gs -911 - the emergency diagnostic tool fo r bmw … · • r1200c/cl • r1150gs/adv • ......

GS-911 - The emergency diagnostic tool for BMW motorcycles.

Bedienungsanleitung GS-911 - The emergency diagnostic tool for BMW motorcycles.

©Touratech AG / Martin Heim

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TOPIC:

1. PREFACE SITE 3

2. MODELS THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY GS-911 SITE 4

3. HOW DO THE PROFESSIONAL AND ENTHUSIAST VERSIONS DIFFER? SITE 5

4. DOWNLOAD SOFTWARE SITE 6

5. INSTALL THE SOFTWARE SITE 7

a. HOW DO I INSTALL THE GS-911 SOFTWARE AND USB DRIVER ON WINDOWS XP? SITE 7

b. HOW TO INSTALL THE MOBILE VERSION AN A WINDOWS MOBILE 5/6 POCKET PC DEVICE? SITE 8

c. HOW TO INSTALL THE MOBILE APPLICATION ON A BLACKBERRY SITE 9

d. HOW TO INSTALL THE MOBILE APPLICATION ON SYMBIAN MOBILE PHONE SITE 10

6. CONNECT THE GS-911 WITH THE BIKE: SITE 11

7. THE GS-911 APPLICATION SITE 12

a. INTRODUCTION TO GS-911 SITE 12

b. THE SETUP SCREEN SITE 14

c. THE ABOUT SCREEN SITE 16

d. USING GS-911 SITE 18

8. GENERAL (EMERGENCY) FUNCTIONALITY SITE 21

9. SERVICE & MAINTENANCE FUNCTIONS SITE 26

10. STAYING UP TO DATE SITE 27

11. STAYING UP TO DATE SITE 29

12. CONTACTING HEX CODE SITE 32



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1. PREFACE

The GS-911 is a unique combination of hardware and software that lets BMW motorbike owners

read and also clears the bike's fault memory on the road without a trip to a specialist workshop. This

easy-to-use device can be read via Bluetooth on a Symbian or Windows mobile phone, or via USB

cable or Bluetooth on a PC/laptop/netbook. The software is available for download after registering

on the manufacturer's website www.hexcode.co.za.

The GS-911 provides the following features:

Emergency functions (mobile and PC):

• Read ECU information (control unit hardware and software version, date of manufacture and

other manufacturer information)

• Read the fault memory (fault and error codes) and clear the fault memory

• Read and store real-time data

Service and maintenance functions (only with the PC software):

• Test function, e.g. testing the lambda sensor

• Set the service interval (motorbike display, e.g. R 1200 GS, shows when the next service is

due)

• The extent of this function depends on the motorcycle. The versatile testing capabilities are

constantly being added to.



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Models that are supported by GS-911:

R-Series

• R1200GS/ADV • R1200GS HP2 Enduro • R1200GS HP2 Megamoto • R1200R • R1200RT • R1200S • R1200S HP2 • R1200ST • R1200C/CL • R1150GS/ADV • R1150R • R1150RS • R1150RT • R1100S • R850C • R850R • R850RT

K-Series

• K1200GT/K1300GT • K1200R/K1300R • K1200R Sport • K1200S/K1300S • K1200LT • K1200RS

F-Series

• F800GS • F650GS (2 Zylinder) • F800R • F800S • F800ST • F650GS • F650 GS Dakar • F650CS

G-Series

• G650Xchallenge • G650Xcountry • G650Xmoto • G650GS • G450X

C-Series

• C1 • C1-200



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2. HOW DO THE PROFESSIONAL AND ENTHUSIAST VERSIONS DIFFER?

Starting in 2009, we are adding Service & Maintenance functionality to GS-911. Along with this we are differentiating between a GS-911 Enthusiast version and a GS-911 Professional version.

The only limitation that the Enthusiast version has is that the Service Functionality is limited to 10 motorcycles - this is done using each motorcycles unique VIN. This DOES NOT apply to the pre-2009 "Emergency functionality" (Reading ECU info, reading and clearing Fault codes and real-time values). These, you can run on as many motorcycles as you wish.. without the VIN limitation coming into play at all - We don't want to prevent you from helping your stranded buddy at the roadside...

