mylovelyhorse
Registered user
I have a rather shabby 58,000 mile 2012 F800GS that I've had from new. It has suddenly become rather electrically unreliable. Here's the story and your thoughts, advice etc. would be appreciated.
Mrs Horsie and I - for various reasons - took the car to Wales in early May, with the F800GS on the trailer. It ran fine for the whole of the Welsh National Rally, not a hiccup or a hint. After coming back home it has been out of the garage once, for a trip to the office. Again, not a problem, ran lovely.
This means that I was rather surprised when I went to the bike on Sunday night last week and it would turn over but wouldn’t start, but I just put it on charge. That evening it started on the button. I thought “new battery time then” - especially as the battery on it is 4 years old and ordered one. It arrived Tuesday, I charged it and fitted it to the GS the same day. The bike turned over like a good ‘un. Wouldn’t fire though. Absolutely would not fire up at all. Not even a hint. It also doesn’t smell of fuel at all, despite having 1/2 a tank in. I would have thought that if fuel was being pumped and not burnt then the bike would become a little whiffy.
I don’t have a GS-911 device and so I can’t read fault codes from the brayne. None are coming up on the dash. When I turn the ignition on there are a number of whirring noises as per usual, but with the seat off I can't hear any actuation sounds from the fuel pump, which suggests to me that it’s either the relay in the top of the fuel pump assembly, the fuel pump itself or the wiring to the fuel pump & relay that are the problem.
If it’s a wiring problem then I am not sure at all what to do. if it's the pump /relay then there are a few things I can do. I can take the tank port cover off (on which the relay and pump are mounted) and replace the pump in the tank with the one I had previously (it was the mounting plate that needed replacement when the bike was leaking fuel last year). I can also get a new relay (I don’t think I have a spare) and try replacing that. I am not sure how to test something that is expecting a CanBus signal - if the relay is CanBus enabled - so replacement seems to be my only option there. I will be doing these later this week, just in case.
If it is a fault in the wiring in the loom somewhere, I'm a bit stumped. I shall have to try and find a good auto-electrician I guess. Taking it to Bahnstormers Alton is really out unless I absolutely can't avoid it because they'll be very expensive indeed.
Any thoughts on why might be the problem or tips on how to diagnose correctly?
Mrs Horsie and I - for various reasons - took the car to Wales in early May, with the F800GS on the trailer. It ran fine for the whole of the Welsh National Rally, not a hiccup or a hint. After coming back home it has been out of the garage once, for a trip to the office. Again, not a problem, ran lovely.
This means that I was rather surprised when I went to the bike on Sunday night last week and it would turn over but wouldn’t start, but I just put it on charge. That evening it started on the button. I thought “new battery time then” - especially as the battery on it is 4 years old and ordered one. It arrived Tuesday, I charged it and fitted it to the GS the same day. The bike turned over like a good ‘un. Wouldn’t fire though. Absolutely would not fire up at all. Not even a hint. It also doesn’t smell of fuel at all, despite having 1/2 a tank in. I would have thought that if fuel was being pumped and not burnt then the bike would become a little whiffy.
I don’t have a GS-911 device and so I can’t read fault codes from the brayne. None are coming up on the dash. When I turn the ignition on there are a number of whirring noises as per usual, but with the seat off I can't hear any actuation sounds from the fuel pump, which suggests to me that it’s either the relay in the top of the fuel pump assembly, the fuel pump itself or the wiring to the fuel pump & relay that are the problem.
If it’s a wiring problem then I am not sure at all what to do. if it's the pump /relay then there are a few things I can do. I can take the tank port cover off (on which the relay and pump are mounted) and replace the pump in the tank with the one I had previously (it was the mounting plate that needed replacement when the bike was leaking fuel last year). I can also get a new relay (I don’t think I have a spare) and try replacing that. I am not sure how to test something that is expecting a CanBus signal - if the relay is CanBus enabled - so replacement seems to be my only option there. I will be doing these later this week, just in case.
If it is a fault in the wiring in the loom somewhere, I'm a bit stumped. I shall have to try and find a good auto-electrician I guess. Taking it to Bahnstormers Alton is really out unless I absolutely can't avoid it because they'll be very expensive indeed.
Any thoughts on why might be the problem or tips on how to diagnose correctly?
