GS-911 Diagnostic

Inspired by CycleRob, this section is devoted to all flavors of the F800.

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Boxer
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GS-911 Diagnostic

Post by Boxer »

We who will be owners of the bikes covered, and who live close enough to Cyclerob, should do a co-op buy of one of these and keep it at Rob's place for future Tech days. Check it out. I personally can't afford it on my own, but I'd be willing to contribute an equal share for ownership. $300 for the non-bluetooth enthusiast version.

http://www.hexcode.co.za/shop
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Re: GS-911 Diagnostic

Post by touchton »

I've been eyeing that. It looks pretty interesting but I would like to hear from someone who owns one.
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Re: GS-911 Diagnostic

Post by MattPie »

touchton wrote:I've been eyeing that. It looks pretty interesting but I would like to hear from someone who owns one.
My local mechanic has one, and he's pretty happy with it. It's still a work-in-progress though. They send up updates every so often, and apparently large amounts of new features are in the updates. Eventually they rate of updates will have to slow down as they get closer to 'completing' the data set.
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Re: GS-911 Diagnostic

Post by touchton »

I ordered one this morning. I went with the Enthusiast version with Bluetooth. I have a small laptop (Asus ePC 901) that has Bluetooth and it will be interesting to see how it works with my cell phone too. I have my 600 mile service coming up this weekend so I would like to see what fault codes are present.
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Re: GS-911 Diagnostic

Post by R4R&R »

A few guys in our local club has them. You'd think you wouldn't need the bluetooth version, but it is nice using your phone to diagnose your motorcycle.
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Re: GS-911 Diagnostic

Post by Boxer »

Bring it to Hungry Mother, along with a a laptop. We'll have a tech day at the spaghetti place.
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Re: GS-911 Diagnostic

Post by CycleRob »

Boxer, A co-op buy won't be necessary, I'll be getting my own USB version. I do not own any Blue Tooth gizmos so the LapTop PC 10 VIN # USB base model is plenty good for me and the F or R bikes I'll be working on. The downloadable upgrade to the unlimited VIN # Pro model means you're not stuck with the base model's limitations when you need more than the 10 VIN number capability.
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Re: GS-911 Diagnostic

Post by touchton »

I received my GS-911 this morning. I haven't had much time to play, but I was able to connect to the bike and read the fault codes. There were none! I set the 'date' on the bike, set the next service to 6000 miles, and set the next service date to 6-26-2010. I looked a the real-time values for a minute. I'm real pleased with GS-911. I haven't had time to load the application on my cell phone.

Thad
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Re: GS-911 Diagnostic

Post by CycleRob »

I just ordered the bluetooth version yesterday, the GS-911blu Enthusiast. The full details website is HERE (updated 8-8-19). It performs a lot of diagnostic/monitoring functions.

My bike recently started giving me the 600, then 500, and now "Service Due 400 mile" warnings on startup after 5,600 miles. It displays for about 5 seconds, then fades away and is replaced by what was selected by the left handgrip's OBC mode switch. With the GS-911 I'll be able to deal with the warnings and set my own preferred service due dates or mileages.
year was entered

EDIT: To fix broken "HERE" link. Back in Aug 13, 2014 when I wrote the above, "Jun xx 2020" was entered with a Toshiba 10" NetBook (Win7 OS) for the next service date. Sure enough it has been showing up on the bike's LCD display for a couple seconds on each start-up. Gee, back then I thought it was w-a-a-a-a-y off into the future! Guess not. I have checked the very entertaining active RunTime (engine running) readings a few times in addition to when the blown low beam, blown brake/parking light bulb and later dead signal light bulb set the bright triangular service light. BTW, for the dead low beam, I just switched it with the identical high beam bulb to get home -and- the dead signal light bulb turned out to have a perfect filament winding but, it appeared the fuzzy/corroded solder blob bulb terminal just needed cleaning by a gentile drag on the parking lot pavement and final polish on my black jean's thigh.
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Last edited by CycleRob on Thu Aug 08, 2019 3:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: GS-911 Diagnostic

Post by touchton »

I'm real happy with mine. They keep adding features in the software. My only complaint is the software is only good for a couple of months. It seems every time I go to use it, the software has expired and I have to log in and download a new version. Now that I know, I'll just have to get into a routine of updating the software.

I'm looking forward to hearing about all the neat things you find to do with it Rob. I'm bringing mine to the Bash.
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Re: GS-911 Diagnostic

Post by CycleRob »

Finally got it yesterday and it is impressive! The software install on your PC is limited to being installed on 1 CPU (computer) or that one's "replacement" when it needs repair or is replaced. Here's the engine running with the realtime values displayed. Note the voltage readings from the 2 knock sensors.
Image

The knock sensor readings varied by hundreds of volts and lacking the presence of any component resembling a knock sensor, likely is the sparkplug back voltage being monitored (like Harley does) to determine very high cylinder combustion pressures BEFORE the ignition fires.

There's also component test routines where you can cycle each injector, the cooling fan, fuel vent valve, idle control motor, overtemp warning light and others. Even an idle control motor calibration routine. It also plots a scrolling graph of the Lambda voltage output as the engine runs. Sweet! I felt like a BMW tech with the "for your eyes only" proprietary computer.

