Engine stalling when cold

[SergioK]

Every now and again my engine will stall when cold. It happened once last week after starting up in the morning. I was three blocks from home and had just turned a corner when it stalled. No biggie, I was going in a straight line. This morning however it decided to stall on me right as I started to accelerate on a right hand turn. Let's just say I was not happy afterwards.

So, I know it's not recommended to let the engine idle for extended amounts of time (especially in the morning), but what's the real world definition of 'too long'? If I let her idle for a minute is that ok? What about 2-3 minutes? Too much? FYI, the engine has 42.8k miles on it. Had the 42k mile service 900 miles ago.

Other than the occasional stall in the morning, she runs flawlessly.

Sorry for the ramble.

[Skippy]

I normally let the bike idle for 1 1,5 minutes tops.This must be enough for an air coiled engine.Did you have the raised idle lever engaged when this happened(also known as choke)?If not put that in a higher position then maybe it won't stall on you any more.Set it to 1500 to 2000 rpm and put the lever back when your at speed in a straight line.What does your bike idle at?Maybe you can heve that raised with 100 rpm.Mine Idle's at a litle under 1100 rpm.

[SergioK]

Yes, I had the idle level engaged, I think almost at max. This is why I was so startled that the engine stalled. Both times it's gone from about 2000 rpm to 0 in less than a second. This time though it was just as I was engaging the clutch through a turn.

I don't think it's so much as a low idle issue, just a quirky lack of power when recently started from cold. Thus my curiosity as to how long I can leave it idling without detriment to the engine.

[Skippy]

Well I think you would be fine with 2 to 3 minutes it won't harm the engine very much I guess just try if it solves your problems.Maybe you should have a look at the sparkplugs.They maybe new cause of the service but maybe the gap is wrong or something or maybe you can tell something by the color of the plugs.It's absolute crap when your engine stalls in a slow turn.I had it a couple of times with a K100RS and could barely keep myself and the bike up.Maybe also worth looking at contacts from sidestand drive away protection.Maybe spray them with wd 40 or something.Good luck solving your problem.

[SergioK]

Sidestand contacts were the 1st thing that I thought of mainly because the engine seemed to die instantly but alas that is not the problem.

I'll try a longer warmup procedure and see how it fares.

[dwind]

Do you have a chip installed? The engine might be running too rich.

[SergioK]

Nope, bone stock. (as of now)

[Steve Carlton]

I was told by my dealer to turn off the idle lever soon after starting, like the time it takes to put on my helmet and gloves.

[Mr. Deltoid]

Bone stock huh?Get rid of that horrible toaster underneath your bike. The catalytic converter is probably causing -some- of your problems. I had a cold idling problem when the bike was stock, the valves were perfect, and the throttle bodies were a mirror image of each other. Look for a used cat removal pipe, it might just surprise you how much better the bike runs when cold.A full system isn't really necessary.

[Dr. Curve]

Take care Serg if indeed you are experiencing "seemed to die instantly" because that can cause a Real problem as you well know. Remember however that because the R11S has very little "flywheel inertia" the engine can simply stop suddenly if a misfire occurs due to wet morning damp air getting in the mixture too much or a plug ground due to a newly found dew line tracer around that spark cap.

The side stand switch cutout switch has failed on a few bikes with drop in corner results but lets just hope that your stalling on a otherwise well tuned bike is due to something like a slight primary imbalance between the two TB butterfly's flow rate from the factory. Because of this slight imbalance often from the factory the use of air by pass screws are built in to a system so that balance one side to the other can be mimicked.

Many of us like to re sinc the TBs on our twins so that at a 1000 RPM idle both TBs have their air bypass screws open exactly the same.........three quarters of a turn out for instance.......or full shut........but equal in flow to the extent that when one cylinder's plug (s) are grounded and the bike is now idling on one cylinder only at 500 RPMs for instance........that the equal ness in flow after resetting the butterflys results in the bike running at exactly the same 500 RPMs on the other cylinder when its plugs are reconnected and the previously active cylinder is lain to rest.

If the primary butterfly positions are sinc'ed to equal idle for each cylinder with no by pass screw inequality......the rider will notice at once a different smoothness off of idle and how much better the bike seems to start and run in the mornings no matter how cold and damp it is. Best,

[SergioK]

Thanks for the info. This morning's 'drop in corner' left me rattled but the idle has always been constant and smooth, when it's running. I'll leave it warming up a little longer and see how it goes.

[SergioK]

Originally posted by Mr. Deltoid
Get rid of that horrible toaster underneath your bike.

Yes, thus the'bad influences' thread.

[Skippy]

A cat eliminator does make it start easier and run smoother in my opinion.Also more agressive sound but not to loud and better pull at top end.You do loose a very little bit of low/mid range pull though but it isn't realy much and is compensated by the faster climbing in revs above 4000 rpm.

[roger albert]

I think the Dr's advice is spot-on. You do have something up. 2000-0rpm isn't at all normal. A minute and a half warmup is about the max I'd normally consider. Remember, BMW recommends no warmup. Most of us do as Steve Carlton suggests above. Still, I think I'd try, for troubleshooting purposes, a longer warmup and see if you believe that addresses the issue. If it does, and then none of the Dr.s suggestions end up working out (I think they will) then you can add to his list the temp sensor, or possibly TPS.

Be careful in the meantime.
Good luck
Roger

[acidburn]

Curve man, that was a very good write up, you may have posted that previously, if so i havnt seen it.
Well done.
Acid