Engine light on

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CCook82

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Yo troops. I have a friend who is 06 FJR mounted, maybe 40,000 miles, doing a lap essentially of the USA. He is in Montana just now headed to the northwest and eventually into Canada to turn back east. He just called me and said that while underway that his check engine light is coming on for a second or so and going back off. Last occasion was four seconds. He has stopped to look at the usuals like oil, coolant, etc and these seem OK.

He is continuing west and going to call me back in a bit. We were going to walk him through checking the codes, but I can not find a listing of the diagnostic codes in the service manual.

Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome. thanks Cliff

 

Thank you HIYOSilver. When he calls back this will give us some good references with which to start. He wants to reach his evening destination. I have told him that if the "check engine" is flickering on but not staying on, just continue on - (the bike is starting up OK) - and when he reaches evening destination, we can get into it in more detail.

He has done two extensive cross country trips in the last six months and rides in all weather. Wonder if the all consuming "spider failures" could cause this symptom?? Cliff

 
Wonder if the all consuming "spider failures" could cause this symptom?? Cliff
CC,

Not from what I read. You just get intermittent problems with no codes.... but spiders do strange things... Hope your friend has a fun-carefree trip.

 
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Don't worry about the yellow 'check engine' light too much. If it's something serious, the bike will quit running. More than likely, it's not that big a deal and it can be addressed when he has the time.

By all means, however, get the code(s) it is showing. That will point you in the right direction.

By any chance, he doesn't have a PCIII installed?

 
Don't worry about the yellow 'check engine' light too much. If it's something serious, the bike will quit running. More than likely, it's not that big a deal and it can be addressed when he has the time.
By all means, however, get the code(s) it is showing. That will point you in the right direction.

By any chance, he doesn't have a PCIII installed?

Friend reports no more issues to location last night. He has chosen a nearby Yamaha dealer to get a tire mounted, and also maybe take a look at the codes (the dash did show some on a quick check in the dark)

Now Skooter, on the subject of that PClll. MY 06 is having some strange cranking issues itself. Much like described here in another thread about hesitancy to fire up. Mine exhibits these issues, but does not have to sit in the hot sun to do it. I do have a PClll. Tell me where you were going with the question?? Have to have a dyno to diagnose the PClll?? Cliff

 
I am the guy that Cliff posted about to start this thread... I didn't find this one so posted to another on on engine light too... this is what I posted there.

This June 27th and 28th in Montana while on a trip my 06 engine light would come on too it started after a gas stop... or I first saw in after a gas stop. I had NOT run the gas low enough for the "F" odometer to come on. But I would see it flash on and just very gently let off the gas and the light would go off. I also noted that the bike was well not running at it's best a slight stumble on throttle. This happened perhaps 6 or 7 times during the 610 mile day. That evening we discussed it and since the bike was then running just fine we rode on. The next day the 28th in the afternoon I noticed it doing the same thing... light would come on but for such a short time period and would always go out as soon as I let up on the gas.

That afternoon I called my friend Cliff who looked in his manual or his CD or whatever and told me how to check my codes. The code I got he didn't know what it ment so that night we stayed in Kalispell, MT. I needed a new front tire and so planned on getting one there BUT little did I know that I would find https://www.pencoadventures.com... This is a GREAT shop! They had the tire I wanted... price was well just ok but when you are on the road you know. Anway they had a guy there in Service who had an 05 FJR and knew all about the codes. I gave him my code list and he told me that most of them were status of stuff... but the last one I wrote down said it was a Fuel/air mix or something like that. So he says it's not life threatening and that I probably got some bad gas and to just watch it. Oh yea he told me how to clear the codes and to check to see if the light came on or if that code showed back up. I have ridden the bike at least 4000 miles since that and NO more lights No more codes!!

At this point I'm assuming that he was right!!

So if you are in or near Kalispell, MT go to:

PENCO POWER PRODUCTS

2310 HIGHWAY 93 S

KALISPELL, MT 59901-7531

Phone: 406-755-6229

Fax: 406-755-6219

Web: https://www.pencoadventures.com

Email: [email protected]

And tell Dave in Service that my FJR has been running just fine... THANK YOU!

Brick from NC... lovin' my FJR

PS: well I do wish I didn't have the on/off throttle issue... no PC but do have the G tube.

 
This June 27th and 28th in Montana while on a trip my 06 engine light would come on too it started after a gas stop... or I first saw in after a gas stop. I had NOT run the gas low enough for the "F" odometer to come on. But I would see it flash on and just very gently let off the gas and the light would go off. I also noted that the bike was well not running at it's best a slight stumble on throttle. This happened perhaps 6 or 7 times during the 610 mile day. That evening we discussed it and since the bike was then running just fine we rode on. The next day the 28th in the afternoon I noticed it doing the same thing... light would come on but for such a short time period and would always go out as soon as I let up on the gas.https://www.pencoadventures.com..[/url]. This is a GREAT shop!

