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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | ...there I was coming on to one of the worse entrance/exit to any interstate in this nation. Coming from Rt460 on to I-95 North is just a few feet to the I-85 South Exit. From 460 there is a long chute that also has another merge from 301Bus to I-95 north and the exit to Washington street all in one little bundle. So I'm usually on the throttle to get out there and pace myself with the north bound traffic and get clear of those going I-85.
All is running well until the moment I hit I-95 as I roll back HOTT and the Vision suddendly feels like it is running on one cylinder. I'm banging on the pipe to the engine room for Scotty to give me more power as the Klingons are bearing down on me quickly, to include some freighters. I begin to work gears and throttle and trying to keep 'er sailing the best I can. I'm not wanting to stop and was hoping Scotty would come through. I'm in more convergence from I-85 to I-95 Northbound, more exits and entrances from the side streets and so on. This thing is dieing above 3 grand and will pop like crazy. Even at a steady 2 grand it is bucking underload. At idle it is perfectly fine. It is a mad house in morning rush hour and I reach up and hit the Limp Lights in hopes no one will run over me. Stopping is even worse than moving as there is very little shoulders. Fortunetly the Wally-World exit is just a short piece and I'm able to make in there. I go in to interact with one of the blue aliens (wife unit who is just punching out) and get me some seafoam dilithum crystals.
I throw in the whole pint of dilithum crystals and look at the ship. I'm thinking just maybe everything will be fine and it was computer problem. Nope, fire it up and it is still doing the same thing. I orbit around planet Wally for a few figure eights and serpentines and finally decide it's time to take it to starbase, if it will make it. My "drive it till she blows" philosophy is kicking in as I don't want to put it on the hook. I start working my way home and eventually find a side road and pull of off. I get off the bike and do more looking. I thought maybe I'll disconnect the battery and let it set for a while to reset the computer and maybe it will be alright. Well, I've broken the first cardinal rule of riding, I have NO TOOLs with me (Scotty you're fired). So I do some looking, poking, tapping, pulling and let the motor run. Idle is okay, rev slowly there is some popping, and at 4 grand it drops to 2,500 and the more roll-on the throttle it just seems to be running on one cylinder and stays right there at 2,500.
Finally I give it another shot to get it home and I get out and start rolling and now it sputters some at the low-end, below 2,500 and runs fine a the 2,500-3,000 and above. I'm able to get back out on I-295 and all seems to be well at speed, but when I get off on to the ramp and bring it back down it is sputtering at the slower rpm's and smoothing out at the upper range.
I've rehired Scotty and we'll go over it tomorrow, but I left the Bentley at home and took the wheelchair to work. Just sharing, maybe someone has some input, but at this point I'm thinking I've got a bad case of gas and it just has to be blown out. I'll do that tomorrow. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 935
Rockford, IL | I'm gonna agree with the bad gas theory. And toss in a possible ECM issue. Perhaps the adaptive logic was getting fuzzy? Try unplugging the ECM and letting it sit for about 10 minutes?
......hellifiknow |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1117
Northeast Ohio | Chris, I'd pull the plugs and read them. They very rarely lie. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | I was going to shake it down tomorrow. I'm going to disconnect the battery, but also recheck all my connections as well as pull the plugs and I might put new wires on it. My first thought was the computer was freaking, and then because it happened so close to home that maybe I picked bad fuel from Sheetz the evening before. The plugs do tell a story, and mine have been telling a lot on mine. It really is time to shake it down one time to see what else is going on at 67,400 miles. I need the dealer to pop it on the computer one time as well. Thanks for the feedback guys... |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 763
Anderson, IN (48mi NE of downtown Indianapolis) | The double gonkulator valve is known to burn out around 67,399 miles. Since this is a Vic only part and it takes a special canooter jig to get it out, it's going to be an expensive repair. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | that was my first thought. I figured as long as it was running like it was, I'd get a Motor Company Badge and cover up all signs of Victory and keep on a riding.... |
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Fountain Inn, SC United States | Also check your sensors and connecting wires. If the temp sensor wire is loose it will cause the engine to think its cold and richen things way up. Happened to me on my old Vic and had the same symptoms. Reconnected the wire and it ran fine. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 935
Rockford, IL | I'm not real sure why I'm saying this but I think unhooking the battery is not the best way to clear out the ECM. I think I remember Kevin or someone saying that even with unhooking the battery the ECM still stores some type of "residual" info?
It is pretty easy to unplug the ECM. Simply pop the seat and unplug the ECM. I think there is a gray "lock lever" that slides over and then the plug can be pulled.
Once again....hellifiknow....
Hope Kevin or someone will jump in and kick me in the head if I'm wrong. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | The funny thing is I just did that about 2 weeks ago to check out the connection to make sure all is well. Nothing unusual was happening until this morning. Thanks for pointing out that though... |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 741
Central New York | If memory serves, you just did some major surgery. I'm not a big believer in coincidence so I have to believe we had a link. I would lean toward a connector plug or possible a ground eyelet is getting more resistance than it would like. Especially with these birds that seem to use resistance logic for everything. Could be something as simple as extra resistance giving the cruise a mind of it's own. Just say'in, seems odd that you fix the front end and the motor pucks. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | I've put at least a grand on it since and even went about 400 in a day with no symptoms. I got gas last night and drove maybe 25 miles home. This morning went about three miles, zero provlems, then without warning....
I can agree on the possible connection.. (or disconnection, as in wire) and oh, with 67,000 on the clock, anything is possible.
