HEXHEAD/CAMHEAD Tech - Walkthrough: Using a GS-911 for basic scheduled service tasks

[andrewsi]

Disclaimer:
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This DIY describes how to use the Hexcode GS-911 tool for basic scheduled service tasks.

The goals of this walkthrough are to allow you to use the GS-911 to:

• Read any pre-existing fault codes from the various computers in your bike
• Erase from the bike's memory any codes which you feel you have addressed adequately
• Freeze the idle throttle controllers for use during a throttle body sync
• Reset the service date and mileage display to the next appropriate value.

The GS-911 has many fairly sophisticated capabilities beyond this short list of tasks, many of which are specific to certain models in the BMW lineup. What I'm focusing on in this walkthrough is the hexhead standard service procedures, and in particular the R1200RT, because it's the only model I'm personally qualified to comment on. However, the procedures shown here will be essentially identical for any hexhead bike, including the R1200 GS, GSA, R, and so forth, and likely for most other BMWs as well, with only minor modification. For a complete list of the supported models across all BMW motorcycle series, refer to Hexcode's GS-911 home page.

Before any further discussion of the GS-911 begins, I want to elaborate on the standard disclaimer above: I am not an employee of Hexcode (the manufacturers of the GS-911), and I have no affiliation with them, any of their distributors, employees, or other interested parties whatsoever. This DIY was written at the behest of the BMW MOA forum moderators, for no other reason I can ascertain other than the fact that I happen to own and use one, and that I was willing to share my own experience with the device for others to benefit from.

I am also a computer jockey by trade. In the case of the GS-911, unlike most ordinary tools, but very much like most computers, the exact purpose and capabilities of the tool are not immediately self evident by looking at it, and most of its magic occurs at the level of software rather than hardware. As a result, there appears to be a fair amount of confusion in the GS-911 owner's forums, as to exactly what the device is, and is not, capable of. Therefore, I believe it will be useful to begin with a brief and concise list of what this device will and won't let you do.

Based on my own experiences, here's what the GS-911 is:

1. A tool that allows you to read fault codes stored within the memory of the various computers built into your bike.
2. It must be used in combination with a proprietary software application running on a laptop PC or certain mobile phones. The GS-911 has no built in display and is therefore not useful in a "standalone" mode. The software will generally display the meaning of those codes in fairly intelligible English, but any interpretation of the cause of the fault is up to the user. This is an important point that's worth re-reading. Also see item 1 in the next list below.
3. It also allows you to erase existing fault codes from the bike computers' memory. Once gone, they're gone forever. However, if the condition reoccurs, the fault code will show up again the next time the codes are read.
4. It can display realtime values reported from the bike's engine computer based on the condition of the engine, and various switches and sensors. For example, if your bike refuses to start because the sidestand switch is stuck, this display is helpful in verifying that sort of condition.
5. It can perform some miscellaneous but important tasks associated with routine service procedures, such as resetting the date and/or mileage at which the service warnings will next appear on your bike's display.
6. New features are being added to the software by the manufacturer all the time, and the updates have generally been free to existing owners.

What the GS-911 is not:

1. A service technician. As discussed above, the GS-911 is only reading codes stored in your bike's computers, which they have generated on their own based on the conditions that they have detected at some point in the past. What those fault codes mean, and what their actual underlying cause is, is up to you to determine. (Or your qualified BMW dealer's technicians). Some codes are self-explanatory, as you'll see in this walkthrough. Some may not be. If in doubt, you should clearly consult with qualified help.
2. A bike-computer programmer. It is very frequently asked whether the GS-911 is capable of performing the coding tasks necessary to add new equipment to a bike, or replace defective electronic equipment, such as Alarm systems, instrument clusters, failed ZFE or BMS-K computer units, tire pressure sensors, and so forth. As of this writing, these devices have to be properly "introduced" to the other computers on your bike using BMW's own diagnostic computers and software before they will function, and these are available only to the dealer network. The developers of the GS-911 have stated fairly clearly that these tasks are beyond the realm of uses this device is designed for.

