| Author | Message | ||
     Toomanytoys |
Well I had an oil leak, and a problem with the bike surging. I replaced the rockerbox gaskets this past weekend, and when I did that I also changed out the spark plugs and the O2 Sensor. I thought the surging problem was fixed when I took the bike for a test ride the other night. Well, On the way to work this morning I was having some major issues. Symptoms are as follows: slow acceleration: bike misses badly off the line, and kicks in once RPM's are above 3k. hard acceleration: bike pulls hard as it normally would slow speed (25-50): bike surges and sputters excessively. occasionally it will backfire, but not badly. high speed (70-85): bike drives well enough, but engine will surge or cut out shortly so that I am thrust forward a bit, and then it continues to go. A few times, the bike would lose all power, and the engine light would come on for a few seconds, but then would go off, and the bike would run fine. Hitting large bumps (such as bridge/pavement seams) would make the bike cut out. A couple of questions to accompany this: How essential is the gapping on the spark plugs? How essential is the torquing of the spark plugs? My roommate that was helping me really cranked down one of the plugs. (I cringed when I saw what he was doing) Could this be the result of a bad seal on the gaskets? (I checked for any oil leaks, and I did not see any) Could this be my fuel pump going? Thanks in advance. I know i will get great responses as I always do. (on a positive note, the oil leak is fixed...) | ||
| Buellistic |
TRY THIS: Make sure the THROTTLE is off ... Disconnect the battery negative terminal, then the battery positive terminal ... Strack the the terminals together as you would a match ... Put the battery positive terminal on, then the battery negative terminal ... Go for a test ride(sometimes it takes 50 miles for the BRAIN BOX to relearn) to get BRAIN BOX in tune ... | ||
| Blackbelt |
do you get any sort of trouble light? Cause out of no where my 2002 X1 did the same thing, it turned out it was the Temp sensor (on top of the rear cylinder (through the top hole)). replaced that and BLAM-o fixed.. | ||
| Toomanytoys |
Blackbelt: At high speed, when the bike would cut out for more than a second, the engine light would come on, but as soon as the bike kicked in again, the light went off.  | ||
| Tsispyder |
im saying its in you rignition system, be it wrongly gapped spark plugs, bad wires, or you have a bad ground somewhere and your fuel shuts off randomly (on the pump or injectors) Run a history code check but bridging the pins (look in your FSM) and check out the codes | ||
| Buellbozo |
Ditto Tsispyder... Sounds like an intermittent ground. Glad your rkrbox job went smooth.Is it possible that a connector under the tank got loosened during the gasket swap? Usual disclaimer applies...  | ||
| Bookyoh |
Toomanytoys: Based on some experience with wierd electrical behavior on past bikes, I always start at the battery and work forward. From the battery itself (I had an intermittent short in the battery with a Sportster once) to the battery cables (had a partially broken positive cable once)and to the connections into the fuse box. Good luck. Mark | ||
| Toomanytoys |
Bookyoh: how do you check for an intermittent short in the battery? Update: Ran terrible on the way home from work, still surging and sputtering. Bike basically cuts out completely when I let off the throttle, and kicks in when I get back on the gas. Almost seems like it could be a fuel issue as well. Could it be a problem with over-tightening the petcock? when I had the tank off, the petcock could swivel freely, and I tightened it down so it could not rotate. Is is supposed to be loose? | ||
| Buellbozo |
sure sounds like a loose wire... | ||
| Tsispyder |
CHeck your codes NOW!!! We cant help you if you cant tell us whats wrong or what the bike tells you that is. | ||
| Toomanytoys |
haha.. ok spyder, I will check the codes, and I'll get back to you guys. thanks for all the help so far. I feel better about tackling these jobs when I am not just guessing. | ||
| Spiderman |
It is more than likley your head temp sensor, replace this and also check your ground strap and battery connections for good measure. | ||
| Buellistic |
FACTORY MOTORS MANUAL and PARTS BOOK for your YEAR/Model !!! | ||
| Toomanytoys |
Does anyone here have a head temp sensor? The dealerships around here don't have one, and it may be quicker to get it off the board, otherwise, I will just order from DaveS. If anyone has a Service Manual, I would be interested in that as well. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Make sure your temp sensor is hooked up correctly first. Mine rattled loose at about 15K miles. If the wires are hooked up correctly to it but the sensor itself is not connected to the rear head, it will run like crap but not give any error codes. Make sure your exhaust headers are on not loose. If you have a badly grounded O2 sensor, it will make your bike run like crap too. | ||
| Buellbozo |
Do all the suggestions that don't cost anything first. It don't cost nuttin to find and correct a loose connector. It don't cost nuttin to try Buellistics suggestion. Why buy and replace a sensor if it hasn't been proven bad- by code or test? When I did my rkrbox gskts,I was pushin' and shovin' wires all over the place to get at fasteners. Just my .02 worth. | ||
| Spiderman |
BTW you can not reset the ECM by by "striking the battery cables together. If you do not have a means to get rid of trouble codes or re-set the TPS you can put her in 4th gear, ride her for 2 min at 60MPH which will re-leard a new Adaptive Fuel Value which will help in bedding the new sensor. BTW sometimes a bad Head Temp Sensor will not show a bad code but still register a fluxuating voltage on the scanner. and Your bike will not run that bad with a bad O2 sensor, it will run ruff but not to the extent of your description... | ||
| Newfie_buell |
I know this could be a long shot but how about the simple things like Side Stand Switch, Tank Vent Tube, etc, etc.... | ||
| Toomanytoys |
