Bike not starting, bad plugs?

[doberdann1019]

It was a warm day so I wanted to try to start the bike, I was having trouble getting it started and pulled to plugs to check them out. (2009 Buell XB12Ss)

They seem to be covered in either gas or oil. Also, the wrong plugs were installed, the service manual says to use 10R12X plugs with a 0.035" gap. I found 10R12A plugs with a 0.04 to 0.045" gap installed. I had the plugs replaced by Harley last summer.

Here is a link to some pictures:

https://plus.google.com/107292135794267659922/posts/Y1sBt9MSj6W

And a video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JYanarosPI

I did have problems with the bike most of last summer. The main issue is while riding the bike would start to lose rpms with no change in throttle. Also, while idling, the rpms would bounce around and stall out if I did not give it gas. Here are the other topics posted:

http://www.buellxb.com/Buell-XB-Forum/Buell-Lightning-XB12S-XB12Ss-CityX-XB12Scg/Smoke-from-airbox
http://www.buellxb.com/Buell-XB-Forum/Buell-Lightning-XB12S-XB12Ss-CityX-XB12Scg/RPMsPower-Drops
http://www.buellxb.com/Buell-XB-Forum/Buell-Lightning-XB12S-XB12Ss-CityX-XB12Scg/ECM-DROID-help

Is it possible that the plugs could have been the issue? I feel that it may be part of the problem but not the whole issue. I want to try replacing the TPS and/or O2 Sensor.

 

[bigmoe]

It might be the head temp sensor but I would also look at the tps. It almost sounds like it doesn't know where the throttle plate is at.the bike uses all three of these sensors to detect what the bike needs and what it is doing. They are all very important. With out a ecm spy installing a tps could be a lil difficult. I would first try the cheap things like checking ALL the connections cleaning all of them and putting a good di-electric grease on the connectors. I do this once if not twice a year. Replace ANY bad connectors. Do this first with any electrical issue. Theses bike vibrate so much there is no telling what is loose or not connected at all. Let me know how rhat goes. This is what I would do.

 

[doberdann1019]

It might be the head temp sensor but I would also look at the tps. It almost sounds like it doesn't know where the throttle plate is at.the bike uses all three of these sensors to detect what the bike needs and what it is doing. They are all very important. With out a ecm spy installing a tps could be a lil difficult. I would first try the cheap things like checking ALL the connections cleaning all of them and putting a good di-electric grease on the connectors. I do this once if not twice a year. Replace ANY bad connectors. Do this first with any electrical issue. Theses bike vibrate so much there is no telling what is loose or not connected at all. Let me know how rhat goes. This is what I would do.

I did replace the head temp sensor in the fall, the bike ran great for about 30 miles then started to act up again.

I do have a bluetooth ECM connector but am sure on how to use ECP Spy. I have some logged data though.

I will check all the connectors tonight.

Thanks!

 

[user_deleted]

CEL on...or intermittently on? if so check for trouble codes. i'm very partial to NGK DCPR9EIX iridium plugs in these buells. might be worth trying a set as your plugs look questionable.

 

[EricZ]

10R12X, 10R12A, and DCPR9EIX plugs won't cause any running issues. You can replace your TPS without needing any software. The TPS reset procedure is easy on 2008+ models. Read your service manual!!!!!

Check your idle control motor pintle for carbon build up. Check intake seals for leaks. Check fuel pressure.

 

[doberdann1019]

CEL on...or intermittently on? if so check for trouble codes. i'm very partial to NGK DCPR9EIX iridium plugs in these buells. might be worth trying a set as your plugs look questionable.

What does "CEL" stand for?

I used ECM Droid on my phone to check the trouble codes but nothing came up. And I will check out those plugs.

 

[doberdann1019]

10R12X, 10R12A, and DCPR9EIX plugs won't cause any running issues. You can replace your TPS without needing any software. The TPS reset procedure is easy on 2008+ models. Read your service manual!!!!!

Check your idle control motor pintle for carbon build up. Check intake seals for leaks. Check fuel pressure.

I have tried to do the TPS reset from the manual, could the TPS be bad even if it is reading the right numbers?

 

[g3stripes]

try simple first- drain gas and fill fresh, fresh plugs, tps after that

 

[doberdann1019]

try simple first- drain gas and fill fresh, fresh plugs, tps after that

Thanks, I'll try that. I've been out of town and have not got to the troubleshooting, hopefully its something simple.

 

[doberdann1019]

Well I did replace the plugs and the bike fired right up; however, the issues from last year still exist. The bike will not idle steady and stalls.

Here is a link to a video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81-aG2s7ZaI

 

[egobuster1]

don't these 08 and newer bikes have a IAC valve on them, could possibly be a issue with that sense you did plugs and it started.
my first guess would be TPS but seems as if you have already recalibrated that

 

[doberdann1019]

don't these 08 and newer bikes have a IAC valve on them, could possibly be a issue with that sense you did plugs and it started.
my first guess would be TPS but seems as if you have already recalibrated that

IAC, is that "Idle Air Control" or "Intake Air Control"? Both acronyms are used in the manual. Either way, I can check both connections/sensors. Could be the issue.

 

[egobuster1]

i was going with the idle air control valve. it sometimes i know in the automotive world can a lot of times be the culprit to a rough idle after plugs have been swapped. also might wanna clean your throttle body plate just as regular maintenance and to eliminate that as a problem.

 

[doberdann1019]

THE BUELL IS FIXED.

I replaced the spark plugs which had become fouled after the couple months of the bike running with the wrong air/fuel mixture. So to wrap it up, I replaced the battery, Engine Temperature sensor, spark plugs (first time), cleaned the IAC, replaced the TPS, replaced the O2 sensor and finally replaced the spark plugs (again).

Somewhere in the middle of all that I stripped the oil drain plug changing the oil which just aided to the frustration. But now its running like a top. All I need to do for the summer is the primary oil and maybe brake pads.

Thanks again for all the help.

 

[devonbiker]

I've had very similar problems but it wasn't just one thing. Just lately I found my bike near stalling (unless I didn't pull the clutch in time) when pulling away. It was getting worse. I checked the plugs and they looked just like yours. My plugs were Iridium. I put the genuine plugs back in and the problem went away.

 

[doberdann1019]

So I know in May I said it was fixed, well - it wasn't. Symptoms came back. A guy on Bad Weather Bikers found some strange data in some of my logs (temperature and O2 spikes) and recommended I clean all the grounds. I used a dremel and wire brush and polished all the ground contacts under the seat (left and right side of the seat frame and engine ground strap) and the bike has run great with no issues. I'm about 110 miles with the cleaned grounds so anyone with similar issues, just clean the grounds first. I definitely had corrosion which I could not see until disconnecting them. Thanks again to everyone who helped, especially Readyxb from BadWeB.