| Author | Message | ||
     Tunes |
My bike has been running and performing fine. This morning I wheeled it out for the morning start, pressed the start button, heard a very, very small pip and the engine management light went out. When I got home after work I did a little more digging. Ignition fuse was blown. Battery read +12.54VDC. Checked, moved harness and assorted wires for possible bad connection. Nothing. Replaced fuse. Everything came right back to normal... except when I pressed the start button. Blown ignition fuse again. So, I have an appointment with the dealer cause the bike only has 1400 miles on it. I prefer to do my own work and/or use my favorite local Buell wrench... but this is a warranty issue... But, I'd still like to know what is causing this problem. I'd like to blame the starter for drawing too much current but, wouldn't that blow the starter fuse? Opinions? | ||
| Jedwele |
Sounds like I positive wire grounding out somewhere. | ||
| Metalstorm |
My bike (05 12Sgg) had the same problem. It blew ignition fuses like there's no tomorrow so I brought it in. After a couple days they found the problem. The frame around the steering stem has sharp edges & a wire inside the wiring harness got severely chaffed. Now it's all better. Your's could have a chaffed or pinched wire anywhere so go bring it in. It's covered by warranty. Let the professionals deal with the frustration.  | ||
| Tunes |
Thanks for all the responses... I found the problem. Bike will be going to the dealer for repair... under warranty. Only 1400 mi. on the new scoot... :-( | ||
| Fullpower |
there is a starter relay, but no "starter fuse" you very likely have an easy to find rubbed through wire, and need to apply some chafing gear. should not be too hard to find the fault and fix it. if you need a hint: rig a small test lamp with a 194 marker light bulb, jumper the test light across the fuse, diddle wires till the light extinguishes. | ||
| Tomzweifel |
And the problem was.... ? | ||
| BadS1 |
Did happen to be the horn wire???lol | ||
| Onebuell |
"Battery read +12.54VDC" Battery is dead. | ||
| Diablobrian |
With your bike at idle it should normally read 14.5 volts. If everything is working as it should. "12 volt" systems are a myth. | ||
| Tunes |
The +12.54VDC was taken while the bike was turned off. Of course it was, cause the bike doesn't run.... all it does right now is blow fuses. With the bike running at idle it should not go below +11.50VDC and above 3,000 rpm, it should not go above +14.5VDC. Jedwele was correct and Metalstorm's problem turned out to me mine as well... chaffed/exposed ignition wire at the steering stem, behind the strain relief. I would suggest new or relatively new XB owners to check for this on their bike. I have the ability and tools to fix the problem myself, but if something else goes wrong, then I'm on my own... So I gotta bring it in for the warranty coverage. "Did happen to be the horn wire???lol" -- My bike is a late 04... meaning it's an '05 (it doesn't have the sidestand cutout switch). Wiring aroung the horn is not an issue. Fullpower - Good idea... and thanks for the suggestion. I have a DVM so no prob with checking wiring. Just a "little" background... I currently restore Norton's.... and I have a BSEE in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, so I'm familiar with wiring and such. I hand-weave custom wire harnesses for customs and vintage iron that you cannot obtain harnesses for... I asked the question, in the first place, cause if someone has already encountered this problem, why knock myself out trying to fix/find it... Eventually, I would have found the exposed wires but, it's in a tough place. You cannot see the exposed wires without pulling the harness away from the frame and looking behind it. It's mostly behind the strain relief. It's happened to two bikes, so it's already a problem... Again, thanks for all the input. I visit this site every day. It has great information... and the differing opinions, because most are well thought out, make for some difficult decision making. I'm still debating about when to go synthetic in the XB. The S3 had 17K when I went to synth.... (Message edited by Tunes on June 24, 2005) | ||
| Opto |
Let's hope the dealer comes up with a suitable "repair" scheme for chaffing. | ||
| Opto |
I've done 12000 miles on my XB12S and the only harness sections I've protected are behind the CPS cover and the looms beside and around the back of the battery going into the ecm...just letting you know something may have changed in the factory installation. | ||
| BadS1 |
Tunes the side stand switch had nothing to do with that recall.Mine doesn't have the sidestand switch either,never has and mine is the earliest of the 04's to be sold. | ||
| Tunes |
BadS1, thanks for the update... Ya hear so much information out there, I'm never quite sure if it's "real and correct" info or someone just making an observation. So, all I can say is, my 12S doesn't have the side stand cutout switch. However, the bike is at the dealership cause I delivered it today. I'm sure I will find out tomorrow what the next step is... to replace the offending harness or just fix the bad wires... and put a file to the frame and smooth out those pointy bits. Stay tuned for further developments... | ||
| Tunes |
Latest info... The wire harness "housing" around the steering stem was chaffed... It never chaffed the wires themselves, so, no exposed wires. Bike still blows the "IGN" fuse when pressing the starter button. Now the thinking is a current overdraw from the starter. I did suggest that to the mechanic when I dropped the bike off. Remember back when ya pressed the starter button on HD's and the bike would ruhhh, then stop. Ya take yer thumb off the button, then press it again and the bike would fire... This bike is doing that. It didn't do that when I first had the bike... that's why I thought the starter was overdrawing and blowing the fuse... Maybe better news tomorrow? |
