| Author | Message | ||
     Rparnel1 |
I am a new owner of an '09 XB12XT. Have a couple of questions that I couldn't find a definitive answer to when searching. 1. This thing seems very lean! Very, very hard to start when it is 30 deg F. My other 2 bikes (both '07 Harleys) fired right up, but not the Uly. When it did finally start, it coughed, sputtered and would barely idle. I would like to tweak the ECM programming to richen it up in a few areas. So, will the ECM spy software work for the '09? 2. If the ECM spy software will work, is there a source, other than ECMSPY.com, for the software and cable I need to purchase? 3. Lastly, does anyone have any tuning maps or recommendations to possibly resolve this issue? | ||
| Froggy |
Change your plugs, and use lighter weight oil. You can't compare a lower compression Harley motor to these.
Nope. | ||
| Rparnel1 |
Thanks for the quick reply. Only has 420 miles on it and still has the factory oil in it. Hard to believe the plugs are already fouled. I'll change the plugs anyway. Is there any other ECM tuner software available that will work with the stock ECM? Trying to keep from buying an aftermarket tuner, since I don't plan to change exhaust or intake. | ||
| Froggy |
The plugs are often fouled from day one, as bikes are often started at the dealer so the customer can hear the bike make the vroom vroom noise. Then it gets started several times to be driven across the parking lot, and again to the back of the customers pickup truck. The newer bikes have more foul resistant plugs than previous years, but it still is a possibility. Currently the only option for your bike, and its not 100% guaranteed to work is the Directlink software. Other tuning programs are in the works (Buell Race ECM, Xopti Spreadsheets). I would ride it a bit before you decide to start screwing with it. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
That is one of the reasons that I bought the 07 for the son instead of an 08/09. ECMSpy was made for the 06/07. | ||
| Froggy |
Which is one of the worst reasons to buy a vehicle. Software comes and goes. Eventually ECMspy will be obsolete and not compatible with modern computers, and then something else will come out and replace it. The newer bikes are capable of so much more than the older ones. | ||
| Badrap |
Change the oil to a lighter weight and change plugs and do a TPS reset. | ||
| Oldnotbold |
+1 Badrap Is't that a procedure that the owner can do. I think I remember someone talking about it. Dennis | ||
| Ratbuell |
Make sure you have 10R12X plugs, they're the updated spec for 08-up bikes and have more foul-resistant properties. Break it in, loosen it up...*then* decide if you really need to monkey with stuff. They really do get better (and better, and better) with age. | ||
| Bttrthnwrk |
I don't know about where you are, but here in Tucson it's been around 40 degrees (F) at 6:15 every morning when I fire up the Uly to go to work. I've got a little over 17000 miles on my '09 now, and it's smoother with each passing month. Mileage has topped out at about 43+ mpg mixed travel, but that's a different topic, so never mind. Anyway, in this kind of weather, I usually have to open the throttle a little when I first crank it, and leave it cracked for a few seconds. Not especially fast RPMs, you understand, just a little faster than normal idle. For 3 or 4 seconds. After that, I let go of the throttle and it settles back down and won't die. I'll spend about a minute or two futzing with my gloves, the wires to the Gerbings liners, my helmet, backing the bike around my wife's car and checking the tail and turn signal lights in the reflection of my front window. By then, the lump's mostly smoothed out. Still a couple of bumps and jumps, but I've gotten used to that. Why, I hardly fall off the back anymore. The luggage helps, there. Yes, I wear Gerbing's glove liners in 40 degree weather! That's about 60-70 degrees off our average summertime high (100 days at 100+ degrees is pretty normal for this area - and at that, we often get around 30 days at or near 110 every summer). Icicles start growing here when it's 50-ish. Well, I guess that's another topic, too. Never mind this either. The point is that I'm trying to reinforce the "break it in before trying to decide what to change" on the engine. The Uly's lump of an engine (at least for me) has been steadily getting better with each passing month and mile. Give it awhile. Don't worry, there'll always be stuff you can throw money at... | ||
| Mikef5000 |
It's definitely your plugs. I had the same problem, the heavy oil caused it a bit of difficulty starting in the sub 30 degrees, causing me to rev a bit to keep 'er going. That revving toasted the plugs. I started mine today and as I was gearing up I heard it go to one cylinder. I held the revs up to 3-4k for 30 seconds or so (not really a fan of doing that but it was warmed up and it worked) and the second cylinder kicked back in. I finished gearing up and hit the road, flogged it a bit and didn't have any more issues. Today I picked up Synthetic 10w40 oil (recommended in the manual for sub 40 degree riding) and a set of NGK DCPR9EIX iridium plugs. | ||
| Ghostrider |
When I had that problem at 400 miles in very cold conditions, I was told it was the AFV. Coincidentally, it was time to get my comfort kit installed, so I took it in and told them to fix it and they did. Said they flashed the ECM (which they were going to do anyway to update it to the comfort kit programming). Works like a charm. | ||
| Unrealtrip |
Well not yet at least.   | ||
| Rparnel1 |
I changed the plugs, which were fouled really bad. Runs great now. Thanks to all! | ||
| Crackhead |
You might want to change the icon for Save Config. My nephew doesn't know what a floppy disk is and he is 16. | ||
| Froggy |
The floppy disk is still the universal save icon, it still is like that in Office 2007 and Office 2010. I bet he doesn't know the purpose of the SysReq button on his keyboard, but its still there. | ||
| Pauley2000 |
Rparnel1, same on my bike 09XT. and that's coming from a consistent 60deg shed. on colder mornings it needs a tap or two. the lean spot is annoying but your right hand will help to smooth that one over. -p | ||
| Godspeed2k10 |
Rparnel1, It is my understanding the '08 and later XB12XTs are programmed with a plug cleaning procedure which includes: a) Trans in neutral b) Engine run switch to "on" position c) Throttle to full lock on d) Ignition key switch to on position The program fires the plugs for 4 seconds clearing a flooded engine and potentially cleaning a fouled plug. I'll depend on another tech savvy person to correct my understanding if I've misquoted the process. You may find it useful to try prior to changing plugs in the future. Ride safe. | ||
| Crackhead |
The floppy disk is still the universal save icon, it still is like that in Office 2007 and Office 2010. I bet he doesn't know the purpose of the SysReq button on his keyboard, but its still there. He knows that the square thing with the corner out out means save but not what it is a picture of. What does sysReq mean? it is part of the print screen button. | ||
| Froggy |
System Request. It has no standard use these days, read up on it here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_request |
