Plugged fuel filter?

[odot]

Um, 1988 rad....when the 16 year old could drink beer legally in germany.

 

[RadioHowie]

TPS recall install will be Tuesday 2/17.

New battery on its way from Jeff @ Bikeeffects.com.

Two local dealers (including the one in Lakeland, FL with the great FJR prices) want $258.00 for a Yuasa for the Feej. :blink: :blink:

I asked the parts guy at one place if that included a year's worth of free blow jobs. His amusement pretty much matched mine when he quoted the price.

 

[mcatrophy]

... and that it take AT LEAST 30 minutes at interstate speeds for the bike's charging system to recover from simply starting it ... local road commutes don't bring up the RPM enough for the bike to reach peak charging capacity. ...

Erm, on my '06, I've been starting it c-c-cold (-2 to +2C, 30 to 34F) to ride three miles to work, and similarly on the return. Then not riding for 5 days. Then repeating.

So far (touches wood) there's never been any sign of the battery losing its charge. Possibly a Gen II alternator able to give a higher output, particularly at low revs? I doubt I get to 3500 rpm on this trip, 1/2 the time it's stopped so just ticking over (and the YCCS discourages revving the engine a bit to add extra charge while not moving).

And I wish I could get more decent rides in.

Ah, I can tell SWMBO "I've GOT to just nip out for a couple of hundred miles to charge the battery, dear!"

 

[Bustanut joker]

Rad, thanks for taking the high road and not beating up on the forum 'tard. No, not Busta, the other one.
Oh, Odot and Skoot....go piss up a rope, m'kay? Take turns. More efficient that way. :****:

Damn I'm confuzled now :dribble: "Forum tard" and ya tossed odot and Scooter inta the mix? Who else we got?......

Oh shit! I get it!... Self deprecation.

Good show chap! :clapping:

:jester:

 

[RadioHowie]

Kinda happy...and kinda bummed, too.

Hey Rad, wanna go fishin'?

Felt good about getting my TPS recall install scheduled for Tuesday, and a new battery coming from Jeff at bikeeffects.com.

So coming home tonight, the Feej is running just fine 'til it hits 3 bars on the temp guage. Then same old shit of run-don't run-run-don't run.

Baby the fooker home around 40 mph (folks on the two lane stretch hated my ass) and the closer I got to home, the worse it got, 'til about 1/2 a mile from the house, she just quit. Couldn't get it to run at all. Parked it on the side of the road, took off my gear and decided to push the bitch home. But decided to have a ciggy first.

About 8-10 minutes later, started pushing. Thank god it was mostly downhill, as far as Florida hills go. Came up to a stop sign and had to wait on traffic. I figure, WTF, see if it fires up. Turn the key, hit the button -- vrooooommmm -- :blink: :blink: --- and rode home the last few blocks.

So I get home and have a brilliant idea....yank the battery out of the ZRex and see if my (practically) new Rex battery fixes the problem. Swap it out, fire it up, drive off and get about 1/2 a mile from the house and it dies. Cranks like a mofo, just won't run, like it's just not getting any gas. Have another ciggy, wait 10 minutes and it fires right up, and I drive it home.

So I'm a little bummed on 2 acounts -- 1) that a known good battery didn't solve the problem, and 2) that I'm gonna have to go on a fishin' expedition to find the bad connection that Rad's mentioned SEVERAL times. It's obviously heat related, as it runs fine cold, but like crap when it's good and warmed up.

I thoroughly DON'T expect the TPS replacement to make a damn bit of difference.

Radman and or IonBeam are right ... the problem is elsewhere.

****!

 

[Ignacio]

So, if it seems gas starvation related....then would it help to isolate if it's in the tank or between the tank and the cylinders. I haven't looked at it, but could one right after it dies disconnect the fuel supply to the rail or from the tank, poke open whatever check valve cycle the ignition and see if it spews fuel across the garage? If it dribbles like a guy with a babel for a prostate.....it would seem in the tank plumbing. If not....then it could be between the rail and the cylinders (obviously uglier) or perhaps not fuel.

Alternatively, it's very ungraceful, but if you rode with the air filter and side parts off...and about the time you feel one of those starvation episodes coming on....spray a shot of starter fluid into the gaping maw like an asthma inhaler and see if it continues to die or surges forward. The latter would also isolate it as a fuel issue.

Just spit balling here. Regardless, I'd like pictures if you attempted any of my stupid ideas.

