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2009 XB12Ss Overheating

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xeeta

Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2024
Messages
6
Location
California
Greetings,

I have used the search function and found several threads on this, but I didn't want to necro one with my particular situation as nothing seems to line up exactly with existing threads (and it gives me an opportunity to say "Hello" to everyone).

I recently bought a 2009 XB12Ss with 18k miles in what would appear to be good condition. It is equipped with the Jardine RT1 exhaust, has a K&N air filter, and looks like they've performed the "breather mod". The test drive went well and there were no immediate issues until I rode it home. About 20 minutes after I get on the freeway I get an intermittent (I'll explain in a sec) engine power loss and the CEL will flash temporarily until it stops the power loss condition. Fast forward a couple of days and I get a chance to ride again on the freeway- it happens again.

I take the bike home and learn (or try to) to use ECMSpy and MegaLogViewer and find that it has a non-stock ECU setup. From what I can tell, the fuel and timing maps clearly differ from the stock BUEZD ECM dump I located online. From the logged data, I see that there is a code 13 for "O2 Sensor Inactive" and that the engine power loss issue seems to be due to the engine temperature sensor reading that it is exceeding its set threshold value of 285C. From this, I was able to correlate that this only happens when I am at freeway speeds (4k or higher RPMs, in 5th gear) for prolonged periods of time. There are no temperature issues with in-town driving, but the bike does get unbearably hot and the fan runs rather constantly.

I have attached a picture of a logged ride I did with the bike already warmed up (I rode to a nearby town that's around 10mi away, then turned around and rode back- something happened with the logging of the trip there, so I only have data for the return trip- hence the elevated start temperature). The things that are immediately concerning to me (although Tim at IDS didn't necessarily agree), was that the O2 sensor reading drops to zero quite frequently, and that the temperature uncontrollably rises from 203C to 280C in the span of accelerating up to freeway speed. I analyzed the log in ECMSpy and it shows that the % of time where the O2 is <0.15V is 88% and the O2 Error is 38%. From what I could find online, the O2 > 0.75V and O2<0.15V should be about equal, with an error value of no more than 10% at sea level (elevation here is maybe 100ft above sea level).


What I have done so far:
-Pulled airbox, checked filter.
-Cleaned oil cleaner fins (blowing air outward like the manual suggests).
-Changed oil and filter to 20W-50 (Tim suggested making sure the right weight of oil was present- the previous owner clearly changed the oil before selling it as it was fresh out of the bottle and had a new K&N oil filter on it).
-Checked coil, plugs, and sparkplug wires. Replaced plug wires due to advanced age, plugs gapped at 0.030", opened to 0.035" per service manual. Coil's primary and secondary windings tested fine (0.7ohm primary, around 6500ohms secondary).
-Sent ECU to Tim over at IDS to be reflashed to their "optimal" ECU for this particular exhaust.
-Checked oil temperature after returning home from a ride where this occurred, oil temp was around 180F.


The next things I have been advised to check, in the order of importance:
1) intake seals (I took a peek under the scoop, and it looks like someone has done them at some point as there's marks on the bottom bolts holding the intake to the cylinders).
2) Fuel pump performance (the gauge from RevMo is $25, which doesn't seem like a bad tool to have around- even if it only works on the Buells).
3) Replacing the O2 sensor (when read with a meter, it seems to read from 0.1 to 1.0V- but when the ECU is reading it it doesn't seem to read that high?)
4) Replacing the temperature sensor (this SEEMS to be working, the fuel tank gets extremely hot on the couple freeway rides).

My question to all of you lovely people is does this line of thinking make sense? Can you think of any other suspects? Have any of you had, or heard, about this kind of issue happening?

I really do want to apologize in advance for this, I am slowly losing my mind over this issue. I really appreciate any insight anyone can offer, thank you for your time!
 

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The engine temp sensor would be the thing to check first.

I also see no mention of the fans activity. Which also indicates you may have a faulty temp sensor.

The temp sensor isn’t just there to turn on the fan. The ecm reads the temp sensors inputs and will adjust the engine management to somewhat regulate engine temp.

Time to take it to a mechanic
 
Just an update to this thread incase anyone ever encounters the same issue: Ended up being a combination of low fuel pressure and an aged O2 sensor.

Replaced O2 sensor with the NGK variant found at O'Reillys and the observed voltage properly goes up to around 1.0volts. To address the fuel pressure issue, I used a rebuild kit from *shudders* Revision Moto. A word to the wise, the RevMoto supplied smaller o-ring that goes on the fuel pressure regulator is too large and is highly prone to getting damaged on installation. Ended up with less fuel pressure than before I rebuilt the fuel pump :D Chaz from Aagaard got me squared away with the right o-ring though and now I have a solid 48PSI at the fuel rail.

Anyways, I hope this helps people out there, I was losing my mind thinking I bought a paperweight.

Also, I want to thank Cooter personally for his video on how to remove the fuel pump without completely removing the swingarm like the service manual states- you saved me a ton of grief on the re-rebuild. If I ever see you in real life, I owe you several beers!
 
I fought that Q#$^@! O-Ring multiple times when I attempted to rebuild my pump... happy to hear it was actually the wrong o-ring and not (likely still some) user error. :D
 
20240826_131018.jpg

Green is from RevMoto, black is from Aagaard. Difference is small, but definitely not just production variation imo. Other o-ring is spot on.
 
Did you contact Rev-Mo to let them know? I'm sure they would like to fix that issue.

Not gonna lie, ever since I got it repaired I been too busy riding it to send them an email :eagerness:

I probably should though, would be kind of a dick move to keep letting him upset customers like that...

Edit: I went ahead and sent one while the idea was fresh in my mind, I'll let you know what they say- maybe they call me an idiot, lol
 
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Rev-Mo ended up getting my whole pump to go over when I couldn't get good pressure out of a rebuild, so they had it in their hands to review.
 
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