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Author Topic: Bike heats up, getting no spark.  (Read 1045 times)

Offline xguedox

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Bike heats up, getting no spark.
« on: February 01, 2016, 03:36:46 PM »
Hi Guys,

Totally new here, new BMW owner as well.  Anyways, I have an 84 BMW R65 and I've been having some issues.  It starts and runs / rides great, until you sit at stop lights or in traffic for a bit.  It will suddenly either just die, or backfire, then die... and then will not start until its sat for 20-30 mins or so.  Then all is back to normal.  I've replaced the Ignition control unit and the problem still persists.  I'm wondering if anyone has had this problem and if its most likely the stock ignition system giving me the problem?  Would an upgrade to the Alpha system from Motorrad be a good option to fix the problem?  Any help is greatly appreciated.

Offline Bob_Roller

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Re: Bike heats up, getting no spark.
« Reply #1 on: February 01, 2016, 04:49:14 PM »
I had a somewhat similar issue with my '81 R65, engine would quit, sometimes it would come back with a loud backfire, other times it would stay dead for a while, then be normal for days .

I was told to go through the wiring and check for security of connectors and wires in the connectors .

Found a couple of wires that would push through the connector, the pin locks were bad .

Hasn't happened in 20 years since .

I would check wiring before throwing parts at it, an intermittent electrical issue is one of the worst problems to trouble shoot .

The Hall Effect sensor in the ' bean can ' under the front cover is a possibility as well .

This probably isn't related to your problem, but if you still have the original OEM black and gray ignition coil, it is a known problematic part, the case cracks and usually gives issues in damp conditions .
« Last Edit: February 01, 2016, 04:56:34 PM by Bob_Roller »
'81 R65
'82 R65 LS
'84 R65 LS
'87 Moto Guzzi V65 Lario
'02 R1150R
Riding all year long since 1993 .
I'll give up my R65, when they pry my cold dead hands from the handlebars !!!!!

Offline Tony Smith

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Re: Bike heats up, getting no spark.
« Reply #2 on: February 01, 2016, 05:14:46 PM »
Given that you have replaced the ICU my suspicions would centre on the Hall effect unit and the connector under the front cover.

The Hall Effect Unit operates on relatively low voltage and very low amperage, any corrosion, even corrosion you can't see will stop it dead.

In other circumstances I would also suspect the ICU and the ICU electrical connector, but with a new ICU you have positively eliminated that as the source and the make/break on the connector pretty much eliminates that too.

The first step I'd make would be to open the connector under the front cover and gently clean the connectors, give them a squirt of CRC and make break the connector a few times. You have obviously had experience with the JPT type connector given you have replaced the ICU, be aware that due to its design and the heat under the front cover, the connector there redefines the meaning of the word FRAGILE. However, if you do break it simply replace it with any three way auto connector that takes your fancy (or even three bullet connectors.) I'd give the ICU connector a spray with CRC on principle.

If that doesn't solve the problem my  next step gets a little more complicated.

First make a Hall effect tester, you need a 9 volt battery, a LED, sundry lengths of wire and some alligator clips.

Next remove the Hall Effect device from the engine and set up on the bench with your tester and verify that it works.

Next set your wife's oven (it helps if she is absent when you do this) to 100 degrees centigrade and let the hall effect device bask in the oven for 20 minutes - retest the hall effect device, if it doesn't work you have diagnosed the problem, if it works, replace your coil.


I've left the coil till last because frankly there is no practical means of testing it (although you could rig a test rig and measure resistance  when hot and cold and see if it will throw sparks when hot, but frankly it is just as easy to isolate it as the fault and then replace if it is "the last man standing".


If you end up having to replace the hall effect device it is doable, if you have a friend who is a bicycle mechanic and who will lend you his chain-breaker, you are going to have no problems getting it apart. If by any chance your bicycle mechanic friend works on Campagnolo 11 speed chains then you are in 7th heaven becaus ehe has a tool taylor made to insert and peen the new rivet to hold the Hall Effect device in the bean can.

Of course you can also use the Seimens HKZ 101 device and use small bolts to hold it. Your choice and I guess, what you can find.

The HKZ is not as robust a device as the original Honeywell device simply because it does not have high temperature wiring/insulation, but 1,000s of peopel are usign them happily (and if you use bolts they are a 15 minute job to replace anyway).

Please let us know how you get on.

1978 R100RS| 1981 R100RS (JPS) | 1984 R65 | 1992 KLE500 | 2002 R1150GSA |

Offline mrclubike

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Re: Bike heats up, getting no spark.
« Reply #3 on: February 01, 2016, 05:41:37 PM »
Quote

If you end up having to replace the hall effect device it is doable, if you have a friend who is a bicycle mechanic and who will lend you his chain-breaker, you are going to have no problems getting it apart. If by any chance your bicycle mechanic friend works on Campagnolo 11 speed chains then you are in 7th heaven because he has a tool tailor made to insert and peen the new rivet to hold the Hall Effect device in the bean can.

Thanks for the tip
I did not know that
All of my special Campy bike tools stop at 1990 so I have  never seen a 11 speed chain breaker.
I have a new Hall affect sensor I have been wanting to install in my can as a back up. :D

1982 R65 running tubeless Snowflakes
2004 R1150R

Offline Tony Smith

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Re: Bike heats up, getting no spark.
« Reply #4 on: February 01, 2016, 08:43:24 PM »
Quote
Thanks for the tip
I did not know that
All of my special Campy bike tools stop at 1990 so I have  never seen a 11 speed chain breaker.
I have a new Hall affect sensor I have been wanting to install in my can as a back up. :D



I didn't realize it either until I was trying to upset the rivets holding a dead Honeywell device when it occurred to me that they were about the same size as a bicycle chain rivet. Quicker than you could say "Park Tools" they were out.

The recent introduction of 11 speed transmissions means that the link rivets are now flush with the side plates, Park developed a tool to "peen" the rivets so that they would not come loose from the plates, it works a treat for setting new rivets to hold a  Chinese copy of a 2AV54.
1978 R100RS| 1981 R100RS (JPS) | 1984 R65 | 1992 KLE500 | 2002 R1150GSA |