| Author | Message | ||
     Lars1974 |
hi guys, finally the temperature has been about 0 here in the UK and I thought today is a good day to prep my Uly for the new season: so first engine oil & filter change: 1. out with the old oil after a short warm up ride...  2. out with the old filter too  3. in with the new filter  4. clean the drain plug and than re-insert, but not too tight!  5. fill with new HD20W50!  6. drain the primary oil, with the bike upright...  7. take off clutch inspection cover and than after checking the drain plug and re-inserting fill with new primary oil  8. check Air filter and also i had a quick check at the plugs, but did not change them or get them out... every now and than my bike runs only on 1 cylinder and it looks like the front is not firing....also the around the plug (both plugs in fact) is a fair amount of oil sweat - is that normal? here is photo of the front plug - so you can see what i mean  finally re-assemble everything here a shot half way through that  the bike is running again...  now i am ready for spring! Enjoy and Happy Easter! Lars | ||
| Ratman |
Missing on the front cylinder?? better check the plug wire as the are prone to wearing thru where it rubs on the frame. Pic #3 shows a what looks like a bare spot on some wiring. If Im not mistaken thats where the chin spoiler contacts. You should take care of that before it starts to corrode. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Also, the picture you included of your "plug"...isn't a spark plug. It's the PCV grommet in the rockerbox cover, and yes, it is normal for those to sweat some oil. Your spark plugs are on the left hand side of the bike, not easily visible on an XB. The engine is "built" the same as the tuber pic I'll include below, and I'll highlight the spark plugs in red (the green circles are the headbolts, which are pretty easy to see on an XB):  | ||
| Lars1974 |
Yes, a fellow forum member on a GS forum spotted that too,,, i was obviously not looking properly, but this could well be the cause of the misfire etc...  We had the same last September on my friends Buell, which happend whilst on a tour in the German Black Forest....his bike started with misfiring and than stopped totally, with just giving us a blink code! He had a bare wire too...see pics below   What do you guys reckon is the best way to fix this? Just insulation tape? Or replace it all? Etc... Any suggestions welcome. Thanks, Lars | ||
| General_ulysses |
Lars thanks for the heads up (warning) about the wire chafing issue, I'll keep an eye on it on my bike too. I might even do a preemptive wrapping with a protective metal tube + heat insulation. While you're doing your periodic/preventative maintenance, you might want to check you air cleaner too  . Take a look at this thread if you haven't already seen it. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/708830.html?1364696935 | ||
| Uly_man |
Is this some sort of joke or what you found on your bike? | ||
| Ratbuell |
I actually notched my chin spoiler where it goes around that wiring loom. I simply cut a radius relief while I had the chin off; can't even tell when everything's installed. | ||
| Lars1974 |
Yes, thats is what my mate did during the tour too and i am planning to do the same.... Just cut a tiny bit out to give it more space! Do you reckon just putting tape around will do? | ||
| General_ulysses |
Uly man no joke, except the mouse wheel photoshop at the end, of course. Haven't you ever found a mouse nest inside an airbox before? If not you've lived a sheltered life in terms of car/motorcycle maintenance! I just bought the bike, I suppose the previous owner had it stored in his garage along with some dog food leading to the mouse hotel situation shown. | ||
| General_ulysses |
What is that doo-hickey on top of the aircleaner? The thing with the cable on it that rotates an aluminum cam and does something internally under certain circumstances? I have a manual on order but haven't received it yet and I was wondering what it's for. And on your bike Lars it appears as if the cable is too slack around the pulley. Shouldn't it be wrapped more tightly so as not be excessively slackened like that? | ||
| Lars1974 |
Anyway: obviously I could not leave my poor Uly like this! So i went into the garage again for some TLC First identify the damage...  Than reseal the isolated wire with tape and pack away! My un-used exhaust valve cable i positioned a bit better now too...  Next, my attention went to the bugspoiler and with a file and some sandpaper I "made" a bit more room! Lol  And than refit it all! Much better now and the bike started fine without misfire!  I will monitor how this bodged repair works over time, but for now it should be ok. Thx | ||
| Luftkoph |
