O3 Cafe Sport electrical problems. Help!

[galaxiid]

My 03 Cafe Sport died after a short open road ride. Just stopped dead so coasted to the road side. restarted after 10 mins. Rode on a short way stopped to check verything OK. Would not restart. Turned over but appeared no spark. Trailered bike home. Now in shop.

 

Is there anything obvious we should be looking for here? Battery is fine. Just no spark.

 

Any hints gratefully recieved. Getting desperate to get back on the thing.

 

Oh the bike has a power commander fitted. Electrics are black magic to me aside from fuses. The bike is in a shop now and they could do with some pointers I reckon.

 

Thanks

Chris

[GuzziMoto]

There are five relays under the seat and one of them (I forget which one) controls power to the ignition I believe. They are prone to failure and some have had issues with the terminal block they connect to getting corroded or an otherwise bad connection. My wifes V11 came to a halt much the same way because of them.

[luhbo]

Relais are fine probably, phase sensor is dead probably. Check the manual where to find and how to check it. It's often the case that they fail when hot. Cooled down they may work for another five minutes etc.

Listen to the fuel pump when you don't have a spark. After turning the key you should here the fuel pump for one or two seconds. Then press the starter button, after that you should here the fuel pump again for another one or two seconds. If not it is the dead phase sensor.

 

Hubert

[galaxiid]

Thanks for the replies so quickly from around the globe. these are very useful points for me to pass on to the bloke with the wire cutters and soldering iron. I am very eager to get the bike up and running. I had to resort to my BMW 1150GS, so reliable but not quite the same you will agree.

 

The bike has only done around 25000km and I do think it is neat but sad being dead right now.

 

Wish I knew more about ohms and things.

 

Thanks again, I hope you have good riding weather on the other side of the globe. Here autumn is deccending with a nasty southerly front whipping up from the antarctic today to remind us that winter is not far off. Time to get some more riding in, just.....

Chris

[luhbo]

...I hope you have good riding weather on the other side of the globe....

 

Sorry, no comment on this

 

Hubert

[docc]

Chris,

 

How far are you from "Bungendore?" (and OMG, is really a place??)

[gstallons]

If you think it is the PowerCommander, unplug it and hook it up w/out the PC in the circuit and see if it starts. Same goes for any driveability concerns.

[GuzziMoto]

 

Listen to the fuel pump when you don't have a spark. After turning the key you should here the fuel pump for one or two seconds. Then press the starter button, after that you should here the fuel pump again for another one or two seconds. If not it is the dead phase sensor.

 

Hubert

Did you mean if you DO hear the fuel pump it is the phase sensor? Because if you DO NOT hear the fuel pump then I would bet it is the relays.

In the States the stock Siemens relays fail alot (so do some of the cheap replacements)and while it might not be the relays it is the first place I check if mine does not start and I carry spares when we travel so that I don't end up stuck AGAIN.

The last two towards the back of the bike are both required to run the fuel pump. I think the last one is for the ignition and the next to last one is the ecu, but I could have it backwards.

[galaxiid]

How far are you from "Bungendore?" (and OMG, is really a place??)

 

Bugendore? Where the heck??? Nowhere near this neck of the woods. I am in Wellington NZ, which is da kapital of Nouvee Zealandia.

 

Thanks for the advice. Shop advises it was of course a relay. Beauty fixed! Now I know where to look first. Shop man with pliers and soldering iron advises phase sensor checked and OK. Bundles of wiring to be soldered back together and stuffed back under seat where it all belongs. Long may the seat stay on I say.

 

I am much wiser now will stay in touch with progress. Now the BMW will definitely be sold! No need now I have a reliable V11.

 

As we say here "kia ora"

 

Chris

[galaxiid]

Sorry, no comment on this

 

Hubert

I guess where you are a southerly brings warm currents of balmy air from the mediteranean... here it comes off the south pole!

[luhbo]

Fine that your bike is fixed. Even better that it was just a cheap relais. Hope it will last.

 

The weather thing is, just talking about it is no problem and of course always interesting. Problems might occure on some forum I don't want to mention here would I answer that we still have no spring, instead snow, cold and salt on the roads Just don't ask why this is as it is.

 

Hubert

[Skeeve]

 

The weather thing is, just talking about it is no problem and of course always interesting. Problems might occure on some forum I don't want to mention here would I answer that we still have no spring, instead snow, cold and salt on the roads...

 

 

Here in the States, I understand that places like Minnesota have only two seasons: snow removal & road repair! [Altho' some residents maintain it's more like "road removal & snow repair" in truth... ]

 

I wouldn't know about this, as I adhere strongly to my uncle's view that humans came from the tropics, and hence anywhere palm trees won't grow isn't fit for human habitation!

[docc]

 

 

Long may the seat stay on I say.

 

 

 

[GuzziMoto]

There is a bit of opinion on which brand of relays are best suited to use on the V11. Many have decided that the stock ones are not up to the task. Omron seems to be the most preferred. Some use all five the same so that they can swap them if need be (there are two different types stock). Do a search and you should find plenty of info/opinion.

As mentioned, I carry spares with the bike because it is a $5 part that if it fails (and it has on a few occasions) it can stop the bike dead.

Ride on.

[rossi46]

try searching for pyro dan, I had 5 relays sent to Uk for $16 gei ones