| Author | Message | ||
     Angushendrick |
Howdy all. My X1 upgrades are proceeding nicely. I'm not done (rocker cover replacement and fan installation are still in the hopper), but as of last Sunday my bike was up and running again for the first time in a few weeks. Thanks to everyone who chimed in with advice on how to do this stuff, and to Dave Stueve and Dave Matthews (not the singer) for hooking me up with the parts I needed. The limiting problem that had been keeping my bike down was the V&H exhaust can. The mount had sheared and once I removed it I discovered it had more loose parts inside than Ted Bundy's brain. Since the original headers were scuffed, I went ahead and bought a whole new D&D exhaust system. After drilling out and retapping one of the exhaust studs that was broken, and fabricating a fixture to allow the D&D to attach to the V&H mount (my Z-bracket is long gone), I managed to get the system attached. As advertised, it is loud and if you stand behind the pipe, you have to lean into the wind to keep from being blown over. While I was waiting for the exhaust I had done a few other things: install S3T bars, replace my torn grips, replace the K&N in the gutted airbox, install the "chunky" aluminum clutch and brake levers you see on e-bay, lubricate the clutch cable, perform the fender eliminator modification posted by Madgaz (http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/47623/58511.html), and change all the oil (Mobil 15w/50). I went out for a test ride and discovered the Buell's automatic oil level adjustment feature when I stopped at a friend's house--the back half of the bike was covered with oil. I got home and discovered that the oil cap had blown off, but (with a warm engine) the oil level was right between the marks on the dipstick. Very nice. Yesterday, I stopped in at the dealer, took out the stock ECM, installed the Race ECM and had a TPS reset done. Now here's the problem. Since I had that done, I've noticed two things. First, the bike backfires fairly often on deceleration, or (occasionally) if I rev the engine unloaded from idle. Second, when I come to a stop, the bike wants to idle up around 2000 RPM. I can bring the revs down by braking the engine with the transmission, and once they go down, they stay down (at around 1200RPM). But if I don't force the RPM down with the transmission the engine hangs out around 2000 RPM. I didn't have the idle problem with the stock ECM, but there may have been some backfiring (I didn't pay real close attention because I knew I was going to replace it). Again, the configuration is full D&D system, gutted airbox with K&N, and Race ECM. Can anyone shed any light on what's going on here? | ||
| Hotrodsportster |
You may want to check for a air leak in the FI system. The symptons you are describing sound like a seal may be leaking. Take a look at the KV for the appropriate steps to locate the leak. Good luck with the X1 | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
In order to zero the TPS, the dealer has to turn the idle down to close the throttle completely. after they were done, the set the idle to what seemed right at the time when the engine was cold. Warm up your engine and set the idle to 900 with the thumb screw under the left scoop. Another thing to watch out for with a gutted airbox: Boston H-D sold me my bike with the box gutted. They cable tied the intake air sensor to the top of the box. It sucked beacuse there is only stagnant air there. Also, mine didn't filter the air! There was always gravel and sand inside the "clean" area. That's the REAL reason I got a forcewinder. The air wasn't even coming in via the filter in front, it was getting in through a gap un the bottom of the airbox. | ||
| Tramp |
i'd say intake manifold leak, but- you've changed the exhaust. even the smallest leak in the exhaust will give you a decel sputter. one of the most overloooked sources of decel popping/sputtering is the exhaust leak, esp. when it's been changed... | ||
| Wceviper |
I had the same problem after I put the race kit on, turned out the front header bolts worked themselves loose. To this day I still check them to make sure they are tight about every 2-3 tanks of fuel. | ||
| Tramp |
good man...further, all the exhaust unions need a good examination form time to time...hold your hand tightly over the 'tailpipe' and listen for leaks along the header unions... | ||
| Angushendrick |
After tightening and retightening every exhaust joint, the bike still ran like &*$!. Spraying everything from water to liquid wrench on the intake manifolds only made the cylinders wet--no change in the idle. Sunday I popped out the O2 sensor and put in a new Bosch 12014. The speculation that led to this as the culprit was (1) I had touched it and therefore could have broken it and (2) if it failed it would make the bike run way lean. Everything now seems to be MUCH better--smoother--though still not perfect to my ear. It sounds a little rough on hard accel, backfires occasionally when I release the throttle (though much, much less), and occasionally it doesn't want to drop all the way down to idle without a little engine braking. I'm hoping to go to a DC BRAG meeting on Saturday and get some advice from a more calibrated set of ears. Thanks all. After nearly two months of fooling around, I now have a working Buell that I'm quite happy with. | ||
| Denfromphilly |
Take it out and cruise it at 3500 to 4500 rpm for ten minutes continuous to reset the ECM data. | ||
| Denfromphilly |
Also it sounds exactly like what my bike with the same mods did after a TPS reset. The tech's had a very hard and prolonged time getting it straight. They finally did and it runs very good. The idle adjustment on mine is a cable inside the air scoop on the left side, not at the fuel injection BTW... Look for a black cable with a phillips head screw at the end. | ||
