I just want to genuinely say thank you as watching this video has resolved a rough idle and stalling issue that I have had on my RT for months. BMW dealer couldn’t find the source of the problem and neither could my local mechanic. I have just replaced the throttle position sensor after watching this video and now the bike idles and runs perfectly. Thanks again.
Very helpful video man, thanks ! I’m from Brazil and didn’t found any video in Portuguese explaining these so accurate as yours. Keep doing videos like these
Just to the beginning: A lot of bikes with carburetor have a throttle position sensor. For example Suzuki GSF 1200 1997. but it’s more common on injector bikes 😊
Your vids are very useful my info button on left switchgear has stopped working ive bought a new switch but have no clue how to remove the old switch gear. Will you be making a vid to show this process so i can follow it as there are no vids on youtube that show the removal and plug location. All the other buttons in that switchgear work perfectly its only the info button that is not responding . Thanks John
I have no immediate plans for that video, but typically you can use the new one to see how the old one comes apart. Before you do anything, though, try spraying a liberal amount of electronics cleaner into the switch through whatever cracks you can find along the edges. You might get lucky and the problem is just some corrosion or dirt on the contact.
I’ve been using a GS-911 to calibrate and measure the TPS on my R1150RS. The position reads out in degrees, not %. Less than useful. I can’t get any voltage readings from the disconnected cable or the unit.
I'm not familiar with that bike, so I just did some research. I think you probably have a four pin connector? It seems like there may have been more than one type of system installed on those early models, but I can't confirm that. Apparently your system uses two potentiometers, one for fine adjustment and one for course adjustment, which is the degree measurement you mentioned. I believe you should be able to check those potentiometers in a similar way to what is shown in the video, though it may be different pins. They should react smoothly on an analog meter. However, there is a registration process that owners of these older bikes report using, which synchronizes the sensor with the computer. The best explanation I found is here, but be sure and read the whole thread: forums.bmwmoa.org/threads/tps-alignment-idle-speed-adjustment-beyond-zero-zero.73962/
Great tutorial, perfectly useful, did everything as in video and came up with the broken wire. If you can post video of how to diagnose the fuel pump wires I would appreciate.
That's great to hear--being methodical usually pays off. I don't have a fuel pump video, but if you are having an issue you can always disconnect the harness from the pump and put a meter on the pins to see if you are getting voltage or not. If you are seeing voltage with the key on, then perhaps your pump itself has a problem. If you are not seeing voltage then you can work your way back to see if there is a broken wire or similar problem. The ECU might complain with the harness disconnected but it will reset when the harness is reconnected. You can also use a piercing probe instead of disconnecting.
How does this work with the four pin TPS on the older R series bikes? Pin 4 is left and Pin 1 is right? The middle pin could be either of the remaining two? Thanks!
Hello and thanks for the video. In my case BMW F800R ( 2018 ) when i test i have value that start from 18% and goes up to 79% only when i full open my throttle . Note that with my ODB i have throttle position D and E and the one moving is the D. For E it's 0% all the time and i have two error related to that E( P2116 & P2127). Thanks in advance
You should be able to calibrate the throttle position sensor either with a GS-911 tool, or by disconnecting the battery, reconnecting, and then twisting the throttle lock to lock three times after turning the key to the on position. However, since you are getting codes, it appears you do have an electrical fault. I would start be doing a thorough visual inspection, including pulling the connector off and looking for corrosion or bent pins, and examining the wiring harness. If all that checks out then take a hard look at the sensor. I'm not familiar with your bike model, but the general function is the same across most vehicles.
@@tinderboxarts In my case its a ride by wire and i have two sensor in the throttle. Seems that one of them is dead. Also my TPS is embedded with the throttle body so i can't test. Thanks for the advice
I looked to see if I could find your bike in the parts fiche, it looks like you have the same or similar sensor as all the other bikes located on the throttle body. They sell it as a unit with the throttle body, however. I can't find a reference to additional sensors in the throttle itself that you mention. I'm certain your sensor can be tested, however, it's just a matter of finding where it is and the right pin connections. They all work the same way. I wish I could find some pictures or diagrams of your bike online and I could give you better guidance. Sometimes it's helpful to look on ebay and you may find pictures of the components you need from sellers offering used parts.
