| Author | Message | ||
     Okc99 |
This thread is for some of the most surprising/crazy advice a service dept ever gave you. I just got off the phone with service and the guy told me that I had an electric motor with my stock muffler and now its gone. Not a cable mind you, but an actual motor. He said its because I don't have this motor that the ECM is getting rich signals. He's gonna get me a quote on a new "motor". I'm pretty sure that the dealer didn't rip out a motor when they took off my stock and put on the Drummer. What do you guys think? (They did take off the cable however) | ||
| Pontlee77 |
my thoughts are cable disconnected, un less you have an open air box, that would mean the motor was taken out, if the cable was taken out it's going to get a hell of a job to put it back in, and i'm sure a few members of this site must have one laying around ready to be sold for a fair price. | ||
| Glen |
pretty sure? or positive? they could have removed the servo, i dont know why they would, but if you havnt popped the airbox cover off since they swapped yer muffler, its just a guessing game. has yer check engine light been coming on? | ||
| Hughlysses |
IIRC American Sport Bike makes an emulator to plug in in lieu of the motor. This fools the ECM into thinking the motor's there, thereby avoiding the error code. Probably cheaper and certainly lighter than putting the exhaust valve actuator motor back in. (Message edited by hughlysses on May 01, 2009) | ||
| Ratbuell |
I run a Drummer on my '06. I left the servo (on top of the air filter) plugged into the vehicle wiring harness, and just disconnected both ends of the control cable between it and the muffler valve itself. Cable still in place, just not connected at either end. No trouble codes. 4 screws. Pull your outer airbox cover and it should be staring you in the face. Plug the electrical wiring back in and you should be code-free. If they took it off the bike when they put your muffler on, they should have given it to you in a box when you picked up your bike. | ||
| Okc99 |
Rat, So you're saying, if I remove the air filter, I'll then see 2 cables (or something similar) obviously not connected and all I have to do is connect them? That seems impossibly simple! The dealer has my bike. For this to be true the original installer dealer must have disconnect them for no apparent reason? | ||
| Ratbuell |
Don't even have to remove the air filter. The top cover that says "Buell", that you look at all the time while you're riding. Theres one screw on each side of the gas cap. Pull the seat, there's one screw at each back corner. They're t27 torx screws; there's a wrench in the toolkit that came with the bike (blue nylon bag under the seat). Pull 4 screws, remove cover. It's right there. Here's a pic of my Uly with the lid off. The actuator is circled in red; you can see the electrical connection to the left (rear of the bike).  | ||
| Okc99 |
If bikes could talk, mine would say thank you. Now someone else hijack this thread please. | ||
| Andrejs2112 |
Back on track...A dealer told me that my fan just needed oiling and the bearings would be ok. Of course they didn't do it while it was in their shop. I guess they were too busy installing chrome on the real motorcycles to look at mine and determine the fan was going. It would have been under warranty too. Guess who I don't take my bike to anymore? | ||
| Xbimmer |
Service Mgr in response to my question three days after I bought my new '06, regarding the bike's excessive pinging: "Buells do that, you just need to run it at high rpm's." | ||
| Xbimmer |
Service Mgr in response to my question, when my charging system was freaking out, whether they had checked the 77-connector and VR as I'd read on BadWeB those could be the problem: "Well our tests show it to be the stator, and we don't read BadWeB." Guess what turned out to be fried on my bike... and took the VR with it:  | ||
| Xbimmer |
Service Writer at the last dealer I saw for warranty work (jumping erratic tach), in response to my question that the work would be covered since they couldn't get me in until after my warranty expired in one week: "It won't be covered then, but we have this great Extended Warranty Package available now..." | ||
| J0hn0tt0 |
Man, that takes some balls to look someone in the face and say that. T Thank god I do all my own work (so far). | ||
| Ratbuell |
In that case it should have been covered. Diagnosis/verification of an issue within the warranty term should be covered; completion due to scheduling and / or parts availability should not affect coverage as long as the diagnosis was made within the term (i.e. repair order open date). | ||
| Xbimmer |
Well when he told me that I whipped out my cell and told him I was calling Buell CS right there, he ran and got his Mgr who corrected him and told me it would be covered. They worked on it a couple weeks later but couldn't find the problem. Told me they'd order a new instrument cluster and try that, would call me when it got in. They never called me later. I fixed it myself after that, my last Dealer Service Experience of many. | ||
