Broke Down Today: 12/31/05

Rebel Beemer · Post by **Rebel Beemer** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 3:18 pm

My 2003 R1150R with about 18,000 mile broke down on the road today. Recently had full 18,000 mile service performed by BMW dealership and have put about 300 miles on the bike in the past two weeks (no minor task here in friggin' Massachusetts in December). I was just pulling on to an interstate highway, accelerating in 3rd gear when suddenly the engine stopped running. Believe me, the torque had the rear wheel fish tailing until I grabbed the clutch in and drifted to the side of the road. The bike would turn over but not start. Sounded like the fuel pump was making real strange noises. Luckily I was within 3 miles or so of a local bike shop (Cycles 128 in Beverly, MA) and they sent a truck over to pick me and the bike up. The bike is still under factory warranty and the sister dealership (Greater Boston Motorsports) is an authorized BMW shop. So, we will see what is wrong next week. Will keep the board posted.

Post by **wncbmw** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 4:25 pm

Hey Rebel - bummer. Just lucky it happened close to home. Let us know what's wrong.

Rebel Beemer · Post by **Rebel Beemer** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 6:42 pm

Yeah, go figure. Been riding for 35 years - Yamahas, Hondas, Kawas, Suzukis - never, ever had a bike leave me on the side of a road. Crashed a few, got run over by a drunk driver once, but the last time a bike broke down on me was 1969 - my Yamaha 50 (yeah, 50cc - 5 hp, but I was 17) sucked the rotary value of the 2 cycle motor into the engine!! Now the bullet proof Beemer makes me call for the friggin tow truck. Karma I suppose. Glad it wasn't on the trip I am planning to take to Vermont this summer. MOA gonna have the big event in Vermont this summer. Can't wait

Post by **yjleesvrr** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 6:59 pm

Sorry to hear of your breakdown. I've learned to sort machinery into two categories: Reliable, and/or durable. Reliable means never leaving you stranded. Durable means lasting a long time. As an example, I would say a Toyota truck is both durable and reliable. A Ford or Chevy pickup is simply durable. An '86 Hyundai Excel was neither durable nor reliable.

In this sense, most Japanese bikes aren't as durable as a Beemer, but Jap bikes are more reliable. Just because our Beemers were designed to go 200k without a rebuild doesn't mean it will never break down 'til then.

bakernks · Post by **bakernks** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 12:41 am

I have heard of different break down's over the years of the models BMW makes that use the R1150 engine. Our 50R, the GS, the RT, etc. I've seen ugly pics of spline failures. Rear drive failures, both in the ring gear and in the seal. Burned up clutches bare of friction material, shiny steel showing. Blown transmission, and transmission seals. I find it interesting that it's never the engine proper. It seems to always be in the driveline, but never the power producing bits. Seems remarkable actually, I've never heard of a broken cam chain, or a broken piston pin, or a failed oil pump drive or a spun main bearing. I'm sure it happens. Any mechanical device can suffer failure. This stupid keyboard in front of me could fail.

This failure, while frustrating to say the least to the owner, probably will turn out to be something like fuel pump failure or electrical in nature. Good luck getting it sorted, and I'm glad you weren't in say, Alaska, when it happened.

jetblack · Post by **jetblack** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 11:47 am

Could this be caused by a blocked fuel filter? Mine clogged up once.

Jax · Post by **Jax** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 3:22 pm

Jetblack: Sure sounds like a possibility. I've read posts of a few of them clogging as early as 16k miles.

Rebel Beemer · Post by **Rebel Beemer** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 5:29 pm

I will say from the seat of the pants and quick road side inspection that the failure seems fuel delivery related. The motor would turn over but not fire up. Brand new battery installed last month (gel cell) and the fuel pump did seem to be making alot of noise (usually loud). We should know in a couple of days.

Post by **boxermania** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 6:21 pm

Rebel Beemer......what a way to end the year, I feel for you.

Did you hear any high pitched noises coming from the pump a few days before the incident?

After the failure, and when you attemted to get the bike started again, did you hear the pump click on and pressure the fuel lines?

Do you normally run until you empty the tank, or do you feel before the low fuel light comes on?

Assuming that the pump has failed, normal failure mode for in tank pumps is due to temperature (they use the gasoline as a cooling medium) or restricted flow, they have to pump through a partially plugged filter. On very rare ocassions the element inside the filter has broken down and plugged the discharge orifice but this is a sign of age and certainly yours is not an old bike.

Hope you get your ride back soon and please share with us the end result, better yet once you find out, ask the BMW Tech if he sees many of these instances.