@@tinderboxarts in fact its true for 1st génération but not for after 2017 ( euro 4 ) but sure there is a way to test it. I found a used throttle and i will test with it to see if value is different or maybe it will solve thr issue. Thanks a lot for you time and advice
Hello - can a faulty TPS cause the motor to race regardless of the actual position of the throttle? As I was driving my 2004 R1150R casually and shifting into 3rd, it was as if the throttle became wide open and I had to kill the motor. Upon restarting it again raced so I had to ease the clutch out to get moving and then kill the motor and coast repeatedly to get home. Once home I tried restarting it a few times and the same thing kept happening. I had the dealer pick the bike up and they said that when they started the bike it was fine and the tech told me he drove the bike about 15 miles with no problems - I asked him to check for frayed cables or something else that would cause the throttle to remain wide open in spite of the twist grip being at idle, but then I saw your video, so I'm thinking that this may be the problem. I'll greatly appreciate your input. Thanks
Interesting problem. That's an older bike and I'm not thoroughly familiar with it, so I'll have to speak somewhat generically. A runaway throttle as you describe is typically going to be related to a mechanical issue, such as a cable or broken linkage in the throttle bodies. If your bike has cruise control, that could also be an area of concern. An electrical issue within the cruise control system could cause it to come on unexpectedly. When a TPS is bad the common complaints are a hesitation on acceleration, a poor or inconsistent idle, or a bucking or jerking while cruising. Most vehicles are still using a mechanical connection to the throttle bodies and the TPS is used to fine tune the air/fuel mixture. There are newer vehicles which are entirely "ride by wire" with no mechanical connection to the throttle bodies or throttle plates, and those could be more susceptible to unintended acceleration due to bad sensors, I suppose. In your case you do have a mechanical connection and you may also have a cruise control fitted. Your mechanic should be doing a thorough visual inspection rather than just jumping on the bike and going for a ride! The grip itself, the the cables and the throttle body linkages are all potential areas of concern. It's easy enough to test the TPS, so that could also be done. If you do have cruise control that would be suspect too. Your mechanic should have his nose deep into the throttle controls rather than be out riding.
I recently experience a caution light, and engine light after i accelerated. Felt like the bike went into a limp mode. I could not accelerate. I turned it off and then back on. I have not experienced this again. I rode today for 100 miles, and it has not happened again. I have heard it could of been in the throttle or throttle position sensor? My bike is a 2013 1200gs
I would doubt the throttle position sensor would be at fault there. When that sensor starts to go bad there are data drop-outs, and the computer does not typically recognize a problem, it just gets confused. If you have an actual light on the dash, that's good news in the sense that a code was stored. You can use a GS911 or Motoscan device to read the code and get a clue about what has gone wrong. You should start with that.
Do you guys have any clue how to fix this issue ? I’ve been seen everybody replacing it and consumers also very angry because they said to me, it happens a lot and everytime is a huge amount money buying a new Throttle sensor
Throttle position sensors have been used in cars and trucks for decades, and they have a similar issue as those used on bikes. While the component is generally reliable, it is a wear item which can develop physical wear spots internally over time. If you ride or drive in dirty conditions or tend to use a very narrow throttle band, the wear can occur more quickly. Fortunately they really aren't that expensive and I generally have not seen any vehicle needing more than one replacement in a lifetime.
Maybe you could give me more detail about what is happening? If your engine is just randomly shutting off completely while you are riding, it would not be the throttle position sensor. Instead, it would likely be something like a loose or poor electrical connection causing your fuel pump to stop running or your ignition to lose power. It could even be something as simple as a loose battery connection. With some more detail I may be able to help you narrow down the possibilities.
When I idle on bumper to bumper traffic on 1 gear I release the clutch and it shuts off. I have to restart the engine. Happened 5 times on my way home.
