| Author | Message | ||
     Duckbuell |
Howdy! My 01 S3 has 2900 miles, and is totally stock. It was running awesome, until today! It ran perfectly during a blistering 400 mile ride in the country. The next day I washed the bike and went for a short 15 mile ride, then suddenly it would not idle, and it is cutting out at anything below 3500 rpms. It did it all the way back home. Perhaps it is fuel starvation? Any tips are appreciated. Thank you very much. Patrice  ,} | ||
| Ebutch |
Check throtilebody butterfly axel probly broke.New one is improved. | ||
| José_quiñones |
washed the bike..... Sounds like something got wet and it didn't like it. It could be a number of things. Along with what Ebutch mentioned, check the ignition coil, the sparkplug wires/sparkplugs, the battery connections/wires, in fact check all the electrical connectors and sensors, particularly the engine temperature sensor, which is located on the rear cylinder. Sometimes just unplugging and replugging the connectors is all it takes. It could also be a bigger electrical problem like the stator, which is inside the primary case (the left side of the engine). If you have the service manual you can check the condition of it. good luck hope you can find it! | ||
| Iamike |
Ditto what Jose' says about the plug wires. I was riding in a lot of rain in Colorado a few years back. The bike wasn't running quite right until I saw the black on the plug porcelain. The moisture had gotten up into the boots and was shorting the spark to ground. | ||
| Duckbuell |
Thanks guys! I will check out all the possibilities! I love the bike! | ||
| Duckbuell |
Hi, I checked throttle butterfly, loose connectors on electrical components, sparkplug boots, battery terminals, etc. but no results. I started the bike, and it runs for about 5 seconds, then starts to sputter and dies. It won't idle, and you can give it throttle to keep it alive, then it dies. It seems like fuel starvation, or perhaps I got some water in the tank when I washed it? Perhaps a new fuel filter is needed? Perhaps drain the fuel line? Or maybe it is something with the ECM? Arrggg! Thanks! Here is some entertainment   | ||
| Oldog |
Like Jose said some thing got wet and did not like it. Sensors: Malfunctions of these typicaly cause the indicated problem these usualy generate a fault light. ET mixture varries wildly usualy rich IAT fault light rich mixture O2 poor runing typicaly rich TPS running problems, hard starting CPS fault light poor or no running. BAS motor may not run intermittingly Tank vent fuel starvation fuel filter fuel starvation ignition problems: damaged wires cylinders drop out, can damage the coils as well damage is not always visible. Caution relieve fuel line pressure before servicing filter on FI bikes. there is an explanation on how to retrieve trouble codes on the "x1 files" site the s3 and x1 share the same ecm be methodical and patient good luck. | ||
| Twowheeldream |
If you think it might be a gas tank vent, try running the bike with the gas cap off or loose. If it doesn't die, then you know its your tank vent. | ||
| Bookyoh |
I suggest you rule out something simple like water in the gas since the bike ran great until shortly after you washed it. Mark | ||
| Blks1l |
Patrice, if you need I've got the VDSTS you can do some troubleshooting with. I could bring it to Opals. Let me know. I've had issues with my FI, and am going to pull it off soon. I've got extra sensors you could do some troubleshooting with also. Dean | ||
| Ebutch |
I had same problim. Still say its broken axel in thoutle body. You have to take body off to see broken butter fly axel.It breaks near thoutle sencr which sends false message to computer.New body is made much stonger. Hope this saves you greaf. Butch | ||
| Duckbuell |
Thanks Dean, I appreciate the offer. I ran the bike this evening and it still died. Next I siphoned almost all the gas out of the tank. Then it ran great! So I filled the tank with fresh gas and blasted up and down the highway about 10 miles. It is a bit colder out, so the pesky flat spot at 3000 rpm seemed a bit worse, and it stumbled a bit at 2000 RPM. But it cruised smoothly at 3000 rpm @ 60mph, it idles fine, and it does not die! Water must have leaked past the gas cap when I washed the bike. I will tighten the small lock-nut on the underside of the gas cap, will that tighten the o-ring seal when I secure the cap? I am relieved, and hope thats all there was to it! Thank you all, for your help and suggestions.  | ||
| Oldog |
Duck the cap nut is shouldered tightening it will only go so far. excessive force will break the cap latch cam. the oring is like mine and just getting flat glad to hear it was water in the gas... | ||
| Duckbuell |
Jim, thank you, for the advice about my gas cap. I can't believe how many tips and tricks I am learning from all of you. Nice to have so many experienced Buell riders here. Cheers, Patrice | ||
| Oldog |
Glad to save you the Grief of broken parts Ride Safe there Duck One last thing I had issues with the cap getting tight and hard to turn, the rubber skirt under the cap in the filler well will drag on the latch and make it hard to turn, I slit it verticaly at the 6:00 and 12:00 positions so that it does not drag on the cap latch in the tank. ..from the porch ... | ||
| Naustin |
Good to hear it was something simple! Nick |
