3 gallons of gas in it, and not long after while riding when I was at closed throttle coming up to a stop the engine cut out.  Got it started while rolling and had to keep RPMs up to keep it running.  Adjusted fast idle switch up one spot from off and rode it the rest of the ride (about 60 miles).  Parked it.  Next day wouldn't start.  Just turned over and would catch for a second and die.  Pulled plugs and they are good, disconnected charcoal canister in case it was the issue didn't solve anything, pulled airfilter and tried starting without air filter, got it to start and run after spraying a little carb cleaner in the air intake of the air filter box.  It ran at slightly elevated throttle and warmed up fine but wouldn't run on it's own after going back to normal idle of 1k RPM.  There was a fair amount of gray smoke coming out exhaust (not white which I believe is normal, and not black).  A couple of times it sounded like the bike almost was wheezing.  

 

With it starting and running I believe I have crossed out air/fuel/spark as problems.  When it was running it wasn't rough at all.  Has the correct amount of oil.  

 

Any suggestions of what else to start checking?

Evening David

 

Your problem could be a LOT of things, 

 

You could have put some bad gasoline in it (gas with water in it). They can sometimes run OK at higher RPMs with some water in the fuel but usually won't idle & can be difficult to start. 

 

Or you could have a fouled  lower spark plug (they will usually run OK on just the uppers but won't idle worth a darn without both lower plugs working.

 

Or you could have the o2 sensor pig tail routed too close to the R/H side lower spark plug wire (there is a BMW service bulletin on this issue), or could even have bad o2 sensor.  You might unplug the o2 sensor then ride it & see how it runs & idles.

 

Or a heavily dripping fuel injector at idle, will run OK at higher throttle settings but usually won't idle worth a hoot.

 

You will probably need to work your way through the systems until you find something. 

[duckhawk64]

If you could fabricate a fuel cell, and run it, that would answer some questions. I made one from a picnic ketchup squirt bottle. 

[Michaelr11]

I would get a bottle of Heet .  If you can siphon off all the gas and put in fresh gas, that would be better. Even with fresh gas, I’d add some Heet anyway..  Your timeline really says bad gas.

[Lowndes]

It's not much trouble to check for water in the gas, just syphon some out and into a clean clear plastic pop bottle and let it settle for a min or two.

 

OR, disconnect a HP fuel line (at the quick disconnect), stick it in a clear pop bottle, and turn the ignition on and off quickly, and let it settle for a min or two.

 

OR, add the HEET as Michael recommends above (either one):

 

(Add half a bottle and drive it)

 

 

OR, (my fav*) pull an injector, leave the fuel line and wires connected, put the tip of the injector in a clear plastic pop bottle and hit the start button.  Check the spray - should be a strong, even, pulsing spray.  Collect a few ounces and let it settle for a min or two.

 

* This lets you check for:

 

1) water in the fuel

2) the fuel pump is running OK

3) the fuel lines in the tank are OK

4) the fuel filter isn't clogged

5) the injector isn't clogged AND is working

 

This will also allow you to burn the house down so do it on the driveway away from the house.  No problem if there are no open sparks (spark plugs leads are connected and plugs installed in the heads). Since you are the PD Captain you probably don't need to get to know the guys in the FD any more.

[King Herald]

You didn’t put e80 fuel in it by any chance? I did it with mine in France a few years ago. After I’d filled it I noticed a blue plastic ring around the end of the filler nozzle, but couldn’t think what it meant. 
 

I paid, fired the bike up, and I was  heading down the on ramp to the toll way when it started missed and spluttering at low throttle/rpm…..

 

First horrifying thought was that I’d put diesel in it by mistake, but it did run okay above about 3000 rpm.

 

I carried on, as there was no place to stop safely, and a good few miles down the road I found a spot I could pull up and whip out my phone and find out just what I had put in the tank. Yes, it was e80 fuel, 80% ethanol. 
 

After a hundred miles I topped the tank up with good old real dinosaur fuel and it all came good again, no side effects or harm done. 

[dirtrider]

12 hours ago, duckhawk64 said:

If you could fabricate a fuel cell, and run it, that would answer some questions. I made one from a picnic ketchup squirt bottle. 

Morning  duckhawk64

 

I will be very difficult to get 45psi of fuel pressure out of a ketchup squirt bottle. It takes 40+ psi to allow good fuel injector function. 

[casticus]

Thank you for your advice.  I will drain the tank (I have rec fuel in cans for lawn mower, snowblower, etc...) and try that route.  Thank you for the advice.  I will post what I find.  Much appreciated.