G oog le BadWeB | Login/out | Topics | Search | Custodians | Register | Edit Profile

Buell Forum » Knowledge Vault (tech, parts, apparel, & accessories topics) » Engine » Electrics: Starter, Ignition, Coil, Spark Plugs/Cables, ECM, "TPS Reset" » Starter diagnosis and repair on XB « Previous Next »

Author Message
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Reepicheep
Posted on Monday, April 09, 2012 - 12:36 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Starting a new thread on the topic as my other thread had a misleading title... I'll link that one to this one.

First, is it possible to remove the starter from an XB without rotating the engine? Looking at the bike, I'd say "no". Looking at the manual, they seem to suggest "yes".

I'll update the thread as I progress for future searchers...
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Reepicheep
Posted on Monday, April 09, 2012 - 12:42 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Oh, and I will post what I do know so far...

1) It is NOT possible to remove the starter on a 2000 M2 with factory headers in place. Or if it is, not in a way I could find, back when I tried to do it, many years ago.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Prior
Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 - 08:22 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Reep,
Does not sound like fun... I find it really hard to believe you can get the starter out of an XB and not a tuber, but I'll have to read up on the manual... And the XBs are not fun to bump start...
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Reepicheep
Posted on Thursday, April 12, 2012 - 03:08 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Update (not getting much time to work on it)...

I may have two issues going on, I'll have to fix the first one first and see if the second one lingers.

If i put the bars at full right lock, and hit the starter button, absolutely nothing happens. Move the bars back to center, and it starts right up. None of the switch or wires on the bars are moving when I do this, so clearly I have a break in a wire or a bad ground under the flyscreen or in the bundle going down to the steering neck. No biggie, I'll fix it over a relaxed evening.

When I had the other problem, I could hear the relay under the seat click. So I think that's another problem. I don't see how I could get enough connection to trip the relay, but then not start the bike.

But no point in tearing into the starter until I eliminate the first problem and verify the second remains... It wouldn't be the first time something happened that I can't easily explain. : )
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Prior
Posted on Thursday, April 12, 2012 - 03:22 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I had a broken wire on My 09 at the steering stem; full lock to the left would cycle the kill switch on mine. My Uly was still under warranty when that happened, so the dealer replaced the harness. With mine, the harness flexed ever so much when the bars were moved and it was really difficult to replicate when just tugging on the harness.

Good luck- it's electrical, so I know you'll figure it out!
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Reepicheep
Posted on Saturday, April 21, 2012 - 08:22 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Well, good news and bad news...

The bad news is that I am not going to be able to tell you if a starter can be removed without an engine rotation. I still think it can't, but I've been wrong before.

The good news is that I found my problem, and it wasn't the starter solenoid.

When I replaced my rear head (as a result of crash damage), I forgot to hook up the ground strap on that rear heim joint. It was hooked to one side, but tucked under on the other (so it looked like it went somewhere) but was not connected to the other bolt like it was supposed to be.

So it would flop around down there, and use other ground paths, and sometimes start and sometimes not start. When it wouldn't start, it would either look like a weak battery (click click click click) or just dim all the gauge panels (but not reset the clock).

I also had a second simultaneous problem, a broken wire internal to the wiring harness where it comes out from under the flyscreen and goes down around the steering head. It was the wire for the starter button in the right hand control. Black with a red stripe (if I recall correctly) where it goes down around the steering neck. At full right lock, the button would do nothing. When centered, it would start fine.

The copper strands inside the wire were broken, but the insulation was intact. It was fairly easy to find and diagnose by looking at the schematic, identifying the involved wires, disassembling the flyscreen to get the harness accessible, then carefully manipulating the suspect wire until I found the point where it flexed easily (it was clear the wires were internally broken, and only the insulation was still intact).

I inspected the rest of the wires in there as well.

Clearly, that bundle is a weak spot. But I may have aggravated the problem as well, by stuffing a Fiam horn under the flyscreen, along with some HID parts. That packs stuff up in there, so instead of a 5" long section of that harness being able to be a floating strain relief when the bars turn, it was bound up with "stuff" and was probably closer to a 2" float. That of course will strain that bundle much worse.

I'll put it back together now, and see where I can put things to give that bundle as much floating length as possible. I also moved the cable armor down so it was clamped by that plastic cover when bolted down. I'll probably get some additional cable armor as well to put higher up that harness, and cover the whole thing with silicone rescue tape.

Anyway, two pretty easy fixes, both for issues that were all or partially self induced.

(Now on to my rear rocker box gasket leak... which is absolutely self induced.)
« Previous Next »

Add Your Message Here
Post:
Bold text Italics Underline Create a hyperlink Insert a clipart image

Username: Posting Information:
This is a private posting area. Only registered users and custodians may post messages here.
Password:
Options: Post as "Anonymous" (Valid reason required. Abusers will be exposed. If unsure, ask.)
Enable HTML code in message
Automatically activate URLs in message
Action:

Topics | Last Day | Tree View | Search | User List | Help/Instructions | Rules | Program Credits Administration