The Enthusiast/Professional differences only affect the PC/Laptop software, as the Service & Maintenance functionality is added ONLY to the PC/Laptop software (i.e. the Mobile software will remain an "Emergency Diagnostic Tool" with the current reading of ECU information, the reading and clearing of Fault codes and Real-time values) and thus remain status quo (and if that was not clear enough yet.. There is NO VIN LIMIT on the Emergency functionality, hence you can use it on a gazillion motorcycles... ;-) )

For more information on the VIN limitiation, please see the VINlimit page:

http://www.hexcode.co.za/products/gs-911/vinlimit

And for upgrade options (from Enthusiast to Professional version), pls see the FAQ:

How do I upgrade to the Professional version?

http://www.hexcode.co.za/products/gs-911/support/faq/how-do-i-upgrade-to-the-

professional-version



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4. DOWNLOAD SOFTWARE

The latest Software version you can download after registration at the www.Hexcode.co.za

homepage.

You can read the serial number and checksum from the label on your GS-911 interface you need for

registration:

http://www.hexcode.co.za/signup/:

Follow the instructions at the webpage:



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After Login you will find following downloads:

Installation setup für Windows XP

Installation setup für Windows Mobile 5&6 SmartPhone (without touch-screen)

Installation setup for Windows Mobile 5&6 Pocket PC (with touch-screen)

Installion setup für Black Berry devices

Installion setup for Symbian Handys (Java mobile) (typical Nokia, Motorola etc.)

5. INSTALL THE SOFTWARE

a. HOW DO I INSTALL THE GS-911 SOFTWARE AND USB DRIVER ON

WINDOWS XP?

This shows a step-by-step guide of how to install the software and USB driver for GS-911

Installing the GS-911 Windows Software:

1. Make sure NOT to plug the interface into the PC USB port before installing the GS-911

software – Windows will try and load the USB driver automatically, and while doing so,

WILL load the incorrect driver.

2. Download the latest version of the GS-911 software. Install the GS-911 software by following

the easy prompts – take note where you install this – the default is C:\Program Files\GS-911

3. As of Beta 903.6, the USB driver is installed automatically - no need to do anything else!

4. Once successfully installed, connect your GS-911 interface to your PC and test it (Tools-

>Setup->[Test interface] )

5. You are now ready to use your GS-911

Manually installing the USB driver is NO LONGER REQUIRED as of Beta 903.6 (highly

recommended) - the GS-911 installer installs the USB driver AUTOMATICALLY!



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b. HOW TO INSTALL THE MOBILE VERSION AN A WINDOWS MOBILE 5/6

POCKET PC DEVICE?

This How-To will show how to install the Windows Mobile application on a Windows Mobile 5

Pocket PC edition (WM5 PPC) device. This differs from the Windows Mobile 5 SmartPhone

edition devices in that the Pocket PC devices have a touch-screen where the Smart-Phone

devices do not...

PLEASE NOTE: this is for Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC and not for Windows Mobile 5 or 6

Smartphone (Windows Mobile 5 & 6 Smartphone version can be found here)

Setting up the Bluetooth on your Windows Mobile 5 device

Start Menu -> Settings -> Connections Tab -> Bluetooth

To pair:

Make sure the GS-911 interface is powered (Green LED is on), by powering it from either USB or

by connecting it to the Motorcycle

-> Devices Tab -> New Partnership -> select GS-911 device -> [Next] -> enter passkey of "0000"

(four zero's) -> [Next] -> make sure Serial Port Services is ticked -> [Finish]

To set up a Bluetooth COM port:

-> COM ports Tab -> New Outgoing Port -> Select GS-911 device -> [Next] -> Select COM port and

remember it -> [Finish]

To install GS-911 for Windowns Mobile:

You can install GS911WM5 by either

downloading the .CAB install file here and using your Active Sync or Windows Mobile Device

Center (from Vista) to install it, or

by pointing your internet browser to :

http://www.hexcode.co.za/products/gs-911/software/GS-911WM5-PPC-709-1.CAB

Using your phone's browser, you will have to log in with your HEX Portal username and password

too - however your browser will prompt you to do this when you go to the link above.

It should install and end with a message like "GS-911WM5.CAB was successfully installed on your

device"

If you are having any hassles with installing a .CAB file, pls have a look at this helpful tutorial from

Pocket PC Central

To setup the bluetooth connection and test it:

Now launch the GS-911 application and accept the License Agreement.

In the main screen, select [Menu] -> Setup -> Select the COM port you chose in your Bluetooth

settings, and [Apply and test]

This should result in the listing of the GS-911 device's version, K-line Status, Serial No., etc..

