Try this again

Unlshd

Unlshd

Member
I think I have a bad EHC. Am I correct? Problem fixed

Earlier I tried to post a novel explaining my issue. Will try a shortened version.

Initial prob started summer '10; bike ran fine occasionally would notice a dimly lit oil press light when no key in ignition while parked for no set time frame. No electrical power to bike after key turned on. Wiggle battery and it cleared up.

Progressed to backfire occasionally along with same initial symptom towards end of summer. Had dealer diagnose and fix while servicing spring '11. Harness inspected new di-electric grease allthough he said wasn't needed since I allways hand wash her (no pressure washer) and ignition switch replaced(other customers of his has similar issues and this was the fix. Battery was also replaced because it would drop voltage to under 10 in a 24 hr time period after charging to full charge. New battery is fine. It gets hooked to a tender if sitting more than a day (1st one never saw a tender).

Worked for a little over a month. Went on road trip with wife and buddy/his wife on '09 Kawi 600R Ninja (that I have ribbed on a bit):roll:. Problem comes back but worse!!!:eek: It backfires and dies with dim oil light. Wiggle wires resume trip another 30 miles and it happens again. :( . Reach next town 7 miles later and I buy zip ties to secure wiring harness after noticing pulling it to left side of bike restored electrical power. After reaching destination for lunch 70+ miles later and no issues; I figure that cured it :whoop: .

Boy was I wrong :bang: ; it happens 8 times on 137 mile trip home with more zip ties added to assorted places under the seat on all but last occasion. By this time I have endured lots of ridicule from buddy about my $30000+ bike's reliability vs. his $9000 "Ricer" as I had been calling when my Dog was behaving. On the last time when she rolled over and played dead (a trick I wish she never learned :angry: ); I coulbn't find a location to add more zip ties that would keep elec. restored. Only cure was my leather wallet and all contents being wedged between frame and EHC. It was such a tight fit I needed my vice grips to pull it out once home. Was going to take it back to dealer but lost my job following week.

I have full faith in Bill Bickler (my dealer/mech) here in Billings. He treated me right and convinced his partner to comp me the V&H Exhaust pass pegs and pillion when I purchased the bike from them in Sheridan, WY. He has allways treated me right with my maint on all vehicles (auto shop with BDM dealership):2thumbs:. I used to do own maint when in the Army with Light Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic and after; while working min wage jobs/going to college. After getting the $30+/hr job at ConocoPhillips refinery as opperator initailly and later bidding into a machinist slot; I decided let someone else do it to go my part in helping keep the economy flowing. Now that I'm jobless; I'm back to doing own maintenance.

:feedback:

Thanks. Jim
 
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Unlshd

Unlshd

Member
KennyBob said:
I got this off this site and don't remember who to give credit, it's not me. There is tons more info here. Looks like you got some reading to do so I'll let ya get to it.

:2thumbs::cheers::2thumbs:

http://bigdog.voices-inc.com/08diagflowcht.pdf
Click to expand...
Thanks for the link. I read through it and don't see a circumstance similar to mine. I'm guessing I have an issue with a connector post or internally on my EHC since my wallet wedged tightly between the frame and EHC box cured my issue. Just wondering if some body has had a similar issue and can confirm my hunches.

JIm
 
stlmikie

stlmikie

I wish I had more money.
Some have had issues similar. It is obviously a poor coonection somewhere. You're just going to have to dig in and get your hands dirty at this point.
 
bruce

bruce

Active Member
the wiggle test you are doing is a basic test but can be one of the best, you have answered your own question. If you move wires and the problem is fixed, you now have to just pin point it. If you no the wires in the area you are working, make a list of the wires and one at a time wiggle to try and pin point, if this does not work but moving connector does, then connector or pins coming from unit are bad. remember the casing to a wire can look fine, but wire inside can be coming apart, so if you find wire you may need to really pull to find the bad wiring inside, also check grounds because a lot of the time one ground control several things. If you get a wiring diagram that would help a lot, If you notice all the things that are not working when the problem happen and then looking for what wires or unit controls all of them that will help also.
 
erldawg

erldawg

Guru
Like Bruce said above ....
You may have a bad crimp at or near the battery. Check all your wires and recrimp and check for wires worn bare and grounding as well....
 
TimNY

TimNY

Well-Known Member
Jim
Sucks that your having troubles.
Eletrical is the worst. Tryal and error always comes to mind.
You will get it fixed- one wire at a time- its mechanical.
On a lighter note - just how many zip ties are we talking about ?
Do you think if you added more money to the wallet - would it be a permaneny fix ?
 
W

woodbutcher

Mr. Old Fart member #145
Staff member
sometimes the pin connectors wiggle out of the couplers just enough to break connection.
may have to go in and check each wire individually.
 
Unlshd

Unlshd

Member
TimNY said:
Jim
Sucks that your having troubles.
Eletrical is the worst. Tryal and error always comes to mind.
You will get it fixed- one wire at a time- its mechanical.
On a lighter note - just how many zip ties are we talking about ?
Do you think if you added more money to the wallet - would it be a permaneny fix ?
Click to expand...
Looked like a damn rat's nest since I didn't have any thing to cut off the extra. Wallet did the trick it was about 1 1/4" thick with the cash, photos and credit cards. Tri-fold style wallet. I took cash out to make the fit easier actually.

When I go to trouble shooting I'll take my Digital Camers and get a shot of the rat's nest and what I find after searching along with pics of the journey.:cheers:

Jim
 
RRRUFF

RRRUFF

Well-Known Member
Jim, I would pull the connectors at the ehc if you haven't already and look for corrision. But sounds like you have a broken wire or a loose connection. The dimming oil light sounds like moisture in you ehc connections. Also check you connections under the tank. Sometimes crimps and vibrate loose and be really hard to find. And yes you could have a faulty ehc. But my experience most of the time is a bad connection.
 
Unlshd

Unlshd

Member
I actually put 60 miles on between yesterday and today without losing power after adding a ziptie around the harness that goes into the backbone and the frame (pulling the harness towards left side of bike).

That one has seemed to keep the dog from playing dead and; me having to wiggle the wires, batt. and EHC to get power back. I'm thinking it's a pin in one of the connectors.

Going to start going over it next week when the 2 1/2 yr old goes to stay with Grandma for a week.

Jim
 
BigDogBro1

BigDogBro1

Made in the USA
The DIMMING oil LED is a clue. The signal that operates the Oil pressure warning LED needs to go to GROUND via the pressure sensor contacts (closed contacts when no pressure) in order to turn ON the LED.

DISCONNECT the wire going to the pressure sensor and see if the LED shows a DIM glow. IF it goes out completely then the sending unit itself may have some electrical leakage to ground or the EHC may have an electronic circuit problem. Either way if the LED comes on full brightness before you start the engine then at least the low oil pressure warning operation seems reliable.

IF it does glow dim when you DISCONNECT the wire going to the pressure sensor then there probably is a chance that the sensor wire has made contact with the frame, grounded wire or another battery grounded potential area between the speedo head annunciator board and the B33 EHC pin of the OIL warning signal wire (orange). Or A6 pin of the EHC to the sensor.

 
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Unlshd

Unlshd

Member
BigDogBro1 said:
The DIMMING oil LED is a clue. The signal that operates the Oil pressure warning LED needs to go to GROUND via the pressure sensor contacts (closed contacts when no pressure) in order to turn ON the LED.

DISCONNECT the wire going to the pressure sensor and see if the LED shows a DIM glow. IF it goes out completely then the sending unit itself may have some electrical leakage to ground or the EHC may have an electronic circuit problem. Either way if the LED comes on full brightness before you start the engine then at least the low oil pressure warning operation seems reliable.

IF it does glow dim when you DISCONNECT the wire going to the pressure sensor then there probably is a chance that the sensor wire has made contact with the frame, grounded wire or another battery grounded potential area between the speedo head annunciator board and the B33 EHC pin of the OIL warning signal wire (orange). Or A6 pin of the EHC to the sensor.

Click to expand...
Thank you for attaching the wiring schematic. I have a feeling it'll come in handy when I start my quest cure the Dog.

Jim
 
minermark

minermark

Active Member
Jim, if it makes you feel a little better ,i think i have the same bike as you,i got so fed up with mine it's in the shop as i speak, total rewiring, soldered, shrink wrap, and tywraped is the ONLY way i will take this bike back.....
And getting that EHC ripped out also......
 
jimizee028

jimizee028

TRUE COLORS COLLISION
Cant help you with what exactly might be wrong with your bike ,but I'll tell about mine....same thing ...bike sometimes ran for miles,then all of a sudden shut down,yet it would start right back up...ride again,shut down...wiggled wires did all the above...come to find out i had a totally rusted pin inside the EHC..it was plain as day to see...actually used a paper clip for a month while waiting for newly updated EHC back in the days of warranty and actual shops that worked on our bikes....just my story...hope it helps....good luck......my name is Jim too
 
Unlshd

Unlshd

Member
Boy do I feel like a dumbass now. :bang:Battery went dead so I bought a new one and threw it on my charger to charge up after adding the acid. While battery was charging I pulled the side covers off and looked at my pin connectors and also used my digital multimeter to test all the wires. Everything checked out just fine.

New battery was charged and ready after checking out the wires so I cut off my rat's nest of zip ties. Went to remove dead battery and found that neg battery cable was loose(bolt had backed out about 2 1/2 rounds. Installed new battery making sure that that terminals were tight.

Put about 180 miles on without issues and was about to post my findings when the dog started doing it's play dead trick. Luckily I was carrying a 10mm wrench since finding the loose neg terminal. Took the dog home and have since added 10mm longer bolts and lock washers from ACE Hardware to each terminal along with loc-tite on the threads even though pos was still tight. Now have had 500 issue free miles and the best part is no shitty looking zip tie rat's nest. Thanks for the help guys. This site rocks!!!! :cheers:

Now I'm curious though; any ideas why just the neg would work loose each time and pos was still tight?
 
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