'13 R1200RT starting issue

[jpi68]

2013 Staring Issues

I also have an 2013 R1200RT that we just purchased three weeks ago with only 480 miles on the OD. It was a BMW Regional Manaager's Demo, Esentially a new bike. I put about 200 miles on it the first weekend with not problems starting or otherwise. Memorial day weekend we took a four day weekend and rode a 1200 mile loop from Denver up to the Bad Lands of SD, over to Devils Tower and back home. We left early Friday morning, it was cool and raining (45 degrees) I noticed that the bike started a bit hard, i.e., had to crank it a bit before if fired up. I didn't think much of it. We stopped a couple of times on the way up to the Bad Lands, weather remained cool and rainy. Don't remember restarting being and issue. The next morning when we were ready to get underway the bike started very hard. Really had to let it crank and work the throttle to get it fired up. It was probably about 40 degrees... I was starting to get concerned. We previously had a 2000 RT that we had ridden in temps down to 27 degrees and never had this kind of issue. But wait it gets better. The next morning, cool, 45 degrees, same hard start issue. Finally on the way back home Monday, we stopped for fuel and lunch. When we were getting ready to leave, the bike would not start. I cranked until the bike started click, click click. i.e., I thought the battery was tapped out. Called road service thinking that I at least needed a jump. Contacting road service took about 30 minutes or so. While waiting for service I thought, I'll try starting the bike one more time, hit the starter and varoom... The bike fired right up... Go figure. We rode home parked the bike in the heated garage and let it set until yesterday morning when I was going to take it into the dealer to get it checked out... No Start... No Start and all... Ran it down to click, click, click... Let it set on trickle charger for a couple of hours, tried to start it again, no joy.. Temps in the mid 60's... Called road service and had it hauled to to the dealer... Service manager suspects fuel pump or clogged jets. I suspect a sensor failing... Any thoughts out there from the community????

 

[mutley]

2011 Starting

On a recent trip from KY to CA I noticed a difference in starting from normal. In the mornings parked outside, not in the normal garage, the bike was harder to start. (37-45 degrees). On several occasions I had to apply throttle while starting. I also thought that this may be due to the higher altitudes which were 6-7000 feet in the morning. During the day at higher altitudes the bike started right up without throttle. Bike never failed though.

 

[lkraus]

All the 2005-2013 R1200 manuals include a phrase like this:

For cold starts and at low
ambient temperatures: pull the
lever to disengage the clutch
and twist the throttle grip
slightly."


From experience, it seems that BMW considers 40-45ºF to be the threshold for low ambient temperatures. Below that range, the battery will die before the engine starts on a closed throttle. Above that I've not needed to touch the throttle, even for the first "cold" start of the day.

 

[mutley]

All the 2005-2013 R1200 manuals include a phrase like this:

For cold starts and at low
ambient temperatures: pull the
lever to disengage the clutch
and twist the throttle grip
slightly."


From experience, it seems that BMW considers 40-45ºF to be the threshold for low ambient temperatures. Below that range, the battery will die before the engine starts on a closed throttle. Above that I've not needed to touch the throttle, even for the first "cold" start of the day.

Thanks for that info I missed in the manual. My bike is behaving as normal.

 

[jpi68]

Shop Says It's Fixed....

Follow-up on my post of a few days ago,

I also have an 2013 R1200RT that we just purchased three weeks ago with only 480 miles on the OD. It was a BMW Regional Manager's Demo, Essentially a new bike. I put about 200 miles on it the first weekend with not problems starting or otherwise. Memorial day weekend we took a four day weekend and rode a 1200 mile loop from Denver up to the Bad Lands of SD, over to Devils Tower and back home. We left early Friday morning, it was cool and raining (45 degrees) I noticed that the bike started a bit hard, i.e., had to crank it a bit before if fired up. I didn't think much of it. We stopped a couple of times on the way up to the Bad Lands, weather remained cool and rainy. Don't remember restarting being and issue. The next morning when we were ready to get underway the bike started very hard. Really had to let it crank and work the throttle to get it fired up. It was probably about 40 degrees... I was starting to get concerned. We previously had a 2000 RT that we had ridden in temps down to 27 degrees and never had this kind of issue. But wait it gets better. The next morning, cool, 45 degrees, same hard start issue. Finally on the way back home Monday, we stopped for fuel and lunch. When we were getting ready to leave, the bike would not start. I cranked until the bike started click, click click. i.e., I thought the battery was tapped out. Called road service thinking that I at least needed a jump. Contacting road service took about 30 minutes or so. While waiting for service I thought, I'll try starting the bike one more time, hit the starter and varoom... The bike fired right up... Go figure. We rode home parked the bike in the heated garage and let it set until yesterday morning when I was going to take it into the dealer to get it checked out... No Start... No Start and all... Ran it down to click, click, click... Let it set on trickle charger for a couple of hours, tried to start it again, no joy.. Temps in the mid 60's... Called road service and had it hauled to the dealer... Service manager suspects fuel pump or clogged jets. I suspect a sensor failing... Any thoughts out there from the community????

