| Author | Message | ||
     Seanp |
Well, this morning on the way to class I was riding the Uly and all of a sudden it got wicked loud and the power went to about 10% and I smelled gas. I was only about a mile from home, so I turned around and rode it home, and got on the Triumph and rode it to school. For a few days it's been backfiring at idle, and running really rough at speed. I thought maybe it was a spark plug fouling, but apparently it's worse than that. It just sounds horrible now. When I get home from class today at 1830, I'll investigate more. Could the spark plug have come completely out? It sounds like the engine has a big hole in it... I'll take video and see if we can, as a collective try to figure out the problem. I really don't want to have to bring it two hours to the nearest dealer, especially since it's the end of the semester and I'm wicked busy, and then I move to NY in a month. | ||
| Rwven |
Sounds like you need a visit from Dr. Greg.... | ||
| Froggy |
Plug wires? Both my Buells have had the wires rub through a bit, but it was only a issue when the bike gets wet. It would run the exact same way you described, as it would only run on 1 cylinder. | ||
| Etennuly |
Sounds like a spark plug jumped ship. Look at the plugs before trying to start it again! Bad things can happen with gas vapor pumping out the hole and a plug hanging around throwing sparks. | ||
| Thunderbox |
Sounds like a plug jumped ship. I hope it isn't striped. Good luck. | ||
| Petereid |
Dealer just picked mine up today. Running on 1 cyl | ||
| Froggy |
It would be sweet if you could hit a "Economy" button on the dash that would disable a cylinder under light load conditions, like just putting around on the highway. I could manage 90mpg no problem then.  | ||
| Etennuly |
It would be sweet if you could hit a "Economy" button on the dash that would disable a cylinder under light load conditions, like just putting around on the highway. I could manage 90mpg no problem then. I think that number is a bit optimistic.....the Blast will only do between 65 and 70 mpg. | ||
| Froggy |
Ive gotten better numbers than that while still having all 1203cc's firing. I have never gotten blow 75mpg on my Suzuki GS500F twin. | ||
| Jlnance |
Dr G has a whole thread about fixing the plug if that's what it is. Avoid the deer part. | ||
| Seanp |
If the plug is stripped, would it mean that the hole threads might be damaged as well? I sure hope not. I guess it's good that I have other means of transportation, but I didn't want the Uly to be deadlined right before I move. And Etennuly - man, I didn't even think about that possibility, the spark plug and gas fumes. That would have been really ugly. "Hey, look at that guy riding the bike with the afterburner on it!" | ||
| Someday |
I doubt the threads on the plug are stripped as they are steel. What would probably happen is the threads in the head would strip as it is aluminum. Hope that's not your problem. That being said, the head could be fixed with a "heli-coil" insert. | ||
| Mnrider |
If the head is stripped,auto parts stores have a thread repair insert,you tap out the old treads and screw in the steel insert.You need the tap that comes with the kit. | ||
| Etennuly |
man, I didn't even think about that possibility, the spark plug and gas fumes. I have seen it happen. Long funny story about a dirt bike and a deep river crossing, and throwing the bike back in to put the fire out. | ||
| Dr_greg |
Well, Sean...as others have indicated I think I know your problem.  My experience was exactly like yours...one second everything was fine, the next BAP! BAP! BAP! and I was limping home with no power. My rear spark plug blew completely out; I'll bet yours did as well. I don't have time to look it up now, but I posted a LOOONG thread about my experiences fixing it. Don't worry, yours will not be as bad. In my case, the spark plug would slip right back in the hole, so the threads in the head were badly damaged. Although some advised an in situ repair, I rotated the engine down, removed the head, and did a Time-Sert repair. Since I had 55,000 miles at that point, I also installed new valve seals, etc. I can point you to the Time-Sert supplier I used, and answer absolutely ANY question you have about the job. As others will agree, I am the KING of Uly engine rotation.  --Doc | ||
| Seanp |
Oh holy crap. So this is definitely a long-term job, not something that I can fix in an afternoon, huh?  Is this the thread? http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/411987.html Once I get home and check it out, I will probably be PM'ing you to ask a million and one questions. Unfortunately I have a 20-page paper due Monday, my PhD oral comps on Thursday, and a final exam the Monday after that. So I probably won't have time to get to this until the 28th or 29th. Joy... | ||
| Froggy |
Why don't you at least look at the thing before going nuts and deciding your future. Be optimistic, just say to yourself hit a squirrel and mid flight it yanked a plug wire out | ||
| Seanp |
Froggy, I'd love to. But due to the loud racket that came from the engine compartment, I have a feeling it's much more than a spark plug wire. When I fouled a plug last fall, it didn't make nearly the amount of noise it did this morning, and I didn't get the smell of gas immediately like I did this morning. Hope for the best, but plan for the worst! | ||
| Seanp |
Ok, so I got home a little while ago and started pulling things apart. The rear spark plug was just kind of flopping around, which is a bad sign. So I got a flashlight and looked in there. This is what I saw: So I guess I'll be following the great instructions left by Dr. Greg and I won't be riding the Uly for a little while. Bummer. What might have caused this? I haven't done any mods to the engine at all, only electrical stuff.  | ||
