2010 Uly EML I Got Codes; They're Multiplyin...

[Tango Nevada]

(Title sung in the style of Grease...)

Yes, I got codes, on a 2010 Uly (so dddfi-3 ECM). The bike starts, idles and runs OK, but above 3000 rpm on the freeway, after setting off from cold, the EML will come on after about 4-5 miles. Just running around the back roads, not caning it, it does not come on, and if I drop to below 2500 on the freeway it will go out after a while. Back above 3000 rpm, and on it comes (after a short while...). It does seem to be temperature-related.

I thought the only code I had was 15 (IAT sensor), so I replaced the sensor (identical part, Jaguar part number; £5.41 [about $7]. I kid you not). No change.

I read the codes again; I have 15, 16, 33, 21, 17, 18 and 57, in that order, before the sequence repeats itself. Some of those I can't find, but those I can, all relate to voltage too low or high. I know b****r-all about AGM batteries like the one in the bike, but it has never been replaced according to the comprehensive maintenance history, and the bike has done only 4000 miles in the last three years. Could it be as simple as a dying battery? How do I tell?

 

[Chicknstripn]

http://badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/32777/504484.html?1256371556

Check this thread from another reputable Buell forum. About 3 or 4 responses down you'll find good directions on how to test your battery/charging system.

I believe your battery is at fault.
Especially if all connections and grounds are tight and clean. 4K in 3yrs means that battery has sat unused a whole lot. Did the PO keep it on a battery tender?

You could also remove the battery and have an auto parts store load test it. Your local HD can also do that. Not sure if HD charges for that but as much as I hate HD they do carry on hell of a good battery for the Buell.

Good luck

If you don't like the above referenced thread Google search "Buell XB battery test" and you should find some more good info.

 

[Cooter]

Thanks, now that song is in my head

First, most of the codes are for low voltage...
You can check voltage easily by putting a voltmeter on the battery and revving it to 2500RPM. You should have 13.5-14.7 volts. Yes a dying battery or Voltage Regulator can cause a multitude of ghost codes.
You do need a AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) battery in this bike because of it's position, a regular wet battery will leak if not upright. There are lots of opinions on the Lithium-ion batteries, but I'll leave that for you to search.
These bikes hate loose/dirty battery and ground connections. Take them off and clean them. Make them tight but don't strip them.

Second, an IAT code does not mean the IAT sensor is bad. It means the computer doesn't like something in that circuit, and it is there as a clue for diagnosis, not replacement, but hey... it's your 5 and a half pounds to waste

Third, I went to ECMSpy.com and copy/pasted the code list for you:
http://www.ecmspy.com/errorcodes.shtml


