Much has been posted about this item. I would like to share my own experience, based on an '06/'07 B11.
With the tank, and airbox off, you have access to this little bundle of hate and frustration (for some).
If it has acted up, pull the electrical connector off, and remove the motor from it's bracket.
The electrical connector has 4 pins in a row. #1 and 4 (the outer ones) should read about 50 ohms with a multimeter. Same for the two inner ones (2 and 3). If it fails this test, you probably need a new one.
Make sure the contacts are clean and sound.
Now, holding it in your hand, plug it back in.
Look through the x-pipe that feeds the two throttle bodies. You should have a clear view.
Turn the ignition on. A small plunger will appear slightly into view from the motor side. This is the cold start position (max air to the throttle bodies for a high idle).
Turn the ignition off. The plunger will run through it's full range of motion, all the way in to a tapered orifice, (the Min Air position, for full operating temperature), and then retract fully, out of sight.
You can hear this if you listen carefully after a shut down.
It draws air from the filtered side of the air box, but just as the throttle bodies get dirty, so will this little guy.
Here is your chance to clan and lubricate it when you do the inner spark plugs, or whatever.
Cycle it a few times and spray cleaner/lube into the x-pipe, then blow it out with compressed air.
Put it all back together, making sure the supply hose from the air box is connected to the fitting at the bottom of the air box . You will get some fault codes that you need to clear from the dash, when you turn the ignition on.
Running without the stepper motor:
My bike came to me diagnosed with a "failed stepper motor". I bypassed the stepper with a balance pipe between the throttle bodies, with a plug in the middle, so no air could migrate back and forth, and left the motor connected to the wiring harness in order to prevent a fault code, then opened the throttle bypass screws, as you would on the previous generation of FI.
Opening the bypass screws(and balancing the TBs) in the area from 120 to 200 degrees, would give me a nice steady idle in one minute or slightly less, with no issues as long as I was running.
On a quick turn-around (gas station), I had to nurse the idle for 10 seconds or so, till the ECU found its groove, then no issues.
Over time I discovered the issue was fouled injectors, from long time storage, and had nothing to do with the stepper. That is when I first lubed the motor, and re-connected it (35,000km). I now show 65,000km, and the stepper motor has never once given me a moment of grief.
This fall, I did the inner plugs and alternator belt, and re lubed the stepper motor while I was in there.
In the spirit of sharing information (this site has been invaluable to me), I hope someone will find this information useful.
With the tank, and airbox off, you have access to this little bundle of hate and frustration (for some).
If it has acted up, pull the electrical connector off, and remove the motor from it's bracket.
The electrical connector has 4 pins in a row. #1 and 4 (the outer ones) should read about 50 ohms with a multimeter. Same for the two inner ones (2 and 3). If it fails this test, you probably need a new one.
Make sure the contacts are clean and sound.
Now, holding it in your hand, plug it back in.
Look through the x-pipe that feeds the two throttle bodies. You should have a clear view.
Turn the ignition on. A small plunger will appear slightly into view from the motor side. This is the cold start position (max air to the throttle bodies for a high idle).
Turn the ignition off. The plunger will run through it's full range of motion, all the way in to a tapered orifice, (the Min Air position, for full operating temperature), and then retract fully, out of sight.
You can hear this if you listen carefully after a shut down.
It draws air from the filtered side of the air box, but just as the throttle bodies get dirty, so will this little guy.
Here is your chance to clan and lubricate it when you do the inner spark plugs, or whatever.
Cycle it a few times and spray cleaner/lube into the x-pipe, then blow it out with compressed air.
Put it all back together, making sure the supply hose from the air box is connected to the fitting at the bottom of the air box . You will get some fault codes that you need to clear from the dash, when you turn the ignition on.
Running without the stepper motor:
My bike came to me diagnosed with a "failed stepper motor". I bypassed the stepper with a balance pipe between the throttle bodies, with a plug in the middle, so no air could migrate back and forth, and left the motor connected to the wiring harness in order to prevent a fault code, then opened the throttle bypass screws, as you would on the previous generation of FI.
Opening the bypass screws(and balancing the TBs) in the area from 120 to 200 degrees, would give me a nice steady idle in one minute or slightly less, with no issues as long as I was running.
On a quick turn-around (gas station), I had to nurse the idle for 10 seconds or so, till the ECU found its groove, then no issues.
Over time I discovered the issue was fouled injectors, from long time storage, and had nothing to do with the stepper. That is when I first lubed the motor, and re-connected it (35,000km). I now show 65,000km, and the stepper motor has never once given me a moment of grief.
This fall, I did the inner plugs and alternator belt, and re lubed the stepper motor while I was in there.
In the spirit of sharing information (this site has been invaluable to me), I hope someone will find this information useful.