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Fotoguzzi
Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - 03:22 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

not the best decision on my part to try relocation the box while 150 miles from my garage. of course the nut holding the standoff block fell out the bottom and I can't use that now.. I moved the block to the other mount hole and just zip tied ECM in lower than stock.
so happens I have an Endocam my Dad gave me and I can take a pic inside there with the seat on, cool?
looks like I have 1/4" of space even when I sit on it.. any reason to not just leave it like this?



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Uly_man
Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - 04:16 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

You could do what I did? Place some foam over the shock remote canister, move the ECM on to the top of it and fix it in place with a cable tie through the right hand ECM mount hole and that big loom you see under it now. You will not need the block and the seat will not touch the ECM. You will also need to cut back the tape on the ECM loom to allow for more movement but this makes for better "flex" of the wires and less load on the ECM connector blocks.

This is just what I did but after trying MANY positions, including having it between the battery and fuse box, this version works the best with no down side.
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Big_island_rider
Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - 05:59 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Here is what I did with mine. Got a L-bracket, cut, bent and drilled it. Just be sure to route your wires safely. Used the stock bolt and had a lock nut handy.










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Skifastbadly
Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - 06:36 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

A quarter inch isn't much clearance, especially up dere in minnesoooooota where you betcha it gets hot in August. The heat will soften the seat and it'll sag a bit, don'tcha know....
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Terrycoxusa
Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - 06:40 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

How often do these ecm's actually fail, and if it really is a common problem, why doesn't Harley Davidson recall them? It seems like it would be a huge safety issue if the bike suddenly quits running while on the freeway.
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Fotoguzzi
Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - 06:49 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

It's not the ECM as much as the plugs, I noticed a wear mark where my finger is in the pic on top of the connector. That's what got me to move it. I'm gonna try the putty on top to get a measurement. Been riding all over Wisconsin this week and have trip this weekend I don't want to get fouled up by something preventable. Back to garage for 1 day tomorrow then off to mineral springs and lake joy! Dontcha know!
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Rayycc1
Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - 10:21 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I put mine between the battery and the fuse box....after straightening the lip on the battery box out with a BFH that is...
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Djohnk
Posted on Wednesday, July 30, 2014 - 11:10 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I did the same as Rayycc1, takes no fabrication and fits quite nicely.
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Uly_man
Posted on Thursday, July 31, 2014 - 03:21 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

"I put mine between the battery and the fuse box....after straightening the lip on the battery box out with a BFH that is". I did the same myself at one point but found the seat sits on the wires so chanced it. You then have a nice space for your Buell tool kit.
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Fotoguzzi
Posted on Sunday, August 03, 2014 - 06:35 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Silly putty.. looks like I need to move it again.

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Mm08
Posted on Tuesday, August 12, 2014 - 06:07 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I have a cracked ecm on an 08 with 25000 miles. First thing I did was file a complaint with nhtsa. Second was go to dealer I bought bike from, the had no interest in doing anything but giving me hd 800 #. Third I called the hd customer service #. The guy tells me hd is not doing anything about this issue. These bikes are very poor quality.
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Woodnbow
Posted on Tuesday, August 12, 2014 - 07:31 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I don't know about poor quality... this issue needed to be addressed but I'm sure Harley Davidson won't do it because they didn't build the motorcycle and now no more will be built, what do you expect from them? It's unfortunate but that's just the way it is. Also, I've been riding since 1969, a couple of Hondas, a Yamaha and many Harley Davidsons. I've yet to find a brand that's 100% trouble or glitch free. And I've certainly never found a motorcycle that does for me what my Uly does. Maybe the new AX?
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Froggy
Posted on Tuesday, August 12, 2014 - 07:41 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

One easy to fix and preventable issue that took 25,000 miles to crop up makes something low quality? I guess you have never bought anything else in your life ever.

