K11 Owners Group

sandy · Joined: 17 Oct 2015 Posts: 9

Hi All,
Just bought a lovely 1995 K1100LT, with 37,000 miles.
It's in lovely condition.
There a bit of hand painting that's gone on around the swingarm and final drive, but other than that, she seems to be cosmetically sound.
I'm loving it, but I have noticed a couple of things I could do with some advice on.
At very small throttle openings, in town for example, I can hear a little very unevenness in the running.
Feels a little lumpy, and I'm pretty sure I can hear some very muffled popping.
Once into it's stride, it goes away and there is no issue.
Looking back over the history, I see that about 5 years ago, a replacement eprom chip was installed, from a UK based company called superchips, who are still around but no longer sell bike systems.
Could this replacement chip be the issue ?
The last owner did leave the original one with me.
Is that easy to reinstall ?
Here it is.

upload pics

I also had a look at the plugs, and they didn't look too good to me.
Like the plugs read overly lean, especially on 1,2 & 3.
She runs perfectly otherwise, and I'm looking forward to piling on the miles, but I want to sort these issues out first.
Any help appreciated.

N41EF · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 6:49 pm Post subject:

If you have the original chip, you can remove the ECU, open it (you need tamper resistant bits I think) and replace the chip taking appropriate electrostatic precautions.

Guessing on the plugs and lumpy idle I'd sync the throttle bodies first, replace the plugs, and see if it gets better.

Where are the crash bars? Were they US only?

Welcome to the family!
_________________
2014 R1200RT Water Cooled
2001 R1100S Light
1993 K1100LT. Nissan Ice Blue.(Gone)

SugarHillCTD · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 8:13 pm Post subject:

Sandy....WELCOME!!
_________________
John & Cathy

'92 K100RS4V Pearl White SOLD
'04 K1200GT
IBA Several-SS1k, BBG, 50CC NYC to S.F.

Jim · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 9:18 pm Post subject:

Sandy - that's a very good looking, super clean LT!

I'd put the original chip in, check for vacuum leaks. The rubber bits are mostly gone or going after 20 years.
_________________
Jim
1997 K1100LTSE 94,000 - still has gremlins!
1995 R100RT Classic 16,650 crashed - repaired!
1992 K75RTP 46,000

"We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed."

Scott_Anderson · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2015 7:38 am Post subject:

Greetings and welcome.

At 20years and only 37K miles(or Km?), like Jim mentioned, check the rubber bits.
I'd suggest a valve clearance check before the throttle body sync though.

Some injector cleaning additive in the fuel would not be a bad idea either. Seafoam works well for me, but not sure if that is available where you are.

Very nice clean ride you got there.
_________________
Ride safe.

1995 K1100LT 0302044
2017 FLHTK Ultra Limited
Garmin StreetPilot 2820
Garmin Zumo 550
Garmin Zumo XT
"One who does not ask questions is ashamed to learn" Danish proverb
1997 K1100LT 0302488(R.I.P.)
1997 R1100RT ZC62149(sold)

sandy · Joined: 17 Oct 2015 Posts: 9

sandy · Joined: 17 Oct 2015 Posts: 9

Just as an add on.
I've been trying to find the procedure for balancing the intakes.
I have a workshop manual, but it does not seem to be covered.
So I've been searching, and I see that the brass screws on the throttle bodies should have paint on them.
Mine do not.
Is that, er, bad ?
Sad

Scott_Anderson · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2015 6:23 pm Post subject:

Well, where to start.......
Not all of this will fail, but at some point in time, each item will need addressed.(if not already)

Check the fuel lines for dry rot/u.v. cracking.
Valve cover and crank cover bolt rubber bushing. The elasticity of these rubber bits is what maintains the pressure on the cover gaskets as the bolts themselves are a shoulder bolt. So don't over tighten them thinking that will help seal the gaskets better.....the bolts can break.

At each throttle body there is a rubber vacuum cap, these are prone to crack and leak.

In-between the throttle body and the injector manifold there is a rubber "tube" that is prone to crack/leak with age.

Where the injector manifold bolts to the head there is a rubber o-ring that can leak. There a couple of different ways to check these while the engine is running. One can use propane/map-gas or some spray carb cleaner with a fine tip applicator.

On the back side of the throttle body assy there are some vacuum hoses that can leak.

From the air box there is a vacuum line that runs to the block at the rear of the motor behind #4 throttle body that is very prone to be bad as it is not very thick rubber.

Then there is the brake hoses. If the brake fluid has not be kept clean over the years, the hoses can de-laminate internally and either cause a blockage or the reverse, cause a "one-way check valve" that makes is seem like the brakes are stuck on.