| Ulyranger |
My ride goes in next week to diagnose the malfunctioning actuator. Hopefully they get it right. Mine is not working at all, no errors it just doesn't move the cable. I'm guess something let loose inside. | ||
| Andrejs2112 |
You may be better of just buying a used one from ebay. I got one very cheap a while ago. Just a thought. I messed mine up changing the muffler and letting the actuator snap closed too many times. | ||
| Crusty |
This thread is for some of the most surprising/crazy advice a service dept ever gave you. When I brought my '06 Uly in for the B.A.S. recall and told the Service Writer my front brake was pulsing: "Brake rotors are wear items. you have too many miles on your bike for it to be covered under warranty" I don't do business with them any more. When my wife went to pick up her Blast from its 600 mile service, and discovered it hadn't been touched. "Just because you made an appointment, it doesn't mean we're gonna work on your bike" We haven't been back to that dealership. They dropped Buells a couple of years after that; claimed that they didn't sell. I bought my '08 XT from a dealer in Connecticut that seems to get it. | ||
| Ulyranger |
"most surprising/crazy advice a service dept ever gave you." So I drop my bike (08 XB12XT) because my muffler actuator has been "F'd" up. It basically stopped working, not sure what's wrong but KNOW it is not working correctly. The valve is free, cable is free and everything hooked up correctly. Went through diagnostic and have run w/o the cover on, servo does not move at all. [OK, done w/background] So I go the service dept for drop off and I don't get the usual rep but some kid who looks about 16 y.o. I tell him most of the above when asked "what's the problem". He then asked "what's it doing?" So I tell him the engine's performance is off a bit from what it was and fuel mileage has been down. He then says "I don't know how to write this up." He then asked "when was your last full service?" I told him they did my 1k service and I had just completed my 5K service per the manual a couple of months ago. To which he "Oh, that's why.....you need to have the TPS reset" To which we had a bit of exchange over whether an 08XB requires a TPS reset.....till I finally let it drop. When he asked how I knew the muffler actuator is malfunctioning I told him about operating w/o the cover and witnessing the non-moving servo......to which he said "the actuator is down on the muffler,...not sure what you're looking at up there". Huh??? To which we had another small exchange that I let go....again. When he asked me about the diagnostic I tried (key & throttle) I mistakingly mentioned BW. To which he said "I wouldn't trust ANYTHING on the internet". Yeah, really?? I'm am seriously doubting the quality of my service dept. I'll give them the shot at fixing it right and PRAY the tech is a bit more diligent, not to mention knowledgeable, than this twit. I know service people, not to mention mechanics, are very dubious of shade trees diagnosing their own problems but that's how I roll. I try to fix or diagnose my own stuff first before involving warranty. But how in the he!! does a service rep not even know very basic knowledge of their product, like whether TPS needs resetting or the location of a fairly large component????? I mean that kid was ready to seriously argue those two points, only reason it did not go beyond a minor debate was because I knew what was right and let it go. Sorry for the length.....just hoping I get my ride back for the weekend (fixed or not). | ||
| Xbimmer |
Sorry for the length.....just hoping I get my ride back for the weekend (fixed or not). Better check it REAL well before you leave, with the S/M alongside. But how in the he!! does a service rep not even know very basic knowledge of their product,... Nepotism? Going on where my wife works. Complete idiot works in her dept, paint in a major home improvement chain. Blows more paint orders daily that cost more than her wage, shows up late if at all, goes home w/o telling anybody. Related to a corp bigwig and the store management is scared to do anything about it. Who knows? Personally I'm glad I get to work on my Uly now, a lot of Harley dealers don't deserve to. | ||
| Ulyranger |
Yeah, understand that for sure. Thing is I'm a very loyal customer to those that earn my business and DO like to use local business as much as humanly possible in these days. I like to think that dealers of major products(cars/trucks/bikes, etc) appreciate repeated, long term business. So don't mind paying for some service here 'n there to cultivate good will for the next time I'm available to make the big purchase. All that said, have no problem at all learning more about my Uly and complete all the service myself just like the rest of my bikes, tools and toys.......if it comes to that. I am not a bike tech and did not stay at the Holiday Inn but do NOT appreciate being treated like an idiot either. |