Got a call from the shop this morning, Service Manager says it was a bad fuel pump??? BMW replaced the pump under warrantee, he says I'm good to go. I am still puzzled as to why once I got the bike started it ran with no problems if it had a bad fuel pump? I'm not a mechanic and don't even play one on TV, but it seems to me that I would have noticed some performance issues if the fuel pump was not functioning properly. Does this seen strange to anyone else?

Service Manger told me that they have this problem with a lot of new bikes that have just been setting around and not really run that much. He said we will sell a bike that's been setting on the floor for a few months and the fuel pump or jetting gets clogged up. Has anyone else heard this and does it seem rational?

 

[mneblett]

Certainly possible. If the pump gets gummed up, it may not start to rotate when electricity is initially applied. Later (like after conditions change, such as cooling) the pump's resistance to turning may be lower, and once turning will keep turning.

Just one guess; point is it really could have been the pump.

 

[jpi68]

Runs Like a Scared Rabbit

Picked up my bike from the shop yesterday. I am now convinced it was the fuel pump. When I first picked up the bike and for the approximately 1500 miles that I put on it, I thought the bike a bit sluggish. I had to really rev it up when starting from a stop. With the new fuel pump the thing runs like a scared rabbit. It's a completely different bike.

I originally thought this was a cold weather starting issue, but not so..

Maybe some here who think they are having cold weather issues may actually be having a fuel delivery issue related to the fuel pump...

 

[Hodadd]

Interesting. I recently took my '13 RT on a long trip throughout the western US. When stopped overnight in Colorado I barely got the bike started in the morning. Cracking the throttle didn't work. I only got it going when I twisted the throttle open to more than 1/4 to 1/2 open. Then once running I had to keep the revs up until it was warm. Only then would it idle. I don't know if it was temperature, altitude, or both combined to cause the issue. I do know that my bike horrible as the elevations climbed higher.

 

[jpi68]

That Was How My 13RT Behaved

Interesting. I recently took my '13 RT on a long trip throughout the western US. When stopped overnight in Colorado I barely got the bike started in the morning. Cracking the throttle didn't work. I only got it going when I twisted the throttle open to more than 1/4 to 1/2 open. Then once running I had to keep the revs up until it was warm. Only then would it idle. I don't know if it was temperature, altitude, or both combined to cause the issue. I do know that my bike horrible as the elevations climbed higher.

That was exactly how mine behaved and I live here in Colorado... I think in my case it was the fuel pump, but I still think there could be other reasons such as a misbehaving sensor, clogged fuel filter or jets. We are getting ready to do a tour of the State in a couple of weeks. Hopefully that should be enough to see if we have totally fixed the problem.

 

[Hodadd]

With mine, on the way home I rode into the dealer and complained about it. It was also pinging horribly at any elevation above about 4k feet or so. Long story short, the dealer said several valves were out of adjustment and several of the spark plugs had defective electrodes. I bought my bike last year as a left over and it was due for the 12k service, so they just chalked it up to that. I'm not totally convinced, but it is running better. However, I started noticing the running issues at elevations and around the 10,500 mile mark. I had performed the 6k myself and I do know that several of the valves were tight, but within specs, so hopefully this was a one of a kind deal. Otherwise I can not tolerate a bike that when in need of routine servicing runs horribly.

This is my 5th beemer and none of the others did this, so I guess I'll see.

 

[wyman.winn]

With mine, on the way home I rode into the dealer and complained about it. It was also pinging horribly at any elevation above about 4k feet or so. Long story short, the dealer said several valves were out of adjustment and several of the spark plugs had defective electrodes. I bought my bike last year as a left over and it was due for the 12k service, so they just chalked it up to that. I'm not totally convinced, but it is running better. However, I started noticing the running issues at elevations and around the 10,500 mile mark. I had performed the 6k myself and I do know that several of the valves were tight, but within specs, so hopefully this was a one of a kind deal. Otherwise I can not tolerate a bike that when in need of routine servicing runs horribly.

This is my 5th beemer and none of the others did this, so I guess I'll see.

ya might give concentrated Techron a try....1oz to one gallon of premium top shelf fuel.....make take a couple of tanks....

wyman

 

[Hodadd]

ya might give concentrated Techron a try....1oz to one gallon of premium top shelf fuel.....make take a couple of tanks....

wyman

Funny you should mention Techron, because just about the only gas I use is Chevron premium.

 

[RTRay]

My 2013 has had this same problem both before and after having the fuel pump replaced under recall from BMW. Below 40F it is very hard to start with a new fully charged battery and following the manual instructions. Above that temp it starts every time. Doing the throttle sensor reset made no difference. So far I’ve eventually been able to get it started, but it has cost me a couple travel days on my long rides. My local dealer has no idea what the problem is. It’s a shame because it is a fantastic bike, but I can’t count on it to start when it’s cold, so I think I’m going to move up to a LC 2016 or newer.

