| Author | Message | ||
     Tjmiller |
First off - I should listen when people tell me to not mess with my bike before a trip. 4 of us have been planning for this trip since last summer (1 M2, 1 X1, my XB9S and a Honda Superhawk) so I shouldn't have messed with my bike last week. Anyway, I replaced the stock airbox with the XB12 airbox and removed the snorkel. Bike started fine in the garage, but because of the mid-west weather, I wasn't able to go for a ride. This morning, my buddy comes over with his trailer, I start my bike just to run it up the ramp (should have just pushed it in, but I was being lazy). When I wheeled it off the trailer, I tried to start it, but it just popped a few times and acted like it was flooded and smells like it too. Tried a few more times throughout the day, with the same results. So, I think never getting a ride in after changing the airbox, and then just starting it and shutting off to load on the trailer and never letting it warm up, led to the spark plugs being saturated and the computer all screwed up for what mixture to feed the cylinders. Does this sound plausable? I thought I'd try to change out the plugs, put the snorkel and stock air box back on. Does this sound like what I should do? Also, I haven't bought the service manual yet (I need to do that ASAP), but how do you change the plugs - looks like there's hardly any room for removing the rear plug - must have to use a swivel? Should I use the stock HD-10R12A plugs? Any other advice or ideas would be greatly appreciated. THANKS!! | ||
| Spiderman |
You may have fouled your plug(s) Did you start an stop her frequently without leting her warm up properly? At our shop we have a problem with sales people starting up this causes the plugs to foul. | ||
| Tjmiller |
Yeah - that's exactly what I did (bone-head move). Will the plugs 'dry-out' or should I replace them? | ||
| Bads1 |
Tj your most likely going to replace them.The front plug you can get at by taking off the air scoop.After that try to see if she will start and clean herself out.If not you'll have to replace the rear one. | ||
| Shotgun |
TJ for the rear plug you remove the whole air box and use a socket with a swivel and an extension. When re-installing the rear plug, take a piece of 5/16 or 3/8 fuel or oil line about 10-12 inches long and push it on to the end of the new plug and then use the hose as your extension to start the plug into the threads properly. If you use the socket/swivel/extention to start the plug you can cross-thread it real easy. | ||
| Sparky |
"TJ for the rear plug you remove the whole air box"... That is not necessary. Just remove the air box "cover" (the colored part), then you will see a triangular opening in the chassis through which the rear plug may be reached using the method Shotgun described. | ||
| Kaese |
I just changed my plugs/wires and seem to have the same problem. It ran rough for a few seconds and backfired and hasn't started since. I thought maybe a wire from the oxygen sensor came loose. I did use the Buell race plugs. The old plugs didn't look that bad. It was late last night, I'll recheck everything. Would it make that much difference to the ECM changing out the plugs and wires? I know the service manuel says only use the HD plugs. edited by kaese on February 23, 2004 | ||
| Xb9er |
Kaese. I just changed to NGK Iridium spark plugs with stock wires for now. Mine started on first try and ran fine just like before. However, I did let it warm up fully before shutting it off. Did you set the plug gap to 0.035"? Are the plug wires snapped firmly into place? Are the plugs torqued down to specs? Mike. edited by xb9er on February 23, 2004 | ||
| Tjmiller |
Changed out the plugs last night and the bike started right up!!!! Let it warm up really good before shutting it down. The old plugs were obviously fuel soaked and looks like the bike's been running rich. Removing the snorkel and XB12 airbox should help it run a bit leaner. I'm also swapping the air filter (didn't realize it was kind of dirty). Changing out the plugs wasn't too bad of job to do after all the advice (thanks!!). Took about 15mins, only had to take off the air scoop and the tank cover to get access to the plugs. Worst part was getting them rethreaded, but using the fuel line like Shotgun said, it wasn't too bad. Now I can't wait to get to Daytona and actually ride!! | ||
| Tjmiller |
Kaese, Could it be that one of your plugs or wires is defective? Might be worth checking by using the 'old stuff' to rule it out. | ||
| Kaese |
I actually got it to run last night, but it runs as if it needs a TPS reset. Tonight I will swap out the old stuff to narrow down the problem. No, I didn't torque the plugs, but thanks for the reminder. | ||
| Blake |
TJ, I bet once you have a chance to get your bike out on the road and running for a good constant duration at midrange engine speeds, your mixture will self adjust just fine. Keep in mind that upon a cold start the mixture is intentionally rich, thus the easily fouled/wet plugs when shut down prior to warming up. It would be terribly wrong to judge the overall state of your bike's carburetion/AF-mixture based upon such limited observations and wrt a few cold starts. The same thing happened to me a while back... cold start, bike started but soon coughed and died refusing to start again. I was fairly certain what the problem was. With work and weather teaming up against me, I was unable to ride for nearly two weeks. At the next opportunity, I didn't even try to start the engine; I went straight for the spark plugs. After two weeks of sitting, the plugs were STILL wet with gasoline! The effects of a few overchoked starts, not letting the engine ever warm before shutting it down, consistently cold damp weather, and a virtually sealed combustion chamber. Makes sense to me now, but I was surprised at the time. I'll no longer be performing cold weather fully choked show-and-tell startups for curious visitors. | ||
| Fuzz331 |
I always wondered what the gas laying in the bottom of the case was doing to the oil. It seems like the gas would break down with the gas, mixing with the oil. Just my thought, shouldn't the bike, be started up, with new plugs and what I call a cleaning process (turn motor over with plugs removed), as soon as possible, to keep the gas from mixing with the oil. Like I said, Just a thought. Fuzz | ||
| Coolice |
TJ don't forget TUESDAY nite March 2 HOOTERS 6pm -til......Buellers get together!  (Maybe Hess's later...) | ||
| Ironiceberg |
Kaese, you might want to ck the plugs. I droped one, one time and it had a small crack in the porcilin (sp?) that you could hardly see. Now if I drop one I make sure to toss it and get a new one. If you need some help. email me and Ill give you a hand. | ||
| Tjmiller |
Coolice, Sounds good, we'll have to stop in. Do you know of any Battletrax's going on during Bike week? | ||
| Blake |
Fuzz, Gas in the case? It would have to seep past the rings to get to the case. We're talking about a very small amount of wet fuel in the combustion chamber. No worries, it's not anywhere near enough to cause trouble even if it were to seep past the rings into the case and mix with oil. | ||
| Kaese |
Troy: I may take you up on that, I just have not found the time this week until tonight to mess with it. |
