| Author | Message | ||
     Cpilot |
Being new to Buell and my 08 Uly I am very much in the learning mode. I was going to commute to work two days ago, so I opened the garage door and started the Uly, only to see it starting to snow. So I shut the Uly down without warming it up. The next day with no snow (20 degrees) I started the Uly, it ran terrible, only on one cylinder for the most part. I suspected fouled plugs I thought that once I got it warmed up it would be ok. After a mile or so it seemed that the other cylinder came back to life. Now I don't know if it is my imagination or not, but I think there is more vibration. So here are my questions: 1) Is it possible for only one plug to foul on a cylinder which would create uneven burn and vibration? 2) What is the recommended procedure when you have a fouled plug? Remove and clean? Remove and replace? Yesterday I rode about 100 miles, and again my imagination says there is higher vibration than normal, but I don't have a way to really test that. 3) Would it be worth the time to pull and inspect the plugs? Do they need to be checked in a pressure tester? Thanks for any input and ideas. | ||
| Conchop |
I've had a similar issue with my 08 Uly. It was my front jug that went awol. Pulled the plug and cleaned it. Go down and read the blog - shakin like a dog shittin razor blades. That was mine. There was a lot of practical info. I ordered bar weights from HVMP. That just treats the symptoms. The vibrations that are making it through are unacceptable. Since you rode so much without cleaning the plug first, I would check the oil to see if you washed some raw gas into your oil. One part I buy into from the blog is the temperature. It makes sense that the cold elastomer mounts get rigid. Nonetheless, there is too much vibration - especially in the handlebars and I plan on treating it. Keep in mind that the happy times are at 3k rpm and up. Stay tuned to this blog - I have supertuned Victorys over the years - drivability is the key word. As time goes by, I plan on bringing my Uly to a higher state of overall drivability. Its an excellent platform and from what I'm reading on this blog, it is a cult machine. The real trick is smooth linear power and overcoming the traditional HD vibe that gets past the elastomers. Other than the vibe issue, which will work its way out eventually, I think this is the best overall bike I've had. Time will tell. | ||
| Cpilot |
It is interesting.... I pulled both front and rear cylinder plugs. Both had a little darkness to them, like something running too rich, there was no carbon. After installing the two new plugs I went out and it ran great. Much less vibration (I think, since I do have an active imagination), and I think it was more responsive on the throttle. I will try to find a place to pressure test the plugs to see if indeed the spark is less than normal. I am now wondering if for winter operations one should run a little hotter plug??? | ||
| Blko8uly |
I had the same issue on my 08 recently. However my rear plug was burning just fine so I switched the plugs around and the vibe went away and runs normally now. My Sporty used to do the same thing but it was not FI. | ||
| Cpilot |
In talking with the folks at American Sport Bike, they recommended going to the Iridium plug especially for cold weather operation. They said the FI would continue with a rich mixture during the warm up stage which because of the cold temp is longer than normal, thus a greater possibility of fouling plugs. | ||
| Etennuly |
I had a real problem with this issue on my '05 City-X. I have resolved it on my '06 Uly. The city-X had the race kit on it and it was very difficult to warm it up without fouling the plugs. As much as I hated it, the only way it would consistently warm up without fouling was to start it and ride right away. Very easily, but no idling or waiting, start and go. I always carried the tools and extra plugs. I tried cleaning the plugs after fouling and the result was what you speak of. It would start running but it would vibrate and idle very rough, even after a complete warm up. With the Uly I start it and let it idle without touching the throttle for about three minutes or more. If the situation comes up that I am not going to be riding it anywhere, like starting it to move it, I still warm it up completely. Nearly twenty four thousand miles and haven't fouled one yet on the Uly. Stock HD plugs. Just change them at 10,000 by the book. Oh, and put some antisieze on the threads. | ||
| Murraebueller |
I concur with Etennuly- we have four FI Buells and start them all the same in cold weather. Here in New Mexico it can be 15 degrees when I leave for work. If your '08 is like my '07 TT, start it without touching the throttle and don't ride it until the cold start high idle has returned to normal. | ||
| Cpilot |
I rode the Uly to work today. I could not get it to run without touching the throttle. I have to rev it up to 2K for a few seconds, and then it settled into a nice idle. It did run smooth. I wonder what happens to the plugs that cause the electrical impulses to be reduced or at least uneven with the other cylinder. Thanks for all the input! | ||
| Etennuly |
I don't know what wet fouling does to the plugs as far as ruining them, but it does. I used to have a plug blaster that would make a used plug look just like new. I could blast a plug that had been wet fouled and even flash it with a propane torch(I had to special order plugs for my '79 CB750F back then, and I wanted to ride). That bike was very touchy(manual choke) and would not run on plugs that had been wet fouled at all. My dirt track race car engines were the same way, Chev small block, big heads, cam, intake, carb, etc. They would miss and vibrate at rpm if plugs had been fouled and cleaned. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
08's utilize a new plug that is "supposed" to be foul resistant. Do you guys with the 08' bikes have a plug fouling habit of blipping the throttle? I've demo'd the 08' at Sturgis and at the Kansas City HD factory and the demo leaders were constantly blipping the throttles and it about drove me nuts ( me knowing how it can foul the plugs and all ).  | ||
| Cpilot |
If the definition of "blipping" is the rapid advance and retard of the throttle before the engine can fully respond, then no for me. On a cold start if I don't open the throttle it fires once and dies. If I open the throttle immediately after it fires for the engine to rise to about 2,000 rpm for 10 to 15 seconds and then return the throttle to the idle position it will continue to warm up at idle rpm. I can see where blipping the throttle could increase the chances of a wet foul for the plug, especially if the engine dies or is shut down before it can clear the fuel in the cylinder. I don't know if other '08 Uly owners are having the same experience or not. |
