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What is nipple for?
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2011 8:44 pm
by RobMason
After getting my 04 1150R out, and then having the cheapo fuel disconnects break, (I ordered the chrome ones), I came across this tube hanging down, and a nipple on the throttle body. The tubes were hanging on both sides, and these nipples look as if the tubes belong there, but the vehicle was at the dealer for a going over not many miles ago, and I must believe they left them like this on purpose. I tried hooking the tubes on the nipples, and the bike idles at 2000 RPM. What are these things for?, both the tube and the nipple. I looked through the 339 page BMW repair manual, and could find nothing related to these. WTF ???
Any ideas?
BTW, the BMW quick disconnect fuel line inserts are some of the cheapest POS things I have ever seen. The only thing holding it together was the little white plastic part inside. As you can see, very fragile, and dangerous, as fuel was spraying out from the side onto my leg, and exhaust below. The metal quck release appeared to do nothing, it wasn't holding anything. Either that or the dealer put this on as a defective part. The second one was OK, but I am going to replace both.

Re: What is nipple for?
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2011 9:18 pm
by towerworker
That is one clean engine! Miles?
The brass nipples and associated rubber hoses do connect as they are vacuum lines to the charcoal canister that should be on the aft starboard side of your bike. All part of the system that reclaims fuel vapors so your bike doesn't stink up your garage!
Re: What is nipple for?
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 12:47 am
by RobMason
Thanks loads. Perhaps I should put a tie around it.
Re: the quick disconnect, I had to insert a brass pipe, temporarily. Could this cause the idle to go up?
It is an extremely low mileage bike. Like new really.
Re: What is nipple for?
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 10:01 am
by Boxer
You indicated in your post that when you attach the hoses to the TB nipple your idle goes to 2000 rpms. That indicates to me that something may be blocked in your emissions control canister circuit. That may be why they were left OFF the nipples. That whole canister system can be removed and the little nipples just plugged but it can cause the gas smell as Towerworker alluded to above.
I would find out why the dealer left those off at servicing and if it was intentional, why didn't he fix the problem or at least let you know it existed. Your bike should idle at 1100 rpms when warm. And that is WITH the emissions control canister tubes connected.
Re: What is nipple for?
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 10:24 am
by riceburner
With the nipples "open" you're allowing an uncontrolled air feed into the throttle bodies. They need to be either closed off with little caps (as they are in the UK), or connected back to a plenum (or even connected together).
They're used to attached the manometer when you balance the throttle bodies.
Personally - I'd name and shame the shop - that's a real piece of NON-attention to detail that I'd be very pissed off about if it happened to me.
I think you may need to have the TBs balanced again - by someone who knows what they're doing.
FWIW my fuel disconnects are still OE, after 80,000+ miles and regular servicing.
Re: What is nipple for?
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 10:44 am
by sweatmark
Those throttle body nipples need to be capped or reconnected to the appropriate fuel vapor cannister hoses! Otherwise, the motor is running leaner than design due to air ingress.
Guessing that whoever performed the last tune-up & throttle body sync forgot to reattach hoses (or recap nipples if cannisterectomy has been completed for this bike).
Re: What is nipple for?
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 11:42 pm
by RobMason
riceburner wrote:
Personally - I'd name and shame the shop - that's a real piece of NON-attention to detail that I'd be very pissed off about if it happened to me.
.
Shop/Dealer = Moto Marin (formerly BMW of Marin), San Rafael, CA. They closed up a month ago. They were a very reputable shop.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=586176
Re: the quick disconnects, could the engine sputtering when trying to motor along with the engine being fuel starved, pop those hoses off? About 2 minutes after I started up the bike, I got underway, and the engine was idling normally, then the fuel leak began, I pulled over into a gas station, and repaired the bike (removed the quick disconnect and inserted a brass tube, discovered the loose tubes, then reconnected them to the throttle body) before going home. When I arrived home the idle was running high.
Re: What is nipple for?
Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 12:41 am
by iowabeakster
I seriously doubt the engine sputter could have blown the hoses off. I would bet that they just weren't replaced on the TB, by the dealer. I saw my local dealer forget to attach Mark's (you guys remember "mad1150") tubes once.
A 1200 idle isn't really all that fast (1100 being spec, so not far off). Take it for a nice highway ride, to clear any excessive fuel vapors that may be in the charcoal canister.
Read up on doing an idle adjust and TB synch yourself, and adjust if need be. It's not hard, and a very common procedure for an oilhead owner. After a time or two, you can do it in less than 5 minutes. I promise.
Here's the long version of instructions...
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=w ... ew&cad=rja
Instead of Twinmax, you can make something like this...
http://www.powerchutes.com/manometer.asp
Re: What is nipple for?
Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 3:20 am
by riceburner
RobMason wrote:riceburner wrote:
Personally - I'd name and shame the shop - that's a real piece of NON-attention to detail that I'd be very pissed off about if it happened to me.
.
Shop/Dealer = Moto Marin (formerly BMW of Marin), San Rafael, CA. They closed up a month ago. They were a very reputable shop.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=586176
Re: the quick disconnects, could the engine sputtering when trying to motor along with the engine being fuel starved, pop those hoses off? About 2 minutes after I started up the bike, I got underway, and the engine was idling normally, then the fuel leak began, I pulled over into a gas station, and repaired the bike (removed the quick disconnect and inserted a brass tube, discovered the loose tubes, then reconnected them to the throttle body) before going home. When I arrived home the idle was running high.
I suppose a lax mechanic could easily just push the fual disconnects together and not click them together properly. That would cause a leak with the pressurised fuel.
Re: What is nipple for?
Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2011 7:13 am
by Boxer
As far as your QDs go, they are just broke. Probably done by the same tech who left the hoses unattached. Here's what the connection should look like when pulled apart.
That's where your gas was leaking from. Why are there wrench marks on the "male" side of yours?
Re: What is nipple for?
Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2011 8:57 pm
by RobMason
I don't know why the wrench marks are there. The tips of the disconnects, the ones on the inside, were grunged up when I removed them by sliding a small screw driver up the hose and wedged it out. The QD was broken, and one piece was up inside the other end. So I replaced both with metal ones.
The idle is now back to normal

Re: What is nipple for?
Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 1:06 am
by Rikosintie
The QDs are made by Colders Products Company, hence the CPC engraved on the release. CPC makes high quality fittings used by many off road race teams and in thousands of industrial devices. I have used the plastic ones in various projects, mostly QDs so that I can attach my Camel back to my dirt bike helmet, and have never had one break.
I am new to this forum and have already seen a couple complaints about them breaking. I would assume that BMW spec'd the wrong material\size or that a mechanical load gets placed on the qd.
I like the ones you replaced them with, I don't see them breaking! Where did you purchase them from? I am looking at buying a 2002 R1150RA and those would be a nice mod.
Michael
Re: What is nipple for?
Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2011 1:17 am
by Rikosintie
Rob;
Never mind, I saw your next post. Looks like the QDs are problematic! Sorry I said anything about them being high quality.
Michael