2002 R1100S No Spark

[cantsurf]

Sooo,
I did a valve adjust job that was way overdue, started the bike and it sounded awesome.
I washed the bike with the plastic bits removed, as the interior parts were quite messy after a wet summer.
a couple of hours later, I try to start bike, and it just cranks over. Plenty of fuel.
I pull the plugs, and there is some water in the connection between the plug and wire.
Spray down with WD40, let dry overnight. check for spark in the morning with plug connected to wire and laying on engine, no spark.
I trudge down to shop, buy new plugs, try to start engine, no go. pull plug, check for spark, nonexistent.
I have pulled the plug wires and am drying them out in the oven at 150f. supposedly the wires were replaced 3 months ago, but
my dealer trust level is at about zero so I'm not sure.
Any Ideas?

Cantsurf

'02 R1100S no dirt
'07 KLR 650 some dirt
'03 DRZ 250 all dirt
'77 R75/7 Still in the box

 

[bc1100s]

Any Ideas?

Its not your spark plug wires. Your Hall Effect Sensor wiring is kaput. Common issue with that bike. Contact GSAddict and he'll rewire yours better than new.

 

[cantsurf]

Thanks LCR
I'll check it out!
Cantsurf

 

[cantsurf]

LCR
I've seen a lot of info out there concerning the HES on this bike.
However, and I'm just asking, does your reply take into account any of the circumstances surrounding this failure?
Or do these just fail, and anytime the bike doesn't present spark, it's the HES?
The bike was running like a dream, I washed it without the skins on, and suddenly the HES has failed?
Seems like, and I'm no BMW master mechanic, that there are some things that could explain other than the HES fail.
Disclosure, I dried the wires out in the oven for an hour, re-installed and still no spark, so perhaps the HES died...
Cantsurf

 

[jagarra]

Maybe water got into the connector where the HES plugs into the main harness. Unplug it there to see if there is moisture present.

 

[m_stock10506]

Cantsurf, if your year bike has the bad HES wiring, the problem is usually water- moisture intrusion into the HES wiring harness. The bad wiring harness used insulation on the individual wires that was improper for the hot environment that the part runs in. The insulation turned brittle and cracked, chipped, flaked or fell off. This left these signal wires inside the sheathing with exposed copper. They get wet when the wrong rainstorm or bike wash comes along, or they just touch each other and short. This is why the combination of won’t start along with washing or rainy ride almost always brings the call for repair of the HES.

If you contact GSAddict, he will give you better information on which bikes and what year the wiring harness got upgraded.

 

[cantsurf]

Thanks for all of the advice.
I'm in the process of removing the HES. I'm struggling a bit with the flywheel lock pin tool.
Some folks advocate using an impact to remove pulley, seems like it would be nice to lock up the crank...

anybody have dimensions of the flywheel lock pin handy?
Thanks,
Cantsurf

 

[m_stock10506]

An 8 mm hex key from your tool roll should fit.

 

[bc1100s]

LCR....does your reply take into account any of the circumstances surrounding this failure?....The bike was running like a dream, I washed it without the skins on and....

This was the deciding factor in my backyard diagnosis. The area where the HES resides isn't sealed to the outside so when you washed the bike, I suspect the disintegrating insulation on the HES got wet/damp and shorted out. Be happy you weren't riding in a rain storm.

 

[bthreatt]

Had a similar problem in April. HES wires were frayed at harness, but it took a heavy rain to shut it down. https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?91833-R1150R-has-no-power-to-injectors

 

[gsaddict]

Thanks for all of the advice.
I'm in the process of removing the HES. I'm struggling a bit with the flywheel lock pin tool.
Some folks advocate using an impact to remove pulley, seems like it would be nice to lock up the crank...

anybody have dimensions of the flywheel lock pin handy?
Thanks,
Cantsurf

An impact will not allow you to torque the bolt properly (50 nm) and will cause issues with the cup spinning.

Yellow wire is hooked n the handlebar to remind you to remove it prior to cranking over.