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Motorbike
| | Posted on Sunday, May 22, 2011 - 03:59 pm: | 
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I believe that when the seat base gets warm after riding for an hour or so on a hot day, the plastic becomes more flexible. This allows the seat base to flex down and contact the ECM connector more easily, especially if you are heavy, like myself.
At first, I thought my seat base was not hitting the connector but after a very close inspection, I could see small scuff marks on the bottom of the 06 tall seat on my 08 XT. Keep in mind that my bike came from the factory with the ECM spacer block but the seat still hit the connector. That's when I decided to relocate the ECM.
I also installed my Erik Buell Racing ECM and checked the clearance with Play-Doh and now have about 1/4" of clearance from the top corner of the ECM, which is plenty.
Using Play-Doh to check clearance on relocated ECM (Stock ECM shown):
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Reepicheep
| | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2011 - 08:26 am: |
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Can somebody shoot a picture of the spacer block? I was looking at my uly yesterday (sniff!  ) and looking to see if I could have this problem... and noticed a tall plastic block at one end of the ECM. I bought this bike used with the comfort kit already installed, and I am guessing that is the spacer block as well, but wanted to make sure...
I'll post pictures later if nobody else has them handy... |
Nose2wind
| | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2011 - 08:36 am: |
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This would be helpful. Mine had the comfort kit installed and they left out the front bolt entirely. I cannot see any type of spacer. |
Towpro
| | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2011 - 09:11 am: |
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http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/597769.jpg
Looking through old threads I found a picture. The spacer is shown on the LS, not the block of wood. |
Uly_dude
| | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2011 - 10:23 am: |
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The bending of the battery pan tab back n forth, lowering it and tilting the ECM so the connectors are angled down is the ticket. I did this to mine when I installed the comfort kit last summer. I could literally see where the connectors(not the ECM) were hitting the seat pan and after reading this forum, I took care of it. It's a cheap n easy fix. I recently did the play-doh test and I have at least 3/8ths of an inch clearance now at the tightest point for both the ECM and the connectors. And I'm using the low seat. Glad I did it before I cracked something. |
Nose2wind
| | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2011 - 11:40 am: |
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Just so I understand this fix better (bike in the shop) This fix does not relocate the ECM. You are bending the rear mounting tab so that the connectors angle down creating space between the seat pan and the connector. The front mounting bolt becomes non functional. Correct? |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2011 - 12:04 pm: |
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From that thread:
Thanks! Thats what I have (the plastic, not the wood  ). |
Motorbike
| | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2011 - 02:25 pm: |
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Keep in mind that the seat can still hit the front connector, even with that plastic spacer block. Mine did. |
Bttrthnwrk
| | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2011 - 03:51 pm: |
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Nose2wind: I don't know how yours is, but when I bent my battery tab at the back of the ECM down to tilt the ECM connectors down, there was apparently more than enough play in the front bolt through the plastic to allow the ECM to bend down. I never even loosened the front bolt/spacer post. Of course, I've long since installed the comfort kit, and the bolt and plastic took some abuse (and flexing) because of that. YMMV, as always.
So, the front bolt through the ECM is still connected. It just twisted a little on its own, I guess. I did nothing special to it, just to the mounting tab on the battery pan at the back of the ECM.
My personal feeling is that I managed to bend the tab the wrong way earlier this year when I installed a new battery, and I'm just correcting that problem now by bending the tab back. |
Fltwistygirl
| | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2011 - 07:42 pm: |
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Update on Uly X. Still in shop, dealer is "still working on it", no diagnosis. Tick tock.
How difficult is it to test whether an ECM has been damaged? |
Sharkguy
| | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2011 - 07:58 pm: |
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You can also place a carriage bolt into the top of the spacer to get a bit more clearance. |
Nose2wind
| | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2011 - 08:56 pm: |
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The front bolt was never installed on my bike so no spacer. I might try the tab method just because it sounds easy and shouldn't give HD an excuse to void the warranty. Like you moved the ECM therefore...
All the suggestions are great! |
Uly_dude
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2011 - 10:24 am: |
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Nose2wind, you've got the gist of it. Though the front bolt is still used. You'll have to unbolt the ECM anyways to perform this mod, when you put the front bolt back on, just don't over tighten it. I used a big set(#9) of dikes, grabbed that rear tab, bent it side to side while pushing down on it. Then tilt it a little towards the left side of the bike. You should get close to a half inch of extra space when you're done. And no, the HD mech will never be able to tell. Everything looks perfectly normal. |
Nose2wind
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2011 - 10:52 am: |
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Question on the front bolt. Since Mine was never installed I don't know how this works. I might want to place something in the front hole more to hold the front of the ECM in place. I noticed mine wants to pivot back (counterclockwise). What or how is that front bolt working? Can I just use a big sheet metal screw or something to hold it in place? Any recommendations,suggestions? |
Uly_man
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2011 - 11:15 am: |
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If it is of any help. Mine is a 06 Uly, I have only ever used the low gel seat and not had a problem yet.
The foil helps with the heat. The round spot in the middle is the gel seat vent. The black spot to the left is wear from the plastic block and the mark to the lower right is were the ECM has touched the foil.
You can see the marks here in the pic.
