| Author | Message | ||
     Naustin |
So, they want to SELL you an extended warranty now, because, presumably they are not confidant they can fix your bike properly and are basically telling you, by pushing it on you, that you're going to need it and your bike is going to break down again? I bought the extended warranty when I bought my blast last year. It was a left-over '03 model. I regret buying the warranty because it was relatively expensive, and I have yet to use it. The bike hasn't had one hiccup. I don't know what the pitted piston is all about, but obviously there was a lot more wrong with the bike than just a poorly gapped plug. The plug was probably damaged by the same problem which damaged the piston. The only thing I can think of would be very severe detonation - and if that is the case, basically the whole engine needs to be checked out for other possible damage they have not yet discovered (ruined bearings, damaged valves and valve guides, scored cylinder, damaged cams etc.). I suspect they are just tying to get you back on the road at this point, and then sell you the warranty so when those other parts fail, THEY can charge the warranty company for their time to fix it, rather than have to deal with you (who will be very angry). Personally, I'd be asking for a totally different bike at this point. And I would tell them, as far as you are concerned, it was their responsibility to set-up the bike and make sure that it was running properly when THEY got it from the factory and BEFORE they sold it to You. If the head bolts were loose from the factory, they should have caught it during their set-up inspection. They should have checked a lot of things, set the timing, checked torque specs, etc. That's what they do when the bikes get to the dealership. I suspect, they didn't set the timing right, or at all - which lead to the detonation problem, which ruined your engine. That's my point of view - I'm not a mechanic, but severe detonation is the only thing I can think of that would wreck a spark plug and pit a piston. (Message edited by naustin on June 30, 2005) PS I'm really sorry your experence has been so horrible. Hopefully the dealer will do the right thing, give you a brand new Blast that HAS been put together properly, or TOTALLY replace the engine on yours, and you'll never have a problem again. Have you called Buell Customer Support yet?? I'd get on the phone ASAP and tell them what is going on and that you want a new bike, or at least a new motor. (Message edited by naustin on June 30, 2005) (Message edited by naustin on June 30, 2005) | ||
| Joshuasanders |
My Fellow Buellicans . . . Correction as I believe Naustin may not have understood what I meant by negotiation . . . the dealership says that they have thoroughly examined the bike and found no additional issues (including a review of bearings, valves and valve guides, cylinder, cams etc.). The negotiation process is in relation to a FREE extended warranty. I refuse to pay for any extended warranty. The basis for the demand is that for the first four hundred (400) miles of the bike's life (during the crucial break-in period), the bike was running with a blown head gasket, improperly gapped spark plug, and pitted piston. All of this due to the negligence of the dealership and/or the manufacturer. As such, the bike underwent an unprecedented strain during this crucial period of time. Therefore, it is logical to assume that there may be subsequent ancillary and/or corollary issues presented based upon the profound mechanical issues at play during the original break-in period. Based upon these potential/probable future issues/problems due to negligence not of my own actions, I am requesting that the dealership/manufacturer provide an extended warranty gratis. Under the New Jersey lemon law, it is prudent to wait for a third occurrence of a substantially similar problem. So far, the substantially similar issue has only presented twice. IF the bike is returned to me and has a similar problem, I intend to return the bike under the applicable state laws (including possibly the federal Magnuson Moss Act, if necessary). I have attempted (unsuccessfully, as my schedule has not been in sync with their operating hours lately) to reach out to Buell Customer Service. However, the dealership has been negotiating with Buell in an effort to prevent me from having to invoke my statutorily provided rights to effect a remedy. I anticipate a further conversation with the dealer tomorrow. I received a communication from the service manager today expressing that my bike was ready for pick up. I hope that I will be able to give the bike a chance and not be hypersensitive while riding it. In conclusion, since the dealer has replaced the head gasket, the piston, adjusted the carb, and the spark plug . . . does this mean that I have to start that damnable "break in" period all over again? Thanks for your continued insights and words of support/encouragement. As always, I'll keep y'all in the loop and post the 411 . . . Ride well this fourth of July weekend!! JDS | ||
