Fuel System Power Woes

[vwdoctor]

Remember that the '04 has dual plug heads.You can clean he injectors with an ultrasound if you have one.I will say that injectors rarely plug up

Where's the other plug? I only see one with a coil stick in the usual, middle of the valve cover location. As to ultrasound, my shop is not equipped. Hoping changing the plugs cures it, if I can find the other two

The other plug is on the bottom. Check to make sure you seated the right side throttle cable correctly before you do anything else. Unplug the stick coil connector one by one and see if it changes the way it runs. They are a "high failure rate" item.

[TaosBrick]

The other plug is on the bottom. Check to make sure you seated the right side throttle cable correctly before you do anything else. Unplug the stick coil connector one by one and see if it changes the way it runs. They are a "high failure rate" item.

Thanks, will do!
Now, are the connectors the failure point, or the stick coil itself?

[swamper]

Stick Coil

[kirby]

reconditioned injectors at beemerboneyard.com
about 1/2 price. But try plugs first.

[TaosBrick]

Cool. Thanks everybody! Will next be able to have a go at it on Thursday. Will report what I find...

[kirby]

Remember that the '04 has dual plug heads.You can clean he injectors with an ultrasound if you have one.I will say that injectors rarely plug up

Where's the other plug? I only see one with a coil stick in the usual, middle of the valve cover location. As to ultrasound, my shop is not equipped. Hoping changing the plugs cures it, if I can find the other two

Underneath near the block at the bottom of the head in the middle, follow the wire from the coil underneath the tank!

BTW,
Stick coils rarely fail completely. They usually cut out/break down at high RPM but could be the lead to the coil.

[kirby]

Should not run engine without both stick coils loaded as in with a grounded plug. You can use a jumper cable to ground a coil with the plug still connected.

[TaosBrick]

Ok, so after installing two new plugs on the coil sticks, and cleaning the rather fouled bottom plugs (they are entirely different from the coil stick ones [!])
Started it up and found that both cylinders are firing, but the left one more so. Examined squirting of the injectors, right one definitely squirting less. Decided to just go out and wring the piss out of it to see if it could not just be blown into better functionality. This tactic worked to a degree - it coughed and stuttered a bit at first, but at higher rpm's ran reasonably well. Got it up to a buck twenty and change without too much persuasion. When brought back to the garage, idled significantly better though still a bit lopsided. Will now apply some Techron injector cleaner, and get new bottom plugs. If full functionality is not restored by this and more running, then it's time for some reconditioned injectors. So - that's where we're at now.

[swamper]

I would think if the injectors were the problem you wouldn't be able to get it up to a buck and change. IMO
More likely valve adjustment and sync needed. As previously mentioned, make sure both throttle cables are seated properly controlling the injectors, a common problem when removing the tank that will adversely affect idle.

[TaosBrick]

K - will check cables. Hard to imagine a valve adjustment to be required, unless initial break-in valve check was not done - this machine has barely over 5,000 miles on it. It sat with poo, untreated-with-fuel-stabizer E10 gas in it for probably more than a year. As I said, injector squirting upon cranking was noticeably less on right side. Could this be a function of mis-aligned cables? Will indeed check.
And not just a buck, a buck TWENTY and change. If that's how well this whip performs when somewhat ailing, I wouldn't mind having one. Doing this work for a guy who lives a coupla miles down the road from me.

[gregor]

The mis-seated throttle cable in the ferrule is an easily checked glitch and it does cause big problems with uneven running. Two BMW GS boxer owners were discussing that very problem on our club run this week. I listened in and learned a bit more about the cable routings.

[swamper]

Most speedos aren't very accurate, they read very high.

[TaosBrick]

The mis-seated throttle cable in the ferrule is an easily checked glitch and it does cause big problems with uneven running. Two BMW GS boxer owners were discussing that very problem on our club run this week. I listened in and learned a bit more about the cable routings.

Ding Ding Ding Ding - we have a winner! Meant to post last Sunday that this had indeed been discovered to be the problem. Bike runs super now.

BTW, well aware that Bimmer speedos read about 10% less than actual speed on average. Shoulda said INDICATED 120+. A guy can dream, eh?

THANK YOU All on this forum who have been so kind and helpful, even when most of the issues turned out to be overlooks and bumblings on my part.
I'll be lurking...