The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2

Technical Discussion => BMW Technical Q&A, Primarily R65 => Topic started by: awaffa2003 on January 18, 2008, 02:38:06 PM

Title: engine trouble
Post by: awaffa2003 on January 18, 2008, 02:38:06 PM

UGG my first major problem...one cylinder isn't working. i started up the bike for the first time in about 6 months and i was that only one exaust had smoke coming out. I felt the left head and it was hot. felt the right and it was dead cold...any suggestions? should I start taking things apart? i haven't checked my spark plug gaps maybe thats it but i haven't even touched it so i need to look. anyway...HELP!!!

Title: Re: engine trouble
Post by: nhmaf on January 18, 2008, 03:01:02 PM

Time to check the basics: Fire, Air, and Fuel, and it is easiest to first check "fire", so:

Remove sparkplug from dead cylinder, connect the sparkplug lead back onto it and have it rest on top of the cylinder fins.  You might use a bungee or large elastic band to keep it from falling/rolling off the cylinder - you WANT the metal base of the plug to make electrical/metal contact with the cylinder fin metal as it would if it were screwed in.
Use the starter to crank the engine (you can shut the fuel off as you don't really have to start it) and watch that sparkplug to see if you see a good strong, blue-ish spark.
IF you don't, then either the plug, plug cable, or the coil is most likely bad and need to be replaced before progressing further.   IF you do observe a good spark, then we can move onto the other two things.

Title: Re: engine trouble
Post by: Jon_P on January 25, 2008, 02:57:04 PM

if you have spark, switch the wires, leave them on the coils for now. does the problem move to the other cylinder?? if it moves, the switch the wires, does it move??

check the valve clearances.

remove the bowl on the carb, you should have fuel

Title: Re: engine trouble
Post by: awaffa2003 on January 25, 2008, 06:37:24 PM

i've checked for a spark and it's good but i've given up until warmer weather comes...its been about -20 for a while and trying to start it is next to impossible. right now i'm just working on making the independant pull tabs for my choke.

Title: Re: engine trouble
Post by: Rob Valdez 79 R65 on January 25, 2008, 06:51:25 PM

Rockford, IL???

I wouldn't even think about trying to start it until the temps warm up to the 30's or 40's...

Title: Re: engine trouble
Post by: Semper Gumby on January 25, 2008, 07:05:37 PM

I've started mine as low as 19'F.  Hey Rob are you using 87oct?

Title: Re: engine trouble
Post by: awaffa2003 on January 25, 2008, 07:09:42 PM

LMAO! I know right...and i dont get to use those toasty things called cars that you guys get to drive...10 mins at the bus stop seems like eternity every day...

Title: Re: engine trouble
Post by: Rob Valdez 79 R65 on January 25, 2008, 07:36:39 PM

Getting rid of your choke cables, eh?

You will need one of these!

http://www.ritmo-sereno.com/parts/archives/11730.html#more

Title: Re: engine trouble
Post by: awaffa2003 on January 26, 2008, 04:08:16 PM

sweet that looks great but how do i translate the site??? i tried babelfish but it comes up as an error.

Title: Re: engine trouble
Post by: Rob Valdez 79 R65 on January 26, 2008, 05:32:05 PM

Japanese is pretty tough.

I don't know if that company will ever export to the U.S., or not.

I seem to remember seeing a factory blank that goes there, as well.

Yep - here it is: click here (http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=0364&mospid=47851&btnr=32_0742&hg=32&fg=10)