Trouble Code XB Trouble Code 1125 Error Byte Error Bit (0-7) Bit Value (dec.) Meaning
11 P0122 0 5 32 TPS Voltage too low
P0123 0 6 64 TPS Voltage too high
13 P0151 0 2 4 Rear O2 Sensor always rich
P0152 0 3 8 Rear O2 Sensor always lean
P0154 0 4 16 Rear O2 Sensor inactive
14 P0117 0 0 1 Engine/Coolant Temp. Sensor Voltage too low
P0118 0 1 2 Engine/Coolant Temp. Sensor Voltage too high
15 P0112 1 6 64 Intake Air Temp. Sensor Voltage too low
P0113 1 7 128 Intake Air Temp. Sensor Voltage too high
16 P0562 1 4 16 Battery Voltage too low
P0563 1 5 32 Battery Voltage too high
21 ? 4 0 1 Exhaust Valve always open
? 4 1 2 Exhaust Valve always closed
? 4 2 4 Exhaust Valve Controller Voltage too low
? 4 3 8 Exhaust Valve Controller Voltage too high
22 P1110 1 6 64 Active Intake Controller Voltage too low
P1111 5 7 128 Active Intake Controller Voltage too high
P1112 4 4 16 Active Intake Control TPS Feedback Failure
23 P0261 1 2 4 Injector 1 (Front) Control Voltage too low
P0262 1 3 8 Injector 1 (Front) Control Voltage too high
24 P2303 2 6 64 Coil 2 (Rear) Control Voltage too low
P2304 2 7 128 Coil 2 (Rear) Control Voltage too high
25 P2301 1 0 1 Coil 1 (Front) Control Voltage too low
P2302 1 1 2 Coil 1 (Front) Control Voltage too high
26 P1154 5 4 16 Clutch Switch Voltage too low
? 5 5 32 Clutch Switch Voltage too high
27 P1155 5 2 4 Neutral Switch Voltage too low
? 5 3 8 Neutral Switch Voltage too high
32 P0264 2 4 16 Injector 2 (Rear) Control Voltage too low
P0265 2 5 32 Injector 2 (Rear) Control Voltage too high
33 P0628 2 2 4 Fuel Pump Control Voltage too low
P0629 2 3 8 Fuel Pump Control Voltage too high
34 P0506 6 5 32 Idle Air Controller Position too low (RPM too high)
P0507 6 6 64 Idle Air Controller Position too high (RPM too low)
P0511 6 7 128 Idle Air Controller Curcuit Failure
35 ? 2 0 1 Tachometer Output Voltage too low
? 2 1 2 Tachometer Output Voltage too high
36 P0691 0 7 128 Cooling Fan 1 (Rear/Right) Control Voltage too low
43 P0502 6 2 4 Vehicle Speed Sensor Input Voltage too low
P0503 6 3 8 Vehicle Speed Sensor Input Voltage too high
? 6 4 16 Vehicle Speed Output Voltage too low
44 P1151 3 6 64 Bank Angle Sensor Voltage too low
P1152 3 7 128 Bank Angle Sensor Voltage too high
46 P0616 5 0 1 Starter Relay Control Voltage too low
47 P1601 5 1 2 Auxiliary Power Relay Control Voltage too low
52 P0604 3 4 16 ECM RAM Failure
53 P0605 3 3 8 ECM ROM Failure
54 P0603 3 2 4 ECM EEPROM Failure
55 P0607 3 1 2 ECM Microprocessor Failure
54 ? 3 0 1 ECM Sync. Failure
? P1501 4 5 32 Sidestand Switch Voltage too low
P1502 4 6 64 Sidestand Switch Voltage too high
P1503 4 7 128 Sidestand Down
? P0107 8 4 16 Manifold Air Pressure Sensor Voltage too low
P0108 8 5 32 Manifold Air Pressure Sensor Voltage too high
? P2228 8 6 64 Barometric Pressure Sensor Voltage too low
P2229 8 7 128 Barometric Pressure Sensor Voltage too high
? P1047 7 4 32 O2 EGO Correction Cylinder Difference too high
57 P0192 7 2 4 Fuel Pressure Sensor Voltage too low
P0193 7 3 8 Fuel Pressure Sensor Voltage too high
P0087 7 1 2 Fuel Rail/System Pressure too low
? P0131 7 5 32 Front O2 Sensor always rich
P0132 7 6 64 Front O2 Sensor always lean
P0134 7 7 128 Front O2 Sensor inactive
? P0693 8 0 1 Cooling Fan 2 (Left) Control Voltage too low
P0694 8 1 2 Cooling Fan 2 (Left) Control Voltage too high
? P0337 8 2 4 Crank Position Sensor Voltage too low
P0338 8 3 8 Crank Position Sensor Voltage too high
? ? 10 1 2 Instrument Cluster Mode Button stuck
? ? 10 2 4 Instrument Cluster Toggle Button stuck
? ? 10 3 8 Instrument Cluster Low Fuel Light Voltage too low
? ? 10 4 16 Instrument Cluster Low Fuel Light Voltage too high
? ? 10 5 32 Instrument Cluster Communication Error
? ? 10 6 64 Instrument Cluster Oil Pressure Light Voltage Failure
? ? 10 7 128 Instrument Cluster Security Sytem Failure

 

[Chicknstripn]

Cooter- you're getting soft buddy!

Good advice and excellent code reference!

 

[Cooter]

Who? ME?

 

[Tango Nevada]

Thanks Cooter. If I could replace every suspect component for £5.41 each, it would still be cheaper than diagnosis...

I got my decode list from ECMSpy in the first place, using the basic 'blink' codes. There's nothing for codes 17 and 18, though, but all the others feature anomalous voltage, which makes me think the battery might be the culprit. If I could get one of those for £5.41, I'd replace that too... But as I can't, diagnosis it is!

Mind you, there are many other possible voltage-dependent codes which don't come up. The bike starts easily with the battery as it is, though on initially pressing the button there's a very slight hesitation between the first and subsequent turns of the crank. My experience of traditional lead-acid batteries in vehicles is that as they age, they often crank over the engine quite well, indeed apparently normally, but when cranking aren't holding enough voltage to fire the ignition. Are AGM batteries different in their behaviour?

I'll start by cleaning up the battery connections and see if the problem goes away. Are there any ground connections hidden away where I can't spot them? Is there any way of clearing the codes other than with the software? if not, a trip to the dealer will be necessary, and I'd rather avoid that.

I'm not sure I want to risk a Lithium battery, whether Ion, Iron or Polymer; bike charging systems aren't set up to recharge them correctly. Best not, I think.

 

[Cooter]

Blindly replacing parts can fix it. Proper diagnosis will fix it and it will always end up being less expensive. Still your call. I'll try to help.

