| Author | Message | ||
     Nik |
Since May I've been battling an intermittent electrical issue. The bike has 80k miles on it and I'd like to get to 100k, but this is shaking my confidence for taking it on longer trips. It manifests itself as the tach going crazy jumping around, or dying and resting at 0 rpm. Sometimes that's all there is to it, but sometimes the bike looses power, like a skip spark condition. When this happens the CEL comes on intermittently. When checking later there's a code 13 (o2). So far I've replaced the o2 sensor, cleaned all the grounds, checked the harness for shorts, cleaned the ECM connections and replaced the seals on the connectors. Frustratingly each of these fixes appears to fix the problem, until it pops back up. Perhaps temperature is a trigger? Next I'm going to replace the coil and wires. But blindingly replacing parts could quickly lead to a new ECM and harness, which might not even fix the problem. Has anyone experienced something similar? Any leads? | ||
| Akbuell |
Not a fan of blindingly replacing parts either. Temperature could be a trigger. IIRC, the tach, which seems to be the primary symptom, gets its info from the CPS. If the CPS or its associated wiring is in a pre-fail mode, that could be the issue. That would cause a tach indicator failure and loss of power. And a 'corrupted' signal from the CPS could cause the ECM to throw an 02 (or other) sensor code. And all of the above is out the window if the instrument cluster/headlight/ign switch assemblies have a weak or intermittent ground. I believe there are ground points in that area, or ground through the frame from a portion of the harness that runs along side the steering stem. Hope this helps, Dave | ||
| Mmcn49 |
Coils seldom fail. The stock plug wires are carbon suppression which break down with use and age. At 80K you're probably past due. Had a somewhat similar issue with my almost new TT. Somehow during assembly insulation on a plug wire was sliced right down to the conductor. When it was damp, all kinds of irritating things happened. Bike was under warranty but the dealer nitwits found nothing. Getting desperate I started pulling stuff and inspecting. found the sliced wire a couple hours into it. | ||
| Nik |
This is an old post but I just finally fixed it! So hopefully this helps others as these bikes rack up the miles. Going back to last year I found some worn wires around the ignition pickup. No copper showing but I patched them up and the rough running seemed to go away. The crazy tach persisted. The weather also got cooler. Now that the weather is heating up again, the rough running reappeared, and was worse this time, shutting down multiple times on my commute one day. I actually had to leave the bike halfway home and let it cool off for a couple hours before retrieving. Bad things, no good, had to be fixed. So first I checked out the plug wires. They were worn and corroded. I replaced them along with the coil and plugs while I was in there as cheap insurance. I took it for a test ride, the problem persisted, and it barely made it back to my driveway. I was feeling around under the seat feeling how hot things were, and noticed the bike would die whenever I touched the wires leading to the ECM. So I checked out the harness and found 5 wires with exposed copper. I unwrapped the whole under seat harness and repaired it. Test road it again, and it died in my neighborhood. Again I could make the bike die by touching the wires, and the connectors on the ECM.... It was a cracked ECM, Uly style. A new one from IDS fixed both the rough running and the crazy tach issue. Finally! I talked to a smart EE type, who said the lead free solder currently used is really only good for about 5 years, anything more than that and you're just getting lucky. So I got lucky for another 8 years. I'm really disappointed by the lack of strain relief around the connectors too. Oh well, hopefully this one lasts another 13 years. | ||
| Mog |
Nik, well done and thank you for the insight into a most vexing problem. A lot of time, persistence and work on your part and it is certainly appreciated. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Yah that lead free stuff doesn't match the quality of old fashioned 60/40. I've fixed all sorts of things around the house by taking them apart and reflowing the solder joints with proper poisonous solder. Notable "wins": oil burner control board, hot water tank controller board with bad caps too, many of my kids' toys, TV remotes, you know anything that gets heat and/or vibes. Companies have been trying reeeally hard to replace 60/40 with exotic mixtures that have Antimony copper gold silver. | ||
| Teeps |
Natexlh1000 Posted on Friday, June 22, 2018 Yah that lead free stuff doesn't match the quality of old fashioned 60/40. I've fixed all sorts of things around the house by taking them apart and reflowing the solder joints with proper poisonous solder. Copy that, fixed a 19" CRT computer monitor by doing that. Also fixed the Ulysses' ECM. |