Are you new to the RT? Because a lot of new riders on the RT don't realize how tall first gear is, and it requires a lot more RPM to get started than on other bikes. That aside, if you are in first gear and start to let out the clutch at around 1500-2000 RPM and the engine just shuts off, then you likely have a loose electrical connection somewhere. Possibly the vibration or torque steer happens to be just right in starting off to cause the connection to fail. For an engine to just shut off completely and suddenly it would be either a battery connection or ignition connection. I would do a thorough visual inspection of the battery cables and ignition components to look for corrosion, loose connections, or internally broken wires.
Hi , I have a R1150GSA I am setting the TPS to 250 mV then the stop screw to 340 mV but when I twist the throttle then let it go it won't return to the idle setting of 340 mV, it could be 450 or 300 . Could the TPS be faulty ? Bike hasn't run for 18 months. Thanks for the video.
I'm having a little trouble following your description, and I'm wondering if you are conflating two things? Or perhaps there is a difference in your older GS that I'm not following. There is no adjustment for the throttle position sensor, other than a calibration for the ECU. It's job is only to report to the ECU where the throttle is currently located. So, when the throttle is completely released the sensor should be reporting something close to 0% and when the throttle is completely rolled on it should be reporting something around 100%. It uses a reference voltage supplied by the ECU and a variable resistance to alter that voltage when the throttle is moved. If you are making adjustments, I wonder if you are referring to the idle adjustment? See if this video shows something more like you are doing: czcams.com/video/rID9_PBEvAE/video.html That said, if your throttle is just not returning to it's stop you may have a mechanical issue rather than an electrical one. Perhaps the throttle cable is hanging up or it is misrouted. Or perhaps a throttle body has some damage. Often a very close visual inspection will reveal something you've overlooked.
I just want to genuinely say thank you as watching this video has resolved a rough idle and stalling issue that I have had on my RT for months. BMW dealer couldn’t find the source of the problem and neither could my local mechanic.
I have just replaced the throttle position sensor after watching this video and now the bike idles and runs perfectly.
Thanks again.
That's really great to hear! It's a little disheartening to learn that a dealer couldn't figure that out, but at least you got it sorted yourself.
Very helpful video man, thanks !
I’m from Brazil and didn’t found any video in Portuguese explaining these so accurate as yours.
Keep doing videos like these
Thank you! Very informative and well produced. Appreciated.
Very good presentation... Just like company training👌🏼❤️
Very clear explanation, easy to understand.
Very interesting. Many thanks
Thanks for the info.
Just to the beginning: A lot of bikes with carburetor have a throttle position sensor. For example Suzuki GSF 1200 1997. but it’s more common on injector bikes 😊
Possibly Suzuki used the sensor to help control spark advance, I don't know.
@@tinderboxarts nope. Was for ignition timing to pass exhaust regulation
That's the same thing--spark advance is just another way of expressing ignition timing.
Your vids are very useful my info button on left switchgear has stopped working ive bought a new switch but have no clue how to remove the old switch gear. Will you be making a vid to show this process so i can follow it as there are no vids on youtube that show the removal and plug location. All the other buttons in that switchgear work perfectly its only the info button that is not responding . Thanks John
I have no immediate plans for that video, but typically you can use the new one to see how the old one comes apart. Before you do anything, though, try spraying a liberal amount of electronics cleaner into the switch through whatever cracks you can find along the edges. You might get lucky and the problem is just some corrosion or dirt on the contact.
I’ve been using a GS-911 to calibrate and measure the TPS on my R1150RS. The position reads out in degrees, not %. Less than useful. I can’t get any voltage readings from the disconnected cable or the unit.
I'm not familiar with that bike, so I just did some research. I think you probably have a four pin connector? It seems like there may have been more than one type of system installed on those early models, but I can't confirm that. Apparently your system uses two potentiometers, one for fine adjustment and one for course adjustment, which is the degree measurement you mentioned. I believe you should be able to check those potentiometers in a similar way to what is shown in the video, though it may be different pins. They should react smoothly on an analog meter. However, there is a registration process that owners of these older bikes report using, which synchronizes the sensor with the computer. The best explanation I found is here, but be sure and read the whole thread: forums.bmwmoa.org/threads/tps-alignment-idle-speed-adjustment-beyond-zero-zero.73962/
Great tutorial, perfectly useful, did everything as in video and came up with the broken wire. If you can post video of how to diagnose the fuel pump wires I would appreciate.