those wires in that loom go to the V/R that could get costly good thing it was spotted | ||
| Etennuly |
My '06 Uly had that same chafing spot. Mine would just shut off cruising down the highway in the rain. Dry it was fine. It quit about five times one rainy day, making a forty mile wet ride, really wet. It drove me nuts for a few weeks until it finally showed up on a take it apart inspection. My wires were worn half way through so I cut them, soldered them, and sealed them up with heat shrink. I twisted them around to a different position so that they were no longer pinched. | ||
| Reepicheep |
General, that is the exhaust servo, it changes the exhaust path and length at different rpm positions. | ||
| Uly_man |
Byee. Put some thought and effort in you F==k Wits. (Message edited by Uly_man on March 31, 2013) | ||
| General_ulysses |
Ah, so the thing on top of the aircleaner is actually the motor for the exhaust valve. I was thinking it did something internal to the air cleaner. And since Lars has his exhaust valve disconnected, that would explain why it's slack. Thanks for clearing that up. | ||
| Thejosh |
Is Uly_man off his meds or something? | ||
| Buellerxt |
+1 Thejosh.  Good stuff, Ratbuell. Very helpful input, as always. A lot of owners benefit from these discussions. Thanks for starting the thread, lars, and enjoy the Spring riding. | ||
| Ratman |
Of course your running a race type ECM that wont activate that muffler cable that's nicely zip tied around your wiring  | ||
| Ratbuell |
The zip ties look like they're around the sheath...that part doesn't move anyway so as long as the zip ties aren't tight enough to squeeze that sheath around the cable, it'll be fine. | ||
| Motorbike |
Uly_man, if that is your edited version of a post, what did your original look like? Are you having a bad day? Why don't you go out and bang your head on a tree or something? You are usually more than helpful on this site but occasionally you post something like you did above and no one knows what you are even referring to. If you are going to post nasty stuff like that, please explain yourself. As for me, I don't get your point at all. If nothing else, maybe you should leave your laptop home when you head for the bar. This is one of the best websites I have ever found for a group of dedicated people with a common cause. Let's keep it that way. | ||
| Lars1974 |
Yesterday i took the Uly for proper ride after oil changes and cable patch repair! The bike started straight away and nicely on two pots! I let it sit idle for a minute and than set off. Se ran absolutely fine for the 30miles until my breakfasts stop! I even thought she ran more sweet than ever - maybe result of the ecmspy changes After i filled my belly with a full english i started her up and meh! She was running on one pot! Only for about a few second and than the second (i believe the front) came in. Once she was on two she did not miss a beat again! Basically i never have it happening when riding - also not from cold start, but warm starts she does not like!!! I than took the left air-scoop off at home and checked the spark cable - which looks all fine to me. I could not check the plug itself as i do have a 5/8 plug socket but as its so bloody tight for space i cannot get at it! Anyway, i may have to get help with the spark plug removal... | ||
| Etennuly |
The front plug is done with an angled box wrench and fingers. The rear is done with a deep socket and a foot long wiggle flopper end extension. I like these better than a straight socket extension and a universal joint. If you have to use a universal joint wrap the outside of it with a layer of masking tape to limit it's angular flopping movement. If you don't have a lined spark plug socket that will keep the plug secure in it, you can span the opening of a regular socket with masking tape. When it goes down over the plug the tape will be pushed in the socket along with the plug to keep it from falling out while extracting it. You must use anti-sieze on the replacement plug threads and hand start them as far as you can turn them. When starting the back plug I use a length of vacuum hose that the top end of the plug will stick in. Turn it gently by hand to make sure it starts straight. Do not over tighten them. I don't recall the spec, but it seems like it is 20 inch pounds? I have been doing plugs so many years I just use a 3/8 ratchet and about a half click in my built in right wrist torque amplifier.  | ||
| General_ulysses |
There's another wire chafe point I found on my bike, even worse than the one shown for the fairing above. Might want to take a look at it. On my bike the insulation on wire coming from the timing module ('06 Uly) was already getting melted with exposed wire. I've taken Lars pic and indicated the trouble area below:  |