Anway they had a guy there in Service who had an 05 FJR and knew all about the codes. I gave him my code list and he told me that most of them were status of stuff... but the last one I wrote down said it was a Fuel/air mix or something like that.

So he says ...that I probably got some bad gas and to just watch it.

I have ridden the bike at least 4000 miles since that and NO more lights No more codes!!

At this point I'm assuming that he was right!!
Bad Gas = Red Herring...!

If there were so many 'bad gas' issues, traffic would be snarled all over the country... :rolleyes:

From the 'inter-web':

"Matthew's Auto Repair Blog

Guide to Auto Repair

Is Bad Gas Wreaking Havoc on Fuel Systems?

I'm generally one to scoff when I hear somebody referring to "bad gas." ...the phrase is thrown around a lot when it comes to car problems. If somebody can't figure out why a car or truck is running poorly, they can always resort to the "bad gas" theory. It's usually just a way for a shop to get a customer to go away rather than wasting diagnostic hours ...there is seldom such a thing as bad gas that has been freshly pumped from a gas station. I say seldom because a recent burst of complaints has me rethinking my earlier theories on bad gas.

The media attention has focused on drivers in Corpus Christi, Texas who have seen premature failures of fuel system components, especially fuel pumps. Technicians are seeing late model, low mileage cars and trucks with worn fuel pumps and they're blaming bad gas. More specifically, they're blaming a higher than acceptable (average of 120 parts per million) sulfur content in the gas. More sulfur equals worse than a rotten egg smell from the tailpipe, it can abrasively damage the inside of your fuel pump causing it to wear out early"

Saying 'Bad Gas' is (often) an easy fix for 'driveability' issues... :blink: :huh:

...they'll be back... :(

 
You never sit still, do you Brick? I envy your miles on the FJR. By the way, that PCIII will take care of the on/off throttle. After I installed a PCIII I sold my G2 throttle tube! Safe travels to you.

 
I think in the case of 'bad gas' it was 'water in the gas' (which is bad gas) but maybe/probably not from the gas station but condensation in the tank either from the ethanol (water absorbsion) or parking the bike in a high humidity area overnight(s) with a tank that was nearly empty. <sorry for the run-on sentence; didn't want to lose my train of thought> :)

 
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Bad Gas = Red Herring...!
Quite frankly any of it with ethanol in it is "Bad Gas".

And you can quote me on that!!

It's why I sold my 79 XS750F when the floats started to leak, and why my old chain saw goes thru rubber intake manifolds.

I suspect the ethanol may be causing little vapor locks or something under various heat/pressure conditions. Back in the old days (1950's) some cars routed the steel fuel lines over a hot manifold, and vapor lock was not unusual on hot days.

Anyway, that's my theory and I'm sticking with it!

Ethanol. Yuck.

 
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Yeah, I know Dave at Penco. They are a five-star shop with dyno, etc. I have had good and bad experiences there, like just about any business. They are not cheap at $88/hr. After they performed a major service for me last fall, I had subsequent coolant leaks and now the timing cover gasket, at about 6,000 miles since the service, is leaking, too. But... They are probably the best in the state and they're open seven days a week which is fabulous when you see cords showing unexpectedly in a tire and you're 120 miles from anywhere.

 
Bad Gas = Red Herring...!
Quite frankly any of it with ethanol in it is "Bad Gas".

And you can quote me on that!!

Anyway, that's my theory and I'm sticking with it!

Ethanol. Yuck.
Hmmm...?

Well, MamaYama says (in the FJR's owners manual):

"Gas containing ethanol can be used ~ not to exceed 10%."

(that's about 1/2 gal. of alchohol / tank... that'd be OK)

I, personally, have never had an issue with ethanol -- and I first used it in 1982.

I think if your "Check Engine" light comes on, there's been a code set -- and there's no code for "Bad Gas". ;) :)

 
Solo,

Hmmm... no I try NOT to sit still. I'm at a loss do I know you? Is this your Sargent seat on my FJR? :)

You should get out and ride with me some... you are only down in HOT Charlotte... come on up to the mtns where it is a LOT cooler!

I may have to get off some of those retirement $$ and get the PC III... even my friend Cliff got one and says it works! Hmm... perhaps Santa Clause can get me one?? :santasmiley: :santasmiley:

Brick

You never sit still, do you Brick? I envy your miles on the FJR. By the way, that PCIII will take care of the on/off throttle. After I installed a PCIII I sold my G2 throttle tube! Safe travels to you.
 
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