That's great to hear--being methodical usually pays off. I don't have a fuel pump video, but if you are having an issue you can always disconnect the harness from the pump and put a meter on the pins to see if you are getting voltage or not. If you are seeing voltage with the key on, then perhaps your pump itself has a problem. If you are not seeing voltage then you can work your way back to see if there is a broken wire or similar problem. The ECU might complain with the harness disconnected but it will reset when the harness is reconnected. You can also use a piercing probe instead of disconnecting.
How does this work with the four pin TPS on the older R series bikes? Pin 4 is left and Pin 1 is right? The middle pin could be either of the remaining two? Thanks!
I don't have the answer on that one, but you can probably experiment with a meter until you find the correct two. You won't hurt anything.
Hello and thanks for the video. In my case BMW F800R ( 2018 ) when i test i have value that start from 18% and goes up to 79% only when i full open my throttle . Note that with my ODB i have throttle position D and E and the one moving is the D. For E it's 0% all the time and i have two error related to that E( P2116 & P2127). Thanks in advance
You should be able to calibrate the throttle position sensor either with a GS-911 tool, or by disconnecting the battery, reconnecting, and then twisting the throttle lock to lock three times after turning the key to the on position. However, since you are getting codes, it appears you do have an electrical fault. I would start be doing a thorough visual inspection, including pulling the connector off and looking for corrosion or bent pins, and examining the wiring harness. If all that checks out then take a hard look at the sensor. I'm not familiar with your bike model, but the general function is the same across most vehicles.
@@tinderboxarts In my case its a ride by wire and i have two sensor in the throttle. Seems that one of them is dead. Also my TPS is embedded with the throttle body so i can't test. Thanks for the advice
I looked to see if I could find your bike in the parts fiche, it looks like you have the same or similar sensor as all the other bikes located on the throttle body. They sell it as a unit with the throttle body, however. I can't find a reference to additional sensors in the throttle itself that you mention. I'm certain your sensor can be tested, however, it's just a matter of finding where it is and the right pin connections. They all work the same way. I wish I could find some pictures or diagrams of your bike online and I could give you better guidance. Sometimes it's helpful to look on ebay and you may find pictures of the components you need from sellers offering used parts.
@@tinderboxarts in fact its true for 1st génération but not for after 2017 ( euro 4 ) but sure there is a way to test it. I found a used throttle and i will test with it to see if value is different or maybe it will solve thr issue. Thanks a lot for you time and advice
Hello - can a faulty TPS cause the motor to race regardless of the actual position of the throttle? As I was driving my 2004 R1150R casually and shifting into 3rd, it was as if the throttle became wide open and I had to kill the motor. Upon restarting it again raced so I had to ease the clutch out to get moving and then kill the motor and coast repeatedly to get home. Once home I tried restarting it a few times and the same thing kept happening. I had the dealer pick the bike up and they said that when they started the bike it was fine and the tech told me he drove the bike about 15 miles with no problems - I asked him to check for frayed cables or something else that would cause the throttle to remain wide open in spite of the twist grip being at idle, but then I saw your video, so I'm thinking that this may be the problem. I'll greatly appreciate your input. Thanks
Interesting problem. That's an older bike and I'm not thoroughly familiar with it, so I'll have to speak somewhat generically. A runaway throttle as you describe is typically going to be related to a mechanical issue, such as a cable or broken linkage in the throttle bodies. If your bike has cruise control, that could also be an area of concern. An electrical issue within the cruise control system could cause it to come on unexpectedly.
When a TPS is bad the common complaints are a hesitation on acceleration, a poor or inconsistent idle, or a bucking or jerking while cruising. Most vehicles are still using a mechanical connection to the throttle bodies and the TPS is used to fine tune the air/fuel mixture. There are newer vehicles which are entirely "ride by wire" with no mechanical connection to the throttle bodies or throttle plates, and those could be more susceptible to unintended acceleration due to bad sensors, I suppose.
