| Author | Message | ||
     Mr_cuell  |
I took the bike out today - 55 degrees so I fired it up and it was stumbling bad- felt like just one cylinder. I kept the RPM's up around 2k and took it for a spin hoping it was just stiff/cold and the cylinder would fire up and smooth things out. No luck so I parked it after 60 seconds or so. I took out the shop manual, and being the lazy type the easiest test was to see if the battery was low. It measured 12.09 so I have it on a tender. I checked again after 2 hours or so and it was up to 12.6 so I fired it up and it did seem to be much smoother, and it will idle by itself now, but only for 30 seconds or so before it quits. Anyone else have this happen? Anyone ever frozen a battery? | ||
| Spatten1  |
Man, it's probably a fouled front plug. Mine does it about half the time that it's cold out. If I so much as touch the throttle its all over. Problem is, at 35-40 degrees the damn thing will not start with no throttle, period, so you want to crack it a hare to get the idle to catch. Then you get the old thumper action. Check the front pipe with your hand, carefully, and see if its cold. If so, pull the plug, dry it well, sand the contacts and you'll be OK. I'm hoping that a TPS sync will get mine back in order. I also ordered iridium plugs which are supposed to be less prone to fouling. Now watch, this post will be followed by a few posts that say there is no fouling problem and that I rev mine while cold which is really stupid. Nonetheless, I feel your pain. | ||
| Dbird29 |
Spatten1, Would a different sparkplug brand change your fouling? Of course mine has never fouled. Just kidding!  It sounds like a pain to have to worry about fouling. | ||
| Cataract2 |
You might be right sp. Sounds like a fouled plug. Yank the front one and check it. | ||
| Spatten1 |
Good one Dbird. | ||
| Charlieboy6649  |
Never fouled a plug; Boy is sucks living in AZ where it's warm LOL  Seriously though, I've heard that you aren't supposed to give FI systems any gas on startup unlike carburetion. Just consider it. | ||
| Jlnance  |
Glad my Blast doesn't have that problem. It would really run poorly if I lost a cylinder.  | ||
| SouthernMarine  |
You fouled a plug, did it with mine twice. | ||
| Reepicheep  |
Put a DC volt meter across the battery while the bike is at high idle, and see what it says. Does the bike stink? Seriously, pop off the primary chain inspection cover and take a whiff. It will either smell terrible (normal) or absolutely wretched (blown stator). Could be battery or voltage regulator as well, or the battery may just need more time to charge up. | ||
| Mr_cuell |
Just came in and I hadn't checked the thread yet, but I did just what was recommended - charged it all night up to 100% fired it up and same issue, so I felt pipes. Burned myself on rear pipe, front pipe was warmish but obviously not firing like the rear. Thanks for help - I will pull plug clean it up and get goin - high of 57 today!! | ||
| Mr_cuell |
And I love Buell's this is my favorite bike ever, but this is some BS. Cars don't do this, my dads FLHRI doesn't, and neither does any other bike I've had. But then again none of them corner like this either, or look this good. Oh well take the bad with the good. | ||
| Chainsaw  |
I've never fouled a plug on my stock XB and I ride down into the 20's. Owners Manual says don't touch the throttle for 15 seconds after start up. Give that a try after you clean up the plug. | ||
| SouthernMarine |
Forget cleaning it, just replace it. I don't think anyone has had any success with just cleaning it. I put the regular NGK's in and haven't had any problem. I have a pair of the Iridum's on standby for the next time it happens (Although that could be a long time, considering she's in storage until I get back). | ||
| Fullpower  |
i live in alaska, a warm day here is 58 degrees. i have many cold starts, and short rides with temps in the 20's. got 10,000 on the original spark plugs. never had one foul. something is wrong or misadjusted with your EFI if you are fouling plugs. it is NOT the weather, and it is NOT a normal condition. there is no reason that a modern 4 stroke engine should EVER foul a spark plug. neither my ducati monster, sportster, nor XB12 has ever fouled a spark plug, and yours should not either. | ||
| Spatten1 |
