K11 Owners Group

Stoked Steve · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 7:13 pm Post subject: Mysterious Cutoff

I was out for a ride in the country today, my usual 25 mile loop, when the bike suddenly died on me going about 60mph. Nothing dramatic, it just lost power and as I was coasting down, the engine died completely. I was fortunate to find a driveway to pull into and put her up on the center stand. I did a cursory walk around and made sure nothing obvious was wrong, then turned the key back on tried to start ‘er up. I noticed right away there was no familiar fuel pump whine during pre-ignition, hit the starter and it turned over just fine and sort of caught, but then sputtered out. Did this a few times, same effect.

My first thought was the side stand switch, so I put the side stand up and down a few times then tried to start it again, no luck, a few more flips of the side stand and then I heard the familiar fuel pump whine, fired it up and it sputtered out again.

Well, damn, I’m out here in the country, no one around, so I start thinking maybe I can call a neighbor to come get me and then have to figure out how to retrieve the bike, when this guy rides up on a Harley, slows down and pulls into the next driveway from where I was. I thought, cool, maybe this guy can at least give me a ride home. He asks if I’m having trouble and I explain my situation, He says, “I’ve got a trailer, we could load your bike up on that and take it home.” I said that would be awesome! Turns out he lived at the next door house and was just returning home from a trip to northern VA. He was just pulling in, what luck! Turns out he had an awesome trailer, one of those special bike trailers that you jack up the front and the rear deck tilts down and you roll the bike up and engage it in a special wheel chock. A few tie downs and she’s good to go. What are the odds I would break down next to his house and he was just getting home and had motorcycle trailer? I was fortunate indeed.

So we got the bike home (only about 10 miles) and I thanked him greatly.

Then I had to go back to work for the rest of the day. When I got home tonight, I tried to start it up and the fuel pump cranked right up and she started just fine! I didn’t have time to let her get up to full temp, but it ran just like normal!

I’m still suspecting the side stand switch and will plan to do the bypass when I have a little time. In the meantime, I’m a little reluctant to take it out very far for fear of the same situation happening.

The question at the end of this long post is; is the side stand switch unusually subject to heat? It was pretty hot today, about 90. But I was moving the whole time and never stopped, so the temp gauge never went past half way.

Any opinions welcome.
_________________
Steve
Virginia Beach, VA
93 K1100RS Mystic Red SOLD
12 Suzuki DL650A VStrom

Mystic Red · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 7:27 pm Post subject:

Tim (Midland Section) · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 7:33 pm Post subject:

More likely the Hall effect sensor. They tend to fail due to temp. Test with hairdrier at front, bottom, RHS of engine. Or Fuel pump, the tank connector & kill switch.
_________________
Regards Tim,

Grey haired riders don't get that way by pure luck
1996 Guzzi Cali3 LAPD
1972 750 Commando
G6HRN
#485

Stoked Steve · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 7:56 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll check it out.

After searching on this site some more, I see where the sidestand switch connector is now, I wish I had known that earlier as I would have fiddled with it some.

I never use my kill switch, I just turn it on or off with the key, could it crud up and cause things to not work just sitting there?

The fact that fuel pump was not priming (and obviously not pumping) leads me to believe it is something that cuts that on or off.
_________________
Steve
Virginia Beach, VA
93 K1100RS Mystic Red SOLD
12 Suzuki DL650A VStrom

Flying Duck · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:43 pm Post subject:

Easy fix for sidestand switch issue - slide some vacuum hose over the tang that depresses it. Makes it thicker and ensures better switch engagement.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

whyoldbill · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 9:10 pm Post subject: Mysterious Cutoff

Scott_Anderson · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 10:58 pm Post subject:

Steve,
keep in mind that the side stand switch and the kill switch will also kill the guages as well. Remember if they were reading?
I think that the Hall sensor would only stop the motor, not the ign circuit or the fuel pump circuit.

Others correct me if I'm wrong on the hall sensor.
_________________
Ride safe.

