| Author |
Message |
    
Moarant
| | Posted on Friday, August 15, 2008 - 06:03 pm: | 
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I have resolved this, but as it was such a bizarre issue, I decided to post for others benefit.
Bike would cut-out (no engine at all) and re-fire via rear wheel driving the engine after about a second. Problem occurred at random (including at speed on freeway – NOT cool). Check engine light and ECM code 053 (ECU prom failure).
Diagnostic of ECU – checks out. Diagnostic of TPS – checks out. Diagnostic of fuel pump, ignition, everything I can think of – checks out.
Then the bike develops a new symptom. When bike dies and re-fires, instrument cluster sweeps through “ignition on test” (needles sweep through dials) and clock resets to 1:00. That means battery (or power carrying). Battery replaced but did not fix the problem. Wiring harness to ECU checked but OK. Finally found the problem:
Wiring harness passes on left side of bike from frame to forks and under headlight. Headlight was rubbing harness against the forks so that the harness was shredded and 3 wires bare. Arcing evidence on the forks indicating electrical discharge occurred. One wire was the ignition wire (hence the ignition kill and gage sweeps). ECU error was probably the result of an under voltage issue from grounding of the wiring. BUT I NEVER BLEW A FUSE????! Luckily, there has been no damage to the ECU, TPS sensor, instrument cluster, or other electrical components.
Taped up wires and protected harness with plastic shielding. No problems now. I posted this as it seems to be something that could occur on other bikes fairly easily and it is real easy to look for. Just 3 screws hold the light onto the bike and can be removed and inspected in 5 minutes with a torx driver.
Hope this helps someone else avoid 5 hours of wire tracing. |
Jettdawg
| | Posted on Friday, August 15, 2008 - 06:31 pm: |
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Thanks for writing that up. Now I'll know what to look for first if this happens to me  |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Friday, August 15, 2008 - 07:32 pm: |
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Deja Vu all over again! That was a problem on the early lightnings. I think they moved the horn to solve it.
Thanks for taking the time to post that! |
Moarant
| | Posted on Saturday, August 16, 2008 - 11:00 am: |
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Jettdawg, Reepicheep, you are both welcome.
Figured someone could use the knowledge gained from my sweat (try tracing wires on the side of the road in July in South Carolina!!)
FYI Reepicheep:
The horn is now above and to the left on S models. The problem is the light housing and the forks.... But I did stop and zip-tie the horn as the blooming thing vibrated so badly just off idle.
I absolutely love this bike (best on I have ever ridden) and the only problem I have had is this one.
.....
Where sky and water meet, Where the waves grow sweet, Doubt not, Reepicheep, To find all you seek, There is the utter East
- Best character in the series. A mouse that sleeps next to a dragon. |
Bombardier
| | Posted on Sunday, August 17, 2008 - 08:07 am: |
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Fuse - designed to limit the amount of current/voltage through a circuit.
It is a protection device so I think that is why you did not blow a fuse - there was less current not more than allowed.
(Message edited by Bombardier on August 17, 2008)
(Message edited by Bombardier on August 17, 2008) |
Moarant
| | Posted on Sunday, August 17, 2008 - 03:49 pm: |
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Hello Bombardier:
Thought this at first too and then abandoned the idea. But a good thought.
Arcing marks on forks indicated significantly more current than a fuse would / should allow. My only guess is that the duration was so short as to not allow the temperature in the fuse (function of R*I^2) to reach the melting point and "blow". The "engine firing problems" were 5 minutes or more apart so fuses could cool back to steady state temperatures.
"Under voltage" was to the ECU which was not in the "frayed wire section". So I was apparently dumping enough current to draw down the battery output so that the ECU saw an under voltage.
This was one strange problem.... But thanks for the ideas. |
Jakezor
| | Posted on Friday, September 19, 2008 - 12:18 pm: |
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Glad I found this topic, this happened to me yesterday. I'll have to start examining the wiring on my bike. |
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XB12Ss dies / re-fires at speed