Same goes for the coolant hoses........
Brake calliper piston seals.........
Brake master cylinder seals.......
Valve cover gasket....
Crank cover gasket.....

Clutch nut o-ring(when you get to the clutch spline lube). You will see oil leaking from the bell housing weep hole.
_________________
Ride safe.

1995 K1100LT 0302044
2017 FLHTK Ultra Limited
Garmin StreetPilot 2820
Garmin Zumo 550
Garmin Zumo XT
"One who does not ask questions is ashamed to learn" Danish proverb
1997 K1100LT 0302488(R.I.P.)
1997 R1100RT ZC62149(sold)

sandy · Joined: 17 Oct 2015 Posts: 9

Well I've got my work cut out, but I've had a pretty good look around with the lowers removed, and it's all looking good in there.
Can't see any perishing.
Another thing.
Does anyone make pillion footrest risers for the K1100.
My Wife is short, and can't quite reach them.
She has to rest her feet on her heels.
I'm sure I could bodge something onto the rubbers, but I'd rather have a neat solution.
Thanks again.

Grunter · Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2015 5:02 pm Post subject: KLT

I am on my 3rd K1100LT and have so far had non of the seal/pipe problems described before, however it may be a wise move to replace the flexible brake pipes. My current bike is a 1998 late model and the front brakes began to feel quite spongy, and eventually they would not hold the bike on a hill. My bike has only 25k miles indicated. See my post entitled 'Another brake problem.' about 4 before this thread.

I had replaced the front master-cylinder seal weeks before but with contant pressure the lever would stillcome back to the bars, but on checking the pipes and squeezed the lever and found the right hand pipe was swelling to almost twice the diameter.

I bit the bullet and replaced the standard pipes with the Goodridge braded hose type and the problem was removed. The pipes I took off were well past their best. The left hand pipe had quite a normal fluid tube but the right hand one was almost fully closed up but the core was breaking up.

There are horror stories about bleeding brakes through the ABS but in fact done carefully and bleeding the pipe first from the master cylinder to the ABS Module using the bleed nipple on the module (Front brake = rear bleed nipple.) there was really no more problem than you would have found when bleeding the brakes on a non ABS bike
_________________
1997 K1100LT
1994 R1100RS

sandy · Joined: 17 Oct 2015 Posts: 9

Grunter · Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2015 7:02 pm Post subject: RS wheel on an LT

I had considered this because of the same thing you found that the gearing was a little low. The 18" wheel would/should have raised the overall gearing a bit, however the RS wheels take radial tyres which have a lower profile, so that would have cancelled out any advantage. The only benefit being radial tyres as opposed to bias belted type.

I don't know if the gear ratio in the final drive on the RS is the same, if it was higher then that would help tame the revvy engine.
_________________
1997 K1100LT
1994 R1100RS

Scott_Anderson · Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2015 7:43 pm Post subject:

As far as I know the only real major benefit of the 18" RS rear wheel size is the available tire selection of Radial tires. There are many more 18" radial tire options available on the market than for the stock 17" LT wheel size.

The K-bike engines LOVE high revs. Don't be afraid of running the 4cyl K engine over and above 6K for hours on end.
If anything you can cause problems with not running high revs.
When I got my 1st K, I ran too low revs far too often/long to the point that I burned 2 exhaust valves from carbon build-up..........
_________________
Ride safe.

1995 K1100LT 0302044
2017 FLHTK Ultra Limited
Garmin StreetPilot 2820
Garmin Zumo 550
Garmin Zumo XT
"One who does not ask questions is ashamed to learn" Danish proverb
1997 K1100LT 0302488(R.I.P.)
1997 R1100RT ZC62149(sold)

sandy · Joined: 17 Oct 2015 Posts: 9

N41EF · Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2015 9:50 pm Post subject:

Where you at in the UK? I'm coming to London in March.
_________________
2014 R1200RT Water Cooled
2001 R1100S Light
1993 K1100LT. Nissan Ice Blue.(Gone)

sandy · Joined: 17 Oct 2015 Posts: 9

Scott_Anderson · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2015 9:33 am Post subject:

sandy · Joined: 17 Oct 2015 Posts: 9

Did it today, ad luckily all are within tolerance.
I was panicking a little bit, if any had tightened up, because from what I've seen, the cams need to come out, but then I found this neat little tool.
Would it also work on the K1100 ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUxkv08XwH0

Inge K. · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2015 4:14 pm Post subject:

Mike d · Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2015 6:58 am Post subject:

Hi Sandy,

If you are a member of the BMW Club (UK) they have the special tools for the 16v models in their tool hire facility.

Regards

Mike