I'm on a trip far from home without my main tool set and my '85 K100 has suddenly developed problems including a no start condition. Here's what happened this morning very abruptly:
Turned on key and all dash lights came on nice and bright. But when I pushed the starter button all I heard was the fuel pump running. The engine did NOT crank and the starter did not spin.
Tried it several more times. Turned key on and off and jiggled it. Nothing. Then I put bike in gear and pushed it back and forth a little. Finally it did start normally and instantly. But when I stopped to get gas I got the same no start condition as before. After several tries and more pushing it finally started. Came home and tried to restart it. Nothing. Hasn't started since although I tried several times. The bike started PERFECTLY until this morning.
Last week, however, another problem developed when my turn signals and headlight began to operate erratically. Bike started normally but lights did not work properly. No headlight and turn signals indicator on dash came on but did not flash. High beam indicator flickered. But when I restarted the bike again all lights operated normally. This morning I got the same condition for a couple minutes when the bike was running but then they worked fine again.
What I don't know is whether or not these two problems are related. Possibly the ignition switch is bad?
I should add here that I took the ignition switch apart and cleaned the contacts last fall when I had a no start condition one day. But then my dash lights did not work. Now dash lights work fine and are bright and the battery is fully charged.
Any ideas what might be causing these problems? I'm thinking either ignition switch or possibly starter relay--or possibly both. I'm going out now to buy an electric test meter to see if I'm getting power at the starter relay. I am not hearing a click when I touch the starter button. Only the fuel pump. So maybe no power is getting to the relay. Or maybe power is getting there and the relay isn't working.
I need to fix this myself and sure would appreciate you guys' input on these problems. I'm 400 miles from home and need to fix it to get back there. Any parts I'll have to order online and get them through the mail. But am I on the right track? Or is there something else I should be doing?
I have the Haynes K100 workshop manual with me and my BMW toolkit. But not much else in the way of tools or equipment.
Thanks much!