Also the wire blocks are not the same as in this one. |
Towpro
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2011 - 11:54 am: |
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Uly_man, if the seat is contacting the ECM connector, you could have the problem at any time. The ecm connector is not designed to carry weight. I have never seen inside one, but that connector mounts to a printed circuit board, probably with solder. The little bit of flexing caused by the seat pressing down on the connector can crack the solder joints or even the board. I think that is what everyone here feels the problem is.
(Message edited by towpro on May 24, 2011) |
Ourdee
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2011 - 10:10 pm: |
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I carry 2 ecms on my uly. If I have problems I can swap one out to test. |
Closetbueller
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 - 09:17 pm: |
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Brought home the X today with a new ECM, which was promptly relocated, along with that of the XT. Riding both in the heat tomorrow so will know for sure if the issues have been solved. On a side note, the front muffler clamp broke on the X while it was in for repair, so it is now sporting a new clamp also! |
Gringo
| | Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2011 - 03:28 pm: |
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all, i moded my battery basket to open up a slot for the ecm. that plus the seat mod gives me 3/4 inch above and no pressure on sides of ecm. plus its just laying there so easy to change back to stock for the dealer visits.
 |
Ratbuell
| | Posted on Thursday, May 26, 2011 - 04:49 pm: |
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Be careful with that gringo...there's also no airflow around the ECM. Circuitry makes (and dislikes) heat... |
Gringo
| | Posted on Friday, May 27, 2011 - 12:32 pm: |
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rat,
geesh, there aint much to begin with and what there is usually gets up to about 180 degrees f.
sides my ulys so good to me its kinda nice when it breaks, i get to play. |
Sanchez
| | Posted on Friday, May 27, 2011 - 02:36 pm: |
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> Brought home the X today with a new ECM
I bet that fixes it. Your symptoms sound like a broken ignition lead from the ECM. The same thing happened to my 06, and replacing the ECM fixed it. |
Xcephasx
| | Posted on Saturday, May 28, 2011 - 04:29 am: |
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+1 gringo-
i fought the intermittent CEL for YEARS. finally relocated the ecm to the same spot. las vegas summer heat doesn't seem to bother it. |
Electraglider_1997
| | Posted on Saturday, May 28, 2011 - 10:46 am: |
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Gringo,
Good relocation. I imagine that Buell $$$ lithium battery would really clear up some space to give that ECM more breathing room. |
Fltwistygirl
| | Posted on Saturday, May 28, 2011 - 06:57 pm: |
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The ECM replacement appears to be the cure.
Rode the X to Orlando and back with no issues today. Usual stop and go traffic, bank sign said 99 degrees at 5:43 P.M.  . Bike ran great, it was its usual torque-y, snorty self  . |
Ratbuell
| | Posted on Saturday, May 28, 2011 - 07:45 pm: |
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Just to be safe...get the spacer block for the ECM.
Get two. Put one on each bolt. That's what I did about 20k miles ago, have yet to have an issue... |
Fltwistygirl
| | Posted on Saturday, May 28, 2011 - 08:18 pm: |
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Ratbuell-
We (actually Greg) did the ECM relo, so hopefully no more recurrences of the sick ECM kind. Fingers crossed. We want to get a spare ECM to have on hand.
Made a mistake mentioning that we had warranty work done to both Buells this week and got this response: "if you'd just quit riding those Harleys, you wouldn't be spending all your time at the dealer getting them fixed".  .
I don't think mostly problem free for 23K miles (XT) is a bad run, myself. Different strokes, I guess.
The X has nearly 9K now, we bought it with 4K. I was happy that this reared its ugly head when it did while under warranty and that we took it to someone who had a clue. But mostly I am happy that they are both running the way they should again! |
Nose2wind
| | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2011 - 03:37 pm: |
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Had new ECM replaced under warranty, I chose to leave in place and bent the mounting tab to angle the ECM down. I also cut a hole in the seat pan above the connector and added a front bolt with a bushing to act as a spacer.(the front bolt/spacer was left off by dealer installing comfort kit)So far everything looks and works fine. Hopefully this problem has been solved! |
Bttrthnwrk
| | Posted on Friday, June 03, 2011 - 01:03 am: |
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My E. B. R. Race ECM has been working great since I bent the mounting tab down to angle the ECM connectors down.
Now all I have to do is find where the ground wires are broken that's causing the intermittent headlight loss - usually as I turn the bike's handlebars sharply right. I cleaned up and sanded the connectors at the T27 screw behind the headlights where the grounds are connected, but I can still jiggle those wires and cause the headlights to go out. Then jiggle them again to get them back on. Broken wire(s) in that mess somewhere.
Grumble, grumble...
It's a good thing I have a second bike. It's even better that I've been keeping up with the maintenance on that one, too. |
Fltwistygirl
| | Posted on Friday, June 03, 2011 - 11:09 am: |
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We hope to stop by Erik Buell Racing over the summer to pick up a race ECM and keep the other for a spare. Not sure which Uly will get the pleasure of having that installed, wish we had the funds to get two! |
Bttrthnwrk
| | Posted on Friday, June 03, 2011 - 03:10 pm: |
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FTG: Based on my race ECM experience, you'll love it, whichever bike it winds up in... |
