Any ideas on this intermittent problem:

Bike's a 2001 / Y-plate 1150 on just over 48,000 miles. Up until now, all's been well.

Sometimes when you press the starter button, nothing happens - no clicking solenoids, no signs of life whatsoever? Other times it fires up immediately without any need for the fast idle lever.

I know the kill switch is fine as I can hear the fuel pump primin the system every time I turn it to RUN.

I've replaced the entire r/h switchgear with a used example in good condition, problem still persists?

I've swapped the starter relays over from another bike, problem still there. At the time, the bike would not turn over with either relay fitted yet the other bike fired up with either relay fitted a few seconds later.

Fitted another complete starter motor, no improvement?

The bike normally fires up when cold i.e. in the mornings & when it's time to leave work but not all the time. There seems to be no pattern to the problem.

Bike's also fitted with a Datatool alarm, I had suspected that the immobiliser function was cutting in when it shouldn't but doubt this is the case as the fuel pump can be heard whirring away every time. I was tempted to disconnect the alarm but it's well spliced in to the loom, I'd probably do more harm than good.

Any suggestions - load shedding relay perhaps? I've had the multimeter & wiring diagrams out and have been unable to find a broken wire etc. Both starter motors turn over quick when it does start & the battery's in good order.

All help appreciated

Thanks in advance.

Steve

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Ok, when you press the starter button and the motor does not turn over - do the instrument lights dim (oil pressure, batter red warning lights - they should be lit)?

If they dim a little that tells us that the button is connection some load - how far they dim tell us how big the load is.

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Regards Frank Warner
motorcycles BMW R80 G/S 1981, BMW K11LT 1993, BMW K75 G/S

Frank:

Fault is intermittent, with no pattern to the problem. I've not noticed the instrument lights dimming, I'll check & report back.

Last night I disconnected the clutch interlock switch from the main loom. I then tried it with the bike in gear with the connector on the loom bridged with a lenghth of wire - switch seems good i.e. engine turns over when in gear with the bridging wire in place but won't when unbridged.

I plan to try the same with the sidestand switch at the weekend.

Thanks for the help.

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Steve,

i'm 50% sure it's starter relay, i had exacly the same problem on my 1100. Take off the seat, put your ear close to fuse/relay box and push the starter, you should hear very silent "click-click" sound if pushing the starter button (in case the starter doesn't turn over). Then it's just "tired" relay contact. Other times it works OK and it turns over, just like mine did.

I cured the starter relay myself - take the starter relay apart, cleaned the contacts and bend SLIGHTLY the contact closer to contact. Don't do it hardly - otherwise it contacts it permanently and starter may kick in while you drive - you can destroy the pendix or starter itself this way. More secure is just to get new relay of course...

So that's my idea, dunno if it's your case as well.

Keep us updated, Margus

[This message has been edited by Margus (edited 17 February 2006).]

Margus,

I used the starter relay off my girlfriends bike, didn't work. I put mine in her bike, it worked fine. I put hers back in her bike, it worked fine. At the time my bike failed to start with either relay fitted?

I've had starter relay on my old Jota, I remember doing as you said & cleaning it, worked fine afterwards.

When the engine fails to turnover, there are no clicks from the relay at all. It's as if there's no current to it? I've replaced the entire r/hand switchgear, starter relay & starter motor. Problem still persists - it may or may not turn over. If it does turn over, then the bike fires up immediately as it's always done?

Battery's charged up. Tomorrow I'll reconnect the clutch interlock switch (currently disconnected & looped on the loom side) and do the same on the side stand switch.

[This message has been edited by Steve Pickford (edited 19 February 2006).]

[This message has been edited by Steve Pickford (edited 19 February 2006).]

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