Buy a Race ECM which you should have regardless, install it after doing a relocation, and ride on.
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Fotoguzzi
Posted on Tuesday, August 12, 2014 - 08:42 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I'm still struggling with the relocation.. I just don't seem to have the same room to fit it off the shock remote canister with any kind of home made bracket it's still too tall under the seat..
now, it's zip tied to the rubber strap holding the battery, seat might contact a corner of the ECU housing but not the connections/plugs so hoping that is good enough..

and how could you fit it between fuse box and battery? there's like 1/4 inch space between them..
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Rayycc1
Posted on Tuesday, August 12, 2014 - 09:29 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

you have to straighten the battery box where its bent between the bat and fuse box...after you straighten that flap out it sits there perfectly
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Reepicheep
Posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 07:59 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Personally, I think that so long as it isn't pushing on the connectors or wires, it's OK to have pressure on the ECM body itself.

So far so good at 30k miles, but I could live to regret it yet.
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Alchemy
Posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 08:26 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I wonder if there is solution involving the seat since that is where the pressure is originating?

If material was removed from the seat or the seat was stiffened a bit, the pressure might be mitigated.

I would expect if the riders weight is under 130 lbs that the problem would not exist.
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Froggy
Posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 09:26 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

DDFI3 ECMs are thicker than the DDFI2 ECMs, the between the battery tray and fusebox thing is not easy to do.
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Froggy
Posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 09:28 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Alchemy, I've seen posts where someone uses a Dremmel or similar and cuts a small notch in the bottom of the seat.
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Rayycc1
Posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 09:29 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Oh...I see...different years.
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Froggy
Posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 10:16 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

That is also part of the reason this didn't really become an issue until after production ended. There were many 06s built (all with the tall seat), and not many of the later years. Between the shorter seat and the thicker ECM, the weight of the rider was more likely to get transferred into the ECM. Given that it is not an issue that happens quickly (most bikes with the issue have well over 20k miles), it took a few years for the problem to really crop up.
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Buewulf
Posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 12:05 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Fotoguzzi,

I hammered down the metal ECM mount closest to the battery and used cable ties through the bolt holes in the ECM to snug it down. I believe I went under one of the bolts for the battery box on that side and under part of the shock reservoir on the other side. Keeps the ECM nice and low and requires nothing more than a couple of zip ties and a few minutes. I'll take pics this evening if you want, but it isn't rocket science.

I did this on the side of the road after I found several wires fraying through the insulation in my prior relocation between the battery and fuse box. Now, everything is isolated pretty well from being rubbed or pressed against anything. You could probably coax that metal mount into sitting where you want it rather than just mashing it down out of the way like I did if you wanted to put at least one bolt through it. I lack that kind of patience while on the side of the road during a SE Texas summer, though.
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Big_island_rider
Posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 02:31 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I put mine on the shock reservoir for several reasons:
- Same relative position, so not so much wire twisting
- Tucked far enough down to avoid contact from seat
- Two contact points so the ECM remains stable
- Most importantly airflow. Still enough area around ECM to allow cooling. (Yeah I know cooling and the Uly are oxymorons) For my money heat and electronics do not mix.
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Alchemy
Posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 03:36 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I have pondered the abrasion marks on the ECM connectors (and my seat). It seems the ECM is not the touchpoint. I am tinkering with attaching the ECM using a wedge shaped shim that will raise the body of the ECM a tad but tilt the connectors lower. The connectors are toward the center of the seat.

If this experiment works it would suggest that the sides of the seat are better supported and the center of the seat sags a little lower. The center of the seat being more of the problem.

I Haven't finished this yet so it may not work.
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Alchemy
Posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 04:58 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Followup:

The wedge shaped shim does not work ideally. It does raise the ECM a little and the fastener bolt tends to want to fight the wedged shim and keep the ECM unslanted.

Second approach was to get the same effect without raising the ECM at all and not changing the existing attachement points. Using my (assumed) faulty ECM, I outlined on the ECM bottom the area where the bracket attachment surfaces met the bottom surface of the ECM. I will remove material on the ECM bottom.

I used a hand held grinder (dremel etc) to grind a shallow slope in the bottom of the ECM in the area where the attachment point met the bottom bolt holes. The grinder tool was barrel shaped to allow a reasonably level slope to be achieved. It just happened to be the tool on the grinder at the time so there probably is a better method. The grinding goes easy and I only take enough off to get the tilt in the connectors.

Care must be taken to get the slopped surface on the correct side of the bolt holes so the plug sockets are lowered and not raised.