So I finally just took the bike in. I was not having any luck on my own. I feel that I have done all that I am able to do. I checked all the wiring to the best of my ability, I changed the temp sensor, my side stand switch has been unplugged since I have had the bike, the tank vent tube is flowing freely, don't know about bank angle sensor.... They are going to call me in a few days. Told them to just diagnose the problem, and then give me a call. Should be able to fix any problem on my own. Had to have the throttle cable recall fixed anyway, so I went with the philosophy that if they are doing free work, I should give them a little bit of my money at the same time. | ||
| Toomanytoys |
Well... Chandler Harley Davidson called me today, and it was my throttle position sensor. They are going to order the part, install it, and reset the tps. The bike should run like a champ when I get it back. In the past two weeks I have replaced the rocker box gaskets, added new spark plugs, new O2 sensor, and new head temp sensor. When I get it back I am going to do the oil pump drive gear, the primary chain tensioner, and the retrofit for the exhaust hanger. This bike is going to better than new.  | ||
| Buellbozo |
Good job, Toys. Your bike will reward you in spades. | ||
| Oldog |
Toys if you dont have the fsm get it first don't forget the gear locking bar(tool) and red locktite, and the "sacred rivets" easy other wise | ||
| Toomanytoys |
Thanks Oldog, I ordered the service manual when I ordered the parts. I would not attempt all these jobs without it. I know that with it though, it will be cake.... famous last words | ||
| Bomber |
Actually, Too, it is very likely to be cake -- the SM is great, and does not presume an incredible degree of knowledge -- tubers are really easy to spin wrenches on -- once the TPS and other FI gremlins are sorted out, everything else is pretty easy there are also very few special tools required to do most things, and those few that are needed are not needed often, and can generally be rigged up by a quick thinking (read, cheap) garage artiste I think you're going to find that a well-sorted tuber is a great joy -- I know I do | ||
| Buellbozo |
What Bomber said... | ||
| Toomanytoys |
Well, I have had the lightning for only a year and a half, and have managed to pile on 7500 miles of my own, despite owning it through a Wisconsin winter, and then I moved to Arizona last May and didn't arrange to get the bike out here until November. I have enjoyed my miles on it immensely. I just want to get the scoot back so I can start riding to work again. This life in a car is not for me. They tell me it will be a week until they get the part in. As far as doing the work on the bike, I have not really been intimidated by doing it myself. The bike is constructed simple enough, and if I can't get it back together, I always know that I can come on here and get a hand. Thanks again for all the helpful information and suggestions. I have been on too many forums where everyone jumps down your throat when you ask a question that may have been asked before. I really feel welcome here every time I ask a question. You are a good group of guys. Hope I can meet some of you in person in the future.  | ||
| Oldog |
Toys I did the gear pm me if you have questions: like bomber said the machines are relitivly simple If you find your self on the right coast in the vacinity(sp) of wilmington NC ( myrtle beach) pm me | ||
| Toomanytoys |
Man, dealerships annoy me. I called today about the bike, and they told me the part came in yesterday. The bike however will not be done until tomorrow. The scheduler had to put it back on the list. I would think my bike would take a top priority considering it has been there for a week, and the TPS will only take an hour at max...  I have been stuck carpooling all week, because it is easier and cheaper than driving myself. The commute is around 50 miles one way. | ||
| Toomanytoys |
Picked up the bike on Wednesday. After two days of riding, I can confidently say that the bike is running smoother than the day I bought it (i did buy it used). Only cost me $80 to have the sensor replaced and TPS reset. Guess I can't be mad anymore. Overall, the guys at Chandler Harley were very good about the whole thing. Good guys there so far. | ||
| Toomanytoys |
Well, now that the bike was running so great, I went ahead and sold it. I am not sure what my next move will be. I have just been too busy lately to actually enjoy the bike. I ride it to work a lot, but I don't find that very fun. Maybe I will be back in the Buell community in the future. (hopefully soon). | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
WTF? | ||
| Deltacruiser |
WTF is what I was thinking too! | ||
| Toomanytoys |
Hold On. I think I should add that my girlfriend closed on a new condo yesterday, that we are moving into together. The next 6 weekends will all be spent remodeling so that we can move in the end of April. I am also going to Europe in late June. Once I am done with all of that, I can think about getting another bike. Never thought I would do it, but sometimes the priorities need to shift for a while. I'll be back soon enough. Even my girlfriend wants me to have another bike. | ||
| Deltacruiser |
Toys, Good luck with the remodel and move in. I spent a lot of years "between bikes" due to other obligations when I when I was younger too. Hope to see you back in the wind down the road. Delta | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
I'm glad that you didn't sell it for no reason at all  Still, you shouldn't wait for "the right time" to get another bike. That time will not come for years. Get something cheap for now. I wouldn't be able to LIVE without any bike at all. http://www.craigslist.org/ is a great source for ratbikes. | ||
| Toomanytoys |
I'm glad people understand. It was not an easy choice, and I certainly did not sell it for no reason at all. This has been a decision that I have been working on for a while, and when the bike was broke down, it made me realize how much I had going on right now. I was thinking about picking up something to buzz around on, but that would put me right back where I started. I know I can survive for now, and that promise of a new bike in the future (once this next few months are over) will keep me going for now. |
