BMW1200GS Adv not starting after falling over.
 

Dear All,
I am new to this so we'll see how it goes.
Yesterday I gently dropped my GS in the campground and after I was helped to pick it up it doesn't start.
It is trying to start and almost started during a roll start but doesn't seem to want to ignite.
Is it simply flooded?
Or do the spark plugs need to be taken out to clean them up.
I have dropped before and had no trouble starting but on those occasions the bike was running - this time not running when dropped.

Thanks in advance.
Greg D

starting
 

I dropped my GS when I took off with the disc lock still attached (idiot!). The bike was still running so I turned it off while I was laying on the ground. Some time later after wifey got the photographic evidence and I stopped swearing from the twisted ankle, I picked it up. When I wound it over it didnt want to start straight away as it usually did. When it did start it cough and spluttered.

I let it stand for about 10 minutes and then tried again..... all good this time.

I put it down to too much fuel in one pot (flooded) from being on its side. This should only happen if you have the ignition on and the fuel pump is running. If it just falls over with the ignition off then it "shouldn't" flood.

Is there a possibility that the air ducts (some call it a plenum) has been damaged between the throttle body and the intake manifold when it fell over? If it has an air leak it may be getting too much air and not wanting to fire correctly. Or maybe one of the spark plug coil caps has come off or damaged the wiring.

Just a few things to check. Hope you get it going.

Marty

kill switch?

Thanks for responses.
 

Thank you for your responses so far.
Although there is not much fuel in the tank (60km to empty) there is still fuel, the kill switch is good (although I could check it again), the battery is now flat from trying to start it several times, including roll starts (where it almost got going) and from trying to start while on cables to a car battery.
There is nothing visibly/noticeably wrong with the bike. It sounds like it really wants to start (well it did until the battery became flat).
After calling two BMW workshops (Germany and Luxembourg) and receiving understandably non-committal and vague possibilities for the issue I have decided to take the bike to a Germany BMW workshop to resolve the issue rather than start pulling it apart, not knowing what to look for, to get it going again.
Perhaps an update will follow tomorrow or the next day.
Thanks and regards
Greg D

My two cents worth...

I know you've now got it in the shop but this might be helpful for someone else or if it occurs again (god forbid).

1. Check the kill switch
2. Check ignition contact is working. If the gear position and fuel levels aren't showing then perhaps it's either a contact or even a ring-antenna issue. If it is try with your spare key just in case it's the chip in the key that is defective.
3. Check Side-stand switch. If it is activated, then the bike won't start, even in neutral. It is possible to disconnect the sidestand switch and short circuit it to trick the bike in thinking the stand is always up. Just be careful though.
4. Check the gear position, if it is in gear put it in neutral. This is because there is a clutch sensor, if it's in gear and the clutch is not pulled in, it trips the kill circuit. Also the gear position sensor may be at fault. This is a little harder to diagnose, so start with the other things first.
5. Check the battery. An easy way is to listen for the fuel pump on first ignition. You should hear the fuel pump working. NB this will only occur when the bike has been off for a while.
5a. If the FPC (Fuel Pump Controller) has died, then you won't be able to start the bike at all, it's like the bike is out of petrol. There is a road-side solution for this described in detail on ADVRider.
6. Check the battery voltage. If it drops below 10.5V when you hit the start button, then the battery needs replacing.
7. Lastly does the starter motor turn over when you hit the start button?

If you have a 911 diagnostics unit, use it. If not then unhook the battery, wait 5mins, then connect it back to the bike. This will clear the error codes usually and force a system recheck.

I always find that taking a break from the bike for a while helps, have a beer, think of something else and come back when you're fresh and thinking clearly. Or better still get a mate to troubleshoot the problem.

Good Luck!

Just to help in the diagnosis, which side did you fall over,the left or the right side?

After getting your battery charged back up, put more fuel in the tank. 60 km is not really that much. It could be you are lower on fuel than you think.

Easy, once you know - the battery.
 

Dear All, thanks for the replies.
TurboCharger your checklist was comprehensive and almost all were checked off with the available resources and nearby biker(s) and mechanic.
Since I was in Luxembourg language was a difficulty for me but....
The battery must have been below the 10.5V mentioned since everthing else on the bike sounded and looked like it should start, and it was so close on two roll start attempts.
I have never experienced a battery giving up the ghost like this. Previously I have had a flat battery, roll started the bike, rode off for a while and then was good to go a few more times, until I repeated the process when flat again.
Seems new batteries behave differently these days.
Anyway, bike transport and replacement battery all sorted by the wonderful BMW guys at Hisgen BMW in Trier, Germany.
Thanks for all information, suggestions and ideas.
Trip continues into Paris today.
Cheers
Greg D

Great news. I forgot about the batteries that tend to work one moment, then not another. Glad your able to get back on the road.

If mileage is your concern rather than off road ability - don't go for the Continental TKC 80. The GSA just has too much grunt and shreds the rear (or maybe I am just to heavy handed).

A good tyre though.

Sorry i have no idea how my comment about tyres ended up here!

A word of caution - switch off the engine when it falls
 

Somewhat related: I have witnessed a 1200GS dropped on the left hand side (IIRC) and the engine remained running for a while (but I don't know how long). When I came on the scene the bike was back upright and the engine was running but blowing so much blue smoke that I thought, at first, that an additive was in the fuel to clean the injectors; there were quite a few BMW riders standing about and my view was unclear, but the smoke was clear enough!
It turned out that the running bike engine, while over on it's side, had pumped a huge amount of oil into the air box via a largish "rubber" tube connection that links from the cylinder to the air box. So much oil had been pumped that there was no oil showing in the sight glass.

The same thing happened to me
I think the problem is:
I was low on gas
When the bike fell over to the right, all the gas sloshed over to the right and there was no fuel on the left side - where the fuel pick up is.
I leaned the bike over to the left and the bike started right up