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Buell Forum » Big, Bad & Dirty (Buell XB12X Ulysses Adventure Board) » BB&D Archives » Archive through March 26, 2013 » Battery - do i need a new one? « Previous Next »

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Lars1974
Posted on Saturday, March 02, 2013 - 01:02 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Hi all,

Today I had my Uly out again after a 4 month break. Bike ran fine. A few times on one pot but that was soon over.

My engine light comes on a few times and than goes out again (only for a few second and only about 4 times)
Also i know my bike is still on its original battery and its an 06! The battery is on a trickle charger....but i think this could a cause for the engine light and the slow starts etc...
I measured my voltage and it was 12.9V with the ignition on. On starting of the engine the voltage drops to 9.8 or 10.2V ( i did it twice).

Everything else seems fine and i did ride about 75miles.
What do you think guys? Time for a new battery?

Thanks lars
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Bosgarage57
Posted on Saturday, March 02, 2013 - 01:29 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

does your fan still work?
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Lars1974
Posted on Saturday, March 02, 2013 - 01:39 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Did not come on today, but was nearly 0 degrees C
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Teeps
Posted on Saturday, March 02, 2013 - 01:54 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Voltage measured across the battery, during cranking, ideally, should not drop below 10.2 volts.
So assuming there are no loose battery cable connections causing the drop.
And, the trip meter is not resetting when the engine is cranked; the battery probably still has some life left.
My '06 is on its second battery, replaced summer of '06, and it's still going... but it never sees 0c. or less.
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Arry
Posted on Saturday, March 02, 2013 - 02:04 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Thats amazing life for a motorcycle battery. Will a new battery crank it better...? It's probably over due, so it's worth a try. Don't be suprised if your next battery doesn't last as long.
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Uly_man
Posted on Saturday, March 02, 2013 - 02:18 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

"My engine light comes on a few times and than goes out again (only for a few second and only about 4 times)". That could be anything?

If it is the AGM type. Disconnect the battery and charge it overnight, at LESS than one amp, with an auto control charger. Check the volts and then re-check after 24 hours. If it is still 12.5 to 12.7 volts the battery is fine. Long reason for all of that but it WILL prove the battery. I have done this one before.

I still have my 06 bikes AGM battery and its fine. Dont spend on what you dont need.
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Lars1974
Posted on Saturday, March 02, 2013 - 02:25 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Tripmeter, does turn blank during cranking but not reset.

I may check with ecmspy about what error codes are stored!

Connections on the battery are ok, not loose.

Bikes runs fine even when the engine is on - makes no difference to the running.
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Etennuly
Posted on Saturday, March 02, 2013 - 03:27 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

A weak battery will not make the light come on when it is running. My bike will usually hold voltage of 12.6 or so, 12.9 is great. Mine spikes down to 9.6 when cranking. So I'm thinking you have another issue.

My experience has shown that when the battery is done the tripometer will actually reset everytime not enough voltage is available for happy starting.

What oil do you have in the beast? Have you checked your oil level lately?

Have you checked the ground wires on the steering neck behind the headlights?

If it ran on one cylinder for a short time I would pull the front spark plug to check for black/wet condition. For some reason when one cylinder fouls a plug it seems to be the front one.

Check your ECM plug for rubbing the seat. While you are there look for rubbed through insulation on the wire harness.
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Uly_man
Posted on Saturday, March 02, 2013 - 04:31 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I only found, with the 10 bike, what the AGM battery needs so I do not know about the 06 bike. What I found, but just my opinion, is that you can not treat a AGM battery like the old wet lead acid types.

First you may read a fully charged voltage but the battery may NOT be fully charged. I proved this via testing and thus the HD book numbers are miss leading.

This is not HDs fault but the bikes (standing) battery charge which is a combination of engine type, battery type, parasitic drain and the bikes running level of charge to the battery.

I know for a FACT you need long runs to put back into the battery just what starting it takes out. Its just a guess but that may be 30 miles plus. I was doing 10 mile runs and that no good at all.

As a guide I find a proper charged AGM battery will not re-set the clocks but as the charge goes down it will even though the bike still starts ok(ish).

The thing is you need to treat the bike on its own ground. All bikes have there own unique problems. Few bikes do not have something going on with them.
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Ratbuell
Posted on Sunday, March 03, 2013 - 08:28 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

My 06 still has the battery in it that was under the seat when it left East Troy.

Sits in an un-heated garage.

Days like today - when it's been sitting for...I want to say about 2 weeks now - I'd plug it into the tender the night before, and go ride it. It's always had the crank-pause-start since the day I got it, it hasn't gotten any worse, and it doesn't reset the trip.

If the OP's bike ran "on one pot" (on one cylinder) a few times, I'd start chasing fouled plugs and/or bad plug wires before messing with the battery. My guess is you have/had a misfire condition that triggered the light.
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Lars1974
Posted on Sunday, March 03, 2013 - 01:56 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Hi all,

Thanks for all the quick responses.
I will do a service in a few days and changes plugs and oils etc.
I will keep the battery in for now as it still does start the bike fine. My one too always had a pause when cranking.

I will report on how she behaves!
Maybe its just a sign that she does not get used a lot these days.... Less than 400 in between the last 2 MOT's!

Thx Lars
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Lars1974
Posted on Monday, March 04, 2013 - 04:14 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Hi all,

I plugged in my ECMspy today and did some read out of the error codes stored and also some other screenshots... (Sorry for the german language, but as i am german it made sense to me all, really!)

Here are the error codes stored.



Exhaust muffler error codes, makes sense as i do have a remus exhaust and i know the cable for the exhaust valve is unhooked on my airbox.

And here some of the other screens which i thought checking as well...



And here the first page page, looks like i need to do a TPS reset again soon, its been a while.

And here the front screen



So, i guess that exhaust valve error could be the cause for the sporadic engine management warning light, but does not explain the running on one pot...

Will investigate further soon.
At least battery seems fine.
Thx Lars
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Tootal
Posted on Monday, March 04, 2013 - 05:46 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

If you still have the muffler valve actuator then reconnect it, just leave the cable off. It will still try and open the valve but of course nothing will happen, but your ecm will be happy again!
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Uly_man
Posted on Tuesday, March 05, 2013 - 04:13 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

"Exhaust muffler error codes, makes sense as i do have a remus exhaust and i know the cable for the exhaust valve is unhooked on my airbox." Switch it off in ECM-SPY.

"So, i guess that exhaust valve error could be the cause for the sporadic engine management warning light, but does not explain the running on one pot... ". It could be plugs or other. My 06 bike used to get damp on the plug wire area but was ok once hot. A good spray with ACF-50 fixed it fine.
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Lars1974
Posted on Tuesday, March 05, 2013 - 04:39 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

@Uly_man,

Thanks, i will check the plug leads and spray with ACF50.

re- exhaust coding - i have found instruction on how to switch off with ECMspy and I will do that too
I will do a TPS reset too and I am sure that will make here running sweet again.
Thanks
Lars
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Uly_man
Posted on Tuesday, March 05, 2013 - 05:10 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Just as a point to note. I had a Remus on my 06 bike and the Remus Powerizer worked very well with the low and mid range fueling.

I also found that 10ml per fork of heavy oil cut dive and made the front end better. The breather mod makes the idle better for low speed control. Both are cheap and easy to do. About £15. EBC HH pads both ends as well. And if you start to get a strange feeling from the from end check the front, off the bike, wheel bearings. Oh and file the paint off the sub frame stud as well if its not been done. It can cause no end of problems. Mine was with the timing. Strange though it may sound.
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