| Naustin |
Congratulations - a Free extended warranty is more like it! And yes, the break-in period has a lot to do with properly seating the rings on your piston. New piston and rings equals a new break-in period. Good Luck, I'll keep my fingers crossed. :tup: | ||
| Joshuasanders |
UPDATE: After a few conversations with the powers that be in the world of Buell, I am proud to announce the birth of a healthy, brand-spankin' new FREE three year extended warranty! Apparently, rather than force me to follow the litigious route under the lemon laws, a healthy compromise was reached - one free three year extended warranty for my baby buell (which I really am starting to like again!). Thanks for all the help and support. In all candor, I am proud to own a motorcycle manufactured by a company that was willing to negotiate to a happy and healthy compromise rather than fight me tooth and nail. For this alone, I would recommend Buell to anyone. Happy trails y'all! JDS | ||
| Ezblast |
Cool! | ||
| Naustin |
Definately. Time to start putting some miles on it!!  | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Congrats JDS. Glad to hear they did the right thing. | ||
| Burnmyheartdown |
Alright, so I finished up getting my bike back together, but it won't idle. It pretty much just dies now, and it's running lean. I took it apart and replaced the rocker box gasket, spark plug (put in pro-series) intake book and drilled out the air/fuel screw (but didn't turn it.) Could this be a problem with the screw? I'm thinking I should go out there and richen it up some, but I'm not positive. The bike will start and then you have to crank the throttle to keep it running, once the revs fall off it just die like it's not getting any fuel. any ideas? | ||
| Ezblast |
Yes - lightly bottom out your air mixture screw, then turn it 2 3/4 turns out - should solve the problem. GT - JBOTDS! EZ  | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Unless you changed anything to make it run differently, its probably the intake boot (come on EZ, thats your line). Nothing I've ever done to my bike has produced such a drastic change where it wouldn't run. It sounds like you messed something up. Turning the screw will only try to hide it. Intake boot,carb vacuum plug, fuel tank vent line,fuel line,charcol canister (CA model only), spark plug gap. | ||
| Burnmyheartdown |
Intake boot,carb vacuum plug, fuel tank vent line,fuel line,charcol canister (CA model only), spark plug gap. Off that list the only thing I didn't check was the carb vacuum plug. I turned the screw and it runs better than ever now, no more backfiring or anything. I think I might have somehow hit the drill against the screw when drilling out the plug and bottomed it out, because it was pretty much already bottomed when I went to turn it. It's cool now, thanks guys! | ||
| Jprovo |
I think I might have somehow hit the drill against the screw when drilling out the plug and bottomed it out That makes sense, I have a carb with an Accelerator pump that has that done to it. There's a little nick in the screw head from the drill bit. IIRC, stock is about 1 1/2 turns out. | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
BMHD: Glad to hear it . I guess EZ & I were both right!(a messed up idle screw) James: I also have an extra HD accelerator pump carb (CV40). So if you're gonna do some mods let me know. I also gather from recent posts that the M2 has an auto enrichener (like the Blast) & VOES like a Sportster/Buell (instead of TPS like the Blast). It sounds like matching an M2 carb with a Blast carb might be a good idea? (accelerator pump,TPS & auto enrichener). Of course if it is easily possible to add on an accelerator pump to the Blast carb, that would be simplest. Sorry, just thinking out loud | ||
| Burnmyheartdown |
Is it possible to add the accelerator pump to the blast with the stock air box? I don't know how big it is in Real life, only seen pictures and I'm not sure it would fit. | ||
| Jprovo |
It should be doable. The accerlerator pump is quite small, fits on the right hand side of the carb (next to the throttle cable bellcrank) on the bottom of the float bowl. There is a mounting area cast into the bottom of the carb. I should be really straightforward to fit one up. James | ||
| Blue02m2 |
I pulled the carb on my soon to be comutter blast and was going to check it for varnish just because the bike has been sitting alot and because I noticed an occasional phenom that I was calling a miss during my first 60 minute 70+ mph test drive into the office. May I confess that I am not sure that I know what a miss feels like vs. a knock. I am puzzeled by the jet sizes that I am seeing. I had the dealer install an HKS exhaust and rejet for it when I bought the bike. I am now adding the K&N air cleaner. I would have expected the dealer to bump up the main jet if anything. Instead they LEFT the main jet at a 165 and bumped the slow jet up from a 42 to a 48. Gee I wonder why the plug has been BLACK BLACK BLACK at every oil change. They've also drilled the plug for the mixture screw. Can't wait to see how they set that puppy. I'm in Dallas ( about 600ft abv sea level ) and do alot of highway riding. I was thinking I would need a 170 or 175 main and a 45 or 46 slow and was going to set the mixture screw at 2.5 per the instructions here (ala EZ I assume). Does this fit with anyone's experience given HKS exhasut and K&N filter (origional airbox) at this altitued? | ||
| Ezblast |
What header you running? - best guess is 45/175 and air screw 2 3/4 out - which universal you running on that header as well is my question? GT - JBOTDS! EZ | ||
| Jprovo |
I agree with EZ, 45/175 is a good start. Personally, I've had better luck with 1 1/2 to two turns out, but start with 45/175 and go from there. James | ||
| Blue02m2 |
Not sure which header. The dealer sold the header and the muffler to me as a package including the install. Should I pull the muffler and measure the diameter of the down pipe? I pulled the jets and checked the mixture screw ... they had 48,165 and about 1.25 turns. I guess I was getting really rich at idle, kind of ok at mid, and lean at full tilt. I'm pretty disapointed ... yet more proof of the old addage "if you want something done right don't outsource." | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
HKS? Can you take a picture of it? Dont pull the header, diameter can be checked on the outside. The muffler will make more of a difference in a stock motor than headpipe diameter (unless its smaller than stock). | ||
| Ezblast |
James - what are you running that has your air screw so far in - are you getting decel pop? - don't see how you could go so lean and not get popping - at least when cold - I know I did. GT - JBOTDS! EZ | ||
| Mmelvis |
I am still curious about that HKS exhaust. Is there a picture ? | ||
| Ezblast |
Me too! | ||
| Jprovo |
EZ, I'm running the Pro-series intake and exhaust, stock otherwise. Jetting is 45/175, Altitude... You know So-Cal, anywhere from sea level to 3000+ Ft elevation on a regular basis. I don't get any pop on decel, but at two turns out, the bike is sluggish, lugs/Hesitates on initial roll on from a cruising speed. It is also harder to start when warm. At 2 to 2 1/2 (edited- was 1 1/2 - 1 3/4) turns the bike feels crisp. I think that I MIGHT be better off with a smaller low speed Jet, but only a dyno and a F/A gauge would tell me for sure. All in all I think the bike is tuned fine, I regularly get low 50's MPG out of it with quite a bit of stop and go and high speed freeway driving. Canyon carving I normally see high 50's sometime low 60's for MPG. James (Message edited by jprovo on August 18, 2005) | ||
| Blue02m2 |
Sorry gents and thanks for all of the help. I've not had a chance to get back to the bike - Which is regularly pointed out because it's currently in pieces on a bike stand where my wife's BMW belongs . I'll try to get a pick up by this weekend I'm anxious to hear your thoughts. | ||
| Ezblast |
Well - perhaps the pro-series is tuned to be set simularly to the stock exhaust - thus you wouldn't mess with the air screw - hmmm - interesting. I know from messing with my exhausts that you'll get decel poping if further in than 2 1/2, and 2 3/4 eliminates even cold start decel poping - GT - JBOTDS! EZ | ||
| Jprovo |
I went out and counted wehere my air screw is set. It's right at 2 1/4. I have edited my earlier post to reflect that. I usually run between 2 and 2 1/2. I really can't tell a heck of a lot of difference in performance between 2 and 2 1/2 turns, so I left it at 2 1/4. James | ||
| Blue02m2 |
James, EZ I am quite embarrassed to display my old-timers disease. The exhaust on my blast is the vanilla "Vance & Hines" that you see on the American Sport Bike page. It's the 95 MR2 that has the HKS. I'm betting this clarification negates the need for a picture. I'm curious if that impacts your opinion on my jetting selection. The 7 year old & 8 year old helped me rejet last night on the kitchen table. 175 main, 45 pilot. 2 washers on the needle ( which were already there ). I'll start with 2.25 on the mixture screw tonight. Good wholesome father daughter activity. | ||
| Naustin |
Blue02M2, that makes sense.  The jetting you are useing is pretty much what is recommended for all aftermarket exhausts, so you're good with the jets you did use. Not sure if you needed the washers, though. EZ might be able to tell you if they make a big difference or not. (Message edited by naustin on August 18, 2005) | ||
| Ezblast |
Yeah - shimming takes out a slight dip in the 2000 rpm range - good job, some folks go with the M2 needle, others opt for the sportster adjustable needle. GT - JBOTDS! EZ |