| Chasespeed |
Den, you beat me to it... Yeah, resetting the AFV shoudl solve this...mine did the same until I could get to a long enough Highway to re-set it.... Run at around 3000 rpms...with as litle throttle modulation as possible...for 10-15 minutes... It helps..especially sionce you now a new O2... And a little backfiri g on decel? Its a V-twin...they do that...though with the fuel injection it should be minimal...butmine does it.. Chase | ||
| Denfromphilly |
The HARDEST part about the cruising reset where I live is actually being able to cruise for 10 minutes. There are so many bad drivers whizzing back and forth, so many people going well under and over the speed limit it's almost impossible to cruise steady for 10 minutes. At 7 am on a Sat morning I had to drive from Trenton to Philly on I-95 back and forth twice until I was finally able to keep the motor above 3500 rpm for ten minutes. On my 7 mile ride to work this morning I had two butt hats dart into my path, both had 300 yards to see me coming and both decided to jump across the lane and make a left turn at the last second. I had to brake hard and swerve both times to avoid a collision. It's times like this I need a good medieval mace to swing at their metalwork and make a positive impression. | ||
| Chasespeed |
Den, yeah, I hear ya, its like that in Hampton Roads.... Juts keep a magnet handy, with some small hardware, i.e. washers, nuts, bolts...small animals..... That usually gets soem attention... DISCLAIMER.... That was meant as a Joke, and while it is effective, it is ILLEAGAL, and dangerous.... Chase | ||
| Hotrodsportster |
Marbles are also effective!!!!!!!!!!! | ||
| Phatkidwit1eye |
Golf balls..While a bit large, bounce pretty well and for a good distance when they accidentally fall out of your coat pocket. | ||
| Anonymous |
spark plugs work well to, Once I picked up a .357 revolver from repair and just carried it in the open in a holster, man did that work, every one saw me! (go figure) | ||
| Blake |
Anony, Please don't use the anonymous feature. It is reserved solely for a select few who's participation here depends upon their total anonymity. Thank you for understanding. | ||
| Angushendrick |
Is it really important that there be a continual 10 minutes at 3500 (or some other) RPM? I mean, does it still learn, but just more slowly, from just various short rides that take it into the right RPM range? Angus | ||
| Chasespeed |
Any reliable source vrom Buell, or American Sport Bike, who ever says the SAME thing I posted above..and I darn near qouted it verbatim... NOt trying to be a prick...but yeah.. Mine ran funny until I was able to get the highway to myself long enough to achaive this... Funnny thing is, on both my X1, and my buddies XB9, you could feel it making its small adjustments at aorund 7 minutes.... You will notice the diffrence....As far as I know, you shoudl do this everytime you have to repace a O2 sensor as well...but I could be wwrong, I do it anyway..... Chase | ||
| Denfromphilly |
I think my factory manual says to run at 3500 to 4500 rpm in 4th or 5th gear for a minimum of 6 minutes. I DID notice a difference in throttle response after I did it. | ||
| Pete_o |
Can the sputtering cause any engine damage? Mine does it too, I've replaced the intake seals (this fixed other problems) and tightened the exhaust but I still get it. Pete | ||
| Cmodtopgun |
The ecm reset is 5th gear between 2500 - 3000 rpm for 1 mile. Usually works out to 60 - 62 mph. I always go 1.2 miles just to allow for rounding. You don't need 10 minutes or whatever. | ||
| Angushendrick |
I went to my first BRAG meeting the first week in August. After the ride Jose agreed that my bike sounded wrong, took a look at the exhaust header and noticed that one of the studs was gone. It turned out it was the stud that I had retapped. I had tightened it that morning and I felt something give. Sure enough, when I tried to fit a new stud in the hole, it slid neatly to the back of the hole with no threads to slow it down. I started into a helicoil job, and thought I was going to do some permanent damage. I called for help on the DC BRAG mail circuit, and got some good advice from Johnnie Haynes and Karl Jett. The key to tapping that hole is to get a 12 point socket and hammer the tap shank into it. Put that on the end of a socket extension, and whammo! After completing the helicoil, and reinstalling the exhaust, I found I had a whole new bike--no more backfiring. I must have had a small leak at that front header the whole time. The engine sounds fine to me now, and I'll get a few more second opinions at the September BRAG meeting. The only thing that bothers me at this point is that if I put my hand over the tail pipe, the engine continues to run. I don't hear or see any signs of leakage, but shouldn't the back pressure shut off the engine? | ||
| Bluelightning |
Nope, and if you can keep your hand over the pipe for that long, man you are not human!! Besides, it's hard to get a "total seal" over the end of the pipe with just your hand, that and you could be looking at some dangerous stuff by trying that trick (i.e. big boom). Remember a motor is nothing more than a big air pump, and by clogging the end that lets air out could cause problems at a weaker point further up the line. When we gonna go ride there Angus? I am curious what my hopped up X-1 will do against your fairly un-modified bike (besides the race ecm and pipe). I believe the September meeting will have an open house with demo rides, so keep you calendar open to lend a hand as a rider. Karl |