I reset the "Bike Date" to the day I got my bike and the future "Service Due" dates by my inputted future time and mileage numbers. There were 2 error codes:
--"Left signal open circuit" (A fuzzy bulb terminal that I fixed!)
--"Gear Position indicator - Error is no longer present" :-k [-o<
That Gear Position Indicator Error likely was set when tapping to Neutral went partway into neutral without illuminating the neutral light, then seemingly correcting itself.

The GS-911blu reset both.
I have this very tiny USB BlueTooth transmitter/Receiver:
Image

I have not used it with the GS-911 yet, but I'm sure it will work. It was, BTW, free after a Fry's Electronics rebate some months ago. Here is the WebPage for it. A 10", SSD equipped NetBook is on my future shopping list, so between Thad and me, the next Bashes should have even more of a reason for riders to attend. Especially when we can scan for and reset error codes on an unlimited number of EFI BMW bikes!!

When/if any electrical problem surfaces, this little plug in pistol will tell me everything and allow me to find/fix the problem(s) in my garage.

EDIT: To fix broken pic link and switch to faster, better photo host.
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Last edited by CycleRob on Thu Aug 08, 2019 4:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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GS-911 Diagnostic

Post by CycleRob »

Just finished the 12K valve clearance check and they were all in tolerance. I used my old, inadequate WestCo battery from my long gone R1150R to keep the F800's main computer and instrumentation data alive when the bike's battery needed to be removed, allowing airbox removal. Being that a lot of components and sensors were unplugged, I thought for sure an error code may have been set, but there were none.

The main reason I hooked up the GS-911 was to recalibrate the idle control motor (ICM). The GS-911 software has that specific recalibration task as a menu choice. Since I took the ICM apart for cleaning, the plunger apparently got moved from it's last position as the 2nd engine startup stalled immediately after running 2 seconds. That NEVER happened before and I knew it was because I disturbed the proper ICM "off" or "parked" position. No problem. Hook up the GS-911, turn on the key (engine off), plug it into my new NetBook running the GS-911 software and select "idle actuator calibration" mode then, in less than 1 minute, I can hear the ICM making it's computer controlled stepping motor operational noises while the display shows the "step number" as it increments then resets to zero. While still connected (by USB cable) I changed the next service reminder to year 2020 and the next service mileage to 60K so it won't hassle me anymore. Anyone that does their own servicing (oil changes, valve check, antifreeze change, etc) is aware of when they should be done at 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 etc thousand mile marks by looking in his/her little notepad or back pages of the Owner's Manual. It is a great feature for riders that have their bike $erviced only at the BMW dealer. Me, I just don't care to be "reminded" by the display and have to reset that reminder with the GS-911 after every 6,000 mile and 1 year interval.

For a number of reasons involving the sequence of operations, com port number designation, Win or GS-911 driver installed, connecting it to the bike and alignment of the stars . . . . the bluetooth feature still has not been successfully connected. It could not "find" it, even though it was 3 feet away and correctly powered up. This is so typical of the M$ Windoze PC world which in the year 2011 should be totally plug-n-play if I tell it to use no security features. I have lost what little respect I ever had for those F'n geeks that engineered that hostile datalink system. If I had it to do over, I would NOT have spent the extra $50 for the GS-911 BlueTooth model. Especially when the little 10" Netbook is so portable for 7+ hours on it's big battery and what needs to be done happens so quickly. Besides that, my new LG 420G Tracfone does not have BlueTooth, that would have enabled on-the-road away-from-home diagnostics/resetting via the GS-911's cellphone app.

A few things I noticed:
--The Instrument menu's main odometer reading shows the bikes odometer with tenths of miles while the bike's dash display does not.
--The tank vent valve operates very quietly (in manual test mode) and is really hard to hear (engine off). You need your ear pressed to the tank panel, where the valve hides beneath.
--With the GS-911 program you can turn on: the cooling fan, the left or right injector for 3 seconds, the fuel pump, the air injection valve, the tank vent valve, the idle control motor, the diagnostic warning light (orange) triangle and the overtemp light (red) (the same orange warning light triangle immediately turns red).

That's pretty cool that I can do all those diagnostic function tests with just a mouse click. The best part is I will not have to go to the BMW dealer to find out what went wrong . . . . if and when something critical ever does.
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Re: GS-911 Diagnostic

Post by CycleRob »

UPDATE: It's now over a year later, the bike at it's 3rd anniversary, and nothing has gone wrong yet. Original battery reads good on the DVM. I'm very pleased with all that the bike is and does!! Checked the BMS-K ECU today with the GS-911 and there were NO trouble codes. Performed the 18K oil change today, will be changing the antifreeze tomorrow and remove all the coolant hoses to clean and grease all the Aluminum mating surfaces, 2 of which are showing greenish fuzzy deposits on the Aluminum at the hose ends. I might even spend all the time needed to finally get the GS-911's BlueTooth connection working with the NetBook's Win7 OS or even better Linux Mint (with WINE). :-X :badgrin: [-( :doubt: [-o<
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