 

[RadioHowie]

So, if it seems gas starvation related....then would it help to isolate if it's in the tank or between the tank and the cylinders. I haven't looked at it, but could one right after it dies disconnect the fuel supply to the rail or from the tank, poke open whatever check valve cycle the ignition and see if it spews fuel across the garage? If it dribbles like a guy with a babel for a prostate.....it would seem in the tank plumbing. If not....then it could be between the rail and the cylinders (obviously uglier) or perhaps not fuel.
Alternatively, it's very ungraceful, but if you rode with the air filter and side parts off...and about the time you feel one of those starvation episodes coming on....spray a shot of starter fluid into the gaping maw like an asthma inhaler and see if it continues to die or surges forward. The latter would also isolate it as a fuel issue.

Just spit balling here. Regardless, I'd like pictures if you attempted any of my stupid ideas.

Already tried your second suggestion the other night when I checked the air filter for rodentia. The results were NOT pretty.

But seriously, it would scare the shit outta me to take my left hand off the bar and try to spray something in the air cleaner at 40mph when the bike is lurching like a bull and about to die. Other than that, not a bad idea.

 

[Bustanut joker]

I'll catch the first flight out tomorrow... Yeah I'll do the "backseat" thing wif ya...

Seriously. This is beginning to suck man I hope ya get it figured out soon.

:jester:

 

[radman]

There is a main harness connection under the tank, near the neck, large white connector, multiple wires, that is placed perfectly to catch any water coming off the neck of the frame right between the tank and fork tree. Mine was corroded-several others have been corroded that I know of, and had been causing intermittent connectivity issues. It's a good bet to start there-the older the bike, the more likely it is that corrosion there could be the entire issue. A toothbrush, brake or contact cleaner, and a finishing dose of dielectric compound there is where I would begin. Kill switch and housing, even ignition switch (the Gen II problem ring any bells?) could cause these very symptoms.

 

[RadioHowie]

There is a main harness connection under the tank, near the neck, large white connector, multiple wires, that is placed perfectly to catch any water coming off the neck of the frame right between the tank and fork tree. Mine was corroded-several others have been corroded that I know of, and had been causing intermittent connectivity issues. It's a good bet to start there-the older the bike, the more likely it is that corrosion there could be the entire issue. A toothbrush, brake or contact cleaner, and a finishing dose of dielectric compound there is where I would begin. Kill switch and housing, even ignition switch (the Gen II problem ring any bells?) could cause these very symptoms.

Thanks for the pointer to the main harness. I'll ransack the the engineering office at work tomorrow and "borrow" a can of contact cleaner. Working in a electronic-intensive building (radio station) contact cleaner is in great supply.

Free is good!



(the urge to run out to the garage and check this connector is killin' me. But dammit...it's late and it's a long work day tomorrow)

 

[dcarver]

Dang it Howie, 'bout time you break out the 1k USDollar prize so I can provide the answer for ya.. been waiting for the $$, but nothing yet? Hard to show love without showing cash, baby.. Help me help you! Sorry bud, all I can offer is humor at this point..

 

[03HiYoSilver]

Radio,

This is what Rad was talking about:

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?s...st&p=268059

 

[RadioHowie]

Howie,
This is what Rad was talking about:

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?s...st&p=268059

Thanks for the link. That is the first thing I'll look at tomorrow.

MUST FIGHT THE URGE! SOUTH PARK IS ON! TOO LATE TO PUTZ AROUND!

Dang it Howie, 'bout time you break out the 1k USDollar prize so I can provide the answer for ya.. been waiting for the $$, but nothing yet? Hard to show love without showing cash, baby.. Help me help you! Sorry bud, all I can offer is humor at this point..

So the rumors of your prostitution hobby ARE true?

[SIZE=8pt](after chasing this for 4 days, I'm feelin' SO positive this is my problem...fingers crossed)[/SIZE]

 

[Bustanut joker]

MUST FIGHT THE URGE! SOUTH PARK IS ON! TOO LATE TO PUTZ AROUND!

Dang it Howie, 'bout time you break out the 1k USDollar prize so I can provide the answer for ya.. been waiting for the $$, but nothing yet? Hard to show love without showing cash, baby.. Help me help you! Sorry bud, all I can offer is humor at this point..

So the rumors of your prostitution hobby ARE true?

Yep! found it right here..

https://www.comedycentral.com/motherload/?ml_video=83170

:jester:

 

[RadioHowie]

MUST FIGHT THE URGE! SOUTH PARK IS ON! TOO LATE TO PUTZ AROUND!

Dang it Howie, 'bout time you break out the 1k USDollar prize so I can provide the answer for ya.. been waiting for the $$, but nothing yet? Hard to show love without showing cash, baby.. Help me help you! Sorry bud, all I can offer is humor at this point..

So the rumors of your prostitution hobby ARE true?

Yep! found it right here..

https://www.comedycentral.com/motherload/?ml_video=83170

:jester:

Jimmy: "Nice team work, Nutgobbler!"