This lowered the cable connectors enough that the strap on the battery needed to be slid over to avoid interfering with the connectors. It would be wise to go slowly on this and keep testing the fit.

This is still an experiment in progress so the final outcome is uncertain ie YMMV. Based on how this has gone I will probably try this with my EBR ECM arriving later today.
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Alchemy
Posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 07:43 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Well it seems the new ECM from EBR has corrected the stumbling and CELs I have been getting. YeeHawww!!

I hope to give it a little more testing tomorrow and then decide if I want to proceed with lowering the ECM as I have experimented with the faulty one.
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Motorbike
Posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 10:15 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I moved my ECM to a location in front of the battery and mounted solidly to the shock reservoir mount. The lower end is padded with self-adhesive felt and tucked down in front of the battery box. I made a simple bracket from stainless steel, simply so I did not have to paint it. I did this right before I swapped out the stock ECM for the EBR ECM. No problems so far:

http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/629631.html?1303991777


http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/disc us.cgi?pg=next&topic=142838&page=629631l?130399177 7
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Alchemy
Posted on Thursday, August 14, 2014 - 12:23 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Motorbike,

That simple bracket seems like a great solution. Since you have had it that way for a couple years that is a solid confirmation of a solution.

Thanks for posting the links with pictures.

The new ECM corrected the stumbling but I still have a problem with a faulty FUEL light - stopped working about the same time as the stumble and CEL appeared. I was hoping the stumble and disappearance of the fuel light function were related to a faulty ECM. FUEL low sensor failure must be something else.
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Octopusenvy
Posted on Friday, September 12, 2014 - 09:49 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Alchemy, I'm glad to hear of someone else who replaced the ECM with an EBR ECM and ended the stumbling/rough running. I've had the same result. Just to compare notes, did u hear it 'correcting' when u first plugged it in? I am happy with the running now, and the stock EBR ECM has 'learned' my full Micron beautifully, compared with custom fuel maps I paid 200 for on the stock ECM. I still wonder if the EBR ECM is compensating for another issue, but I was happy to be riding trouble free again!

http://www.badweatherbikers.com/cgibin/discus/show .cgi?tpc=142838&post=2432913#POST2432913
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Alchemy
Posted on Saturday, September 13, 2014 - 01:10 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Octo,

I installed the EBR ECM according to their procedure allowing for a certain amount of idling and a TPS reset before first firing up.

My problem of stumbling & CEL tended to happen after ten minutes or so of riding. So I rode steadily above 3K RPM for about 5 minutes and then exercised the throttle a bit. After 30 minutes of no problems I was satisfied that the problem was solved. It has not returned since.

I am still working on permanently mounting the new ECM and I would like to dissect a failed ECM to better understand the internal structure and the nature of the failure if I can find it.
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Octopusenvy
Posted on Saturday, September 13, 2014 - 08:04 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Good to hear Alchemy. I really am amazed at huge improvement of the EBR ECM over previous Buell ECM. I paid $200 for custom fuel maps for the Micron on my Uly (xopti was tried, but didn't work here in NZ) which seemed to work well for 3months b4 my CEL and stumbling issue. TBH, I think I was having a CEL issue b4 that. My light would come on at 100kms here and there, so Id let go of the throttle, drop revs to idle and it would disappear. So my thinking is that it was an ECM issue slowly saying it was on-its-way-out. When it went out, it happened suddenly with the stalling/missing/choking and poor running.

I checked my stock Buell ECM with fuel maps against a new stock Buell ECM, and there was no change in the problem. But as soon as the EBR one went it, the corrections could be heard as the bike was idling...took about 3minutes. No issues since, and fingers crossed no more!

I'd be interested if u disected a stock ECM, but my thinking is they were not made to support anything other than stock, plus the pressure from the seat (even with the mounting block on my 09) likely has something to do with it. Remounting is easy when u get a smaller battery, but the stock battery from HD does work well. I've seen some other options for mounting which I'm looking into, but also i have putty on the ecm plug and other parts to check for wear.

Let me know how u get on, and thanks for the reply...its good to know when an issue is shared, and the symptoms of this issue are well experienced by many, while the reason is understood by few.
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