 

[omega man]

My 2013 has had this same problem both before and after having the fuel pump replaced under recall from BMW. Below 40F it is very hard to start with a new fully charged battery and following the manual instructions. Above that temp it starts every time. Doing the throttle sensor reset made no difference. So far I’ve eventually been able to get it started, but it has cost me a couple travel days on my long rides. My local dealer has no idea what the problem is. It’s a shame because it is a fantastic bike, but I can’t count on it to start when it’s cold, so I think I’m going to move up to a LC 2016 or newer.

Any chance you checked it with a scan tool? Sitting cold the fuel trim should be different than when it’s hot. The temperature sensor it what controls this increasing the fuel to supply a “choke” kinda deal.
I take it all summer- no troubles?
OM
BTW, this is an older thread.
Good luck.

 

[RTRay]

Any chance you checked it with a scan tool? Sitting cold the fuel trim should be different than when it’s hot. The temperature sensor it what controls this increasing the fuel to supply a “choke” kinda deal.
I take it all summer- no troubles?
OM
BTW, this is an older thread.
Good luck.

Strange enough all my problems have been in the summer in the low mountains where the temps have fallen to around 40F at night, or in the early fall. I had the same problem in the Phoenix area 3 times last winter when the temp fell to 38F at 1,800' above sea level, so I assume it's not altitude related. Engine turns over fine but the bike won't start. Once it warms up to over 45F it starts up. Dealer can't find anything wrong. I can't have a bike that limits when I can travel because of temperature.

 

[omega man]

Strange enough all my problems have been in the summer in the low mountains where the temps have fallen to around 40F at night, or in the early fall. I had the same problem in the Phoenix area 3 times last winter when the temp fell to 38F at 1,800' above sea level, so I assume it's not altitude related. Engine turns over fine but the bike won't start. Once it warms up to over 45F it starts up. Dealer can't find anything wrong. I can't have a bike that limits when I can travel because of temperature.

If the dealer can’t get the bike to the cold temperatures, probably hard for them to diagnose. Perhaps someone will chime in with the location of the sensor on that bike.
I remember in the old days we could boil the thermostat and watch it work- or not.

I would check the sensor.

OM

 

[RTRay]

If the dealer can’t get the bike to the cold temperatures, probably hard for them to diagnose. Perhaps someone will chime in with the location of the sensor on that bike.
I remember in the old days we could boil the thermostat and watch it work- or not.

I would check the sensor.

OM

Does anyone know which sensor this is and where it’s located?

 

[jandhumphreyme]

It's in the air box. but DON'T BOIL it. You will need to know what the correct temperature/output voltage to test it, without verifying values I would not just start changing parts. Scan tool should show values if you have one or can borrow one. Can you hear the fuel pump when the bike is cold, a replaced fuel pump is not a guarantee of a good fuel pump. May want to do a cold fuel pressure and flow test to verify fuel delivery is not an issue.

Good luck these problems are a PITA to figure out sometimes.

 

[RTRay]

It's in the air box. but DON'T BOIL it. You will need to know what the correct temperature/output voltage to test it, without verifying values I would not just start changing parts. Scan tool should show values if you have one or can borrow one. Can you hear the fuel pump when the bike is cold, a replaced fuel pump is not a guarantee of a good fuel pump. May want to do a cold fuel pressure and flow test to verify fuel delivery is not an issue.

Good luck these problems are a PITA to figure out sometimes.

Since it only happens below a certain temperature I assume it has to related to a temperature sensor not operating correctly ?
I do hear the fuel pump pressure up normally (I assume) at key turn.
You are correct. It is a PITA.

I should ad that I first had this problem with the original fuel pump last summer before the new pump was installed by BMW under recall. The cold start issue continues with the new fuel pump, which leads me to believe it’s caused by something else. Could be wrong, but this seems to make sense to me.

 

[jandhumphreyme]

Since it only happens below a certain temperature I assume it has to related to a temperature sensor not operating correctly ?
I do hear the fuel pump pressure up normally (I assume) at key turn.
You are correct. It is a PITA.

I should ad that I first had this problem with the original fuel pump last summer before the new pump was installed by BMW under recall. The cold start issue continues with the new fuel pump, which leads me to believe it’s caused by something else. Could be wrong, but this seems to make sense to me.

Ray,
I don't believe your bike has a MAF sensor so I presume the inlet air temperature sensor and a barometric pressure sensor report this information to the ECM, the computer then performs the necessary calculation and adjusts the fuel supply to match the quantity of air being pumped into the engine. Maybe try locating the sensor and unplugging it and have a look at the plug see if there's any corrosion present.

I feel for you man, these things can be a PITA for sure. Do you have a GS-911 or access to one? One of these scan tools would give you some real time data with the bike cold may give you a few more clues.