[V8] Flash of death - heat related shutdowns

[Mike Arman]

Heat related stopper #1) Had a nasty, ratty, rusty 914 some years back (way back) that would die if 
it got too hot - sitting quietly at the side of the road trying to look cool in your (non-running) 
rusty Porsche doesn't make it . . . replaced the CPU, that solved it long enough for me to unload 
the ****box on some poor deluded wanna-be Porsche owner - just like I was when I got this thing, and 
I am now totally cured.



Heat related stopper #2) BMW motorcycles, late models, have an ignition control module mounted on a 
heat sink. It the special grease gets washed out, the bike stops. "Y'all need to have your ignition 
module re-greased" isn't a scam on these bikes . . .


Dead in the road stopper: Neighbor had a clean, low miles BMW 1200 (twin) for sale, estate sale, 
really horrifying and sad story, and I looked at it for a few moments. It has a "shutdown" feature 
which basically is a "hard lock", if the CPU doesn't like something it sees, the bike just totally 
shuts down and WILL NOT RUN unless it is delivered to a dealer by truck, and the dealer can unlock it.

Theory is that you will do more damage by continuing to run the bike than the truck and service call 
will cost. Not negotiable, no limp home mode, if it says stop, you stop. In the middle of the AlCan 
highway in a snowstorm? Too bad, hope you have AAA.



Knowing the total long-term dependability and durability of expensive and complicated Bosch 
automotive electrical systems, this won't ever be a problem, right? Nah . . .

I see a real market for a simplified wiring harness for these bikes in a few years - no one will be 
able to afford to fix them, and the CPU is probably serialized to the original owner's DNA as an 
anti-theft system.

Best Regards,

Mike Arman
90V8Q