Speed Sensor Fail Again? Need Help.

[Baltimore Buell]

Bike: 2006 XB9SX CityX

I recently replaced my speed sensor on top of my crank case, and got the opportunity to take her out for a ride this weekend to test it out. For the first 30 miles everything seemed fine, but just like with my old one, the speedometer needle would just quit and do nothing. The only way I can get it to be responsive again is to hold the clutch in and let the engine return to idle and then the needle will come back to life and report me speed.

I got my new "used" part from Buellsterparts.com and it came very well packed and was supposedly tested and working. I can't believe that both my speed sensors would have the same effect on my speedometer. So I am thinking there is another underlying problem.

Could I have a bad cluster gauge? I have taken it apart and checked all the connections and they appear to be fine from a visual inspection.

SO here are the facts to recap.
1. 2 speed sensors work in the beginning of a ride but eventually fail and the gauge cluster will report no speed with the needle resting on the far left.
2. In mid ride if I hold the clutch in and let the engine return closer to an idle speed, the speedometer will sometimes jump back to life.
3. When turning the bike on both needles sweep properly.
4. Besides my speed problem, the fuel light is always on in the gauge cluster, since I think I have a bad fuel pump sensor.....could be related to a bad cluster gauge now.

Any suggestions? What would be the next thing I should check out or replace? I lived without a working speedometer most of last riding season but I need this to be fixed for good this season.

 

[uly luigi]

my 08 uly has an intermittent speedo, I have determined it is a bad connection in the cluster, the speed sensor is a "Hall Effect" sensor, if it goes bad, it does not start working again, I have learned to trust my tach for speed, until I get a new background for my dash, then I will dig a little for the gremlin speedo

 

[Baltimore Buell]

Does anyone know if the speed sensor wiring goes directly to the instrument cluster or does it pass though something before the signal is received by the instrument cluster.

 

[Baltimore Buell]

I inspected all the wires again last night and nothing looks lose or out of place. I am taking her to the shop, where hopefully they can plug in a new cluster and see if that fixes it. I will post the results once I get the bike back.

 

[uly luigi]

I believe it goes to the ecm first then to the cluster, but that is just a guess

 

[Baltimore Buell]

Update:
After a week at the dealership and over a hundred dollars in "diagnostics", they found nothing wrong with the bike other than suggesting I buy a new rear tire. I love throwing away my hard earned money on absolutely no progress.

Once I get the bike back from the dealership I notice the neutral light is not working anymore. Great....now I have that to take care of.

Other than the new problem of the neutral light, the speedometer is still acting up. It's very odd to me that I can get it to work again after holding in the clutch and letting go of the throttle mid ride.


On another note, yesterday when I turned her on for a ride, I noticed only the speedometer needle and not the tach swept across. I tried it again but it seemed to me that she was stuck. I turned the bike on and finally the tach came to life. Another sign that that the instrument cluster could be bad. Thoughts or suggestions?

 

[nilla]

keep your eyes on the road and don't look at your IC so much?

but seriously, mine has started acting up as you've described above. right after i washed the bike. i think i've put some water where it doesn't belong.

 

[Baltimore Buell]

Ofcourse I keep my eyes on the road.

I am getting the bike prepped for sale since I will be moving soon and the fact that my DD is on its last leg. I am afraid that if I dont get these things fixed I will never sell it or I will take a bath in the final price.

Would you want to buy a motorcycle with out a fully functioning IC? Probably not.