[andrewsi]

The GS-911 tool hardware, in brief:

It's really beyond the scope of this article to go into the variety of ways you can hook up your GS-911 to your computer. Hexcode's website and help materials go into plenty of detail on that, but in short, you have the following decisions to make when you purchase the tool, which have a corresponding effect on the price:

• USB connection only, vs. USB connection and Bluetooth
• Enthusiast version (limited to 10 unique VINs for service/maintenance functionality), vs. Pro version (no limit.)

The tool comes with the necessary USB cable. You do have to download the latest version of the software directly from Hexcode's website. Your GS-911's serial number is required in order to download the software from the site. In the future, you can check for updates directly within the software on the "About" menu.

In this walkthrough, we'll be focusing on the Windows version of the GS-911 software, but it's worth noting that if you purchased the Bluetooth version, you may also be able to make use of one of the various versions of the software written for mobile phones, which operate in a very similar fashion to the Windows version. The Bluetooth versions can come in very handy for roadside diagnosis when you may not have a laptop handy, but you very likely do have your cellphone nearby. The mobile versions have no VIN limit, as they're basically limited to fault code diagnosis (i.e. emergency situations) and don't include the service/maintenance functionality of the Windows version.

The Windows version is supported on Windows XP (minimum SP2/SP3), Windows Vista, and Windows 7, the latter two being supported under both 32-bit and 64-bit mode.

There is no Mac-specific version of the software, but the software can be run successfully using Boot Camp to a Windows OS, or with Windows virtualization solutions such as Parallels Desktop for Mac or VMWare Fusion.

As of this writing, there are mobile versions for Windows Mobile 5/6.x, Blackberry, and certain Java-capable phones. There is no iPhone version available, evidently due to a lack of Bluetooth access in the iPhone software development tools. An Android 2 version is rumored to be on the horizon.

For further frequently asked questions about the GS-911 system, it'd be best to refer directly to Hexcode's FAQ page.

[andrewsi]

Where Do I Plug This Thing In?

Remove the seats from your bike, and disconnect any seat heater wires as required. This is covered in the walkthrough on RT plastic removal. (Separate link for 2005 ST model here.)

Underneath the seat, you will find the diagnostic connector for your motorcycle. It has a round plastic cap, simply twist counterclockwise to remove it. Set it aside.

[andrewsi]

The GS-911 only plugs into the connector one way. Once it's attached to the socket, twist the connector ring to lock it in place. The LED on the device should light up. On the R1200 RT, it lights up even if the bike is turned off, but your mileage may vary. However, you must also now turn the ignition key to the On position in order for the software to communicate with the various modules of the bike. With the GS-911 connected and the ignition switch on, you can now connect the USB cable to the GS-911 and your computer, and start the GS-911 software.

[andrewsi]

Starting the software and selecting your bike:

At this point, we will assume that you have successfully connected the GS-911, any necessary USB drivers have been installed, and the software is able to find your device.

The menu operation of the GS-911 software is quite self-explanatory:

First, you select your bike series: (I'll choose the "R" series.)

[andrewsi]

Next, your model within the R Series (I'll choose R1200RT):

[andrewsi]

At this stage, the GS-911 will actually establish communications with your bike, and you will be offered the opportunity to turn off your headlights for this session. This may help conserve your battery since the ignition key will be in the on position during the diagnostic session.

[andrewsi]

Finally, we're getting to some meat:

Now that the software knows what bike we're working with, it offers you a menu of the available controllers that it can communicate with. Each one diagnoses its own systems, and stores its own fault codes. Therefore, to completely check your bike out, you have to read the fault codes from each controller individually, and take action if necessary. After completing your work with one, we'll come back here, and choose the next in line.

Note that options may be presented here which do not actually exist on your particular motorcycle, such as the alarm system, or the tire pressure monitor. Selecting those will, as you would expect, result in an error when nothing responds to the GS-911's queries. Don't worry, you won't break anything if you do.

The last option, Special Functions, will be used later to reset the service reminders.

