R65 Starting

[Julio A.]

I really Don't know If it is an isolated problem or what.
It seems that the R65 has a very weak electrical system;
even if The battery is new and put in float charge every night
It would always refuse to start in the morning. It would take me 5 minutes and countless kicks with the kick starter to get it running and
forcing it to run with the electric starter will just drain the battery and make it backfire; waking up everyone in the neighborhood.

Bump starting it is a breeze. But I really don't have someone to push me everytime I go out on it. And long, downward ramps are quite hard to find these days.

Do you guys have any tips on how to "efficiently" start the 30 year old bike?  

[Bob_Roller]

Do you have the original gray and black ignition coil ?

If you do, I would replace it, it's known as the 'crack-o-matic' coil, for it's tendency to develop cracks in the case .

Usually gives you problems in damp conditions .

Do you have ignition leads with metal caps at the spark plugs ?

If you do, they are original OEM they need to be replaced .

Another problem area, is the starter, at 30 years old, all of the lubricant is either gone, or dried up to where it's not doing any good .

With a 'dry' starter, it takes a lot more power to rotate the starter, at a point, it draws so much power from the battery, there isn't sufficient voltage to operate the ignition system .

My clue was, you can bump start the engine with no problems, but with the starter in use the engine won't start .

[Semper Gumby]

COLD START:

1) Open tank fuel petcock.  (You did close it the night before right?)
2) Move Choke lever full open.  (En-richening circuit)
3) Crack throttle just a "TAD" to give the bike more air to go with the extra fuel.
4) When the cylinders start to fire while holding the start button down you can either:
      a) Open the throttle a bit more to run the motor faster.
      b) Close the throttle and see if it fires better (you gave it too much air.)
5) When you think its going to run release the start button an keep engine speed up but not too high.  Don't go above 3000 rpm until the motor is warm.
6) Slowly turn the choke down until the bike runs normally on its own.  Sometimes if I'm in a hurry I do this while taxiing out of the neighborhood at a slow speed (25mph max).  Remember you need to warm up the final drive and the tranny as well.  Be gentile.

In warmer conditions you can try the procedure above with less than full initial choke.  What ever works for you and your bike.

If the bike doesn't start this way -- Then do all the items in a major tuneup including the stuff mentioned above.  Pay special attention to carb (choke setup) balance.  Make sure the chokes are fully closed when off and open at the same time to fully open. its a pain but the reward will be good starts in cold weather.  Make sure you don't have a torn diaphragm in a carb.  Consider replacing the cheap stuff: condenser and points wires and caps.  And make sure the auto advance is free and working.  Also the enrichening circut has its own jet in the bottom corner of the FLOAT BOWL.  Everybody misses this.  Make sure this will flow some carb cleaner (Point away from face and any painted surface).  If you do go poking something into the jet to unblock it the chances of permenatly damaging this jet will be greatly reduced if you use a very thin strand of copper wire.  If you use a steel bristle from a brush you have laying around then you are going to widen the hole out of spec and you will be searching for a new float bowl.

If it's backfiring then I would be concerned with the coils and the timing.  For some reason your ignition is cutting out and you are pumping raw fuel and air into your mufflers and then lighting them off. <BANG>

To give your battery more of a chance switch to 10W40 motor oil for winter ops so that the bike can spin faster.  If you think your starter is worn down you can take it to a re-builder.  I have one in Atlanta that I used years ago that I strongly recommend to anyone who will listen.  And the starter has worked like a champ since then.  The Bosch starters are easily rebuilt by non-BMW people.  (They look like car starters -- Heck they ARE car starters!)

Good luck.

(It doesn't get that cold in the Philippines does it?)

[Semper Gumby]

Hey I just thought of something else:

In extremely high humidity environments you must consider the large wires between the battery and the starter.  If the connections are corroded (green or white crud), clean them shiny and coat them with dielectric grease and reassemble.  You might look over the whole electrical system this way including all the wires from the battery to the coils and points.  It's a pain in the ass but you wanted a full road map and there it is....

Probably time for Bali Beemer to chime up.    

[Barry]

Bump starting it is a breeze.

I'm with Bob.  The clue is that without the starter load you have enough voltage available at the ignition coil for a good spark. The problem is to figure out why that is not the case with the starter in operation.

[VaSteve]

Do you have ignition leads with metal caps at the spark plugs ?

If you do, they are original OEM they need to be replaced .

Do you have a photo of this?

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Do you have ignition leads with metal caps at the spark plugs ?

If you do, they are original OEM they need to be replaced .

Do you have a photo of this?

They look like these (if the link works - I'm at work secured behind a firewall...)
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://i16.ebayimg.com/04/i/05/7c/91/a3_2.JPG&imgrefurl=http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-Motorcycle-Ignition-Wires-R65-R75-R80-R90-R100-/330514946711&usg=__afTiv21rZfmoj3Nse4kGUbLM3y0=&h=150&w=200&sz=5&hl=en&start=0&sig2=iiNeu52EVSerXMNcT3OeGg&zoom=0&tbnid=p7ieZR5TXjF4vM:&tbnh=78&tbnw=104&ei=VFklTYmbLo2lnQfh2aTZDQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbmw%2Bmotorcycle%2Bignition%2Bwire%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D775%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=912&vpy=379&dur=5589&hovh=78&hovw=104&tx=67&ty=28&oei=VFklTYmbLo2lnQfh2aTZDQ&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:12,s:0

[Julio A.]

Yes, the Leads have been replaced by 4 coil hi-tension wires. and the "Crack-o'-matic" has also been replaced.

I'll check the starter. There has been no record in my log that the starter has been touched ever.

I still have the old Metal caps and I really try to stick to original looks and specs. Since the OEM metal cap is screwed on and my splitfire cables have a one-piece construction, I plan to simply cut the cable and screw on the  metal ends. I'm just scared of the electrical bit.

Electronics isn't really my forte.  

[Julio A.]

Hey, I checked the Spark Plugs this morning, it was heavily fouled up.
I quick run with a wire brush and the thing starts in one click!!!  

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Does it rain in Manila?  If so, ditch those ignition wires and put NGK caps on.  (on new, solid copper core wires)  
BUT SAVE (de-solder) THE METAL CAPS THAT GO INTO THE COIL!  They are much better than the ones that come with new wires (push-in, clamp-on).  You do have to get a little dirty with a soldering iron & some rosin core solder, though.

And besides, wires & caps are typically replaced in a tune-up.  They are considered to be "consumables".

Do you want to ride your bike, or look at it?