| Author | Message | ||
     Xbimmer |
Strike One being the Ping which is back in force this summer. I intend to resurrect my 30 year old 180k BMW for my primary ride soon while BMC will have the opportunity to fix my Uly for me. Strike Two is the failing charging system that emerged Thurs nite on the first day of a 4 day tour of the Sierras my wife and I had started. Friday morning was able to jump it and get to the local HD dealer, where they actually took my bike right in and did a diagnostic. Pretty cool I thought since they don't even sell or work on Buells. I recommend Visalia CA HD if you are in their area, class establishment. Diagnosed my charging as sub-spec, recharged my battery. Picked up a battery charger on the way back to the motel and made it back home this afternoon after recharging the battery this A.M. My servicing dealer can't get me in for a week, and the s/m asked me why the HD dealer didn't handle it! Typical! The battery charger I bought is decent and showed battery voltages between 12.5 and 15.5 up to 4k rpm before I left for home. Since the diagnostic proved my battery ok I could assume it was at least getting a charge. When I got home the same test revealed a static battery voltage of 12.7 but a maximum of 13.5 at 4k rpm. I'm hoping it's the loose regulator connector mentioned here before because I have no faith in my servicing dealer who I have to work out warranty issues with. And they had the balls to leave me a voice mail about the 1125R, as if they were interested in taking care of me were I to buy one? These guys don't even stock XB air filters! Combined with the wheel bearing issues being currently discussed, I'm beginning after 14 months and 28k to question my decision to buy what I thought would be my bike for the next 10 years. Whining out... | ||
| 44mag2 |
Paradise HD in Portland Oregon rebuilt my engine to eliminate the ping ... no ping at all for the last 2000 miles since the rebuild ... even in 100 degree weather. | ||
| Davo |
xbimmer, Sounds like a connection or a bad ground. Check the stator connector behind the tranny sprocket cover and the voltage regulator connector. It could also be a loose battery terminal. I think 14.3v is what you are looking for. | ||
| Orangeulius |
Sounds like the same problem I had. After the HD dealer tried to fix it 3 times I replaced the battery at my own expense and corrected the loose terminal connector by adding a washer. I have not had a problem in 6 months. My bike pinged a lot. The 07 airbox helped some. The race ECM and and pipe took care of the rest. I can still make it ping if I really lug it but its not bothersome anymore. I also think the pipe lowered the back pressure. Mine starts 1st time everytime now and turns over much easier. Good luck. PS I whined when mine did this too. Its a real pisser. | ||
| Rays |
Xbimmer, I have put together a step by step guide to checking the pins in the Voltage Regulator output connector. It is too large to be attached here so if you want a copy please send me a PM with your email address. I feel your pain to some degree - I was completely ticked off with my Uly when it let me down about 50km from home and the subsequent inept attempts by my dealer to diagnose this. After I eventually discovered (and rectified) the problem myself I didn't trust it for a long time and even ended up fitted a permanent battery voltage indicator. However 20,000km later I have had no further issue with the charging system and all has been forgiven with the recalcitrant Uly.  | ||
| Diablobrian |
retarding the static timing a degree or 2 has helped several people eliminate the dreaded pinging problem. I'm running a higher than stock compression ratio, and a full fairing, but my bike does not ping at all unless I use the lower octane gas. I have to use 93 octane, but that is readily available in my area. The guys at Hal's Performance tuned my bike, so it is possible to fix the ping if the dealer has the experience with the XB motors. As an alternative fix/band-aid type fix you could try running (an o2 sensor safe) octane booster to kill the ping. That is really just suppressing the symptom of the problem instead of actually fixing it though. There is no reason a stock Buell should'nt be able to run perfectly on pump gas. The electrical issues are a little harder to pin down without careful troubleshooting with a good multi-meter. I'd be looking for a bad mechanical connection (either at a connector, or due to a separated or broken wire) or a bad component in the system. (Message edited by diablobrian on July 15, 2007) | ||
| Xbimmer |
Thanks for the help guys.  I did consider the GS, Tiger, KTM, Multistrada, VStroms, KLR, and a bunch of other more street-oriented bikes before deciding on the Uly. I don't want to spend the second year of warranty coverage with a down bike for weeks at a time while my dealer "maybe" fixes it. They messed up the 1k, 5k, and 10k services, the sidestand recall, my warrantied oil cooler failure, the bag latches... and I keep buying spares so I'll have them at the ready if/when needed. I love this bike but even now I plan my routes around the limited fuel capacity, which is ok, but feeling like I have to ride within tow distance to a Buell dealer isn't. OK whining really over, time to check some connections, thanks again! | ||
| Bertotti |
I'm at 1500 miles and haven't had a ping yet. I run 89 octane with 10% ethanol. I think the ethanol helps because the alcohol runs a bit hotter, but I don't know. I do get better mileage with the 91 octane I can get here. I would run E85 if it was capable of it. | ||
| Mlcavassa |
44mag2: Overall, how do you find Paradise HD's service (specifically their shop)? The Buell Ulysses (an '08) is one of the 2 bikes that I'm considering and, if I do go with the Buell, I'd consider buying from Paradise. Your thoughts/comments would be appreciated! Thanks! | ||
| Bobsims |
I have taken the liberty of publishing Ray's most excellent "Buell XB Voltage Regulator Connector Check" troubleshooting document (w/pictures) through my Google Docs for posterity. Anyone can view Ray's guide here. Many thanks for sharing this, Ray. Bob | ||
| Xbimmer |
Well the dealer finally got me in today to check my Uly, determined it's the stator failing. Of course like everything else for the XB they don't stock the parts, oil filters and spark plugs are it for these guys. Here's one you all might enjoy. While waiting to get my bike worked on I asked one of the svc mgrs whether they had at least one wrench that liked or at least was experienced with Buells. His response? "Not really, but if you find one let me know!". I friggin couldn't believe that! When I noticed that my bike was finally getting worked on by the same guy that replaced my oil cooler but didn't tighten the lines so I got oil all over my new Sidi On Roads on the way home, I went over and asked him whether he thought my output shaft seal might be leaking (pulley cover was off, you couldn't miss it). His response? "I don't know, I don't know much about these bikes"... And I'm supposed to let these guys replace my stator if and when they get it in? Buell's got a big problem, and it's not the bikes... |