Hooker: ".....you really care about me!"

Jimmy: "Not really. You're just a hooker. And I need to get laid!"

BWAHAHAHAHA

Glad this update started with a laugh. Thanks Bust...but it all goes downhill from here. :angry:

Grab the can of contact cleaner I "borrowed" from the Engineer's shop, popped the tank and thoroughly cleaned and "lubed" the main harness connector. It looked JUST like the pic in the link 03HiYoSilver posted:

While I was under the "hood" I cleaned and excercised every connector I could get to short of pulling the plastic. Took apart and cleaned the kill switch. Flushed and cleaned everything I could reach and get both hands on. But the corrosion on the main harness connector had me jazzed. I had it clean enough to eat off of.

Plugged everything back together, fired up the Feej and took off. Man she was runnin' sweet. About five miles from the house, decided to head back and write of my success. Pulled in to a gas station to fill 'er up and toss in a bottle of Techron for celebration. As I eased through the lot, I noticed every pump handle had a bag over it. The station was dry. So I pulled out to the street to head to another of the Feej's favorite watering holes.

Well, I guess the short idle/cruise through the gas station was enough to push the temp up to 3 bars on the guage, and blammo....the problem is back.

Surging, bucking, cutting out, dying.

Limped back to the house, parked the bitch, through the keys across the garage (hope I can find 'em) and headed to my Fortress of Solitude.

So, it's not the battery, it's not corroded connectors, at least the ones you can get to without pulling plastic. It's not aardvarks in the airbox. If I can get it to the dealer Tuesday, I'll find out if a new TPS helps, but I'm guessin' no at this point, unless a TPS can go wacky when the engine heats up.

I'm giving up for now. Gotta work late tomorrow and all day Saturday. I'll see what I feel like Sunday, but right now, I'm more inclined to take back the ZRex battery and go piss off some cagers. The Rex was MADE for that! h34r:

Anyway, thanks for playing along. The Saga Continues.....

 

[radman]

Well, there are still components that can and will fail when heated once complete failure is imminent. TPS is one, the coil pickup (under right case cover,the one with the silver plug) is another. That you saw a consistent readout on the TPS leads to it likely not being the problem. There is also a sensor in the valve cover, a "cylinder identification sensor" that reads cam position and identifies the cylinder to be fired. These, however, will set a code in the ECM, and trigger a check engine light. You don't indicate having seen a light, but it wouldn't hurt to check for codes. This means that the failure is occurring in a non-monitored component. So, we're back to either a connection issue, or an intermittent failure that must occur before tracing can commence. You could also be losing fuel pressure, either a bad pump, or a failing pressure regulator. A fuel pressure gauge would eliminate both of these. Also, you've had the tank up a number of times-any chance the wires or connectors are pulling out of the pump? In any case, you may not have found the problem, yet, but you have eliminated many of the possible causes, and often, that's the only way to fix troubles like this. The tech at Yammi may have a few more tools at his disposal (FP gauge for one), but he will have to go through the same process of elimination you are, and at substantial cost, so it pays to try and eliminate all the ones you can.

 

[RadioHowie]

Rad,

Really appreciate you stickin' with this.

I'm also fairly convinced the TPS is not the issue. The ECM isn't reporting any codes and the check engine light remains aggravatingly mute.

I'm kinda frustrated right now, as you can imagine. I'll get an early start on the issue Sunday and attack the fuel and ignition systems, with particular attention to the coils and fuel pump.

 

[dcarver]

Curious, the temperature thing.... 3 bars and whammo? ECU getting false, out of range ambient temp sensor value? Does the ambient temp indicator also feed the ECU? If so, what does it read when the buck snorting start? Probably not it, but all brainstorming ideas may lead to solutions..

 

[RadioHowie]

Curious, the temperature thing.... 3 bars and whammo? ECU getting false, out of range ambient temp sensor value? Does the ambient temp indicator also feed the ECU? If so, what does it read when the buck snorting start? Probably not it, but all brainstorming ideas may lead to solutions..

All good questions. Hope to get closer to a solution Sunday.

I was really high-hopin' tonight after the connector cleanings, especially the main harness connector at the neck. It WAS corroded and nasty, and following the cleaning, the Feej ran like the day I bought it. That is, until it got good and warmed up.

The engine heat is definitely the key, because it does crank, idle and run perfectly until up to full operating temp. And so far, it hasn't been prudent to pull over and start running diags in the dark.

That's why I hope nothing comes up to keep me from having at it Sunday. Probably rain like a mofo.

 

[03HiYoSilver]

Radio,

Rats! I thought the wiring harness would have been the magic bullet....well one less thing on you list and at least it did need some service. Sure it will run better when this heat situation clears.

Hope you find the culprit soon.