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

Buell Forum » XBoard » Archive through December 08, 2014 » Bad Voltage Reg took out ECM? « Previous Next »

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

Asksteve
Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2014 - 01:02 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Just got a call from the dealership... my bike was running like crap, couldn't maintain idle, would stall when you cracked the throttle, but anything off idle (if you knew just the right prayer to get past it) would run slow. It was a 40mi trip to the dealership and I decided to hot-foot it down there. About halfway through the trip I got a back fire and then all was well. Rolling from a stop, idle, accel, all back to normal.

Dealership tells me the VR is bad and that it took the ECM with it. They are looking for ~$700 to fix it.

Any thoughts?

Anybody got a known good ECM for a 2009 they want to sell?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Firstbuell
Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2014 - 01:25 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

contact sponsors JT&S or NRHS or Drummer pronto
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Froggy
Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2014 - 01:27 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

A failed voltage regulator can allow the voltage to spike, damaging the electronics. That said, the first thing to go is usually the headlight bulbs, they get brighter then burst from the extra voltage. ECM getting damaged is a possibility, but is extremely rare.

It is however more likely that the ECM was damaged by the seat. In the stock location, the seat will bend a little under the rider's weight, pressing onto the connectors for the ECM, cracking the soldered joints on the circuit board.

It is hard to say if the ECM is bad or not over the internet, it can cause the symptoms you describe, but so can other things like a bad throttle position sensor or gunked up idle air control valve.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Asksteve
Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2014 - 01:57 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Headlights are gone. Calling sponsors.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Reepicheep
Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2014 - 02:16 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Surely the ECM has a built in voltage regulator. The chips internally work at 5 volts, so it has to have one anyway.

In theory a bad VR could kill it, but I suspect it is EXTREMELY unlikely / uncommon.

As Froggy says, more likely it's a bad ECM connector unrelated to the VR failure.

It's fixable (though not by the dealer). You can dig out the potting and resolder. Any self respecting electronics tech or home hobbyist should be able to do it easily.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Ace117
Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2014 - 02:20 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I have my stock ECM For my 09 12R its a Cali model but im sure it could still work, its just collecting dust i have the EBR ecm on it PM me.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Meggadeath
Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2014 - 05:02 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

The dealer speaks from the sphincter, methinks!
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Asksteve
Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2014 - 07:24 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Seems to be a consensus on not having a bad ECM. The dealer is ordering the VR for me and I'll get the EBR ECM or Ace's.

Thanks for the help guys.

I can't believe a known problem like the seat breaking the ECM was left in the design for so long.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Reepicheep
Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2014 - 09:35 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Oh, it could be the ECM, just not as a result of the failed VR (if the VR is even really failed).

I think the cracking connector solder joints appeared a year or so after a seat change...
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Asksteve
Posted on Sunday, November 09, 2014 - 10:40 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Got the bike back with a new VR yesterday... runs like crap, lots of backfiring. Moving on to replace the ECM.
« Previous Next »

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

Username: Posting Information:
This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Password:
E-mail:
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