Edited by varyder 2010-04-22 5:47 PM
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Cruiser
Posts: 273
Midlothian, Va. | Whatever it is I hope it's not contagious as we were parked next to each other Monday for lunch. Let me know if you need any help with it Chris. |
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Tourer
Posts: 523
seattle, wa | I am betting on it being a loose connection. Might have jarred it loose or didnt tighten it down during your front end work. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | disconnected and reconnected all associated wires up front for removing triple tree. Disconnected ECM for 10 min+, reconnected. Start and it runs bad. Even at idle sputters now. Removed plugs and find the foul and smelling like fuel. Got the battery disconnected and will reconnect in a moment. I don't think that will make a difference, I believe some brain thing is shot. Going to the manual now... |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | PCM? |
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Nalcrest, FL United States | Hi Chris,
I had the same thing happen to me about 5000 miles ago, I took a trip on the highway and after about an hour at 70-75 miles it started breaking up. pulled over checked everything, nothing amiss. kept riding , couldn't go over 2500 rpm before it started breaking up. After about an hour of trying to boost up the rpms over 2500 and a stop for some fresh gas it gradually got better, up to 3500 rpm's. I checked everything when I made it home, still nothing wrong. I contacted Kevinx with my thoughts that it was just bad gas. He wasn't sure but agreed it might be. I ran all of the old gas out and took some small rides to clear it out. Eventually it got better and better till I could red line it with no breakups. It seems like the Vision just doesn't react to things the way other bikes do. It had me baffled , but it hasn't happened since. Maybe instead of trying all of the other ideas as far as ECM and other electronic issues you should just try and ride it out. I know you are a long distance commuter so maybe it will work itself out. I had it happen one other time for a short period , but it cleared up within a few miles, I chalked it up to possible water in the air filter because I had just washed it the night before and didn't dry it properly. Good luck, hope this story helps.
PS. I used to live in Suffolk Va. so I am familiar with some of the roads you ride on. I miss them !
Chuck |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Thanks LIVV, you give me a tinge of hope on this as I had only put gas in it the night before. I'll "try" to ride it some more tomorrow as it seems to drift between where it wants to break up the most. Right now it seems to be doing it all the time, to include idle. They're calling for rain tomorrow but hopefully it won't do it to much, nothing like bucking in the rain.... |
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Visionary
Posts: 1436
| Chris, if you think it is bad gas and it very well may be, you might be better off to find a way to drain it rather than running it through the motor. If the gas doesn't seem to be the culprit you might consider the state of your battery. Hope you get it figured out asap. Let us know what you find. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 763
Anderson, IN (48mi NE of downtown Indianapolis) | I carry a siphon hose with me at all times. Sometimes when I'm out in the middle of nowhere I am forced to get gas at questionable locations. The bad stuff can be siphoned out in a few minutes instead of riding it out for a couple of hours. (The hose also comes in handy when a buddy runs out and we need to transfer some from another bike.)
An easy way to find out if it is bad gas is to siphon it all out and run it dry. Fill up a 1 gallon can and put it in the saddle bag and head out on the back roads. When the motor quits, put in the fresh gas. Just make sure you are not farther away from home or a gas station than 1 gallon will get you.
Edited by victoryvisiontour 2010-04-23 10:02 PM
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | Why not mix old gas with new? Just fill up now, then every gallon or two. Soon you are all 'fresh' gas.... |
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | What I mean is - kinda what I do with my lawnmower every spring - just throw some fresh gas in with the old shit - has worked for me for 50 years.... |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Teach - 2010-04-23 10:22 PM
Chris, if you think it is bad gas and it very well may be, you might be better off to find a way to drain it rather than running it through the motor. If the gas doesn't seem to be the culprit you might consider the state of your battery. Hope you get it figured out asap. Let us know what you find.
the battery is another consideration, but it cranks fine and shows +14 on the meter. But it is the original....
As far as running it out, well, how do you get 6 gals out of a split tank without ripping the bike apart? My guess any damage that going to be done is done. I filled it up again before I got it home but if it is water it's going be gone. Right now the Bentley is parked...
Thanks for the input, it helps, as I move slow in these situations...
Edited by varyder 2010-04-24 4:25 AM
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Iron Butt
Posts: 741
Central New York | Just maybe the bike gods are telling you it's time to trade up. |
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Tourer
Posts: 523
seattle, wa | If you think it might be water, try some Heet gas treatment, it works very well for water in the tank. It's just some type of alcohol but the second you dump it in the tank the water is gone. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1484
LaPorte,Tx. | varyder - 2010-04-24 3:21 AM
Teach - 2010-04-23 10:22 PM
Chris, if you think it is bad gas and it very well may be, you might be better off to find a way to drain it rather than running it through the motor. If the gas doesn't seem to be the culprit you might consider the state of your battery. Hope you get it figured out asap. Let us know what you find.
the battery is another consideration, but it cranks fine and shows +14 on the meter. But it is the original....
As far as running it out, well, how do you get 6 gals out of a split tank without ripping the bike apart? My guess any damage that going to be done is done. I filled it up again before I got it home but if it is water it's going be gone. Right now the Bentley is parked...
Thanks for the input, it helps, as I move slow in these situations...
Chris, just got mine back from the service dept for the 45k service. Original battery and they tested it and said I should consider changing it out soon. So this month it is on the plan. Mine cranks fine as charges at +14, but they say it is weak.
I would siphon out the gas, just set the bike up on level on the jack, that way the left tank will siphon out. I would not run it dry as that may damage the fuel pump, a new fuel pump it $300+ if you install yourself. Good luck on this issue. Hope you find it soon and get back on the road.
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Flame out on I-95