| Etennuly |
Sorry man. That sucks. About the only things that can cause that are a cross thread job when the plug was replaced, over tightening, not using anti-seize on the threads, and I have seen defective plugs where the ground electrode was fuse welded crooked and it stuck out into where the threads are. Is there any chance you had a dealer do the plugs, or is there a warranty left? This is one situation where if you had only one dealer doing work on your bike, and had documentation, it could lead back to ham-fisted-ness that might have them responsible for the repair.(I apologize if you are the mechanic). | ||
| Blk_uly |
You can do it buddy!!! I'm sure I speak for a vast majority of us here when I say Kick IT's A--!! Don't let a little head job get you down. You'll have her up and runnin' in know time! | ||
| Seanp |
It's long out of warranty. The plug was not replaced by a dealer, and not by me, but it was replaced. I won't say any more than that. I guess I will learn a lot more about the bike while I fix this. Now I'm debating if I want to do it while I'm here in Florida or wait until I move to NY. I really don't want to get the bike taken most of the way apart, and then have to move. Plus, I don't know anyone else down here that might be able to help, and the closest dealer is 2 hours away. So I may just poke something in the hole to keep water out, push the bike into the back of my truck and move it up to NY. | ||
| Dr_greg |
Sean, I hadn't made ANY mods to my Uly either, and I always changed the plugs myself (I do all my own wrenching). There was absolutely no reason for it to happen. I'd probably advise you to wait until you have a stable place to work, then start on it. Engine rotation and head removal (it's always the rear one, isn't it...) is not really a difficult job, but there is a definite "sequence" to re-assembly and a few "gotchas" along the way. I'll be glad to help you along, including any telephone conversations you need (others on this forum are more experienced and know more than I, it's just that I have much recent personal experience with exactly that problem). The fix (Time-Sert) will be permanent and better than new. I'm going for a 540-mile ride today, but I'll keep an eye on this thread. --Doc P.S. On your first ride after the thread fix, be sure to watch out for critters...  My first ride on that Uly after the fix was also my last... P.P.S. Good luck on your Ph.D. defense. I went through that back in 1976...you'll do fine! | ||
| Jlnance |
I'm here in Florida So is cyclerama. They are still 300 miles away from you, but that's doable. They are sponsors here and have an excellent reputation. They have fixed messed up heads for me and I was oh-so-happy with the result. Give them a call, they may be able to schedule things so that you only have to make one trip. http://www.cycle-rama.com/index.html | ||
| Seanp |
Thanks for the tip. I'll give them a call tomorrow sometime to see if it's worth it to outsource or just do it myself. | ||
| Dad4 |
I had a rear plug come out on me once on my Softail. It scarred the crap out of me!! Luckly it went right back and no threads were messed up! | ||
| Seanp |
Hey Jim, I just talked with a guy at Cyclerama, and they said they might be able to fix it on the bike, and even if they have to drop the engine and pull the head they can do it in a day or two, and they quoted me a very fair price. So I may end up dropping it off there instead of doing it myself. Thanks for the heads up! | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Sean, You might want to ask Cyclerama exactly how they plan on going about fixing that rear plug hole without rotating the engine. Just because some grease monkey claims something doesn't mean he has you or your bike's best interests in mind. It is hard enough just changing that rear plug without cross threading and these guys are telling you they can fix it without rotating the engine (Bull Crap). If they can logically explain the method to their madness then maybe you give them your OK. If it sounds stupid it probably is. If you are going to defend for a PHD then you must have enough brains to smell BS. Here is what I would do. Get a new plug, gap it and put some never-seize on the threads and install it yourself with the correct torque. If it won't thread in without feeling like your cutting new female threads then stop. If it threads in normally then torque it down to spec. Start your bike up and if that baby doesn't blow back out then ride it around the block without getting out of walking distance of your house. Progressively rev that bike of yours to red-line and ride it until it is hot enough to turn the fan on. Take it back to your garage and inspect the plug. If it looks fine then you just saved yourself some bucks. If it blows out then you are no worse off and you know for sure what has to be done. My more than 2 cents. | ||
| Seanp |
EG - if you look at the video I posted, its pretty obvious the threads are gone. The guy didn't say that he would be able to fix it without pulling the head, just that he might be able to do it that way. He said he won't know for sure until he sees the bike, which I consider a fair statement. I doubt they'll be able to fix it without pulling the head, but even if they do have to pull it, it will still be a bearable price. And I really don't want to half-ass it myself by trying to just reinstall a plug and have it fail on a long trip. I've been busy this semester and haven't been able to go anywhere, but once I move to NY I plan on touring New England. I don't want to spend my whole time wondering if my jerry-rigged spark plug fix is going to leave me stranded somewhere in BFE. | ||
| Tginnh |
I believe you meant BFNE... |
