Parts for Sale and need some help! Overheating??

[60kXB9]

Been a forum stalker but never posted, not new to the buell world but need some help.

I have a 2003 XB9 with HD race kit and a few other mods that do not really matter. Bike has a little over 60k miles on it and just started having problems. Oil is always changed at correct intervals with syn oil. All parts beside race kit were original at time problem started.

Riding to work one day it felt like it was running on one cylinder and eng light was blinking. Looked for codes and the book says overheating. Thinking the bike has a lot of miles and original plugs that it might be that time. Changed plugs and wires and did not help.

After riding and trying to figure problem out I noticed it only occurs when it warms up. The book says it will reduce power when overheated. It takes around 15 miles on the interstate to begin "missing". If I slow down or take a load off the bike the problem stops and light stops blinking.

If overheating is the problem then what could cause it to overheat? I was curious if the valves needed adjusted or something internal? Maybe the fuel pump or running lean somehow? I did notice my fuel mileage went to junk. Lost about 35 miles to a tank.

Where is the first place to start troubleshooting?

Also some parts for sale, give me a reasonable price and we can go from there. You pay shipping.
Stock ECM
Stock Muffler XB9 (~6000 miles)great condition
Stock seat, perfect condition
Select seat, great condition
Full set of blinkers, one lens is cracked
Stock Mirrors

 

[anrkizm95]

have you checked for codes?might be a bad coil or injector

 

[60kXB9]

Will it throw a code if the light does not stay on? I have not checked the codes yet.

 

[wolfo68]

engine temp sensor will make it run like sh*t if it's going bad or worn through

wrong cam timing will cause easy overheating

check your codes first before you start doing things

 

[60kXB9]

Ok, I'll have the codes checked.
I was told by an old harley guy that it might be the valves with that many miles, I told him this is a harley motor but a little different than what he is used to but he was pretty stern on the valves and lifters?? Really don't want to mess with it but I'll get the codes first.

 

[wolfo68]

ours auto adjust I believe

 

[unionthug]

I would suspect the sensor at 60k is toast. Valves may or not be a problem at 60k but they are not making your bike overheat or throw codes.

Ignition timing can create an overheated condition but you would have heard your bike ping well before your light told you you were hot.

The only way to know is to take a temperature reading as it happens. Take a infared termometer on the road and shoot the front and rear cylinder as quickly as it is safe after you have left the roadway (sorry just always wanted to say that) or just shoot the front and real cylinder while you are going balls out - shoot the oil in the tank too. An easier way would be to use ECMspy and check the temp after a ride.

A lot of really bad things happen as a bike overheats and it's not just a light flashing. What is the fan doing during all this "overheating"? Does the clutch slip? IS the engine othewise behaving badly, bucking, snorting or??

 

[Kuntreeboy]

Do you have pictures of the seat's? I might be intersted!!

 

[60kXB9]

PM Sent for Pictures

 

[60kXB9]

The engine will run perfectly fine, especially after the new plugs and 8mm wires. It is actually running smoother than it has in years. The fan seems to run more often and longer than normal, even if the light does not come on. The light started to blink/"overheat" periodically and now it will happen everytime I take it out. The engine does not seem to be running any warmer than it used to but that is by feel and not a temp reading. If a load is taken off the bike by backing out of the throttle it seems to cool off and will run good for another 5 miles or so. I might be wrong but does the sensor tell the fan to run or not? So if it is bad the fan will run more or not at all?
I do not beleive it is the timing because of how good it runs when it is not in overheat mode. I have not heard any pinging noise and with the open air box I beleive it would be excessively loud.
I did notice last time I rode it would hickup at lower speeds but I am not sure if its the spark skip overheating mode it goes into.

 

[08levin]

Pics of seats as well....if tree boy doesn't buy it.

 

[Kuntreeboy]

60k seat look sperfect thanks brother!! Nice to know your just down the road!! Sorry 08 I bought the select seat but the other one looks good too!!

 

[flaya564]

check the plug wires and change the plugs. Let me clarify... I was riding home in the rain and the bike sounded weird. Got home to the sound of it running on one cylinder. The cause was a bare plug wire arcing to the frame.

 

[60kXB9]

Brand new plugs and wires. I started small but it didn't fix. It was way past time on the plugs though, the insulation on one wire was burned.

Still have original seat, good condition for cheap.
Also the blinkers, muffler, ecm, mirrors and I forgot the tail section also.

 

[matt87951]

Still have original seat, good condition for cheap.
Also the blinkers, muffler, ecm, mirrors and I forgot the tail section also.

PM Sent regarding the muffler.

Thanks,
-Matt

 

[motoqueiro]

have you consider the Oil Pump Drive gear , the older one seams to go rely quickly, low oil pressure may overheat the engine

 

[thumpin1203]

PM sent..muffler, seat, tail section

 

[wolfo68]

have you consider the Oil Pump Drive gear , the older one seams to go rely quickly, low oil pressure may overheat the engine

I'm always the advocate for upgrading this gear and I'm not sure why I didn't tell you to check it when I posted the first time. but at 60k you'll be wanting to replace gaskets soon. I'd suggest cometic