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Ratbuell
Posted on Thursday, September 22, 2022 - 09:43 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

'06 Uly, leaving for work today, fired right up, strong battery. Drove 1/2 mile, cut out, CEL and basically all the eletrical was blinking/clicking. Shut off the key. Turned it back on, fired right up, voltmeter shows 2 greens like always, idles fine. Rev it up...happens again. Pull seat, check battery terminals, tight. Late for work. Coast down the hill to the house and swap for the 1125.

I'll be doing all the checks tonight when I get home but turning it over in my head, I know it's not ECM - I checked that last month with my cam pickup issue. I know its not battery - voltmeter is good when it runs, it cranks perfectly fine, and the cables are tight. Don't think it's "engine problem" since there was no CEL while it was running, it just came on when "it" happened and the bike died.

Sigh....

Ignition switch?

Or dig deeper?

I did absolutely ZERO this morning since I was late for work - just happy it died in the ONE spot that was higher than my house. If I go past 3/4 mile, I've crested the mountain and am heading down the other side. This way I could just clutch...and roll.
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Teeps
Posted on Thursday, September 22, 2022 - 11:34 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

To quote AL Lighton, "American Sport Bike":
"All problems are ground related until proven otherwise."


(Message edited by teeps on September 22, 2022)
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Tootal
Posted on Thursday, September 22, 2022 - 03:24 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

If not a ground check the switch that kills the engine when it falls over. I think it's back by the seat latch if memory serves.
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Tpehak
Posted on Thursday, September 22, 2022 - 03:27 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

If all the electrical clicking and blinking and battery terminals are tight and no low battery check engine lamp warning then the problem is somewhere in the key switch circuit, which includes the circuit wires with circuit connectors and terminals, the key switch, the key switch relay. See the wiring diagram to find what you need to inspect.

(Message edited by TPEHAK on September 22, 2022)
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Motorbike
Posted on Thursday, September 22, 2022 - 08:03 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Since it fired right up immediately after cycling the ignition switch, it sure seems like it must be in the internal contacts in the switch. Even if it only worked for a short time.
I would try the same thing again and see what happens. And the other guys have some good ideas too, concerning the always important ground connections and relays too. Good luck and let us know what you find.
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Ratbuell
Posted on Thursday, September 22, 2022 - 09:59 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Well...it's...fixed? (Shrug)

Got home from work. Keyed it on, electrical pulsing. Neutral light and oil light both pulsing. Something in the coil area was clicking. Took the seat off. Same thing. Tapped the tip over switch, nada. Jiggled the battery terminals again, nada. Jiggled the key
swept the bars lock to lock. No changes. Tried to start it, momentarily, and there was a whining sound from around the battery/fusebox when I pressed the start button. Hmm. Moved closer to that area and held the start button...whiiiiiinnnnnneeeeeePOP! Something sparked/flared physically between the fuses and battery, and the engine fired right up.

W

T

F.

Turned it off, on, fired right up. Five times. Took it into the shop and put it on the lift. Pulled the battery and started digging into harnesses. Pulled the fuse box apart. Nothing burnt (but damn I could smell it!). Pulled the fuses and relays, all clean contacts. Stripped the cloth tape off the harness to the fuse box, about 5" to the first junction...all good wires, nice and clean, no nicks, no damage. Put the battery back in with the fuse box loose/apart and started it up. Wiggled EVERY. SINGLE. WIRE. and the bike never even hiccupped.

W

T

F.

Put it all back together. Redressed the harness I'd stripped. Fired up fine (but the engine light comes on a few seconds after starting, stays lit for like 5 seconds then goes out - stored code?). Put the seat back on and rode to the top of the hill and back (1/2 mile each way - kept it uphill from the house in case it died again) about four times...nary a hiccup. Ran great.

Only thing I can think is either a relay is getting old...or I grenaded a spider or a stinkbug.

I don't get it.
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Tpehak
Posted on Friday, September 23, 2022 - 12:45 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Sounds like a broken wire made a contact. Start the motorcycle and wiggle all the wires with the harness around the fuse box, ECM and battery.

(Message edited by TPEHAK on September 23, 2022)
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Ratbuell
Posted on Friday, September 23, 2022 - 08:44 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I already did that. No change.

Rode to work today, no issues. No clue....but no issues.

Only thing I did notice is that my voltmeter used to show 2 greens. Then, my stator died and I replaced it earlier this year. Meter showed a solid single green ever since the new stator went in; I figured "ok, it's just a lower output piece...whatever, it drives all my accessories fine, I just rolled with it. Today, after whatever happened yesterday...I've got 2 greens on the meter again.

Whatever.
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Tootal
Posted on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 - 04:35 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I just had something similar happen. Started with an occasional miss. Tach and speedo would die briefly. As I rode it got worse to the point it died and I had to toggle the key and it came back on. I made it to my hotel and took the key assembly apart and found some dried grease in the contact area. I cleaned with contact cleaner and lubed with dielectric grease. Reassembled and all seems well. Just something to consider.
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Ratbuell
Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2022 - 08:46 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Good tip, thanks. She's been running great ever since, nary a hiccup (although the engine light goes out after the pump primes, then about five seconds after the bike starts it coems on for five seconds - steady - then goes out and stays out). And that one-green-changed-to-two-greens on my voltmeter has held consistent, too - 2 greens, all the time, even with my jacket and grips cranked up.

I'm about 250 miles overdue for a service (40,250 on the clock) so she'll get a goin' over soon...have to pick up a new-to-me, one-owner 8,000 mile S2T first though, so I still have a commuter bike : ) (the 1125 is parked for the season - cold roads, cold tires, and 150+ RWHP = an "exciting" commute....)
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Tootal
Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2022 - 05:45 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)


I’ll bet it is!
To add to the story, I took off this morning from Birmingham and all was well for the first hour. Then the missing started again and then total shut down several times. A quick on-“off of the switch brought its back. After one of the key on toggle it ran fine again! I kept thinking why?! It dawned on me that maybe there’s wear between the steel shaft of the cylinder pin and the plastic female on the electrical contacts. I took it back apart and put some electrical tape in the contact and pushed it on the pin. There’s now less slop between the two so I’m hoping it will fully engage the contacts. Will find out tomorrow.
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Ratbuell
Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2022 - 08:31 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Yeah, key-toggle (and key-wiggle) never caused/aided/corrected my issue. Neither did steering sweep or harness jiggle at the steering head. It seems that whatever-it-was, was living down by the fuse/breaker box under the seat, and that one time I held the starter button with the seat off, heard the electrical whine, then a POP and a flare under the fuses...whatever THAT was, it fixed it and has been fine ever since.

Since I replaced my stator (earlier this summer), I've had one green on my voltmeter (only wiring work I did was down by the pulley, on the AC connector). Since the POP, I've been back to my 2 green light status that the bike has had all its life up until I replaced the stator.

I pulled every fuse and relay and checked contacts after the POP. I disassembled the fuse box and checked every wire. I stripped 6" of the harness wrap and checked all that wire. I checked ECM wiring (tall seat, and I have a spacer block on BOTH mounting screws). I checked the tipover switch (at the taillight). EVERYTHING looked fine. No scorching, no arcing, no melting, no cracking. Wiggle tested every wire while the bike was on, and while the bike was running - not a hiccup.

No idea what IT was...but IT appears to be fixed, and I"m going with it. I hope yours shows itself at some point as well!
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Tootal
Posted on Friday, October 14, 2022 - 10:43 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Well the piece of tape between the cylinder and the contact pad worked for 4 hours of riding. Ran perfect and I also had 2 green lights on for the first time, at least until I hit the heated hand grips. Once I crossed into Illinois it started missing occasionally but never shut down completely. I'm suspecting the tape worked it's way out with use. Never meant it to be a permanent fix but I believe it is the problem. I'm just glad it made it home! Now I'll work on a more permanent fix. I hope yours remains a permanent fix whatever it was!
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Mark_weiss
Posted on Saturday, October 15, 2022 - 04:58 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

About a year ago I was having mysterious power cutouts. Nothing blinked, just momentary loss of power. As if something was grounding the coil. After much searching, while riding at night, an HID shut down. I looked for what was common to the lighting circuit and the ignition circuit. The Key Switch Relay. I swapped the KS relay with another and the issue has never recurred.
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Tootal
Posted on Saturday, October 15, 2022 - 04:26 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Interesting Mark. I may try that before I take everything apart again. My concern was that before it was cutting out it would sometimes not come to life with the turn of the key. I'd have to go back off and on, sometimes a few times to get power on. However, that could be caused by a stuck relay. Hmmm.
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Pushr0d
Posted on Monday, October 17, 2022 - 12:54 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I had an odd starter issue - replaced the starter. Issue remained. Turned out to be a weird starter relay behavior.

I bought a 10-pack of relays and replaced all four on the fuse block.

Good news though, the 'improved' starter works much better than the Original unit!
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Sagehawk
Posted on Monday, October 17, 2022 - 08:36 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

i've wondered a few times about opening fuse box and pull all fuses and relays and putting new ones in every 2 or 3 years. maybe a bit of waste but maybe more piece of mind. I still carry a cheap voltmeter and spare fuses in my bag all the time.
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Ratbuell
Posted on Tuesday, October 18, 2022 - 09:43 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Instead of that, just keep spares in a road pack. Replace as(if) needed...I've added them to my pack.

-quart of syn3
-large Buell tool roll
-spare belt
-small air compressor
-tire plug kit
-fuses and relays

They all live on the bike, somewhere, all the time. I used to carry a fan, but the noise hasn't gotten any louder in 15k miles so I stopped carrying that (but I keep it in the shop). On longer trips, I add an LED emergency light that plugs into my tender lead (flashing red light, in place of a road flare) in case I have to stop on a shoulder; I add a charging cable for my phone; plugs and wires; and I add a couple spare mags for my Hellcat ; )
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