Puff of Smoke

[Gavj]

@Sakm, did you notice any difference with the valve removed / disabled ( I assume its still there just pernamenty open), allegidly its purpose is to increase torque at low revs... not that a 1250cc twin is likely to lack in torque....

[Stu]

I can't tell a difference at all

[B787MECH]

The same one that will cause the problem again and again!


Best to disconnect it and remove the motor and fit an eliminator!


I had issues with mine and tried twice to stop it seizing then just spent £40 and removed everything I could


https://www.healtech-electronics.com/products/ese

I agree that if the valve seizes it’s best to disconnect it and fit an eliminator. I haven’t had any problems with mine in the six years from new and 27,000 miles. I put it down to only ever using good quality petrol eg Shell V Power which gives a cleaner burn and has lubricity and cleaning additives. I never use cheap supermarket fuel. I believe the fuel in Germany is higher spec than most UK stuff which might explain things. I always listen for the valve cycling when the ignition is switched on, and check it whenever the silencer is removed.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[B787MECH]

I can't tell a difference at all

I understand it’s there to reduce the noise at low revs i.e in town?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Stu]

I agree that if the valve seizes it’s best to disconnect it and fit an eliminator. I haven’t had any problems with mine in the six years from new and 27,000 miles. I put it down to only ever using good quality petrol eg Shell V Power which gives a cleaner burn and has lubricity and cleaning additives. I never use cheap supermarket fuel. I believe the fuel in Germany is higher spec than most UK stuff which might explain things. I always listen for the valve cycling when the ignition is switched on, and check it whenever the silencer is removed.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Sorry to say but there is nothing in the fuel that will help lubricate the valve after it has being burnt if there was it would destroy the catalytic converter


Its a hard thing to keep lubricated as the heat just burns everything off and once is starts to seize it will just happen again and again

[exportman]

I understand it’s there to reduce the noise at low revs i.e in town?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Yep mine has been stuck open for the last 5K+ no problems with performance  just a little louder at low revs.

[Gavj]

I know they won't , but it would be good if BMW gave me the old headers so that I could have a poke about to see if it could be modified to allow some periodic lubrication... sounds as if it needs some graphite based anti sieze.....re applied now & again.
Well the new one should last for a bit, probaby untill the warranty runs out, then it will be a delete kit when it goes again.

[B787MECH]

Sorry to say but there is nothing in the fuel that will help lubricate the valve after it has being burnt if there was it would destroy the catalytic converter


Its a hard thing to keep lubricated as the heat just burns everything off and once is starts to seize it will just happen again and again

I think Shell know a bit about producing a fuel that burns cleanly. It has a detergent in it and a lubricity agent. Cheap fuel leaves a gunk residue which gathers around the butterfly hinge and eventually impedes it functioning correctly. Next time you have the silencer off is the area around the valve grey or black. Like I say, I’ve had no problems with mine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Stu]

I know they won't , but it would be good if BMW gave me the old headers so that I could have a poke about to see if it could be modified to allow some periodic lubrication... sounds as if it needs some graphite based anti sieze.....re applied now & again.
Well the new one should last for a bit, probaby untill the warranty runs out, then it will be a delete kit when it goes again.

I have had my headers off and had a good look and also soaked the valve in diesel and also dissolved some copper grease in diesel in an attept to get some of the copper particles in to the mechanism!


It worked and was nice and free but soon seized up again


A lot of other people have tried the graphite method and it just failed again

[Stu]

I think Shell know a bit about producing a fuel that burns cleanly. It has a detergent in it and a lubricity agent. Cheap fuel leaves a gunk residue which gathers around the butterfly hinge and eventually impedes it functioning correctly. Next time you have the silencer off is the area around the valve grey or black. Like I say, I’ve had no problems with mine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have had the headers off and they was clean as a whistle!


The stuff you are talking about it to lubricate before it burns and has cleaning agents in to clean the carbon off before it has burnt off!


I only use BP ultimate or Shell here no cheap fuels as they are crap and stay well away from supermarket fuel! that stuff is just the work of the devil

[Levisp]

I think Shell know a bit about producing a fuel that burns cleanly. It has a detergent in it and a lubricity agent. Cheap fuel leaves a gunk residue which gathers around the butterfly hinge and eventually impedes it functioning correctly. Next time you have the silencer off is the area around the valve grey or black. Like I say, I’ve had no problems with mine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm not sure its as simple as that because I use the cheapest supermarket fuel I can get and after 52K miles I have had virtually no problems. I have only had to free up valve once in nearly 8 years of use. Interestingly that was after the bike had little use due to Covid restrictions. Now I am back to riding every week I have had no further issues summer or winter. Maybe I have just been lucky.

[Gavj]

Got the bike back yesterday, brand new headers, valve. Driver unloaded it, I started it, no engine light....... for 6 seconds, and it's back on again... ho hum....Bike on its way back to dealer this morning..


Looking forward to the customer survey..... ???

[Gavj]

Hopefuly thats it this time, fair play to BMW they took the bike away on the Thursday and returned it on Saturday, turned out to be a loose wire.... Service guy said that the self test routine for the exhaust valve now only happens every 30th start?


Still no reason for the smoke that one time......

[Panman40]

Got the bike back yesterday, brand new headers, valve. Driver unloaded it, I started it, no engine light....... for 6 seconds, and it's back on again... ho hum....Bike on its way back to dealer this morning..


Looking forward to the customer survey..... ???

Christ. I hope you get this sorted.

[Doctor T]

My Mum's neighbours 2021 Rt gives a bit of smoke on start up if he leaves it parked up on the side stand after a week or so.  From what ive gathered from a  tec is that BMW had to reduce the exhaust noise to get through the Euro noise limits, hence a flap that is closed/partly closed at lower revs. Most high end sports cars use the same system. Even Bently and Rolls Royce have a similar system to pass the noise limits.
Eliminating the valve will only make the exhaust tone a little deeper at low revs and does not affect the bike running or fuel at all.