1995 K1100LT 0302044
2017 FLHTK Ultra Limited
Garmin StreetPilot 2820
Garmin Zumo 550
Garmin Zumo XT
"One who does not ask questions is ashamed to learn" Danish proverb
1997 K1100LT 0302488(R.I.P.)
1997 R1100RT ZC62149(sold)

Stoked Steve · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:55 am Post subject:

Yes, the gauges were working, I remember the temp gauge gradually reading cooler and cooler each time I tried to start it as it sat there for a bit.

Would the Hall Effect sensor cause the fuel pump not to activate at all though?
_________________
Steve
Virginia Beach, VA
93 K1100RS Mystic Red SOLD
12 Suzuki DL650A VStrom

Flying Duck · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 9:07 am Post subject:

Stoked Steve · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:26 pm Post subject:

Thanks Duck, that's why I'm thinking it's more of a connection related issue or possibly the fuel pump itself. I'll fire it up this weekend and let it get it hot and see if I can recreate the issue.

Since I had my tank coated this past spring and had to completely remove and reinstall the fuel pump and all of the connections, I'll suspect them first.
_________________
Steve
Virginia Beach, VA
93 K1100RS Mystic Red SOLD
12 Suzuki DL650A VStrom

Tim (Midland Section) · Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 4:27 pm Post subject:

Flying Duck · Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 5:09 pm Post subject:

I wouldn't use a hairdryer for an extended period of time (especially if it's your wife's.) I burned up two of them before I broke down and bought a real heat gun.
_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

Stoked Steve · Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 9:28 pm Post subject:

Gots me a real heat gun when I had to do the U-joint replacement. That sucker gets way hot and quick!

Still haven't had time to check it out more thoroughly, today was an awesome beach day and we were both off work for the holiday, so toes in the sand, kids in the surf it was.

I'll investigate tomorrow.
_________________
Steve
Virginia Beach, VA
93 K1100RS Mystic Red SOLD
12 Suzuki DL650A VStrom

Large John · Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 3:39 pm Post subject:

when was the last time you changed the fuel filter. i had one that was so plugged the bike just died going down the road. started back up and ran two more days then died again. pulled everything out of the tank and took the filter off you couldn't blow air through in either direction. as we were 500 miles from the closest bmw dealer we reversed the filter and hit it with the pump, switch on, off, on, off, on, off, ran about a litre or so of fuel through it backwards into a jar until it started to look semi clean. filters have a born on date just like budweiser, i had just had a "full" service done but funny the filter was dated back to the year before when i had the major rebuild done. can't hurt to look and it's a cheep fix.
_________________
John Merrick
KOG # 16

You're never too old to have a happy childhood

ColoradoRod · Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 6:18 pm Post subject:

I had a problem for about a half-day with the momentary cut-out. I limped the bike to my shop after pulling to the curb several times enroute. I found a single pebble wedged in where the sidestand cutout switch is located.

I bet I couldn't have duplicated the exact location of that pebble in a year of driving on gravel roads. I was really happy to find that a little poking and prodding with a dental pick solved the problem!

Rod
1996 K1100LT
Mystic Red
Loveland, Colorado

Stoked Steve · Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 9:52 am Post subject:

The fuel filter was replaced about two years ago, which is only about 4-5k miles for me. I do have a spare and it wouldn't hurt to change it. I veryfied that the side stand switch is working just fine, it's clicks on and off everytime you raise and lower it and it cuts the engine off at the manual perscribed locations.

But the mysterious cutoff will have to remain a mystery for now, yesterday I fired it up in the driveway and let it run long enough to get up to point where the cooling fan kicked in several times and then took it for a long ride (about 45 minutes) around my neighborhood and then got braver went out on a two mile loop on higher speed roads and it ran flawlessly, not so much as hiccup or anything.

I did pull the connectors for the side stand switch and the fuel pump and cleaned them and reconnected them firmly, so it's possible one of those had jiggled loose or had some corrosion and I fixed it.

Who knows? I'll just be sure I have my cell phone with me and start venturing further out and hope it's cured.

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll keep them in mind in case it does it again.
_________________
Steve
Virginia Beach, VA
93 K1100RS Mystic Red SOLD
12 Suzuki DL650A VStrom

Flying Duck · Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 6:42 pm Post subject:

FYI: The wiring harness connector for my (shorted) siide stand switch broke at the base of one of the wires last month and killed my bike mid-turn. I just cut the damned thing off. Rolling Eyes

_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE