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Buell Forum » Knowledge Vault (tech, parts, apparel, & accessories topics) » Troubleshooting (Poor Starting/Running/Handling/Ride Issues) » Archive through February 28, 2007 » 03 XB9S Check engine light, sputtering, dealer no help. « Previous Next »

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Jbird
Posted on Tuesday, November 28, 2006 - 09:09 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Here's the low down... I have a 03 XB9S with about 5000 miles on it. My mods are: D&D, race ecm, K&N, snorkle removed, and 12 airbox lid.

The problem is, after riding it 15 to 20 minutes at highway speeds the engine light comes on. Then it starts running rough. I can be running 80 and whack the throttle and the engine completely cuts out. I back it off a hair and it kicks back in. Also, when I come to a stop I have to keep the RPMs up or it wants to stall. ????

My dad recently took it into the dealer while I was out of town. I explained to him what to tell the service dept. I was also having them put on a set of Pirreli Diablos. Any way he went to pick it up and they told him they couldnt find anything wrong with it. They stated that they reset the computer. TPS reset? Said they test road it and it was fine.

I get back home and find out its still the same. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes at highway speeds for the problems to surface. Thats probably why they didnt notice anything. They probably just took it around the block.

So any ideas? Fouled plugs? Dealer said it could be bad gas, but that wouldn't cause the engine light to come on would it? Do you think they even run it through the trouble shooting codes?

One last thing...I like the way the Diablos feel at low to mid speeds, but when I get her cranked up the front end feels unstable. Feels real wobbly. It always felt real solid at speeds with the Dunlops. Any one experience this? Improper balancing maybe?

Any info would be appreciated before I go haul it off to the dealer again.

Thanx Jason
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Al_lighton
Posted on Tuesday, November 28, 2006 - 09:51 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I'd sure look very carefully at the wiring near the ECM connectors for a chafed through wire, especially in the vicinity of the negative terminal on the battery. Seems the 03 XBS models are particularly susceptible to wire chafe there.

Not sure why it waits 20 minutes, but it may be related either to the RPM levels that you hit while on the freeway, or maybe the seat pressure. The intermittent nature, and the fact that it triggers the check engine light, are both consistent behaviors with a bike that has that problem.

But if the check engine light has come on, there should at least be some historical trouble codes being set. The dealer can see them on the digital tech, or if you know anyone with VDSTS, it can be viewed with that as well. If you can fetch those codes, it may be easier to armchair diagnose from a distance.

Al
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Reepicheep
Posted on Tuesday, November 28, 2006 - 10:31 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Ditto Al.

It's right from the factory, but when you swap ECM's it's really easy to route that bundle in such a way that it gets a little invisible nick.

Route correctly, and I threw a cheap piece of split loom cable armor to make it harder for me to be stupid in the future.
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Jbird
Posted on Tuesday, November 28, 2006 - 12:08 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Yeah, I read a post with someone that had a similar problem and the rubbed wire was mentioned. I'll have to pull the seat and take a close look at that later today.

Thats one thing that would have me doubt the wire theory Al. The time frame and speeds it takes before the problem occurs. I can ride around all day at 30 to 50,60 mph speeds without a problem. It really doesnt surface until I get it to 75 to 90mph for a good while. Although maybe the vibration at those speeds is the causing factor.

Anyway, thanx guys, I'll take a look.
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Krassh
Posted on Sunday, December 10, 2006 - 08:58 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I had the same problem. Mine was two fold.
1. Spark Plug wire rubbed through.
2. Bad Temp Sensor.

Engine light would come on and bike would cut out. Would start back up and as long as I kept it below a certain RPM level it would run alright. One time it happened and right after picking it from the dealer with the "we could not find anything wrong response" rode it right back to them. On damp days my bike would run on one cylinder that was the plug wires. The bike shutting down was the temp sensor. This was on my '03 XB9S.

I had a problem with the wire harness going around the battery but this would blow my fuse not give me a check engine light.

Oh and mine would kick in about 15 minutes into the ride as well that is why I was almost home form the dealer the last time it did that. Lucky for me I was close to my dealer.
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U4euh
Posted on Monday, December 11, 2006 - 12:37 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Similar problem with mine, and has been since I got it. Run it around town it is fine. Run it up and down through the gears, it is fine. Run it 'balls out' or at any sustained speed above 3200 rpm and after a few minutes the bike hicuups for a second, the light comes on and then she runs like a scalded cat! But if I come to a stop, don't try to gas it like we all like to do. If so, it wants to stumble, and is very hard to start back up if it does die. Instead I just let it idle at lights, and feather the take off. Again, after I get rolling, I can whack the throttle and she runs like it has afterburners on full. Bad side is, if I shut it off, the fan will not come on. I have figured it to be temp sensor and computer getting stuck in open or closed loop, which ever it is that happens at 3000 and above.
Dealer has looked at it twice, once after I wrecked last year, and has never been able to find anything. Not that that says much in it self! I'll be following closely to see what comes up.
Oh mine is also an 039s
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