Now you're ready to go!!!



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c. HOW TO INSTALL THE MOBILE APPLICATION ON A BLACKBERRY

Detailed instructions on what to download, how to install it and how to configure it ...for a

BlackBerry

Here's how to set it up...

Most new BlackBerries (running BlackBerry smartphone software 4.2.1 or newer) can run Java

midlet applications (and are JSR-82 compliant). Read the related FAQ on using the GS-

911Verifier, to test whether your device is JSR-82 compliant: How will I know whether it will work

on my mobile phone?

To determine what OS version you're currently running, click the Options icon on your BlackBerry

home screen and select About.

If your BlackBerry is JSR-82 compliant, we strongly recommend that you run the mobile Java

application.

If your BlackBerry is not JSR-82 compliant, then you will have to run the native BlackBerry

application... read on:

(Version v1.19 see Revision History for Mobile Application)

1. Download the application from the software page (it is a ZIP file and requires Validated Customer

status): GS911MobileBlackBerry_v119.zip

2. Extract the ZIP file and install the application with the BlackBerry device manager.

3. Ensure that Bluetooth is turned on.

4. Then go to Options/Bluetooth. Select Add device from the menu.

5. Pair with the GS911 interface (make sure it's plugged in to USB or bike). If a pin code is

requested, use "0000".

6. Then run the GS911Mobile application.

7. Select Setup from the menu.

8. Select "Search for devices" from the menu.

9. Choose the GS911-xxxx device from the list provided.

10. Select "Select device" from the menu.

11. Select "Test device" from the menu to confirm that everything is working OK.

12. Everything else should be more or less the same as described in the normal Mobile Setup How-

To



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d. HOW TO INSTALL THE MOBILE APPLICATION ON SYMBIAN MOBILE PHONE

It must be a Normal phone that runs Java applications and has bluetooth (like most typical Nokia, Sony

Ericsson, Samsung etc.) - These must be JSR-82 compliant (not all are!) - you should check your phones

compatibility with GS-911Verifier (read below)

For installation download the software and save on the storage card of the mobile phone. Insert the

storage card into the mobile phone. Open the file manager and activate the setup „GS911 Mobile.jar“.



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5. CONNECT THE GS-911 WITH THE BIKE:

This shows a graphic representation of how to connect the GS-911 to the BMW motorcycle's

diagnostic connector.

First you would like to know what to search for... You are looking for the round 10-pin diagnostic

connector. This link also shows some of the various locations of the 10-pin diagnostic connector.

Once you have located your diagnostic connector, remove the Cap of the diagnostic connector.

1. Make sure your interface is the correct side up and the connector ring twisted as far left as

possible. Make sure the ignition is OFF at this point and the USB cable preferably not

connected to the GS-911 interface at this point.

2. Align the receptacle correctly (with the red tab at the bottom), and insert.

3. Finally, twist the connector ring as far right as possible, to lock it in place.

4. Connect the USB cable, if using USB.

The procedure to disconnect, is the reverse of the above steps.



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7. THE GS-911 APPLICATION

This section describes the GS-911 application, it's general layout as well as it's general use.

a. INTRODUCTION TO GS-911

This depicts the general screen layout of GS-911

The GS-911 basic screen layout

GS-911 is designed with simplicity in mind.

The Menu bar

The Menu bar consists of File, Tools and Help

• File o Exit: to exit the application

• Tools o Setup: choose connection type, unit selection (Celsius/Fahrenheit and

km/miles), as well as Test and get information on your GS-911 interface o Check for Updates : if your PC is connected to the internet, it will check

whether there is an updated version available for download • Help

o View License: Views your GS-911 End User License Agreement (EULA) o Online help: Links to the Manuals section on the hexcode.co.za website

(internet access required) o About: shows information about your GS-911 version, your interface details

(serial number, firmware version and whether your interface is Bluetooth enabled), contact information of your Reseller, and the VINlimit list (only for the Enthusiast version). See the About dialog section for more details.



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The Navigation bar

This shows your current navigation position within the application. See the example below of finding yourself in the "Special Functions" section of a K1200GT:

The Navigation pane

This is where all the fun stuff happens - from this pane you control your GS-911 application. See the "Navigating the GS-911 software" section for more details.

The Status bar

The Status bar shows general status. Here you will find continuous feedback. If you are wondering what happened or t seems nothing is happening, see what your status bar says...

