| Author | Message | ||
     Ferrolano |
Fellow Buellers, I would like to invite all Buellers from the greater Denver metro area (or for that matter anywhere in Colorado) to my house in Boulder next Saturday morning, July 15th. Hopefully the date and time will work for most. If not, I'm flexible, but I need your feedback as soon as you can let me know your schedules. The plan is to put to good use the software I just received from Al at American Sport Bike. I will provide the materials, computer, tools, garage and workspace. What I, and others of us, will need is a software engineer or someone with experience and skills to conduct a hands-on workshop on how to set/reset the TPS on our fuel injected Buells. This could be not only very, very useful and an economical way of servicing our own bikes, but a lot of fun and a good way for the local riders to get to know each other. Send me a private message and I will respond right away and coordinate the event. Ric | ||
| Shasta |
Resetting the TPS using VDSTS SW by Al Lighton, American Sport Bike This document explains in detail how to use the VDSTS Software to reset the TPS on a Buell. It is not a comprehensive manual for VDSTS, and it assumes that you have successfully installed the SW and are capable of communicating with the ECM. One note first about connectivity. If you can not communicate with the ECM, contact Technoresearch for assistance. I’d say that 80% of the cases where connectivity was not happening was when someone was using a substandard USB to RS232 adapter. The Radio Shack unit will not work, and some others won’t either. But the Keyspan will, as will many other reputable units. In other cases, connectivity didn’t work because of COM port conflicts, or in some cases, a defective cable. First thing to understand is that there are two communication modes for the ECM, the normal diagnostics mode, and the active test mode. Not sure if Buell calls it this, but the semantics aren't all that important. What is important is that you have to be in Active Test mode to reset things like the AFV, TPS, Clear DTC's etc, and you have to be in Diagnostics mode to do the normal monitoring stuff (i.e., monitoring tach, throttle position, temperatures, etc). The Active Test mode is entered by pushing the "button" (the icon at the top of the screen) that looks like a screwdriver. The Diagnostics mode has a few different presentations, Gauges, strip chart, or bar graph. But once you've selected the correct diagnostics mode, you still have to connect to the ECM. There is a button at the top for connecting (an icon that looks the right side of a desktop computer with a black line representing the cable coming out of it). If the ignition key and run switch are in the run position, you click that connect icon and the ECM will connect and start communicating. Connection status is displayed at the bottom of the screen. Go to Diagnostic mode, go to the bar graph display, and configure three of the bar graphs to display Throttle Position, Throttle (Volt), and Throttle (%). Do this by clicking the Channels/Mode "Ch" icon button at the top of the screen and assigning three of the bar graphs to these functions. Connect with the ECM, and you should be able to see the throttle position responding to you opening and closing the throttle. Some notes about what you are seeing. Throttle (volt) is an absolute reading. There is a Throttle Position Sensor potentiometer (pot) on the end of the throttle “butterfly” shaft, and the ECM is reading a voltage that varies depending upon the position of that pot. Depending upon how the shaft is attached to the pot, and the calibration of the pot itself, every throttle body will display a slightly different voltage when the butterfly is at any given position. This is why a TPS reset is mandatory any time the throttle body or Throttle Position Sensor is removed or changed. Throttle position and Throttle (%) are positions relative to the zero point for the throttle butterfly. The purpose of a TPS reset is to tell the ECM what voltage is at the pot when the butterfly is completely closed (i.e., 0% open). The ECM is then capable of calculating the exact throttle position based on the offset voltage from the absolute voltage reading that it read when the butterfly was fully closed. Throttle position is the measure of the angle (degrees) that the throttle butterfly open between 0 and 85. The first step of performing a TPS reset is to back the throttle stop screw off until it no longer is touching the stop on the butterfly shaft. The easiest way to check if the throttle stop is no longer engaged is to turn the throttle grip to zero and force it there gently. If when you start to open it, you can feel it gently sticking, this means that the butterfly is wedging in the throttle body and you have achieved absolute closure. Activate the VDSTS SW, and put it in bar graph diagnostics mode. With the throttle screw backed off completely, force the throttle closed so that it gently sticks as described above. Note the Throttle (volt) value each time. It should be within .01 volts each time you do this. If not, there is something wrong with the throttle body or Throttle Position Sensor. Click on the Active Test Mode. You will see a button that performs the TPS reset function. Before you actually reset your TPS to zero, I recommend that you perform a test of the TPS reset procedure in order to confirm that the TPS reset is working properly. This is optional but may save some headaches if things don’t seem to be working right later. Hold the throttle in the 1/3 open position, and then execute a TPS reset in the Active test mode with it held steady there. The throttle should be held steady while the duration count decrements. Once you get a PASSED message, go back to Diagnostic mode, put it in bar graph mode as per above, and slowly open the throttle. If the Throttle Position bar graph remains stationary until you cross the threshold position that you held the throttle at (i.e., 1/3 throttle) and only then starts climbing, THEN you know that both communication modes are working correctly and that you have successfully set the TPS. If that worked correctly, shut the throttle and gently force it closed at the throttle grip. Execute the TPS reset, and wait for the PASSED message to display. Go back to Diagnostics/Bar graph display mode. Slowly turn the throttle stop screw up until you get a Throttle Position Reading of 5.1. Start the engine, let it warm up to an indicated temperature of 320F, and adjust the idle to 1050 and you're done. It is EXTREMELY important that the throttle plate is fully closed when the TPS is performed. Even slightly open will make the bike run poorly. The throttle butterfly must be made to gently stick in the closed position when the TPS is reset or you will not get proper engine operation. How to zero the TPS in two minutes or less (not counting warm up time). 