Post by **MikeCam** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 6:49 pm

I'd also consider the switches that control engine shutoff becoming fouled by road grit, shorted or corroded, thus letting the starter turn but not run.

Rebel Beemer · Post by **Rebel Beemer** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 10:47 pm

Boxermania: remember here in Massachusetts in late December by the time I start the bike I have my balaclava and helmet on, so hearing is impaired at best. However, I did notice a strange, high pitch noise on starting off for what turned out to be a prematurely short trip to end the year (2005). My practice is the fill up as soon as the low fuel light comes on. Again, when the motor died the conditions on the side of an interstate highway with 3 lanes of traffic blowing by were less that ideal as to what the fuel pump sounded like. Later at the dealership the tech said it sounded to him like a fuel pump failure. We shall see. Hell, it snowed 3 inches last night and a real storm is predicted for Tuesday. Guess I wouldn't be doing too much riding anyway.

Paul Mihalka · Post by **Paul Mihalka** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 6:22 am

Did the bike get a new fuel filter at the 18.000 mile service? If the fuel pump runs but makes a different noise from before, it is possible that a fuel line inside the tank popped off at the pump or the filter. I have also seen fuel pumps with broken nipples where the line attaches.

GeoffJ · Post by **GeoffJ** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 11:37 am

Breakdowns suck. Fortunately, you weren't far from a dealer. I've been riding for 27 years. Besides three flat tires, I've been fortunate and have had only two mechanical failures that left me stranded at roadside.

One incident happened when my '77 Harley Sportster suffered a broken starter switch. I pushed the bike three miles to get home.

The other breakdown involved a '79 BMW R100RS. A circlip and clevis pin decided they wanted to take a vacation from the clutch release arm at the rear of the transmission. Fortunately, I was aided by a some helpful BMW riders who were on their way home from the same rally I had attended. We fabricated a temporary clevis pin from a section of chain link fence.

Rebel Beemer · Post by **Rebel Beemer** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 4:50 pm

Well, according to the mechanic at Greater Boston Motorsports my breakdown was caused by the quick disconnect fuel line deciding to disconnect itself? Supposedly the "sensor" detects this happening and shuts off the fuel supply. Tomorrow they are going to remove the fuel pump and check for any further damage. We shall see. Hell, it snowed 3 plus inches today.

Not going riding anyway.

Capt. Blackadder · Post by **Capt. Blackadder** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 5:08 pm

Rebel Beemer wrote:Well, according to the mechanic at Greater Boston Motorsports my breakdown was caused by the quick disconnect fuel line deciding to disconnect itself? Supposedly the "sensor" detects this happening and shuts off the fuel supply.

When the QD disconnects, from being improperly connected in the first place, fuel stops flowing and the motor dies. No sensor needed or in place. The strange noises from the fuel pump might just have been the extra load on it from straining against a closed hose. I'll bet the pump is fine, and that you can reconnect the QDs and ride away.

Rebel Beemer · Post by **Rebel Beemer** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 5:16 pm

So how can one make sure they are connected properly in the first instance?

Post by **Boxer** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 5:20 pm

my breakdown was caused by the quick disconnect fuel line deciding to disconnect itself? Supposedly the "sensor" detects this happening and shuts off the fuel supply.

Didn't you say you just had it in for a service? The bums didn't connect it properly...Is my guess. But who knows? At any rate, this is one more piece of valuable information about this bike that we have learned from a board member.

Captain, are you saying that this is probably a bogus claim about the "supposed" sensors shutting off the fuel?

So how can one make sure they are connected properly in the first instance?

Undo them and put them back together and notice an audible click as they seat together properly....Plus the bike will run and they won't leak.

Post by **boxermania** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 6:32 pm

Rebel.....the captain is correct there aren't any sensors associated wth the fuel pump operation, other than the fuel level, that is. The quick connects are of the positive shutoff, to eliminate leaks when they are disconected, period. So in your case the pump was dead heade working against a closed line..........

It's obvious that the folks that performed your 18K mile check removed he tank and failed to mate the connectors properly........I would make sure that they reinburse you for all your costs, inluding the towing......

Darling, have you seen my rusty machete..........I need to do some weeding...........

Rebel Beemer · Post by **Rebel Beemer** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 7:04 pm

The scary part is the 18,000 mile service was done six weeks ago and I rode about 300+ miles before the line fell off. Damn.

Paul Mihalka · Post by **Paul Mihalka** » Tue Jan 03, 2006 9:25 pm

Just a warning to you guys who may do these things yourself: If you disconnected the "quick-connects", when you are going to connect them again make sure you are pushing on the tab that released it while you are pushing the two halfs together. If not, you will damage the O-rings in the connections.

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