The Progress bar and communication indicator

This is a continuous progress bar... when something is busy or in progress, this will be moving. When there is communication between the interface and the PC, this is shown by a alternately blinking red/green indicator button. See the animated GIF below.

Quick links to information on the website

These point you to the Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.), User Manuals and How-To sections, respectively.

Version and link to Website

Once you have started the GS-911 application, a mere glance at the Contents window shows you what version of the software you are using.



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b. THE SETUP SCREEN

This page describes the [Setup] function button in more detail

The Setup screen can be found under Tools, in the Menu bar. This window will also be shown by default, after a new installation (including upgrades). This allows you to test and set up the connection to your GS-911 interface, as well as configure the units of measurement.

The Setup window has 4 functions:

Select connection method

• This is USB by default, and we recommend that you keep it that way. The only reason to choose a COM port would be to set up a Virtual COM Port for your Bluetooth connection. Please Note that although we give you this ability, connecting the PC-based GS-911 application to a bluetooth enabled GS-911 interface is NOT officially supported. The reason for this is simple - there are a myriad of bluetooth drivers, and most of them are very buggy, and we just don't have the spare time to support any or all of these drivers! However, if you are a power user and have the ability to set up a Virtual COM Port, then it is a formality to get it connected to the GS-911 application - just choose the correct Virtual COM Port!

Measurements

• Here you select whether temperatures are shown in Celsius or Fahrenheit, and whether distances are shown in kilometers or miles

Log level

• This is for internal use only. The default is "Trace" - we recommend you leave it set at that.



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[Test interface] button

• This connects to your GS-911 interface via the connection method you chose. If the connection method is correct, then it will show you something similar to the following:

Version:

• The Firmware version running on your GS-911 interface

K-Line status:

• Upon this Test, the diagnostic wiring is tested for shorts to both battery positive and negative (ground). A short on either of the data lines will most definitely inhibit the communication between any control module and the GS-911 interface. Should any or both communication lines be shorted, it will be stated as thus, allowing you to fault-find the harness! Such a short has to be corrected before any communication can take place between the GS-911 interface and any control unit.

Serial No.:

• This is your unique GS-911 Serial number.

Bluetooth support:

• GS-911 comes in two versions, GS-911blu that supports USB and Bluetooth connectivity, and GS-911usb, that supports only USB connectivity. If your interface is of the GS-911blu type, your "Bluetooth support:" will show "Yes"

License Date(mm/yy):

• This is the date on which you interface was licensed by us, and has absolutely nothing to do with your one year period of upgrades.

Build date:

• This shows the build date of the current Firmware version.

Battery Voltage:

• One of the pins on the Diagnostic port is the motorcycle's battery voltage, and the GS-911 interface measures this. This is a good indication whether the interface is correctly plugged into the motorcycle, and of the battery status. Keep in mind that most control units will NOT communicate over the diagnostic bus if the battery voltage is low.



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c. THE ABOUT SCREEN

This sections details the About screen

You will find the About dialog under the Help in the Menu bar. If you do not have a GS-911 connected, you will see the following:

Although this already shows you the version number of your GS-911 software and the contact details of the reseller you purchased the interface from, there is a lot more information, if you have your GS-911 interface connected... if you had it connected, or connect it now and then press the [Interface information] button, you should see one of the following About dialogs (depending on whether you have an Enthusiast of Professional version). For more information, see the FAQ: How do the Professional and Enthusiast versions differ?



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The one on the left shows the About dialog you will see if you have a Professional version, while the one on the right is the one you will see if you have an Enthusiast version. Both show you:

• Your GS-911 software version : 904.1 in this case • Your GS-911 Interface information : your interface's serial number (GS40000202-

709E and GS60000101-68DA for our examples respectively), whether his interface supports a Bluetooth connection (Yes for both our examples), as well as the Firmware version of your interface (0.13.A for the one and 0.14.C for the other)

• Your Reseller contact information : the contact details of the reseller through which your GS-911 was purchased (this is where you will find First tier support)

In addition, the Enthusiast About dialog has 2 more imported details:

• The [Upgrade to Professional version] button : this is how you can upgrade your Enthusiast interface to a Professional one at ANY time after you have purchased it! simply click the button, and it will take you to the payment gateway that will facilitate the payment of the upgrade fee. Thereafter simply follow the clear instructions... read more on the upgrade information page.

