1200RT: How do I remove starter?
Hi All,
My RT's starter is playing up after negotiating 80km of dusty dirt roads near Katse Dam in Lesotho. Yes, I know exactly what you GS guys will have to say!
I was told by 3 people that those roads from Mohale Dam to Thaba Thesko and then on to Katse Dam are in very good condition.... Change "are" to "was". My average speed was 16km/hr and my road tyres (Michelins) did not complain.
Fully loaded (two up, two panniers and big top box) we did the last 25km in total darkness trying to avoid the Basotho ponies, children, dogs, dongas, etc.
Anycase, the next day in Clarens my starter decided not to disengage after starting...
I had to run the battery down to stop it, then weave the bike to and fro, it worked! Then tried to jump start it but the battery started cooking...
Decided to do Clarens by foot and after 3 hours, bingo! Or is it magic or the gods?
Unfortunately it repeated 3 times that day (Sunday) at various petrol stations.
Now, please help: I need to take off the starter to have it serviced somewhere.
Is there any special tricks to remove all the RT's fairings to get to the starter? Do I need any special tools?
I would really appreciate your superior knowledge on this exersize.
My bike has done 115000km so its not BMW's problem.
Thanks again for all the assistance!
Peer,
Give me a call.
It's easy if you know your way around a spanner.
Yes, both LGS side panels need to be removed.disconnect the battery.
Disconnect the starter, one live heavy current cable from the battery and one light current wire from the starter switch.
Remove two torx bolts and slip the motor back and out.
Tip.
Keep several small zip-lok bags to hold the panel torx screws.
Draw each panel on an A$ sheet and as you remove the panles mark where ±the screws were and they will be either long or short, so mark this to avoid tears later.
The starter disassembles easily and if cleaned and re-greased should give you as long a service again as it did up to now .
You need a clear space to rest the removed panels to avoid any scuffing/damage while they are off the bike.
I have just realized that my tool box with the Trox goodies were stolen two break-ins ago...
Too late for the conventional spanner shops, so off to South End Shop in Strand. Then off to Spar for the zip plastic bags.
This RT just does not want to die. It sings so lekker @ 6500rpm. (in top)
Even the exhaust cringes with lekkerkry; it keeps on developing more crinkle cut corrugations around the muffler part. Too scared to ask really why..
I still have to get rid of about 2kg of Karoo/Free State/Lesotho muggies.
If the starter wouldn't stop until you ran the battery down, it sounds like your starter button is jamming - unless what you are saying is that the bendix won't jump back so the motor is turning the starter even though power is off.
Happens also on the GS when we get too dusty. I burnt out one starter motor like that in traffic, and had to stop with thick white smoke coming out the bike.
I thought of the button but it pushes back in position without any friction.
The starter keeps on turning even when I swith the ignition key off. When the battery was flat, I managed to disengage the starter by engaging 2nd gear and moving the bike forward and backwards. It worked.
One can hear that the bendix(?) is still engaging the flywheel and I am sure that if the engine is revved, the starter will disingrate spinning at maybe 50000 rpm!
I will try to take the starter off tonight and report if the problem is obvious (or not).
Before removing the starter , get it to keep swinging again and then pull out the starter relay under the seat (yellow)
Nice one alf.
Good to have that tip.
Charles, the new generation plastic GS bikes (post 2005) came out with improved common sense.
Once started, the starter button goes redundant until the engine is switched off, meaning you can toggle it all you like and it will not activate the starter again while engine runs.
On the real bikes, unfortunately, if you touch the starter button wioth engine running, the starter fires up.
It took a while but BMW did evolve.
Pierre,
Starter drive gear will only stay engaged if iether a)the bendix solenoid is sticking or b) activated.
There is a range of reasons for the manaufacturers greased tube will go tacky, but the fit is so close thta it does not take much for the solenoid to get slowed down by tacky grease.
I had a look under the seat. No yellow anything.
What must I look for? Where is it situated? Is it a plug type thing? Sorry but I have never had to unplug a relay!
Sorry , I am a little rusty (only see GS,s lately) but I think it is under the rider seat and it might be close to the battery . Yes it is a plug in type . The starter also has a worm drive on the bendix and has to be caked with mud to fail , so I would check the relay first
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