| Author | Message | ||
     Zpyro |
So I tried riding my bike last night, the first time I've ridden it in that low a temp (low 40s). While I was riding it sounded like crap, and rode even worse....I let it sit all day today, and I've tried the "hold open the throttle with the kill switch on, turn key to on" plug clearing procedure I've found online, but no matter how many times I do it, it still won't fire. I know for sure it's the rear because its header tube is only slightly warm after running for a few minutes. So I start tearing the bike down to get to the plugs, but first I tried pulling the plug wire off of the spark plug to see if I was getting spark at all. When I turned the bike on and turned the killswitch on, the wire sent a constant arc of electricity that shocked the **** out of me (I had it sitting next to the strap-lookin thing that goes across the top of the frame, under the airbox). Is this supposed to be happening? I don't know if the bike normally fires the plugs like that when you first turn the killswitch on (it does it while the fuel pump primes, and I sometimes hear some unburnt fuel ignite if I had just shut the bike off)...my dad is on his way with tools so hopefully I can at least get the plug out and check it, but my dad thinks it's not supposed to fire like it did and that the ECM is at fault.. (Message edited by zpyro on November 23, 2008) | ||
| Iamarchangel |
First, the bike will run in below freezing temperatures so that's not the issue. Second, not sure what you're describing. If it's key on, engine on and you hit the start button, oh yeah, you'll get sparkies alright. If you mean key on, engine on and that happens, that doesn't sound right. I'd be looking for a ground to the frame, some bad wiring before I'd go after the ECM. From the sounds of the electrical power, I'd also be looking at how the coil works to see if it depends on engine rotation to send a spark/current. Either of those would answer your rear cylinder question. | ||
| Zpyro |
Are you the same Archangel from BuelletinBoard? lol As I posted there, we pulled the plug and turned the engine over. When I turned the key to on and turned the kill switch to on, it zapped for a second or two (plug next to frame), then stopped. I then turned the engine over, and the plug fired as it should. So at least the coil is sending spark, but I have no idea if it's sending it at the right time... There is no excess blowby so I don't think there's a problem with the piston/compression. The cylinder is obviously getting fuel, and it's getting spark and air, so I'm thinking it's an electrical or timing issue, or something like that. Can somebody test their 08 (maybe other yrs) and see if their plugs fire when the fuel pump primes? (Key on, killswitch on but not running) Could maybe the coil be bad and sending spark at the wrong time? There isn't any backfiring through the intake, there is only backfiring through the exhaust if I open the throttle. There's just a bunch of fuel being blown out the exhaust (it stunk up the garage somethin fierce) or maybe the valvetrain is fuxored...  (Message edited by zpyro on November 23, 2008) | ||
| Iamarchangel |
If there is no spark on the rear, it won't fire the gas. The unburned fuel will be expelled on the exhaust cycle. Not a safe situation, by the way. I'd wait for an answer on how the coil works before going much further, except for tracking and checking the wiring. | ||
| Zpyro |
I know it won't fire if it doesn't have spark, but when I had the plug out of the head but still connected to the coil, it was sparking pretty fiercely | ||
| Akbuell |
Before you go much further, try a new set of plugs. I have had them fire fine out of the cyl, but would not fire under pressure in the cylinder, after being fouled. Looked ok, just wouldn't work. As others have mentioned, since you are in there, checking the electrics you can get to is a good idea. Hope this helps, Dave. | ||
| Zpyro |
I looked around at the wires and couldn't see anything, and I don't want to disassemble anything more in case I can't put it back together correctly. I can tear my 65 mustang down and reassemble no prob, but those aren't nearly as complicated as this bike (lot more room to work too) Should I maybe swap the front and rear plugs and see if the rear cyl. still doesn't fire? That would be the easiest for me if it would work, and it seems to me that it would. Or would it be better/worse to try some sandpaper and cleaning up the electrodes? | ||
| Ourdee |
Swap front to rear, but before that turn the plug up like it sits in the engine, did the insolator <-(spelling ?) inside the plug slide down and hide the electrode?  | ||
| Zpyro |
no the plug looked fine, it was just black and smelled like fuel | ||
| Foxdogg2001 |
Let me know what fixes it...mine won't start either. It never has liked starting in cold weather and I have to keep it on the charger or it will die every time. Last winter almost made me sell it...starting to have the same problems all over again. | ||
| Iamarchangel |
I had a bit of time to look at the manual. Were you able to download one? It looks like that high voltage zap is supposed to happen. It's triggered with the pump. The coil is not grounded by mounting so thats not an issue. The coil is sensitive to moisture so the condensation could be a factor. Try getting hold of a good one to see if that makes a difference. Or try old school, spray the coil and plug wires all over with WD40. Switching plugs between cylinders is a good idea. The front cylinder firing will clean the dirty rear one. Do the WD40 thing first. Remember, I'm just reading the manual. Go with Jos, or a known working mechanic, over my input. | ||
| Zpyro |
Yeah I downloaded one, thanks for the link! What is Jos? I'll try to swap plugs tmrw, I need to get the extensions and wobble cuz I borrowed one but had to return it. Hopefully I get my damn check tomorrow.... | ||
| Iamarchangel |
Jos51700 is a mechanic on this board. He seems to have a pretty good handle on Buell's electronics. Go with his advice. There are others, his info seems to stand out. | ||
| Zpyro |
Ok so I swapped the plugs, the suspected bad plug is in the front cyl. The rear cyl. now fires, and the front doesn't. I've determined that, for whatever reason, that plug that was in the rear (and now in the front) will not fire while in the engine. I think it fouled because I didn't bother to let the bike warm up that night before I took off. I know I'm supposed to, but it was midnight and my bike is LOUD The SpecOps exhaust isn't neighbor friendly. So I think I've eliminated any other possibility, and for whatever reason, this plug just will NOT fire when in the engine. Couldn't tell ya why...I believe, if it were a different issue, the rear still wouldn't be firing. I ran the bike for all of 10 seconds and already the rear exhaust pipe was hotter than the front (and it still ran on one cyl.). I'm going to get some NGK plugs, because CycleGear carries them and all the Harley shops are closed. From what I've read DCPR8E will work, ya? My engine isn't going to explode if I put those in, will it? lol | ||
| Zpyro |
Replaced bad plug with NGK, bike runs on both cylinders now  | ||
| Skully |
Excellent! | ||
| Iamarchangel |
Alright. | ||
| Akbuell |
Xcellent. Another problem fixed, and more knowledge for us all! Thanks for the update. |