In your case you do have a mechanical connection and you may also have a cruise control fitted. Your mechanic should be doing a thorough visual inspection rather than just jumping on the bike and going for a ride! The grip itself, the the cables and the throttle body linkages are all potential areas of concern. It's easy enough to test the TPS, so that could also be done. If you do have cruise control that would be suspect too. Your mechanic should have his nose deep into the throttle controls rather than be out riding.
I recently experience a caution light, and engine light after i accelerated. Felt like the bike went into a limp mode. I could not accelerate. I turned it off and then back on. I have not experienced this again. I rode today for 100 miles, and it has not happened again. I have heard it could of been in the throttle or throttle position sensor? My bike is a 2013 1200gs
I would doubt the throttle position sensor would be at fault there. When that sensor starts to go bad there are data drop-outs, and the computer does not typically recognize a problem, it just gets confused. If you have an actual light on the dash, that's good news in the sense that a code was stored. You can use a GS911 or Motoscan device to read the code and get a clue about what has gone wrong. You should start with that.
@@tinderboxarts thank you
Do you guys have any clue how to fix this issue ?
I’ve been seen everybody replacing it and consumers also very angry because they said to me, it happens a lot and everytime is a huge amount money buying a new Throttle sensor
Throttle position sensors have been used in cars and trucks for decades, and they have a similar issue as those used on bikes. While the component is generally reliable, it is a wear item which can develop physical wear spots internally over time. If you ride or drive in dirty conditions or tend to use a very narrow throttle band, the wear can occur more quickly. Fortunately they really aren't that expensive and I generally have not seen any vehicle needing more than one replacement in a lifetime.
My 2011 r1200rt keeps shutting down on bumper to bumper traffic. People said it might be my throttle sensor. Are they expensive??
Maybe you could give me more detail about what is happening? If your engine is just randomly shutting off completely while you are riding, it would not be the throttle position sensor. Instead, it would likely be something like a loose or poor electrical connection causing your fuel pump to stop running or your ignition to lose power. It could even be something as simple as a loose battery connection. With some more detail I may be able to help you narrow down the possibilities.
When I idle on bumper to bumper traffic on 1 gear I release the clutch and it shuts off. I have to restart the engine. Happened 5 times on my way home.
Are you new to the RT? Because a lot of new riders on the RT don't realize how tall first gear is, and it requires a lot more RPM to get started than on other bikes. That aside, if you are in first gear and start to let out the clutch at around 1500-2000 RPM and the engine just shuts off, then you likely have a loose electrical connection somewhere. Possibly the vibration or torque steer happens to be just right in starting off to cause the connection to fail. For an engine to just shut off completely and suddenly it would be either a battery connection or ignition connection. I would do a thorough visual inspection of the battery cables and ignition components to look for corrosion, loose connections, or internally broken wires.
@@tinderboxarts 可能是齒比因素 所以轉速要高
Hi , I have a R1150GSA I am setting the TPS to 250 mV then the stop screw to 340 mV but when I twist the throttle then let it go it won't return to the idle setting of 340 mV, it could be 450 or 300 .
Could the TPS be faulty ? Bike hasn't run for 18 months.
Thanks for the video.
I'm having a little trouble following your description, and I'm wondering if you are conflating two things? Or perhaps there is a difference in your older GS that I'm not following. There is no adjustment for the throttle position sensor, other than a calibration for the ECU. It's job is only to report to the ECU where the throttle is currently located. So, when the throttle is completely released the sensor should be reporting something close to 0% and when the throttle is completely rolled on it should be reporting something around 100%. It uses a reference voltage supplied by the ECU and a variable resistance to alter that voltage when the throttle is moved.
If you are making adjustments, I wonder if you are referring to the idle adjustment? See if this video shows something more like you are doing: czcams.com/video/rID9_PBEvAE/video.html
That said, if your throttle is just not returning to it's stop you may have a mechanical issue rather than an electrical one. Perhaps the throttle cable is hanging up or it is misrouted. Or perhaps a throttle body has some damage. Often a very close visual inspection will reveal something you've overlooked.