• The VIN list : very importantly, it shows the VIN numbers that have been associated with this interface, and thus the amount of free slots (more VIN numbers that can be added - zero in the example above, as all 10 VIN slots are populated). This is the VIN limit, that the Enthusiast versions are subject to. The VIN limit ONLY comes into play when using service functions - thus service functionality on Enthusiast versions is limited to 10 motorcycles. This has NO impact on the so-called "Emergency Functionality" which is the reading of ECU information, Reading and Clearing of ALL fault codes as well as real-time values of Engine Control units. Read more on the VIN limit .



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d. USING GS-911

This section elaborates on the basic functions of your GS-911 software

Selecting a Series and Model

From the main screen, select a Series (R, F, K, G or C), followed by specific model within the Series you selected. As example, let us assume you selected the F-Series, then you will be presented with the following Model selection:

For the sake of the demonstration, we are going to use the F800GS as example in the sections that follow. It should be noted that functions are dependent on the model and type of Control Unit, for instance the F650GS/Dakar will not have exactly the same real-time values, as the F800GS and the Service & Maintenance functions will differ too, as these have very different Control Units!

Once you have selected the F800GS, you will be presented with a list of it's possible Control Units. Once again, it should be pointed out that this does NOT necessarily mean that your model has ALL of these Control Units fitted!



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Special functions

On the same Navigation pane that all of the possible Control Units are listed, you might find an entry termed "Special functions". These are generally Service & Maintenance functions that either do not belong a single Control Unit, or that one would want easier accessible (rather than navigating through all of the Control Units. These "Special functions" are highly dependent on the Model, Series and type of Control Unit. Some "Special functions" are listed below:

• Service reminder (allows you to set the date of your motorcycle, the date of the next service due, and the Odometer reading of the next service due)

• Distance to valve check (for all CAN-bus K- and F-Series models - not really used anymore, since BMW did away with the special check, and incorporated it on the fixed service intervals again)

• Brake wear check (only for the CAN-bus K1200GT model - checking and resetting the Brake-pad Wear Indicator)



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Service reminders

The service reminder will automatically be canceled (after the ignition is cycled) if the new "distance to next service", is more than 1000km from the current odometer reading, and the "date of the next service" is more than one month in the future.

Looking at the screen capture above, the Service reminder functionality is made up of 3 functions, namely:

• Motorcycle date: It would be pointless to have a date assigned to the Service reminder, if the current motorcycle date was incorrect. The top function allows you to set the current motorcycle date. The default is the current PC date, and the time is automatically set to that of the current PC time, hence it is CRITICAL that the PC date and time should be correct! As the motorcycle date is critical to the Service date, the application will highlight a warning (in RED), should the motorcycle date and PC date not be identical!

• Next service due date: The second function shows the date of the Service reminder as it is currently saved in the motorcycle memory, followed by the function to select a new date. Although the default is 1 year from the current date, this can be set to ANY future date (further than 1 month from the current date)

• Next service due at odometer: The third function shows, both the current odometer reading, followed by the value of the service due that is currently saved in the motorcycle memory, followed by the function to set the odometer value on which the next service is due. Although the default value is 10,000km ahead of the current odometer reading, this can be set to any value larger than the current odometer value. The units of measure are either miles of kilometer, depending on your selection in the Setup window (Tools -> Setup)



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8. GENERAL (EMERGENCY) FUNCTIONALITY

Most Control units follow similar structures. These generally are :

• ECU information • Read / Clear Fault codes • Real-time values • followed by Control Unit specific Service & Maintenance functions

The ECU info, Read/Clear Fault codes and Real-time values, are seen as the General functions, and are also referred to as the Emergency functions. Independent of whether you have the Professional or the Enthusiast version of the PC software, these "Emergency" functions can be used on an UNLIMITED number of motorcycles. Only the "Service & Maintenance" functions are limited for use on a maximum of 10 motorcycles when using the Enthusiast version (unlimited for the Professional version). The "Professional version" section later on in the User Manual has more information.

Let's take a closer look at the General/Emergency functions (once again using the F800GS as an example).

Read ECU information: shows part numbers, version numbers etc. See the screen capture below for the ECU info of the Engine Control Unit for F800GS example:



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Read Fault codes: reads the fault codes (DTC's - Diagnostic Trouble Codes) and displays their number and meaning in clear text. See the screen capture below for a typical Fault code readout of the Engine Control Unit for the F800GS example:

Clear Fault codes: this function is used to clear fault codes. It should be noted that fault codes are again read after the command to clear them was successfully issued. This then shows any fault codes that could not be cleared. If any codes are shown, this means that the Control Unit detected that the specific fault was still present in the system (fault was NOT rectified), and the Control Unit could NOT clear the fault. There are NO codes that cannot be cleared... however some have to be rectified (fixed) before they can be successfully cleared... quite obvious... if you think about it...

