| Author | Message | ||
     Xl1200r |
I've owned my 2002 S3T since October and put a couple thousand miles on it since and the engine has always run beautifully. Today, in preparation for my big trip, I rerouted the breather lines to a catch can and removed the little box holds down the air filter (essentially the airbox was half-gutted, I pretty much finished the job. Then I washed the bike. After washing and drying, I started it up - started and ran fine, in fact just sounded really good. Waited a couple hours and went for a ride. Rode about 20 minutes to get something to eat, no problems. Got back on rode for 45 with no problems. About 10 minutes from home it started to cut out all of the sudden. It only happened with light throttle loads (cruising), didn't matter RPM. It got a little worse as time went on but not by much. Check engine light did not come on. Got home and checked the bike over - can't see anything obvious. Battery terminals are tight, I doubled the breather hoses to make sure nothing was pinched, opened up the air box to make sure nothing came loose and was jamming the butterfly open or something - nothing looks broken, missing or leaking. I'm really at a loss. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated - I'm supposed to leave in 2 weeks so I don't have a ton of time... | ||
| Hughlysses |
Just a guess, but maybe you got some moisture in the plug wires? Maybe it took a while to work it's way in after you washed the bike. I'd start by pulling each plug wire on both ends and drying off both the coil sockets, wire ends, and spark plugs. | ||
| Jramsey |
+1 on moisture in the plug wire boots. | ||
| Xl1200r |
I'll give that a look - I'm sure it's running the original plugs and wires so maybe it's not a bad idea to just replace both before the trip seeing as how I'm sure I'll be riding in rain... | ||
| Akbuell |
Nothing wrong with replacing the plugs and wires, given their probable age. I would go out and repeat the ride before putting in the new plugs, ect, and see if the problem happens again. Given that you rode the bike for an hour + and went through a heat cycle, I (IMHO) would suspect that any moisture would have done its thing long before the problem started. All of which is a long way of saying your ETS may be in a pre-failure mode. They can go wonky without throwing a code. See Al at American Sport Bike for a sensor and the socket. Hope this helps, Dave. | ||
| Buellistic |
Everybody says buy new plugs and plug wires, to that "i" say BUELLschitte !!! Still running my OEM PLUG WIRES and only replace the PLUGS if they start miss firing(only had one go bad to date) ... Check my plug wire resistance and clean with silicon spray to water proof with electronic grease in plug cap and coil insert ... Use coper(buy at NAPA) anti-size torque'ing compound on plug threads and torque to 11 ft.lbs. and adjust spark plugs to 0.030 inch as "i" am still running OEM IGN. .. 11 to 18 ft.lbs. is the TORQUE SPEC.'s and my plugs stay tight at 11 ft.lbs. ... If what ever will stay tight at the MINIMUM TORQUE, why torque it any tighter ??? 109,310.1 miles as of the last ride ... "MAY THE LONG LASTING BUELL BE WITH YOU !!!" | ||
| Xl1200r |
I think it was just the water issue. I rode a bit today - about 20 minutes on the highway followed by another 5 or 10 on local roads - same thing for the return trip - bike didn't skip a beat. BUellistic - I agree with you - I've rarely changed plugs on anything unless they've been really fouled. BUt I think with the wires as sensitive to water as they are at this point replacement and sealing a fresh set sounds pretty reasonable. | ||
| Buellistic |
XL1200r: "i" have went as far as to wash then, checking for cracks before doing the silicon coating ... You must keep the plug wires away from the frame/engine, "i" use automotive plug wire holders as stand off's "i" run a 12 to 1 fuel/air ratio and have never fouled a plug ... | ||
| Ratbuell |
And now for the silly suggestion - if it does it again, pop the flipper on your fuel cap so it loosens, but doesn't come off. Could be a tank breather vent that's clogging. Had it happen on my S1W a few times before I discovered the cap-flip trick. Replaced the valve, no more vapor-lock. | ||
| Buellistic |
RatBUELL: The way "i" corrected that problem before it happened to me is "i" removed the valve ... PREVENTIVE MAINTANCE(common problem solving) | ||
| Kalali |
Plug wires cost about $3-$5. Just do it. | ||
| Hugie03flhr |
Light throttle makes me think VOES. Did you move or possibly crack the vac line going to the VOES? | ||
| Jramsey |
Fuel injected bikes don't have a VOES. |
