1100GS, No spark, no fuel

[im4xru]

Was doing a little off-roading on the ÔÇÖ98 1100GS this past weekend with some friends where we did several water-crossings. About ?? mile after doing the one in the photo my engine went dead. On the roadside was able to determine I had no engine spark. After swapping around the fuses (#5 - motronic) and relays (motronic and fuel pump) and looking for obvious broken wires or water damage, I retrieved the trailer and hauled the bike to the campsite. I was fortunate to have the truck and trailer with me as I had hauled my KLR over for a friend to use. Thought things would dry out overnight and the bike might crank come Sat. morn, but no such luck. Too bad friend now I have to take the KLR.
Monday, I checked the hall sensor with the device built from the advrider hall of wisdom instructions, swapped the coil with the sweetieÔÇÖs 850R and swapped fuses and relays back and forth. I pulled the right side fuel injector and there was no fuel spray either. Fuel pump runs the normal 2 seconds when key is turned on. Side-stand switch has been eliminated sometime ago. The kill switch seems to work okay (kills fuel pump and RID display.) I have chased wires for broken connections.
Tuesday I began disconnection all of the wire connectors for cleaning and a good damp of silicone grease. When I pulled the electrical connector from the right side TB, a good amount of water spilled from the connections. Viola, I thought I had found the problem. I used compressed air to dry both plugs and coated with silicone grease. Fuel tank back on for 4th time and give it the old college try. No spark, no fuel spray.
I think the water in the connector is the culprit, but I donÔÇÖt know what it could have taken out. Just donÔÇÖt want to think about the Motronic unit being **** up.
The wiring diagram shows the fuel injector electrically connected to a timing valve. Does anyone know what this timing valve does and where is it located?

Any suggestions, critiques, prayers, or otherwise welcome.
Gary

 

[PGlaves]

Was doing a little off-roading on the ÔÇÖ98 1100GS this past weekend with some friends where we did several water-crossings. About ?? mile after doing the one in the photo my engine went dead. On the roadside was able to determine I had no engine spark. After swapping around the fuses (#5 - motronic) and relays (motronic and fuel pump) and looking for obvious broken wires or water damage, I retrieved the trailer and hauled the bike to the campsite. I was fortunate to have the truck and trailer with me as I had hauled my KLR over for a friend to use. Thought things would dry out overnight and the bike might crank come Sat. morn, but no such luck. Too bad friend now I have to take the KLR.
Monday, I checked the hall sensor with the device built from the advrider hall of wisdom instructions, swapped the coil with the sweetieÔÇÖs 850R and swapped fuses and relays back and forth. I pulled the right side fuel injector and there was no fuel spray either. Fuel pump runs the normal 2 seconds when key is turned on. Side-stand switch has been eliminated sometime ago. The kill switch seems to work okay (kills fuel pump and RID display.) I have chased wires for broken connections.
Tuesday I began disconnection all of the wire connectors for cleaning and a good damp of silicone grease. When I pulled the electrical connector from the right side TB, a good amount of water spilled from the connections. Viola, I thought I had found the problem. I used compressed air to dry both plugs and coated with silicone grease. Fuel tank back on for 4th time and give it the old college try. No spark, no fuel spray.
I think the water in the connector is the culprit, but I donÔÇÖt know what it could have taken out. Just donÔÇÖt want to think about the Motronic unit being **** up.
The wiring diagram shows the fuel injector electrically connected to a timing valve. Does anyone know what this timing valve does and where is it located?

Any suggestions, critiques, prayers, or otherwise welcome.
Gary

I am pretty sure you have a wet wiring bundle between the Hall sensor (crankshaft position sensor) and the Motronic. They are prone to hating water once a few years old because the insulation on the individual wires cracks - so when wet shorting can occur.

The temporary fix is to disconnect it at the top and flood the inside of the bundle with an alcohol based electrical cleaner - and then compressed air. In the longer term either the wiring or the whole HES assembly needs to be replaced.

 

[im4xru]

Paul,
thanks a lot, I will try that tomorrow. Was think of taking the HES from the wife's 850R just to verify my hall sensor status.
Gary

 

[JimMoore]

Paul,
thanks a lot, I will try that tomorrow. Was think of taking the HES from the wife's 850R just to verify my hall sensor status.
Gary

Make sure they're the same. The 1100 and 1150 are different. Don't know about the 850.

 

[im4xru]

Pulled the Hall Sensor today. The insulation around the wires near the plug are brittle and cracked. Ordered a new HES. Will try replacing the wires on this one and carry around as a backup unit.;

Jim, For your info the HES on the 1100GS and the 850R are identical.
Gary

 

[JimMoore]

Jim, For your info the HES on the 1100GS and the 850R are identical.
Gary

Cool. As I look at your avatar I become more and more confident that you've isolated the problem.

 

[im4xru]

Jim,
So you think swimming may have contributed to my problem. The avatar is from last year. This photo is from this year and the last crossing before the bike quit.

 

[PGlaves]

Pulled the Hall Sensor today. The insulation around the wires near the plug are brittle and cracked. Ordered a new HES. Will try replacing the wires on this one and carry around as a backup unit.;

If the insulation is cracked and brittle near the plug - where it is in comparatively cool air - you ought to see what it looks like inside the bundle where it lives behind the front cover in a hot environment.

The term bits of plastic powder comes to mind.

 

[alabeemer]

Jim,
So you think swimming may have contributed to my problem. The avatar is from last year. This photo is from this year and the last crossing before the bike quit.

Hmmm Outlaw...sounds like you are on to it. Great to have the mechanical resources on here isn't it?
It may have drowned the bike but at least the photo is good... And it gave me time to dump the water out of my boots while you fetched the trailer!

Vance

 

[im4xru]

Vance,
At least I wasn't on no wimpy KLR - until the next day and then I tried to drown it and my sweetie at the same time - see photo -but didn't we have a blast. Too bad Waterloo is so far away form Johnson City. I'd love to take a bunch from the MOA rally to Rainbow Falls.
If the folks on this forum want to see what we rednecks call dual-sporting, here's the link to my photos from the Waterloo weekend.
http://picasaweb.google.com/duboisga/Waterloo2008


Gary

 

[41107]

Question here.Do the new hall sending units come with better insulation?At $280 ,one has to hope that Bosch has fixed the insulation issue .I am fixing my old hall sender at a cost of $38 for 2 pick-up coils and 2 feet of 22 AWG Tef 4 strand shielded wire.There is a wonderful write-up as to how on the internet.Just type in BMW hallsensor.You,ll find it.

 

[im4xru]

I don't know if Bosch has improved the unit. Like you I repaired the one on the 850R last year with two new sensing units. Decided to go for a new on on the 1100GS since I ride it to some really remote places, then repair the old one to have as a spare. Ordered from Chicago BMW for $238 including shipping. Now just have to wait on their sometimes slow order processing.
Gary

 

[im4xru]

Just to let everyone know. Got the hall sensor in today from Chicago BMW. Took about 0 minutes to get it hooked up. Bike fired right up. So another hour buttoning everything up and she is ready to ride.
Thanks to everyone for your input.
Gary