BMW Monolever Ignition Sensor (bean can)

[R80rider]

If my less than perfect memory serves me correctly. at one point in time, one of you fine members provided me with a person who refurbishes the ignition sensor on the monolever version of R65s and R80s.  I know this involves replacing the Hall Effect sender, but I believe this person also lubed some vital moving part(s) and cleaned it all up as part of the refurb.

If any of you have information about this, I would genuinely appreciate hearing from you.

Thanks!

[montmil]

Rick Jones - Motorrad Elektrik used to offer this service but no longer does. He actually sub-contracted the work out of his shop.

[R80rider]

Great info!  Has anyone tried his replacement unit?

http://www.motoelekt.com/ignition.htm

[R80rider]

Also, has anyone rebuilt one by purchasing a replacement Hall Sensor?  

I was reading on another forum that it involves replacing rivets and some very delicate soldering.  Sounds labor intensive.

[georgesgiralt]

Hello !
I've done 5 in the last few years.
Quite easy if you don't have two left hands. There are plenty of step by step instructions on the Web with plenty of photographs.
If you have to buy a sensor, try to buy the Siemens version. It is far easier to rivet.
And the later bean can have the two plates riveted together. Impossible to remove one plate without destroying the set. So you have to drill a pair of hole on the lower plate to gain access to the rivet of the original sensor and to rivet the new one in place. No big deal but you must be careful.
Play a particular attention to the placing and routing of the wires into the unit, otherwise the steel vane will cut one or the three after you put the whole lot on the engine... Don't ask me why I know this ....
Last but not least, if you need to change the male plug and the wiring, I've found a source in Germany for the male AMP Junior Timer 3 prong plug... Just ask.
Search for the step by step instructions, study them and get into your unit. It is less difficult than to dismantle a carburettor and thoroughly clean it..
There is a sketch from Robert Franckham for a tester made with a LED a resistor and a 9V battery, it is the exact copy of the factory tool. Very useful to ascertain the quality of your job and to static time the unit when putting it back on the bike. A couple of cents to build.

[montmil]

The real issue will be locating the correct Honeywell-produced Hall sensor that is now NLA from the manufacturer.

There have been some substitutes mentioned on this forum and a couple others. The concern is that no one has reported using these often Chinese-copy units. There does seem to be a few comments that tend to begin, "...but you'll have to realign the framitz valve before..."  Close, but not quite right.

My first Honeywell Hall sensor replacement turned out to be unnecessary. I had pinched and broken one of the three sensor wires- watch that front engine cover's internal webbing! I ordered six sensors and have overhauled two beans cans. Used to lug a can with me whenever I ventured more than "push it home" distances. Quit that.

Research the tester design plus check continuity of those small, 22 GA wires from the can to the connector, and perhaps beyond. Might save you some time and energy. There's still that sensor to source...  

[montmil]

Great info!  Has anyone tried his replacement unit?

http://www.motoelekt.com/ignition.htm

Other Airhead-specific forum posts and individual FB postings report the first offerings had a bug or two that have since been corrected. Favorable reports followed. I'm always unsure about buying the Mk.1 model of anything.
 
Remember. We shot monkeys into space before The Seven went Spam-Inna-Can.  

[georgesgiralt]

Hello
Both sensors are NLA. But one can find some new on Bay or other websites.
I've been told (but have not tested) that the Chinese copies are not suited to the Airheads because they are not magnetically shielded and are highly sensitive to the alternator magnetic flux which is too close to it.
I had success finding either the 2AV54 or the HKZ101. They tend to sell for a high price (I paid, from memory, 15 Euros apiece which is wayyyy too high IMHO) but are NOS and run perfectly. So this cost is acceptable to put the bike back on the road.
The 2AV54 is better riveted  using an hydraulic punch which does not fit into my shop    So I prefer the Siemens HKZ101 ....