Questions about ECM and exhaust

[nwguy]

Greetings. I just returned from a 2.5 week, 4,900 mile trip through the west on my 08 sb9sx with some friends. Camped the whole way. Hadn't camped on a motorcycle trip since the 80s! Bike ran great until my fuel pump fuse blew at 80mph in Utah on the way home. Swapped the "Aux" fuse (also 10 amp) and bought more fuses at the next town. The fuse hasn't blown since. Later on I pegged the throttle passing some cars and fuel delivery just shut off. Let off on the throttle and fuel delivery resumed as normal. After that it occasionally took several attempts to start (popping and backfiring) and occasionally stalled at idle. While riding down the road was normal though. Since getting home I changed the plugs to new Iridiums (the old ones were too, and looked healthy), washed and oiled my K&N air filter and changed my oil. Took 3 attempts to start it yesterday before warming it up to change the oil. Started normally today though. I read a post about worn fuel pump wires that were grounding out and have since ordered new fuel pump seals and a new fuel filter. Will inspect the fuel pump's wires and repair if necessary, and replace the fuel filter when the parts arrive.

I've determined that I have the following ECM:
http://idspd.com/xcart/buell-xb9-08-09-P-and-A-ecm.html

I'd like to get diagnostic equipment for querying, resetting and changing maps in my ECM. IDS makes this:
http://idspd.com/xcart/cmi-lite.html?category_id=42

but it seems pretty limited in what it can do. Wondering if I should get a Buelltooth, ECMspy, etc. Any thoughts?

Based on this photo, can someone confirm that I have a Buell P&A (Pro-Series) exhaust?


Who makes this exhaust? I haven't been able to find it anywhere on the net.

Also, what's this plug for under my seat?

 

[Cooter]

You ride like I do! awesome, glad you had a good trip. We were just up there doing the exact same thing! https://www.buellxb.com/forum/showthread.php?56365-Cooter-and-Bubbles-ride-to-Mumzys-house

I will save the Fuel Pump Guru the need to copy/paste his diagnosis:
"You bike is showing classic signs of fuel pump failure" and he's probably right. The high draw from the weak/old pump will pop fuses like that. He offers pumps and re-build kits to members here. PM Barrett.

I would not 'change tunes' in your IDS ECM. Ever. It isn't causing you any issues. If the bike is running poorly... FIX it first! don't "tune" it. Best case is that you just cover up an existing issue

Get ECMDroid (free in GooglePlay) for diagnosis and changing ECM parameters. It uses a wireless bluetooth connection for communication to the bike, so you need a bluetooth dongle, I like the one I got from Buelltooth.com, now Rev-Moto.com

Buell race exhaust is completely open on the inside and has twin outlets like yours seems too. You have a good exhaust and good ECM. IMO, I'd leave them alone.

There are a TON of Buell exhaust MFG's including the Buelltooth site you have been too. Barker, Keda, APH, Jardine (have a habit of blowing up), Drummer.... Check out BuellXB.com, they have many, many, exhaust threads to look at there

That 3-pin plug is open, you can leave it that way. The 4-pin plug on the other side of the battery is the "diagnostic port" where you will hook up the Buelltooth.

Once you get the fuel pump re-built or replaced, the bike should run fine again.

Buell Rule: Only start the bike if you are going to RIDE the bike. Repeated starting attempts WILL foul your plugs. Buells runs very rich and very long cold start map.

 

[nwguy]

Old pump, even at only 15k miles?

Maybe should just replace it rather than rebuild it. Here's one on ebay for $156:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-NEW-20...022705?hash=item217764e8f1:g:63sAAOSwvh5fX5oq

Any idea what the rebuilt kits cost?

 

[34nineteen]

Old pump, even at only 15k miles?

Maybe should just replace it rather than rebuild it. Here's one on ebay for $156:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-NEW-20...022705?hash=item217764e8f1:g:63sAAOSwvh5fX5oq

Any idea what the rebuilt kits cost?

Old pump at 12 years... and probably sitting in old gas for most of it.

 

[nwguy]

Old pump at 12 years... and probably sitting in old gas for most of it.

You just convinced me. I bought the pump.

 

[Cooter]

Ya, 12 years....

WOW, thats a great deal on a new NOS pump.
Congrats:eagerness:

 

[nwguy]

I know. I've seen them for $375!

 

[nwguy]

I replaced the fuel pump today with the NOS one I bought. Followed instructions in the manual and did it per a couple of videos I saw on youtube. Even made a fuel pump puller. All went smoothly. Put gas back in. Priming noise seemed normal. It started, but barely ran. Super rough. Eventually stalled. Turned ignition off, then on again and it backfired before it even started. WTF? Could it be a bad fuel pump? I drove it 70 miles yesterday to use up gas before doing the fuel pump swap and draining the fuel. It ran normally yesterday except for wanting to stall while idling a few times. Don't really want to put the old pump back in to see if I have a bad pump. I cleaned various grounds and reassembled using dielectric grease. Also used dielectric grease on the fuel pump's electric plug, and wiggled it while the bike was running to see if the plug was loose. Any ideas???

 

[34nineteen]

Is it firing on both cylinders or just running on one? Have you checked the plugs? Also double check the connectors in the area to make sure you didnt pull one on to compromise the connection.

Did you do the replacement via the book method or did you disconnect the shock and let the swingarm droop?

 

[nwguy]

The plugs were new Iridiums as of a couple of days ago. New plug wires yesterday before riding about 70 miles to burn up gas before replacing the pump. Yesterday during that ride it ran fine except for a tendency to want to stall at idle occasionally. Hard to say if it was running on one vs. two cylinders today after replacing the pump.

I disconnected the rear shock and dropped the swingarm to replace the pump. It was easier than I expected.

Yes, it backfired by simply turning the ignition on. Hard to believe. My buddy who was helping me with this looked at the wires leading to my ECM and saw this:



Apparently the seat had been rubbing them and wore off insulation on a few of the wires. I cleaned those wires and wrapped them in electrician's tape, but no improvement. My buddy feels strongly that there's something wrong with my ECM now. I emailed IDS and left them a voicemail, explaining what I've just said here and asking them if I sent them my ECM if they could determine that it's malfunctioning, and/or if they could fix it. They do offer a service of reprogramming ECMs for $100. I have the stock exhaust and OEM paper air filter. Part of me was considering just buying an OEM ECM on Ebay for cheap and putting on the stock muffler and air filter. My old fuel pump was probably OK. Not looking forward to many more infusions of hundreds of dollars.

 

[Cooter]

Not looking forward to many more infusions of hundreds of dollars.

Then please, for your own sake... slow down. You and your friend are guessing. If you want to fix it yourself (and I believe you can:eagerness, we are a team and let's take this ONE step at a time and only replace things that actually test bad.

The worn wiring on the ECM is a sign the seat is sitting on it and the ECM cracking is a 'thing' with some Ulys and a low seat. There is a relocation bracket available. I'm glad IDS will check the ECM out for you, but expect it to be OK.

Backfiring when you flip the red run switch is a DDFI-3 thing. It's the "spark plug cleaning feature" I was taught by Ol' Lunaticpants and is meant to purge rich unburned gas out of the cylinders before you crank it for easier starting. If you read my blog you'd know I am VERY AWARE of that feature :upset: LOL.

So... lets start with the easy and free stuff. Buells have a VERY rich and VERY long cold start fuel map. They will flood so easily if repeated attempts fail (like after a fuel pump replacement...) so clean those new plugs of yours to spotless, check spark at both cylinders, and once the ECM is back you'll need to TPS re-set anyway.

Report what you find

No worries man, we'll get her back to faithful status soon:angel: