Trouble Code 44?

[midnightrider10]

I hooked the bike up to ECM SPY and this is what its reading....

"Trouble code 44, short to supply voltage or open"

Anybody know what this means?

 

[theoctopus]

According to google, it's an error in your bank angle sensor.

 

[midnightrider10]

Does anyone happen to know what this is/does and what i need to do to fix it?

 

[Rays]

That error is referring to the input to the ECM from the Bank Angle Sensor. This is located under the tail on a Uly and Lightning and above the headlights (behind the fairing) in a Firebolt.
The Bank Angle sensor is supplied with ground and the 5 volt sensor reference from the ECM (shared by the speed sensor, sidestand sensor (if fitted) and the Bank Angle Sensor.

This is what the manual says about the sensor output:
"The BAS sends a signal to the ECM ranging from 0.24 volts to 3.4 volts under normal operating conditions. A signal between 3.5 volts and 4.79volts will cause the ECM to turn off the the engine."

"If the signal from the BAS is below 0.24 volts or above 4.79 volts , the ECM sets a code."

The manual describes what can be diagnosed with the HD Digital Technician as code 44 can have two 'DTC's. So, in your position this is what to check - the output from the BAS can be shorted 'Low' - ie to ground or shorted 'High' - ie to voltage. The way the ECM circuitry is put together an open circuit from the BAS to the ECM will also register as being shorted 'High'.
Given the history of your bike and the accident damage (and the fact the bike runs) I guess either scenario is more likely than an actual faulty BAS.

The BAS input to the ECM is on pin 17 of the Grey connector (light Green / Grey wire). On the BAS itself the Red/White wire is the 5 volt reference voltage and the Black ? White wire is the sensor ground. You will need to check the power and ground to the bAS are OK and that the BAS out put to the ECM has continuity and isn't shorted to ground (or power).

The BAS is one of those areas where a voltage reading will tell you a lot - a circuit tester that flashes a light is not very useful for this.

 

[midnightrider10]

The bike seems to start and run fine. In your opinion, is this something that I really need to worry about?

 

[Rays]

I guess that is up to you to a degree - the BAS might well save your engine grenading in a tip-over situation (bike goes down, throttle pegs open, oil starvation etc etc) BUT shouldn't matter for normal riding.

I know a few people with ULYs who bypassed the BAS when we were having a lot of trouble on the '06's so it just boils down to whether or not you want to take the risk.

It should be pretty simple to diagnose and fix but if you have to pull the fairing to do it it isn't a 5 minute job to get to the work-site.

 

[midnightrider10]

Rays,

It it isnt too much trouble, would you mind giving me some instructions on how exactly to diagnose and fix the BAS? I read your previous thread and understand the wire and I do have both a light tester and a voltmeter. I'm just unsure on how to go about 'fixing' the issue.

thanks-- Jason

 

[Rays]

OK, the first thing to do would be to identify the BAS itself and get a reading on the three wires connected to it.

Disconnect the plug (there is a small black tab that needs to be lifted to release the plug) from the BAS. The power and ground (Red/White & Black/White wires) are the outside wires - with the ignition you should measure +5 volts on the R/W wire with respect to the B/W wire.
If this is missing you will need to check the ground connection (it goes to the sensor ground - pin 19 on the ECM Grey connector) and the power connection (it goes to pin 25 on the ECM Grey connector).

If the BAS did have the reference voltage and the ground then you need to check it's output with everything connected.

One way to do this is to get a piece of very thin insulated wire (one wire out of an old computer SCSI cable works great for this if you are into computer stuff but any thin insulated wire will do) - only needs to be a few inches long.

Strip about 1/4" of insulation from either end of this wire and this can be placed into the female socket for the BAS output (where the Green/Grey wire connects), folded over and the plug fitted to the BAS - the thin wire being small enough to allow the connector to be reseated. You can connect the meter lead to the exposed piece of wire (just a simple twist and make sure it isn't touching anything conductive) with the other side of the meter (black lead) to a ground and with the ignition on you should measure a voltage in the range of 0.24 volts to 3.4 volts.
If the voltage is outside this range the sensor is bad, if the voltage is OK then you need to check the continuity of the Green / Grey wire to pin 17 on the Grey ECM connector.

Let me know if you are OK with this as a process as I've not gone into a step by step process for absolutely everything - ie always have the ignition OFF before unplugging the things. In the case of the ECM I also disconnect the battery before unplugging/plugging it as it has power directly connected.

 

[midnightrider10]

Rays,

Thanks for the instructions, I went an preformed them on the bike. All the voltage seemed correct on the voltmeter.

I cleaned and lubed the plug and connect and the code went away. Maybe when the bike laid down all the connections on the front in just got ajar?

 

[Rays]

Yes, given the circumstances I imagine dislodged connections would be more than possible.
I have also heard of quite a few cases of older XB's having weird and wonderful problems that went away with a gentle clean of the ECM pins and sockets so I guess the same could apply to any of the electrical components.

Anyway, one more brick in the wall towards trouble-free motoring. [up]

 

[midnightrider10]

Agreed!

Thanks for the help.

 

[jzchev28]

i would first clear the code and see if it comes back before i dug into it. sometimes you get a fluke code that really might be nothing, if it came back i would fix it for sure.