Real-time values: This function shows the "live" data for the Control Unit. Once again this depends a lot on the type of controller as well as the model and series of the motorcycle. See the screen captures below for the real-time values of the Engine Control Unit of the F800GS example:



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The screen captures above depict "Input signals", "Output signals", "Digital outputs" and "Switch positions". At the top of the Real-time data pane, are 2 buttons, one that will allow you to log a .CSV (please note this file is semi-colon (";") delimited) file of ALL of the real-time values, so that you can manipulate, graph and study these to your heart's content.

The "Plot O2" button, graphs the Lambda (O2) sensor voltage in real-time. This is a fantastic way of evaluating the function of your Lambda system. Please Note, that the functionality of your Lambda system should ONLY be evaluated once the engine is at operating temperature (around 80 degrees Celsius) - there is absolutely NO point in making conclusions about your lambda system's functionality if the engine has not yet reached operating temperature! Quite the contrary, you will most probably make an incorrect conclusion when evaluating it during it's warm-up phase (Note to the interested reader - there is no harm watching the plot during the warm-up phase. Please feel free to do so, and you will see first hand why one cannot evaluate this functionality during warm-up).

A functional Lambda control system will show a graph that varies around the green reference lines (typically having turning points lower than 200mV and higher than 650mV to 700mV). A typical functional Lambda graph will look as follows:

Some points to note on evaluating your Lambda graph:

• The higher the value, the richer the mixture. • Contrary, the lower the value, the leaner the mixture • a flat line at any level (at operating temperature) depicts a faulty Lambda operation • jumping from approx. 200 mV to approx. 650/700 mV depicts a correctly functioning

Lambda control system



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As the Boxer engine of the CAN-bus based R1200 has a Lambda sensor in the header pipe of each cylinder, this can be used to evaluate the functionality of the individual cylinders. For this purpose, we graph the O2 sensor voltages for both cylinder 1 and cylinder 2 on a single graph. Using this method, relative offsets can easily be detected. See the screen capture of a R1200GS HP2 below:



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9. SERVICE & MAINTENANCE FUNCTIONS

As of (release) version 904, we have introduced Service & Maintenance functionality. This functionality will be enhanced in each future release. To see a "roadmap" of the planned functionality, please see the "GS-911 Roadmap" link in the "quick links" section of the website.

To see what functionality is supported in any current release, you should study the Function Chart (linked from the "quick links" section of the website).

Besides the "Special functions" detailed in an earlier section, current service functionality also includes:

• Idle Actuator Calibration (for all CAN-bus R1200 models - sets the zero position of both idle actuators, and is one of the requirements to correct poor idle on these specific R1200 models)

• Full Service functionality for ABS-N (fitted to single cylinder F650 and C1 motorcycles). This includes Brake Bleed tests for both front and rear circuits. (Support for other ABS systems will follow - see the "GS-911 Roadmap")

Professional version

Starting in 2009, we are adding Service & Maintenance functionality to GS-911. Along with this we are differentiating between a GS-911 Enthusiast version and a GS-911 Professional version.

Comparing the Professional and Enthusiast versions

For an up to date comparison between the Enthusiast and Professional versions, see the Professional vs. Enthusiast Comparison table.

The only limitation that the Enthusiast version has, is that the Service Functionality is limited to 10 motorcycles - this is done using each motorcycles unique VIN. This DOES NOT apply to the pre-2009 "General (Emergency) functionality" (Reading ECU info, Reading/Clearing Fault codes and Real-time values). These, you can run on as many motorcycles as you wish. Without the VIN limitation coming into play at all - We don't want to prevent you from helping your stranded buddy at the roadside...

The Enthusiast/Professional differences only affect the PC/Laptop software, as the Service & Maintenance functionality is added ONLY to the PC/Laptop software (i.e. the Mobile software will remain an "Emergency Diagnostic Tool" with the current reading of ECU information, the reading and clearing of Fault codes and Real-time values) and thus remain status quo (and if that was not clear enough yet.. There is NO VIN LIMIT on the Emergency functionality)

For more information on the VIN limitation, please see the VINlimit page.



