Exhaust Flow Control Valve (Twin Cam 2013)

[David.]

The dealer's diagnosis was that the exhaust flap servomotor (positioner unit) required replacing. The flap itself was free to move through 90deg (full open to full closed & back) once the cables had been disconnected.

Was quoted £234.74 parts & labour to replace the motor. The part with a 10% discount is £159.13, therefore, the labour is £75.60. This work would not be covered under the insured warranty.

Decided to have another look myself. With the silencer removed, the flap could be seen to move from fully open to fully closed & back when the ignition was switched on. Perhaps exercising the flap/motor has done the trick. Applied some PlusGas to clean/lubricate the flap internal pivot points, plus a squirt of ACF-50 externally on the cables etc.

When the bike is serviced, will get the fault code cleared & leave well alone.

[David.]

Whilst cleaning the rear caliper/pads yesterday, had the silencer off for access to the pad pin.

Checked the exhaust flow control valve, it was not going fully closed.

After no more than a few squirts of PlusGas on the internal pivot points and switching the ignition on/off a few times, the valve went through it's cycle of full open to full closed and back again.

How can this be a fault of the servomotor rather than a mechanical problem with the valve.

[David.]

Had the silencer off again today for ACF-50 man to do his magic today. The EFCV was not going fully closed. The bike has done no more than been stood for the last two weeks.

Spoke to Hilltop Motorcycles, they confirmed that it would be better to retain the EFCV rather than remove it. Their advice was to use some brake fluid as a "penetrating oil" on the internal pivot points. Might just give it a go.

[Rick B]

The dealer's diagnosis was that the exhaust flap servomotor (positioner unit) required replacing. The flap itself was free to move through 90deg (full open to full closed & back) once the cables had been disconnected.

Was quoted £234.74 parts & labour to replace the motor. The part with a 10% discount is £159.13, therefore, the labour is £75.60. This work would not be covered under the insured warranty.

Decided to have another look myself. With the silencer removed, the flap could be seen to move from fully open to fully closed & back when the ignition was switched on. Perhaps exercising the flap/motor has done the trick. Applied some PlusGas to clean/lubricate the flap internal pivot points, plus a squirt of ACF-50 externally on the cables etc.
What sort of insured warranty have you got?Just asking as my 2016 RT has had 2 sets of headers done due to exhaust flap sticking,The first time i think was done through the 2 year dealer warranty but the second one was done early on this year  due one dealer not noticing it on the  diagnostics after a battery change(they needed to check the rectifier)so i took it to my main dealer and they noticed the flap was sticking and  exchanged the headers and obviously servo etc all under the BMW extended warranty

[simbo]

What we was discussing ea[attachimg=2]rlier.

[David.]

What sort of insured warranty have you got?

I've got a BMW Motorrad Insured Warranty. The exhaust system is not covered under the warranty. I spoke to BMW Warranty Services, suggesting that, under the "Electrical system", failure of all electrical control units is covered. My thoughts were that the failed exhaust flap servomotor was an "electrical control unit". Unfortunately, it is not considered to be the case, therefore, the claim is not valid. The person I spoke to at BMW said, if he could swing it any way, he would, be on this occasion, it's a none starter.

Just asking as my 2016 RT has had 2 sets of headers done due to exhaust flap sticking. The first time I think was done through the 2 year dealer warranty but the second one was done early on this year due one dealer not noticing it on the diagnostics after a battery change (they needed to check the rectifier) so I took it to my main dealer and they noticed the flap was sticking and exchanged the headers and obviously servo etc. all under the BMW extended warranty.

Perhaps in your case, the first replacement was under the 2 year manufacturers warranty. If the second one failed within a year, (less than 3 in total),  it may well have been replaced because the first replacement should have a least a years warranty.

[David.]

What we were discussing earlier.

"This fault occurred 255 times", with no warning on the dash.

If this is the case, why would it be necessary to fit a Servo Buddy, https://www.speedycom.co.uk/shop/produc ... ctid=19880 or similar product.

[Rick B]

I've got a BMW Motorrad Insured Warranty. The exhaust system is not covered under the warranty. I spoke to BMW Warranty Services, suggesting that, under the "Electrical system", failure of all electrical control units is covered. My thoughts were that the failed exhaust flap servomotor was an "electrical control unit". Unfortunately, it is not considered to be the case, therefore, the claim is not valid. The person I spoke to at BMW said, if he could swing it any way, he would, be on this occasion, it's a none starter.

Perhaps in your case, the first replacement was under the 2 year manufacturers warranty. If the second one failed within a year, (less than 3 in total), it may well have been replaced because the first replacement should have a least a years warranty.

Both exhaust repairs were over a year between , but also i noticed that it dosnt cover paint , yet i had a new final drive and swing arm renewed due to paint corrosion,Hmm strange.

[David.]

Spoke to Hilltop Motorcycles, they confirmed that it would be better to retain the EFCV rather than remove it. Their advice was to use some brake fluid as a "penetrating oil" on the internal pivot points. Might just give it a go.

Went back to it today and "low & behold", the EFCV is now cycling from full open to fully closed & back again.

It's beyond me, gave the internal pivot points a squirt of brake fluid for good measure.

[David.]

"This fault occurred 255 times", with no warning on the dash.

If this is the case, why would it be necessary to fit a Servo Buddy, https://www.speedycom.co.uk/shop/produc ... ctid=19880 or similar product.

Have spoken to Cooper BMW Sunderland, they suggested that this particular fault code is stored in the "shadow memory" (background) of the ECU. The EFCV movement or not as the case may be, is not deemed critical to the engine running. Because of this, a dashboard warning is not generated, nor does the engine go into emergency operation mode.

As per the OP, Our Gee was riding around with the EFCV stuck 3/4 open and didn't know about it until a physical inspection took place.

[David.]

Apparently if you disconnect the cables from the exhaust valve the servo motor knows that its been disconnected due to excessive travel and reports a F1 error on dash.

Have not done this myself so cannot say what code you get or if this helps.

Looking back at this video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZdnvlmIs_c it shows an R nine T (same engine as TC RT) which has had the EFCV removed. The cables were disconnected & removed too. The servomotor was re-instated and "No check light pop up after remove the flipper".

Perhaps this is further evidence that a dashboard warning is not generated.

[oddshapedballs]

I've replaced a number of these flappy valves over the years with no issue or fault codes etc whatsoever, found this step by step pictorial very useful:


https://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/352658-Exhaust-Valve-Eliminator-Tube

[David.]

Checked my flap today, it was working perfectly, gave it a dribble of graphite based penetrating oil for good measure.

[David.]

Physically checked my flap again by removing the silencer and after 8 years & 29,000 miles, it's working perfectly.

The sound heard when switching the ignition on is definitely the servo motor, not the valve.

[B787MECH]

Physically checked my flap again by removing the silencer and after 8 years & 29,000 miles, it's working perfectly.

The sound heard when switching the ignition on is definitely the servo motor, not the valve.

As the valve is powered by the electric servo then the sound is obviously the servo. The valve is just a hinged butterfly valve. I work on the assumption that if you can hear the servo cycling then  the valve is not seized. The cables could be broken but if they’re still connected and the valve is seized then you won’t hear the servo cycling fully.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk