(Ulysses XB12XT 2006) Bike will stall/hiccup between 10mph and 30mph.

[Coarch]

Buell Ulysses 2006 XB12XT
37,000 Miles

Bike will stall/hiccup between 20mph and 30mph. This causes the engine light to come on. I can make it happen by dipping the bike down to the right and jerking it back up. The light always goes off. Leaves no codes behind. Often the bike will stall at a stop. The bike runs fine at speeds faster then 30mph. This is a 2006 so no IAC unit to clean.

I have replaced plugs, plug wires, ignition coil, and rear tire. I have done a TPS reset and set AFV to 100.

How do I definitively test my intake seals?

 

[Coarch]

Wow, nothing...

How about a "How To" on replacing intake valves. I think that is the issue. Any youtube vids out there?

 

[Cooter]

A word to the wise: Here and in life, being humble and having patience will get you much farther than demanding everyone drops what they are doing to help you right away, and if you want to know if theres "Any youtube vids out there?" you should try searching... You Tube... This isn't Facebook. It may take a minute for someone to diagnose your bike for you, with very limited information, for free.

Now that's clear. Let me try to help

First some questions:
When it stalls/hiccups are you cruising? on the throttle? off the throttle? engine hot/cold/always? how often? Is the tank full? Any video of it happening?

What led you to replace all those parts? Diagnosis/what did you find? or just random guesses?

Making the problem happen by violently moving the bike around makes me think its a wiring issue, not much else is affected by motion like that. When you replaced the coil (and why?), did you add the ground wire thats posted on so many threads?

What is your idle speed?

What is your fuel pressure?

You have re-set the TPS on a DDFI-2 bike and set the AFV to 100. What was the AFV before you messed with it? What program did you use? Do you understand how to use it? You should be able to use that same program to diagnose almost everything related to your issue without guessing or parts swapping.

Yes there is a how-to on replacing intake seals. It's in the free service manual .pdf found on Buellmods.com, or Buelltooth.com. It's on here. and it's on You Tube.
Before you replace them, you should check if they are leaking first (also posted many, many, many, times).

There is a lot of info on this very nice, very helpful forum. It is well organized and very easily found by scrolling through the subjects. Please post your answers, but I'd suggest spending a couple minutes looking through the stickies. It will help you be a little more familiar with your Buell and how to fix her properly.

I look forward to helping you further:up: Lets get this fixed so you can go riding!

 

[BuellyBagger]

and as with every "my bike is doing something weird please help" thread.... Check all connections (especially major grounds and battery) for tightness and corrosion. Remove clean and inspect all your ground points to rule them out. Eyeball all your wiring the best you can for rub mark, stuff that may have cause a chaffed wire. Check your ecm for hairline cracks around the connectors. Do the "wiggle test" on your major component connectors while the bike is idling to see if it will stumble.


and good thing you got that rear tire replaced, good guess! lol

 

[Coarch]

Sorry for the snark. Some of my frustration with the bike is coming through.

I have a lot of love for this bike and when this issue started I figured it was time for a tune up. I change the oil religiously but haven't done plugs and wires in a while. I found the wires corroded decided to change everything case. It was cheapish and easy'ish to do so I did it.

I've cleaned the grounds near the battery and checked the ECU. ECU isn't cracked or damaged in anyway. Wiggling wires changes nothing. I can't duplicate this while the bike is stationary. After all the work I've done the bike is running smoother then every except for these stall events.

This happens with the engine hot. Definitely when on the throttle usually when coming from a stop. Never at high speeds.
I've set the AFV to 100 from 109. I don't know fuel pressure. ECMSpy doesn't list it as a stat. I'll have to investigate this.
I use ECMSpy and understand how to use it. I don't mess with fuel maps or anything. I use it to run diagnostics and set TPS.
The bike idles between 1050 and 1150 after the TPS reset.
I tested the intake seals via this video and it didn't effect idle. I'll test again to make sure.
I don't violently jerk the bike up. Tight corners can cause it to happen.
If the intake seals are bad wouldn't it happen all the time?
I'm going to look in the manual for ground locations. I'll look over the wiring again.


Thanks for the help. This issue is frustrating because the bike was running fine. It has been nothing but fun so far.

 

[user_deleted]

then address the fuel pump. your diagnosis of a weight shift in conjunction with rapid change in running angle can only coincide with seat pan contacting the ecm or fuel load changing the pump delivery and run time.

 

[Cooter]

No worries Coarch, we're here to help. Thanks for the direct answers to the questions, it helps a lot:up:

Fuel pressure sadly doesn't have a sensor for the ECM to read so it has to be checked with a gauge at the rail. A PITA, but a necessary step since you've eliminated the first batch of guesses.

If the AFV was at 109, the ECM is trying to richen the fuel map almost 10%. Not a huge deal but a sign it could be getting too much air from somewhere (like intake seals), or not enough fuel (like fuel pump going out, or clogged injectors). Intake seals and ground issues cause all sorts of non-sensical crap to happen, not always predictable.

There is a big part of the wiring harness that goes past the forks and notoriously has problems there. Along with the common-ish problem of the ECM being squished by the seat like was mentioned. If your eyes are as old as mine, I'd get a good flashlight and even take iPhone pics you can blow up. Don't be afraid to get rough with the ECM.

When it dies at idle, does it sputter and die or just shut off like the run switch was pressed? Look into the right side bar controls. It may be something you're doing when you are "dipping the bike down to the right and jerking it back up" putting pressure on the housing or something? Maybe the vibration at idle is the right frequency to shake something in there loose. I'd pull it apart and clean everything, check all connections...

 

[BuellyBagger]

I never could see the crack or cause my bike to stall in the driveway when my ECM failed back in '11. Hell i thought i had it fixed by replacing the TPS (the code it kept throwing when it'd die) and rode it 160 miles only to have it crap out again, 160miles from home... So i went through the diagnostic flow chart in the service manual doing the recommended tests as best i could with no breakout box and it came down to the ECM. All good after that.

 

[Coarch]

I'm going to try the fuel pump and cam sensor. Anyone have any advice on the 3" o-rings. I bought these on Amazon.
Anyone have a link for the cam sensor? Amazon thinks this one will fit.

I found this video on how to replace the fuel pump. The music is absolutely terrible. Guys, instructional videos don't need music.

Here is a video on the cam sensor.

My garage ceiling is really high so I'll have to figure out a way to get the bike lifted.

Is there a list of torque specs anywhere? Probably the manual then.

 

[Silverrider]

I had this happen on my first 06 Uly , the seat was putting pressure on the ECM causing pops and stalling, as a easy test take it for a ride with no seat and see if it acts the same. Lots of guys relocate the ECM as a fix. There is a little block and the top corner does gets worn you can rotate it.

 

[BuellyBagger]

My garage ceiling is really high so I'll have to figure out a way to get the bike lifted.

you have a porch swing or a swing set you can use as an A-frame hoist?

you're not just going to throw a cam sensor at ru? its pretty common for the cps wires to rub on the chin fairing btw

 

[Tbone]

I too replaced my 09 Uly's ECM in 2014/15, for the same symptoms. When relocating the ECM to be on top of the shock reservoir, it is in direct line of the fan exhaust so I installed the fan shroud from the comfort kit. It is a PIA to remove the rear shock now as I have to remove the seat pan, battery bracket, etc.... just as you do when installing the shroud in the first place. I think the benefits are worth it as the fan does not blow hot air on your ECM, reservoir, battery, etc.... everything under the seat. Also the fan shroud, with some dremel work will keep all your hoses from rubbing the rear spring as well as keeping them and the fuel line at the pump out of the heat. The rear shock though will always be warm as it is right next to the fan.

 

[Coarch]

Relocating the ECM seems like a easy thing to do temporarily. Would I just unscrew it and set it somewhere the seat doesn't press down on it?

I'll check the CPS wires tonight.

Thanks

 

[Tbone]

Here I am in the process of installing everything under the seat after I put in the fan shroud. I think you can see the angle bracket on the ecm, maybe, then I bolt it to the top of the shock reservoir, which in this picture the top bracket to the shock reservoir is not installed yet. I think there is a link somewhere to do the ecm relocate? Also I make sure there is a gap between the ECM and the reservoir, as I believe there is some heat coming from the reservoir as well. Since this pic was taken I actually put a heat blanket along the bottom of pan instead of on top, will try to get another pic if anyone is interested?

 

[Coarch]

Sent the bike into my local stealership. Turns out is was a broken wire in the steering column. I wish I had pictures but they took care of it before I could get any.

This explains why it suddenly started happening and why it didn't effect the over all running of the bike.

Problem resolved.

 

[Silverrider]

Glad you have the Problem resolved, thx for the follow up. It could help others.

 

[LouWambsganss]

You can put some paint on the top of the ECM connectors. Go for a normal ride. Take the seat off and look for paint transfer. If there is any contact, it will crack the ECM over time.