1. Connect scan tool 2. Select #3 Data monitor 3. Scroll down to "TP degrees" 4. Back off idle adjuster until TP degrees reading stops decreasing 5. Turn idle adjuster one more full turn out 6. Snap throttle closed to seat the throttle plate 7. Press mode on the scan tool and select option #7 "Calibrations" 8. Select #2 "TPS zero function" 9. Press "Enter", then "Option #3" on the scan tool 10. Scoll down to "TP Degrees", adjust idle speed screw until TP degrees read "5.8 o" 11. Press start button and start bike. Warm up to 280oF engine temperature. 12. Adjust idle speed to 1050 RPM. NO MORE and NO LESS. Please post the name of any dealer that wants more than 0.1 hours for doing this so people know who to stay away from. Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) Inspection: 1. Connect vehicle to Digital Technician 2. Select data monitor screen. 3. Select TP degrees on screen. 4. Ignition and run switch should be in the on position with the engine off and throttle in closed position. 5. If closed throttle TP degree reading is not between 5.2 - 5.6 degrees, TPS should be recalibrated. See adjustment below. Adjustment: 1. Connect vehicle to Data Technician. 2. Select data monitor screen. 3. Select TP degrees screen. 4. Back off the idle adjustment until TPS is at 0 degrees and then continue to back out one to two additional turns. 5. Open and SNAP SHUT throttle control grip 2-3 times. Note: This is to ensure that the throttle plate is completely closed before beginning recalibration. 6. Select calibrations screen. 7. Select Buell calibrations tab. 8. Select the Zero TPS function. Note: When calibration is complete, dialog box will appear on Digital Tech screen with message to display "Command Sent Successfully" Select OK to continue. 9. Select data monitor screen. 10. Select TP degrees on screen. 11. Turn idle speed screw in until the TPS degree reading is between 5.2 -5.6 degrees. 12. Select RPM/Speed and Temperature on screen and start vehicle. 13. Run vehicle until engine temperature is 270 degrees F. 14. Set idle to 1050 - 1100 RPM 15. Adjustment is complete. | ||
| Glitch |
Good on ya Rick! It's people like you offering up things like this that make our community the envy of most others. | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
so when does the clinic start traveling....i hear washington is nice this time of year..  | ||
| Ferrolano |
Thank you, Shasta, for your detailed and very helpful posting of instructions for the TPS reset. You make it sound easy, but for some of us technoklutzes it is a bit daunting. Fortunately I don't need an adapter plug since my laptop has a good serial port (RS 232), so I hope things will go smoothly in that regard. At present I'm waiting for a volunteer, maybe Fcbuell up in Ft Collins (who said earlier to give him a "holler" when we're ready), who can lead the workshop for all the interested Buellers in this area. You're too far away according to your profile--Utah, right? | ||
| Diablobrian |
It's great to have the information, but I hope you asked Al before you published it on the internet. It is after all his intellectual property. Not trying to bust anyones hump, just trying to keep things  happy around here! | ||
| Al_lighton |
I published that here on badweb a long time ago. It's public domain stuff as far as I'm concerned. However, I should point out that Techno changed a few of the icon pictures, so the part that tells which button to push by what it looks like is a bit obsolete now. The rest is still relevant, though. Al | ||
| Court |
>>>>the part that tells which button to push Al, that's always been my problem, knowing which buttons to push. Can you help? | ||
| Aeholton |
Court, that's not an accurate statement. You are more than adept at pushing people's buttons.  Oh and just so this isn't a complete hijack of a thread...I'm willing to do TPS resets here in Palm Harbor, FL. Anyone needing a reset or some help using VDSTS may PM me. (Message edited by aeholton on July 11, 2006) | ||
| Court |
>>>>You are more than adept at pushing people's buttons. Well said and right as rain. Some folks are low hanging fruits | ||
| Bmwdavid |
As long as we are on the TPS subject. I'm looking for someone in the Southwest Indiana area (Vincennes) that can do my TPS cal. I'm assuming if you have the HD diagnostic tool you can do the reset on a Buell? I'm thinking that perhaps one of the custom/chopper shops might have the tool for this. David | ||
| Mb182 |
David I have VDSTS and can do a TPS.. I am in Indianapolis MB | ||
| Debueller |
Another vote for someone anywhere in Washington state. (maybe in OR or ID also, I can travel.) | ||
| Luckydevil |
Thanks for putting this on, will pm you tomorrow (wednesday,12th) Hey did you sell that trackstand at the swap meet Sunday? if not i'll bring the $$ and see if it would fit the 05 swingarm. rob | ||
| Ferrolano |
Rob, I did sell both of the trackstands at the swapmeet. Hope you can make it on Saturday. So far, there'll be three of us. I'm still hoping for someone with previous TPS experience to step forward. Come on guys, let's have a software tech volunteer and help with the session! Please?? | ||
| Aeholton |
It's not that hard to do and Al's instructions are awesome. |