[andrewsi]

Reading the Engine Computer (BMS-K) Fault Codes:

After selecting one of the controllers (in this example, the engine computer), you will be presented with this menu, which offers you the options relevant to that unit. Most of the units will only offer the ability to read the ECU info (manufacture date, software version numbers, and so forth), read any error codes, and erase the error codes.

The Engine Computer has more options than most, several of which we'll be using later in this walkthrough.

• Realtime values allows you to view the state of many of the bike's sensors and switches, as discussed earlier. It also allows you to graph the Lambda sensor values in realtime, which are used to control emissions. Values of any selected sensors can also be saved to a .CSV file for plotting in Excel.
• Output tests is a fairly new feature which allows you to send commands to various parts of the bike such as the fuel pump, injectors, and idle actuators, which will make some kind of noise or vibration if they're functioning properly.
• Adaptation is primarily for the 2010 RT and GS models (and the S1000RR) which have a servo-driven exhaust flap. This function allows the bike to re-learn the endpoints of the servo's travel.
• We'll be using the Idle actuator calibration and Engine synchronization features shortly.

[andrewsi]

And the results, please...

After selecting Read fault codes, the GS-911 will talk to your BMS-K, and after a few moments, the right side of the screen finally shows some useful information. Under most normal circumstances, you will hopefully see the same results as shown below. Namely, there are no fault codes found, and nothing more to see here.

[andrewsi]

ZFE (Central Computer) fault codes:

In the screen below, I've backed up to the R1200RT menu, and selected the Central Vehicle Electronics, also known as the ZFE module.

In the particular case of my bike, I am virtually always presented with this benign fault code related to my brake lights. This is expected, because I have the Kisan Tailblazer brakelight flashers installed on my bike. Even though I have the appropriate Canbus-compatible version of these flashers, when the bike has just been started, activating my brake lights will cause the yellow "brake lights failed" warning to flash on my instrument panel in time with the flashing of the brake lights. After the bike warms up for a few minutes, presumably the battery recharges a bit, and for whatever reason, this causes the warning light to stop its flashing for the remainder of the ride.

(As an aside, Kisan claims this shouldn't occur and sent me new units, but the new ones behaved the same, and it doesn't really hurt anything, so I left it alone and didn't pursue the nuisance warnings further.)

However, this does make for an instructive example, as you can now see that reading the fault codes in the ZFE unit shows a "Brake Light Open Circuit" fault, and further, the fault is NOT present now, indicating that one of the brake lights was out at some point in the past but is not detected as such at the moment (because I'm not squeezing the brake lever.)

This is where your own troubleshooting skills, or those of your mechanic, may be required. So far as I am aware, Hexcode does not publish a full list of the known error codes that you may see on any given model of BMW, or what help or suggestions might be provided in each case for resolving the fault, so there really isn't a resource for examining all of the possibilities you may ever encounter in advance. However, Hexcode does have a nice Google email group for discussing how to deal with a particular fault, and they also have a good tech support department, who I would hope may have some experience in interpreting the various codes that may be shown.

To date, I haven't (thankfully!) seen many meaningful faults shown beyond the brake light example shown here. The GS-911 has pointed out on a few occasions that I turned the bike on in a disassembled state without reattaching the ambient air temperature sensor at the front right of the bike, which was another easily interpreted code. As a result, I've personally never needed to investigate any more obscure failures that were harder to interpret...perhaps some others who have had more interesting failures can chime in on this thread about their experiences in fault code interpretation?

[andrewsi]

Clearing the fault codes:

In any event, clearing the fault codes from the selected unit is now simply a matter of choosing the Clear Fault Codes option. Before you do this, though, THINK HARD!

The software will ask for confirmation before clearing the codes. However, when you clear the codes from the bike's memory, they're gone forever. In the case of an intermittent fault, you may not be able to easily reproduce the problem (which would cause the code to show up in memory again). If the underlying issue the fault code represents is something you need your local dealer's service department to deal with, you would be much better off simply leaving the existing codes in memory intact, so that they can read the codes with their own equipment and take the appropriate action.