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Upgrading an Enthusiast version to the full Professional version

While the Professional version is of course, aimed at the typical repair shop, the Enthusiast version is clearly aimed at the motorcycle owner who wishes to maintain one or more personal motorcycles, with very little chance that he or she would ever need to maintain more than 10 individual motorcycles. However, the Enthusiast version can be upgrade to a Professional version at any point in time, by clicking the [Upgrade to Professional version] button on the about page of any Enthusiast version and following the clear upgrade instructions.

For upgrade options (from Enthusiast to Professional version) and clear instructions, please see the upgrade information page.

10. STAYING UP TO DATE

This page describes the "Check for Update" functionality as well the GS-911 forum and Announce lists

GS-911 is continuously evolving, adding support for more models, support for additional Control Modules and additional functionality to already supported Control Modules.

Keeping your GS-911 software up to date

To be sure you get the best service from your GS-911, you should make sure that you are current with the latest releases. You can check in on the downloads section of the website, or for your convenience, you could check for updates directly from within your GS-911 application!

The prerequisite for this of course, is that you are connected to the internet, and your GS-911 application has the necessary firewall rights (if applicable) to connect to the internet! This function will either tell you that you are using the latest version, or that a new update is available for download...



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Updating the Firmware of your GS-911 interface

Your GS-911 interface is a highly advanced unit, with sophisticated computational power, and the ability to be updated in the field. As new features and functionality are released, from time to time it will become necessary to update the Firmware of your GS-911 interface. This means that your interface has the ability to be updated as new functionality is required, making it as future proof as possible.

This is automatically done (if required) once you click the [Test interface] button in the Setup window after installing an updated PC version of the GS-911 software.



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Can I be notified of updates?

Of course! Release notifications are posted on both the GS-911 Discussion Forum, as well as the GS-911-announce group. Both are email-based and Google hosted.

• GS-911 Discussion Forum : If you wan to receive and/or take part in general GS-911 and BMW motorcycle diagnostic discussions

• GS-911-announce : Subscribers to this group will only receive announcement pertaining to GS-911 software releases and product update notifications

If you are subscribed to the GS-911 Discussion Forum, then it is pointless to subscribe to the GS-911-announce group, as all of the announcements are posted on the GS-911 Discussion Forum as well!

You can subscribe to either of these on the Support Forum page, under the GS-911 products folder in the Navigation tree of the GS-911 website.



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11. HELP AND SUPPORT

This section details the various support avenues for GS-911.

Needing support, where to find it

This page details the support structure for GS-911.

Help, I have a question!

There are some very good Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) section under the Support tab on the GS-911 website. Try them first - chances are your question would be answered there!

Help, how I do...

There is a detailed HowTo section under the Support tab on the GS-911 website! There you will find detailed instructions raging from installing software and drivers to finding your diagnostic connector on your motorcycle...



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Help, my question is not answered in the FAQ or HowTo section

If you have carefully studied the FAQ and HowTo sections on the GS-911 website, then it is time to call in the big guns...

• if you purchased from a reseller, try contacting the reseller first • if you want to contact us directly, do so using the support@ email address on our

"contact us" page

When contacting us, be sure to give as much detail as possible. This would include, but is not limited to the following:

• Your full name/surname • Your GS-911 serial number • Your version of the GS-911 software • The operating system / brand / model / mobile device you are using • A detailed description of the problem you are having.

Please Note: The above is for technical support pertaining to the GS-911 software or hardware, and not for general maintenance or repair support. That is what the GS-911 Discussion forum is there for!



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Help, where do I go for general maintenance and service support

The GS-911 Discussion Forum is the right place to ask for help and to discuss service, maintenance and general discussions that are related to BMW motorcycle diagnostics.

You can subscribe to the email-based (Google-hosted) GS-911 Discussion forum, under the following link:

http://www.hexcode.co.za/products/gs-911/discussionforum

You will also find a link to this Discussion Forum page under the GS-911 products view in the navigation tree of the GS-911 website.

12. CONTACTING HEX CODE

email: [email protected] telephone: +27 21 880-1433

Please consider our time. Every minute is precious, and the more time we can devote to the development of GS-911, the faster new features will be seen! There are a lot of answers in the F.A.Q. and How-To sections! Please help up by studying these sections before contacting us.

gs -911 - the emergency diagnostic tool fo r bmw … · • r1200c/cl • r1150gs/adv • ......

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