"there is no reason that a modern 4 stroke engine should EVER foul a spark plug" The above statement is a FACT. However, I'm having the same trouble, as have other posters on this site. I know many people don't have any issues, but the problem does exist. It is really frustrating and seems to happen more when cold. I'd love the let the thing start with no throttle, but sometimes it just won't catch. I hope the iridiums fix my problem, and I hope Cuell's will start with no throttle application. I did the same thing as him when I got my XB, because there is no starting my X1 without throttle, in fact, you need to be pretty good at baby sitting it for a while after startup if you want it to keep running. Anyway, I can't understand why the thing should foul even if throttle is applied while cranking. On another thread I suggested that it may be due to lack of a MAP sensor, thus not registering that there is no load and getting too much gas on an open loop cold start. Well, almost all of the responses blamed me and told me the system is flawless. Oh well. | ||
| Mr_cuell |
I must have touched the throttle, I suppose its the only likely explanation, but when I bought the bike last summer, the sales guy, who rides an XB, warned me not to touch the throttle on start up or it will foul almost every time, so I am careful not to do that. I bet guys who have posted so far are right, I bet I did instinctively blip it. I cleaned the plug, first time it didn't work, removed it and did a real thorough job and presto - bike is back to a twin. | ||
| Gusmyster  |
On cold mornings here in Nebraska mine will not start without a "smidge" of throttle. I know I should bump the idle up a little, but so far I havn't fouled a plug. It did this before and after the race kit was installed. I guess when I foul my first plug I'll change my ways. Kinda thick that way. g u s | ||
| Spatten1 |
Thanks for the input Gus. Is your idle too low when fully warmed up? | ||
| Gusmyster |
No, as a matter of fact once it hits I can walk away from it and it warms up on its' own. When it's cold out I have tried without giving it gas and most of the time it doesn't catch. So I've just got in the habbit of using a "light" touch. I only have about 1500 miles on my XB if that matters. g u s | ||
| Spatten1 |
I'd guess that you don't want to set the idle higher if its correct when warm. Your problem sounds just like mine. I'll try the "light touch" before a long no-throttle crank and see if that helps. Maybe the long no-start cranks are when the plug is fouling. | ||
| Glitch  |
Ya'll have a problem that seems to point to either a timing issue, or ECM maladjusted. Both of which need a scan tool to check/reset. The only time my bike would not start, the stator had gone bad, see Reep's post. I kind of doubt that would be your problem as I had 20,000 miles on mine when the stator went out. Best of luck. | ||
| M1combat  |
For the timing... You can check that with a VM. If the ECM wasn't adjusted correctly, then yes, you would need a DT. | ||
| Glitch |
You can check that with a VM. You are correct, sir. Only if this is the way you decide to go, have a friend help you. It'll be easier. | ||
| Nedwreck  |
My CityX started one-lunging when I cranked it up to ride home from work. It was hard to start to begin with and only cranked with serious throttle application. It started running right the second I hit the off ramp to the Harley shop to have it looked at. This has only happened once. Bob | ||
| Xbcrazy |
Hey Everyone, just wanted to add that firing up your bike repeatedly without actually taking it out for a ride will undoubtedly foul the plugs. And no letting the bike idle until it is at full operating temp is not the same as riding it. Pete | ||
| Glitch |
Yep, he's right ya know. But why would you start it up, warm it up, and not ride it? I know I'd get foul if I was treated that way. | ||
| Anonymous |
I agree it is really hard to foul the plugs. I was playing with fire, seriously I was making Flame throwers on my bike. I two-stepped the motor and cut the ignition from the front cylinder and used that spark energy to fire the spark plug in my muffler. After a minute or two, I stopped doing that and everything was normal even though the front cylinder was just pumping fuel through it the whole time. It didnt foul the plugs. I know that wasnt good doing because of fuel washing down the cylinders and degrading the oil, but it was cool watching it flame. Inappropriate anonymous post by Damon. (Message edited by blake on February 10, 2005) | ||
| Blaster_s  |
Hey now you got a Blast...LOL! |
