| Author | Message | ||
     Mrbennet21 |
Hi all, first post after about a month of lurking and reading as much as I can about this 2003 XB9S I just traded for. I know nothing about Buells but I've always liked them and decided to join the club. First some background: The bike has 18k on the clock and honestly, it runs like a turd. It feels like it would rather sputter and spit and die instead of rev, but so far it's only died on me once - a cold start and immediate riding. It is running extremely rich, the gas smell is almost noxious. It's all stock except for a gutted muffler, and that has considerable rust and pitting. As of right now there are no rear brakes, no pressure to the caliper. So I guess what I'd like to know is, where do I even start? I have no TORX bits (is that what they are?) and I guess I need to fork over $60 for a service manual, but are there any specific areas I should start at? I strongly suspect it needs a tune up, and there's a rear brake setup on eBay right now for a reasonable price although I don't know if what I have can be repaired or not. About the muffler, if I put an aftermarket one on can it still be used as a lift point for a jack? I'm also interested in learning more about this ECM remapping that seems to be pretty popular. Anyhow, glad to be part of the community and from what I see there are some insanely knowledgeable people here! I should also add I really want a Ulysses. I know bags can be added to the XB9 but it will never become a Ulysses, at least not in my hands. Would it be best to just get it running as best I can then sell it? As it sits, the power output is quite poor though. Thanks in advance, don't hate the ignorance of new owner ha | ||
| Griffmeister |
The manual is well worth the money, even if just for torque values and an overview of the bike. It might be a big help with your brake problem too. An aftermarket exhaust or, like you say, a gutted muffler can definitely change the fuel requirements. If your ECU has not been remapped already to account for the difference then that could cause some issues. Sounds like you may also be right about the tune up part. Just remember to tackle one project at a time so you can tell if what you just did had any effect. Good luck. | ||
| Midknyte |
..cold start and immediate riding.. let it idle for a few minutes before taking off to warm up do not rev when not under load (idling, etc.), you will foul the plugs | ||
| Ducbsa |
Read through the Knowledge Vault here for tips. The torque values for the engine and trans drain plugs in the manuals is too high. Use 12 lb-ft. | ||
| Doz |
Start with putting on a decent muffler, a stock unit will be better than your gutted one. I just spent two track days on a stock bike like yours and had other riders comment that I was pretty damn faast. | ||
| 1_mike |
Mrbennet - Pretty much what already has been said. 1. Get manual, read carefully... 2. Get required tools. 3. Let the engine warm for a couple of minutes before driving away. 4. If the muffler's been screwed with, the ECM had better been altered too. It WILL run like crap if the ECM/engine hasn't been tuned "properly..."! Remember, more air "out" requires more air "in"...AND vice-versa. Except..."free reving the engine will NOT foul the spark plugs" if everything is "right". On a poorly tuned engine, most anything can happen. Mike P.s. - There's a couple of ECM management programs. ECMSpy is one of them. It's one of the first to be used. I still use it, works fine. But there are others on the market now too. (Message edited by 1_mike on September 08, 2014) | ||
| Mrbennet21 |
Thanks guys, got a service manual ordered and bought the rear brake setup. I will try to track down a stock muffler although the couple I've found seem to be way too much - as in almost the price of aftermarket ones. Haven't bought tools yet, so they are torx? | ||
| Froggy |
Most of the fasteners you will encounter are Torx size 27. There are various size Allen key fasteners too, and some normal hex sockets. That is about 95% of the stuff on the bike. Hard to say about the rear brake without seeing it, may just need fresh fluid and a rebleed. Stock cans sell for about $100 used, they are almost $500 new. Regarding jacking point, it depends on what muffler you do put on it. Some aftermarket ones can still support the bike (Standard Drummer, Special Ops), but most can't (Jardine, Micron). | ||
| Ducbsa |
I use a T27 bit and a 1/4" gear wrench http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21Pj-QNkolL. jpg that I keep in the tool kit. In the shop, a screwdriver handled T27 is very handy. Do loctite all the T27 fasteners, because they can vibrate out. | ||
| Reepicheep |
You will need some allen wrenches also, I have and use both the socket ones and the bent steel ones. I also have some that are screwdriver bits that I also end up using. I think there is one smaller Torx head size on the bike also, I think it is on the right side scoop to hold the two pieces together. Perhaps you could take that off without taking it apart. Find a harbor freight for your first set of tools, if you walk in there with a $100 bill and some good judgement, you can walk out with a pretty decent set of tools. I really like their composite 3/8 and 1/4 inch socket drives, and they have a red blow molded set of "driver bits" that have all the allen and torx sizes you could need. You can put the bits in a socket or box end wrench for odd situations (fiddly, but it will work). The box end gear wrenches are really nice also, and having both deep well and shallow sockets is really nice. Back in the old days you had to choose, but given you can get a $10 set of decent deep wells, spend $50 and get shallow 1/4 metric and sae, shallow and deep well 3/8 drive metric and sae, and shallow 1/2" drive impact sockets with either a 1/2 ratchet or a 18 to 24" breaker bar. You should really have an inch pound 3/8 inch torque wrench and a foot pound 1/2" torque wrench as well. But you can survive without it for a while. Start with the 3/8 one. And of course impact tools are handy. And left handed drill bits. And a good metric tap and die set. And who, really, can get along without a welder (at least MIG and Oxy Actylene).  You see where this is going... | ||
| Reepicheep |
http://www.harborfreight.com/100-piece-security-bi t-set-68457.html Get a decent scrwdriver handle of some kind that will work with these also. I wish they were "latching" types instead of magenetic types, as they will stick in the bolts sometimes. But that's just an inconvenience, they work fine. | ||
| Jfkersh |
Runs like crap? Add an earth from battery to under the coil, check out white wire mod, get to know about ecm spy, down load a manual from on line. If you do any exhaust up grade, consider putting an xb12 header on, and to up the fuel with out too much mapping add an xb12 throttle body and high flow air filter. I just super imposed the race maps to my standard ecm, nil issues. | ||
| Hulagun |
I'm no expert but I wouldn't start swapping out throttle bodies and headers until you figure out what it is set up with for an ECM, and you get it running good. You should like the bike fine with minimal mods. When an XB9 runs right, it's pretty fun, like riding a 90's Japanese 600 but with way more torque and a great sound. It will run out of steam at 7k (7.2k with a race ECM). The race ECM likes a modded muffler and a K&N too. I hope you like wheelies, it will do them. Carefully following the manual for an TPS reset, idle adjustment and AFV reset will help. Test it for intake seal leaks by spraying brake cleaner at the manifolds when idling. If it changes speed, something is leaking. oh yeah, take a real good look at your belt and pulleys. Do not run it with no belt covers, the '03 belts will break when damaged. If you find any obvious fraying or damage get a new belt. They are A-OK if cared for. (Message edited by hulagun on September 25, 2014) | ||
| Firemanjim |
Probably a certainty it needs intake seals,put in some new plugs while you are at it-- the 10r not the older 6r's a Harley shop will try and sell you.Look at your plug wires to be sure they have not rubbed through. TPS re-set properly and check AFV--- you will need ECM- Spy and a cable from Al at American Sportbike. Post a screen shot of your maps or send it to me and we can look at them. John, no white wire mod on any US Buell----- |
