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K1300GT (09) unexplained engine cut-out issue

827 Views 6 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  AmosK1.3GT
Preparing to go out for a ride on a fine Sunday a.m. and the bike had only been running on the side-stand for a few minutes, when it suddenly cut out. I was not even touching it. Tried to re-start it and the starter button was totally dead, not even a click. The bike had been on an Optimate charge for the last few days, so it wasn’t battery. It had a full tank of fuel, and was not troublesome to start initially, so not a fuel issue. I waited for a minute or so with the ignition off, then re-started the bike. It started up normally & ran fine. I put my helmet on, sat on the bike & it cut out again without me touching anything. All info on the dash as normal, no fault lights flashing, & all switches as normally set.

I checked the side stand was properly up. (there is no light for this on the dash)

I set off for what was going to be a fairly lengthy ride-out (at least ½ a tankful)
but another 150yds down the road, it cut out again and I had to coast in to the side of the road.

No coughing or spluttering, just totally dead. Lights remain on, just the engine goes dead. So it’s the ignition circuit, but which part of it?

I thought I’d be brave, and take it around the block for 1/2mile, which I did, and no issue, it stayed running, so I decided to head out on my planned route. I got a few more miles along my route, and having tried it at crawling pace, and ‘a good handful’, felt a little more confident. I ventured onto a main (A3) road, and wound it up. I’d just filtered onto the dual carriageway, when it cut out again without warning. I decided at that juncture, no way could I do a 100mile+ ride-out today, and limped it back to base, (which was another 2 stages).

Its electrical, and something with the engine run circuit, so I'm thinking possibly side stand switch connections, ignition control module or engine management unit? Anyone got any better ideas? I've been too busy to have a go at it today. Just thought I'd send out the facts of this annoying issue to sound you guys out. 19.6.22
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Check your battery connections and all earthing points, sounds to me like a faulty earth somewhere. Also check your battery hasn't dropped a cell. It may hold a float charge allowing you to start the bike, but won't charge from the alternator, so after a time, voltage drops and engine dies. Get your local battery place to check, or, with the battery in the bike, connect a multi meter and measure the voltage. Turn on the ignition and headlight monitor voltage each minute for 5 minutes. You should get a steady volt drop of say 1.5 to 2.0 volts from the connected load. If more, battery is buggered.
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Agree with @EricK1300GTSE double check the battery. But even more fundamentally, start with the easy things first. I agree it sounds like an electrical issue. Could be the side stand safety switch or a crank position sensor or a cam position sensor. You really need to get the diagnostic codes from the ECU. It's highly likely that whatever is causing the issue is creating a code. Some codes Auto reset when you cycle the ignition so that's something to consider. I would get the bike running with my laptop connected, wait for it to die, and then with the ignition still on, scan for codes.
Could also be a faulty crankshaft sensor if those other things mentioned check out ok
Hi,

Just to inform your post is not in the correct section.
This section, K1200RS/GT (Classic) is all about the old "brick" engine up to 2005/2006.

Your bike is based on the "new" engine launched after 2006 installed into these bikes: K1200, K1300 and K1600.
You shoud get better visibility and surely more advice in the correct section: K12/1300GT (Next Gen)
Preparing to go out for a ride on a fine Sunday a.m. and the bike had only been running on the side-stand for a few minutes, when it suddenly cut out. I was not even touching it. Tried to re-start it and the starter button was totally dead, not even a click. The bike had been on an Optimate charge for the last few days, so it wasn’t battery. It had a full tank of fuel, and was not troublesome to start initially, so not a fuel issue. I waited for a minute or so with the ignition off, then re-started the bike. It started up normally & ran fine. I put my helmet on, sat on the bike & it cut out again without me touching anything. All info on the dash as normal, no fault lights flashing, & all switches as normally set.

I checked the side stand was properly up. (there is no light for this on the dash)

I set off for what was going to be a fairly lengthy ride-out (at least ½ a tankful)
but another 150yds down the road, it cut out again and I had to coast in to the side of the road.

No coughing or spluttering, just totally dead. Lights remain on, just the engine goes dead. So it’s the ignition circuit, but which part of it?

I thought I’d be brave, and take it around the block for 1/2mile, which I did, and no issue, it stayed running, so I decided to head out on my planned route. I got a few more miles along my route, and having tried it at crawling pace, and ‘a good handful’, felt a little more confident. I ventured onto a main (A3) road, and wound it up. I’d just filtered onto the dual carriageway, when it cut out again without warning. I decided at that juncture, no way could I do a 100mile+ ride-out today, and limped it back to base, (which was another 2 stages).

Its electrical, and something with the engine run circuit, so I'm thinking possibly side stand switch connections, ignition control module or engine management unit? Anyone got any better ideas? I've been too busy to have a go at it today. Just thought I'd send out the facts of this annoying issue to sound you guys out. 19.6.22
UPDATE - 3.7.22 - Well I obtained a like-for-like replacement Exide 12v/19ah gel battery as that seemed the easiest solution after checking side stand switch and looking for any suspected loose connections. It worked! Following the owners manual regarding order of terminal disconnection & re-connection, I had no issues throughout a 60mile ride-out yesterday, so it must have been a cell on the way out?! I do now have an overheating issue though after a more brisk return trip to home, but not unduly hard riding or sitting in traffic, and only a 21C ambient temp. The red warning triangle & temp scale flashed?! I checked the rad grille front, and its not choked up.
Agree with @EricK1300GTSE double check the battery. But even more fundamentally, start with the easy things first. I agree it sounds like an electrical issue. Could be the side stand safety switch or a crank position sensor or a cam position sensor. You really need to get the diagnostic codes from the ECU. It's highly likely that whatever is causing the issue is creating a code. Some codes Auto reset when you cycle the ignition so that's something to consider. I would get the bike running with my laptop connected, wait for it to die, and then with the ignition still on, scan for codes.

You can't 'wait for it to die' as its too sporadic a problem. I changed the battery, (from one gel to another) and it made a difference for a while, but the problem came back and clobbered me again another time,(see newer posts) so it wasn't the battery obviously. ECU diagnostics also don't show up a faulty kill switch.
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