| Author |
Message |
    
Volta
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 31, 2011 - 02:51 pm: | 
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Starting yesterday afternoon, my 2010 Ulysses has been cutting out the engine when stopped about 90% of the time. Sometimes it cuts out just after I come to a stop, sometimes it cuts out right as the light turns green and I try to take off. In every case so far (about 20 times yesterday) the bike has restarted easily immediately after the engine dies.
The lights & instruments are all working normally. The problem occurs with the bike hot or cold, no difference. Runs fine when moving, problem has only occurred when stopped so far.
Bike is stock, about 17Kmiles on the clock. The swingarm was replaced by the dealer about 2000 miles ago when all the threads came out of the oil drain hole.
Based on experiences with other bikes, when this started happening I immediately suspected the side-stand switch. Of course, when I looked at the side stand I realized there isn't one.
I plan to check/clean the connections in the control pods, to the ECU and to the BAS this evening when I get home, and run as much of the wiring harness as I can get at to check for pinched wires/worn insulation.
Anyone seen a problem like this before? Any ideas for other things I should check?
Thanks, |
Froggy
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 31, 2011 - 03:11 pm: |
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It may be an issue with the Idle Air Control valve. Follow this easy guide to see if it is gunked up and needs a cleaning.
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/634269.html?1306730380 |
Volta
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 01, 2011 - 03:00 pm: |
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Thanks, I'll check that when I get home tonight.
Last night I checked through a bunch of electrical stuff, all of the connectors were secure & clean. Air filter was in good shape, but the inside of the airbox was a little greasy. Not too horrible, but it had clearly had breathed in some oil.
Reassembled everything, took a quick test ride around the block, no problems. Tried riding in to work this morning, problem reappeared at the third stop sign leading out of my neighborhood. Turned back to take another bike in. On the way home, reproduced the problem while rolling ~25, clutch in and throttle closed.
The timing of this is really horrible, I've got a long trip planned leaving next week! |
Volta
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 01, 2011 - 11:51 pm: |
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Ok, I cleaned the IAC valve, and a few other things while I was in there. It wasn't all that dirty. Reassembled, took a quick test lap, no problems.
As I approached my house, with an apparently fixed bike, I decided to keep riding (nice night now the t-storms have passed). End of my street, stop, start to make the right, engine cuts out.
Light dawns on marble head, my test loop is all left turns.
I'm back to electrical. Every time I turn the bars to the right more than about 15°, the engine cuts out. If I turn the bars to the right with the ignition off, the gauge cluster resets.
I had that problem (gauge resets) when the bike was new, took it to the dealer and they "fixed" it. Whichever wire it is that is shorting out, I wasn't able to find it tonight, so I'l be calling the dealer in the morning for a warranty fix.
Thanks, |
Froggy
| | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2011 - 12:07 am: |
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The gauge resets mean you do have an electrical problem and you are losing power (bad ground?). Wires breaking in the steering neck area isn't unheard of, but I'm surprised it happened on such a new bike like yours. Good luck at the dealer  |
Ricksbuell
| | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2011 - 08:01 pm: |
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Volta -my neighbor had the same problem on his blast. Try the kill switch connector, unplug it and push the contacts upward to make a better connection . It worked on his- he would turn in either direction and it would kill the motor and then it would reset the gauges. Hope this helps. |
Volta
| | Posted on Friday, June 03, 2011 - 05:30 pm: |
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Thanks. I dropped the bike at the dealer yesterday, hopefully they can get it back to me in time for my trip. They remembered the problem from last time, and the problem is 100% reproducible now, so they've at least got a good place to start looking. |
Nodak
| | Posted on Saturday, June 11, 2011 - 03:36 pm: |
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Ricksbuell, at which end is that kill switch connector located? By the throttle collar, or down by the engine. (I have an 06 Ulysses and am having this exact problem with pump and ignition interruption when I turn the steering). |
Ricksbuell
| | Posted on Monday, June 13, 2011 - 07:24 pm: |
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Nodak- the connector is behind the headlight,in the cluster of plugs. Just make sure you pry them upwards to make good contact. We have had no more problems with his since . Hope this helps. |
Ricksbuell
| | Posted on Monday, June 13, 2011 - 07:28 pm: |
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Nodak- sorry should have mentioned to follow the wire harness coming out of kill switch to the connector behind your guages and headlight cluster. |
Nodak
| | Posted on Monday, June 13, 2011 - 10:42 pm: |
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Thanks. I disconnected and reconnected all of those connectors behind the windshield tonight, but it appears to be in the harness that loops from the steering then behind the air scoop and frame. When I wiggle that wire harness by the (left) air scoop, the pump cycles on and off. I just cannot figure out where the short or lose connection, or which end it even is. I'm open to other suggestions. |
Volta
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - 10:15 pm: |
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Well, my problem did turn out to be electrical. The bundle of wires by the steering head runs through a hard plastic cover, which had stripped the insulation so things were shorting against the frame when the harness was pulled tighter as the bars turned. Manchester HD/Buell went above and beyond, tracing out and repairing the wiring harness in time for me to leave on my trip as planned.
Today I'm about 2700 miles into that trip. So far, so good. |
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Engine cut-out problem