| Author | Message | ||
     Drawkward |
I'm having a problem with my 2000 M2. Recently on my way home from work, the motor started to "cut out" while under load. At idle it revs done. This condition occurs seemingly in all gears when loading the engine up. It is most noticeable when going up a hill in first and second. Sometimes it will sound like a backfire and sometimes the carb will cough in this condition. Since it started it has always happens now under load. In neutral or with the clutch pulled in it revs fine. I tested the spark in the evening with online spark testers and the bulbs light up when revving as expected but when under load it looks like the light cuts out, indicating that I'm losing spark. I'd say I'm 95% sure it's losing spark. Carb has been off and cleaned with no dirt or problems. Excelerator pump works fine and there are no tears in the diaphragm. Coil was tested and reads within spec. I was suspicious of it though and bought a new one. While it idles "stronger", the condition still exists so I'm fairly certain it is not the source of the problem.. The cam sensor looks like it is a little melty (some brown goo looks like it is coming out of the sensor near the wires) but I've seen them like that before with no problems.i am not certain it's the cause of the problem. It could be the ECM, but I have no way of checking it. I ordered a NOS one off eBay for the unbelievably of price of $14.95 which has blown my mind, frankly but it has not arrived yet. Plug wires are seemingly good with no rub through or cuts. Started it in the dark and saw no spark jumps. I assume they're good. Spark plugs are good and have a proper color reading of light tan. Any thoughts are appreciated. What am I missing? Pun intended. | ||
| Reepicheep |
You probably tried it, but in case you didn't, put in fresh plugs even though the current ones look fine. Perhaps not the problem, but too easy and too cheap a thing to rule out before you start going further down other rabbit holes. | ||
| Drawkward |
Haven't done new plugs but I will try that next. I hate this piecemeal approach...but I guess you gotta start somewhere. | ||
| Drawkward |
Picture of the cam sensor goo.  | ||
| Drawkward |
The more research I do I think that tan "goo" is from the factory. I just don't remember it being on there. The CPS is about 6 years old I'd guess, maybe 7. I'm getting plug wires made and sent, I'll try those next along with new plugs. | ||
| Xldevil |
A loose main circuit braker connection has once given almost the same symptoms to my Cyclone. Good a idle,problems while riding. (Message edited by Xldevil on September 16, 2015) | ||
| Dannybuell |
check the tightness of the spade connector going to the starter. mine wiggled easily, I got some long needle nose pliers and crimped it a bit, no worries since. | ||
| Zac4mac |
I have seen plugs that "look good" fail in a test fixture when the pressure goes up. They will spark fine at atmospheric but not at firing pressures. A bad electrical connection to the battery can work fine at low rpm but intermittently cut out from vibration, the symptoms can be identical. That issue had me baffled for 3 months on my shovelhead, finally found it one cold rainy afternoon... A restricted fuel line or filter can produce the same symptoms, allowing enough fuel to idle but not run. FYI Z (Message edited by zac4mac on September 19, 2015) | ||
| Phelan |
Sounds like an intermittent coil or even ECM to me. I believe 2000 had a single fire coil because it had a skip-spark feature in the ECM. with the bike running, tap the ECM with your knuckle. If it dies, the ECM is bad. This happened to me on my Uly. Later I also had the front half of my coil go bad as a separate issue. | ||
| Drawkward |
Sorry for the delay. I have new wires, plugs and a brand new ECM to try. I'm hoping to do it today. Battery connections are tight, as is the ground. I don't recall checking the connection to the starter so I'll try that. Last time I had the carb off, not long ago, the fuel lines were fine, but I can check that again. The coil on my bike is a dual fire. I have already swapped that and it didn't fix the problem. Thanks for the ideas. | ||
| Drawkward |
Put new plug wires on. Pretty cold here this morning and initially the skipping was gone. I rode for about ten minutes to a gas station and the skipping started again as I was pulling in. Let it sit long enough to get a beverage and gas and on the way home it happened consistently. Seems to be temperature related. Going to change plugs. Have a new set of NGK 7E's...i know these are a hotter plug than the 8E's but it's all I currently have. | ||
| Drawkward |
New plugs in. No change, still missing. I guess I can swap the ECM. At this point it's the last idea I have! | ||
| Drawkward |
New module in. No change. I also put my tach and speedo back on. When in condition and missing the tach jumps up to redline. What could this mean? How does the tach get its information? | ||
| Drawkward |
Checked the service manual. The cam sensor sends signal to the module, the module sense signal to the coil via a pink wire. That wire is also the tach wire. Maybe a bad cam sensor? Trying to look for bad cam sensor symptoms. | ||
| Jolly |
A friend of mine recently had exactly the same problem on his bike, we found a bad main CB that would work fine/test fine, but when it heated up it couldn't carry the load. it gave exactly the same symptoms as you describe. | ||
| Drawkward |
Jolly, did it happen at idle? Or only under load? I'll check it out. | ||
| Jolly |
If I remember correctly it ran fine at idle, but skipped and sputtered under a load, would run ok for a few miles on a cold start, then when up to temp and under a load it would skip and sputter.. | ||
| Drawkward |
I changed out the 30A breaker, rode the bike for about 4 miles and the condition persisted. It is still jumping the tach when it misses and the gauge cluster doesn't seem to lose any power. It was snowing earlier here so it was pretty cold but it still happened. When I got home I hit the cam position sensor with a heat gun and nothing happened so I assume it's ok. I also checked the wiring and overall it looks good. I'm not sure what to do next. | ||
| Two_seasons |
Pull the connector to the ignition switch. It's behind the flyscreen. Clean it with electrical contact cleaner. Edit: Another thought, check fuse/relay box for corrosion. Edit, edit: I've had fuse end termination that have un-locked from the fuse/relay box and gave me intermittent starts. (Message edited by two_seasons on October 18, 2015) (Message edited by two_seasons on October 18, 2015) | ||
| Drawkward |
Two_seasons: Fuse block looks to be free from corrosion. The fuses are all still good, however that doesn't mean they ARE good I suppose. The wires leading to the back of the block are all seated properly. I changed out the 12VDC 30A switch I had wired in to replace the key switch just in case it was causing the problem. No change in condition. The bike still runs fine when cold. I rode it for a couple miles, sat in some traffic for a few minutes and then had to limp it home because it went back into condition. Could a cam position sensor work at idle, even when hot, and then not work under load? Does that even make sense? I feel like it is not related to vibration, but heat. The cam position sensor is the last "heat sensitive" item I have yet to change out. Any more thoughts? | ||
| Buellmeister57 |
Pretty sure it's the cam position sensor, same thing happened to my Cyclone. | ||
| Drawkward |
I should have done more investigation on the wires from the Cam Position Sensor to the ECM. This is after the triangle connector...major rub and heat damage. Thanks for all the help everyone.  |
