The bike runs very poorly. It feels as if it's about to stall out constantly when I am stopped. There's lots of popping from the intake area. I've done a TPS reset successfully, and the problem persists. Not happy at all. There's also lots of pulsing at the front brake, and when I come to a full stop, the engine lurches, as if the clutch is part-way out (I am completely clutch in). The last two or three thousand rpm seems to fall very slowly. I really have no idea what do to at this point, the bike is nearly unridable.
New plugs, clean-up front rotor with fine sand paper (EBC HH pads are a more permanent fix), and I think if the idle is set too high the RPM's will hang and not drop to idle.
Can you recommend a set? Can I find them at a local parts store? And one more thing, the bike is absolutely new to me. What's the easiest method of getting to the plugs to replace them?
get factory plugs. I've run them on my '06 since new with no issues. Iridiums and the like are snake oil - just get the factory stuff. It's a spark plug - why reinvent the wheel?
'07 should take a plain ol' 10R12 plug from any HD shop. Left side of the engine, 5/8" wrench, screw 'em out, screw the new ones in. Do NOT get 10R12X plugs, they're for '08-up bikes and do not work well on the 06/07 Uly.
If you don't have one, get a service manual before you pick up a wrench.
The stock HD 10R12A plugs (Harly dealer) lasted a long time, in my bike, and I just installed NGK 6546 (DCPR8EIX) Iridium plugs. These are spendy and I haven't ran them so I can't recommend them (I believe others on this forum recommended them ?). I got the NGK's at NAPA and I'm sure they would have standard NGK's also. Replacing them will make you grumble (unless your a patient mechanic), Remove the left side scoop and the front plug can be reached, use a 3/8 x 6" extension and swivel/universal and 5/8 plug socket (with seat and air box cover removed) for the rear. I have my bike stripped down for maint. (air box removed) and it's still a struggle. The hard part for me was getting the plug caps off and back on (the rubber part of the cap slides on the cable, so it's hard to tell if the cable is clipped to the top of the plug properly). I hope someone else chimes in with more tips.
Chase I think you're probably getting ahead of yourself. The bike ran fine when I shipped it to you.
The only thing I questioned was when the shippers put the straps on the grips - told them I used the bars - they didn't want to mess with the wires. They didn't have keys, so couldn't have started, opened gas tank, or removed seat. So... I'd suggest for at least this time - get some help diagnosing this rather than doing the trial and error method. The fact that you are asking about how to get at the plugs makes me think you're in too big a hurry. The shop manual I provided has everything about the bike except good diagrams, which are found in the parts manual I included. Good luck, stay in touch. David
I've finally gotten it to idle smoothly after another TPS reset and some fiddling with the idle adjust. Idles a tad under 1000. Still, with a cold start, it won't start unless I am cracking the throttle open, and I have to babysit it for another minute or else it dies. There seems to be no fast idle function for cold starts.
On the 06 and 07 you should be at 1050rpm at a hot idle. I like mine at 950 but in the cold weather it won't start unless you crack the throttle just barely. Hold the throttle for 5 seconds and then it should idle fine. At 1050 it should start without help. The ECM does have a cold start program it just doesn't raise the idle any, only richens the mixture and tapers off while it warms up.
Once it's warmed up does it still run rough? I know mine would force you to slip the clutch with the rpms a bit higher than normal just to take off smoothly without it dogging out on you. It ended up being an intake leak. You can test the intake with WD-40, brake cleaner etc.
Can't think of any reason it would be fine before shipping and then have a problem but stranger things have happened.
Can't think of any reason it would be fine before shipping and then have a problem but stranger things have happened.
It is very possible due to the primitive nature of the Buell EFI systems. Quite simply, all the bike originally needed was likely to just be ridden to adapt to the different riding environment. The AFV was likely skewed to suit riding where Ddaleuly lived, and if things like altitude are too far different when Deeds started the bike, it will need a little time to adjust itself. I've seen it happen with my own bike, parked near sealevel in NY, then trailered into the mountains of northern Georgia, the bike needed a few miles before it felt "right" again, and even then it always felt a little off due to the elevation costing power.
It is hard to say what is going on now simply because Deeds already started changing things and very possibly set the TPS and idle incorrectly, just compounding the issue.
Deeds - Reset the AFV to 100, and go from there. You are likely to need to reset the TPS again once it gets hot.
It may be because I am coming from a V4 Honda, but it does seem to run rough going by what the rpm needle reads out. The bike feels on the verge of stalling out, especially when I take off. And coming to a stop is another story, strong brake pulsing plus a jerky idle makes coming to a stop a bit pucker inducing. I've ordered a new set of EBC HH pads for the front, and I will do another TPS reset as well as AFV reset.
Deeds, Your front brake pulsing may be a warped rotor. I suggested sanding the rotor and EBC pads, but with 30k miles it may take more than that simple fix.
Ddaleulys video is how a 06/07 bike should run and is VERY smooth as well.
Houston is 33 ft higher than Virginia Beach and it could take a few miles for the bike to adjust but it would not do what is doing in Deeds video. THAT sounds more like an ignition miss from a plug, wire or other which could have easy happened in the transit of the bike. It could be other though. It is nothing like a VFR either.
It is cool that you had SPY or other at hand to do a TPS reset on buying the bike Deeds?
I just thought of something that shipping might have caused. I know many folks, myself included, who have trailered their bikes to an event and when they fire them up they sound like a diesel! Somehow a ride on a trailer, bouncing up and down, will force the oil out of the tappets. On start up it sounds horrible but will eventually pump up and be fine. A tappet or two not fully pumped up would cause some problems but you should be able to hear it and if you've ridden long enough they should be back to normal. I really don't think this is your problem but just in case anybody's runs bad after trailering it's most likely your problem.
What Froggy said is true. They don't like waking up somewhere new!!