In effect, by clearing the codes, you are irrevocably removing the proof that there was ever a problem to begin with. If you're considering warranty coverage of a problem, this clearly is not something you want to do. However, you may be able to have a productive conversation with the dealer's service department ahead of time, since you can now tell them exactly what code you're seeing before you ever bring the bike in, and as a result they should have some idea of what the appropriate next steps will be before you arrive.

Therefore, only clear the codes when you're certain that the problem they represent is something you fully understand, and that you have appropriately rectified.

After clearing my brake light fault codes, you can now see that my ZFE reports that there are no codes to be found:

[andrewsi]

Throttle Body Synchronization with the GS-911

Another article in this subforum (here) discusses the procedure for performing throttle body synchronization on the hexhead engines. You can think of this section as an addendum (actually, a "foreword", since it needs to be performed first) to that procedure.

You will sometimes hear the dealer claim that throttle body sync "can't" be done outside the shop because of the need to use their special diagnostic equipment. With a GS-911, that's no longer a true statement. The throttle bodies contain small computer-controlled "idle actuators" which let a small amount of air/fuel mixture bypass the main butterflies and injectors when they're completely closed (i.e. at idle.) Based on how the engine is running, the engine computer adjusts the stepper motors in the idle actuators to keep the engine running satisfactorily. However, this has the effect of making throttle body calibration at idle somewhat unpredictable because the idle actuators are changing position constantly, and are not necessarily at the same position at the same time. Once the throttle comes off idle, the idle actuators are no longer relevant in the balance of the throttle bodies.

The only purpose of this feature in the GS-911 is to send a command to the engine computer to freeze the idle actuators into a fixed and matched position so that throttle body synchronization can be accurately performed at idle. As Semper_Fi and Deilenberger point out in the other walkthrough on this topic, however, you don't really tune the engine for its idle performance, you tune it for what it's doing when you're driving down the road. At the end of the day, this function, while ensuring the best possible accuracy, probably doesn't have a huge effect on the outcome of your TB synchronization. (I'd be more than happy to hear evidence to the contrary, however.)

The first step is to make sure that the engine computer has accurately determined the "closed" point of the idle actuators. Do this with the "Idle Actuator Calibration" menu option. This will simply ensure that the idle actuators are moved to a known position, and that the engine computer knows what reading from the position sensor on each one corresponds to that location. There is some anecdotal evidence that it's possible for these sensor values to drift slightly over time, leading to an inaccurate picture in the engine computer's mind of exactly how open the idle actuators are. There's no evidence to suggest that this is a major or widespread issue, it's really more of a nit - If you have any idle roughness not attributable to other causes such as valve adjustment, a quick recalibration may help alleviate the issue, and it certainly won't hurt anything.

[andrewsi]

Throttle Body Sync, part 2:

Now we're actually ready to do the TB sync, and we'll lock the idle actuators to a fixed and matched position.

• Choose the "Engine Synchronization" menu item on the BMS-K/Engine Computer screen.
• Make sure you follow the listed steps before pressing the button (e.g., the engine has been warmed up, but before pressing the button, you've set the bike ignition on but the engine is not running.)
• Push the "Lock Idle Actuators"button.
• Zero the calibration on your Twinmax per the recommended procedure.
• Start the bike up again and go adjust the TB sync with your TwinMax.
• When you complete the TB sync procedure, you should click OK on the dialog to let the software know you've completed the process. Also, do not turn off the bike until told to do so. This allows the GS-911 to issue the "unlock" command to the idle actuators.

[andrewsi]

Time to Button 'Er Up

So we've checked and cleared all the codes in all the computers, our oil's nice and clean again, and we're ready to finish up. The last thing you're going to want to do before disconnecting your GS-911 is to turn off that darned "SERVICE" reminder!

This is a very simple step with the GS-911. At the bottom of the menu of RT functions, choose the option labeled "Special Functions". This will take you to the screen below. Then choose "Service Reminder".