ECMDroid is free (android app store) and will help diagnose, test, check, and clear codes. You'll need a bluetooth dongle to connect wirelessly to the bike. They are about $60 at either Buelltooth.com or PM AZMidget on here. You can also do that with ECMSpy and a cable. Then we can start a proper diagnosis to fix your ride:up:

You could replace the battery just because of it's age. If you don't need one right now, you will soon anyway!

Going to the dealer to clear the codes will not fix it, but will cost you a minimum of $110US. If you don't want to diagnose it yourself, with our help, just drop it off there and tell them to fix it for you.

 

[user_deleted]

both shaughn and carlos hit upon your problem with their usual preciseness. you need to do this:
1-if lead acid semi-sealed battery ditch it and go with agm of at least 200 CCA's.....220 preferred though i don't know what is available to you over in old blighty.
2-once fully charged and installed check charging system voltage output. @ 2500rpm should be somewhere between 13.2 and 14.45volts DC
3-all your stored codes are "low voltage induced" including your phantom CEL. it activates at higher speeds due to the fact it sees below minimum required DC voltage. once engine rpm subsides it extinguishes. all signs of charging system problem and/or faulty battery though 90% of the time it is the battery at fault.
4-all codes will self-clear after 50 clean run cycles that the ecm identifies.
5-your grounds are at negative battery cable fastener....dog-bone braided wire at rear of airbox base....bottom triple tree bracket OR steering neck.

 

[Tango Nevada]

Blindly replacing parts can fix it. Proper diagnosis will fix it and it will always end up being less expensive. Still your call. I'll try to help.

That was meant as a joke, Cooter...

Thanks for the tip about the dongle. I don't have a laptop, only an iPad, but my late wife's mobile phone is a Samsung, so I think I'll go with ECMDroid in due course.

Lunaticfringe, thank you for that. It would be nice (and easy) if my initial thoughts of a battery problem were right. I'm getting there....

TN

 

[Cooter]

No worries, I hope it's an easy fix!

 

[Tango Nevada]

Predictably, it isn't...

On the way back from another test run (no change...), 4000 rpm on the motorway - ****! That sounds like a tractor. Double **** - it's ME!!

Tremendous blat-blat-blat, running very rough, and when I got it home, the front right corner of the seat cover was so hot it had melted. Something's leaking badly or blown at the rear header, I suspect, (possibly the O2 sensor?) and exhaust gases have been escaping.

Overheating wiring seems like a possible cause for the fault codes I've been getting, too. They haven't changed either.

Seems like this bike's trying to tell me something; possibly that I shouldn't have bought it...

As I bought it from a used bike dealer, he's legally liable, so it's time to let the pro take over; I can't be bothered, and I don't have the time. I'll let you know how it ends up.

 

[Cooter]

Please do, a blown exhaust gasket is usually caused by a broken exhaust flange stud, and that can be a difficult job on any bike.

IMO, If you are willing to give up ownership so quickly over a problem, perhaps stay away from anything used? There are great deals to be had on the 1190's!

 

[Tango Nevada]

You misunderstand me. I'm not giving up the Buell, just letting a pro - the only UK Buell independent, in fact - fix it. I could fix it myself if I had to, but I don't have to; under UK law, the vendor is liable for any problems if it's a commercial transaction. I'll call the dealer (just a general used bike dealer, not Harley or Buell) I bought it from to check that he's willing to pay for it, that's all. I think he will be; he'll never sell it to anyone else as it stands...

 

[Tango Nevada]

Well, it's gone back to the seller for a refund; the pro took a look at it, and reckoned £2500-£3000 ($4000) to put it back into decent shape, depending on what he found when he started stripping it down, and the seller just hadn't got anywhere near that kind of profit in it. Apart from the ECU (£400 /$600) and the rear header (£300/$450), the rear wheel bearings needed replacing, the Free Spirit chain tensioner was incorrectly installed, and he was pretty sure both the front wheel and the steering head bearings would need replacing as well.

The fault? The ECU was toast - some thick-fingered numpty had omitted to to replace the post that stops the seat pressing on it at some point, with the inevitable result. The reason the light only came on above 3000 rpm was because the ECU is in closed loop up to those revs, and 'sees' only the lambda sensors, and they were fine.

The exhaust leak was because the rear lambda sensor had blown right out of the header; the welding had failed on the mounting collar. He'd never seen that before, and reckoned it must have been running hellish hot on the rear cylinder due to the ECU problem.

Basically, it's a money pit. I don't need a money pit bike; I have cars for that... I replaced it with a Yamaha BT1100 and an FJR 1300; they're both pretty well bombproof, and the Uly just isn't.

It was nice, but now it's over, so farewell, and good wishes to you all.