New ECM Programmable Before Delivery?
- Thread starter RibEye
- Start date
RibEye
Senior Member
I'll look, but the coil is brand new, as are the screaming eagle plug wires...replaced just before the last fill-up.
Yesterday, she started messing up as bad as she ever has: bucking, coughing, missing, stuttering. I saw no code at the time. However, finally, she must have thown some kind of code. I noticed it this morning on start-up. It has gone to historical, and she ran sweet all the way to work (nice cool morning), with no indications of problems. She went from as bad as she has ever run, when I put her away, to sweet running first thing this morning. That is the way it has been. She will likely foul up good on the way home, since it will likely be quite hot (around 100degF). I am going to go to a new indy at lunch and see how much they will charge to tell me what the historical code is, from yesterday...I never thought I would hear myself say this, "YAY! A CODE!"
Enjoy,
Rich P
RibEye
Senior Member
First thing I replaced, since that year, they were having problems and could not keep them in stock. I thought I got lucky lasting this long...no effect.
Yesterday, she finally threw a code, albeit brief enough i did not see it when it was active (I did notice the nasty running). I noticed she had a historical this morning, at startup. $20, at a local indy later, and Voila! P0261: Front Injector Open/Low.
I had the tank off last weekend, and checked the wiring harness very carefully, and both injectors are brand new (less than 1 tank of gas on them). Since the problem is definitely thermal, my vote remains on the ECM..I'm guessing a fractured or cold solder joint that looses connectivity as the board heats up and expands (likely on the 36-pin main connector). I don't see a wire or connector problem failing to show up until the engine and electronics are warmed up.
I'll post back later, once I have checked this out. Yay for displayed codes.
Enjoy,
Rich P
Hoople
Account Removed
Injector open means the harness wire could have a fracture on the inside. Did you wiggle wire with continuity beeper?
Rich
It was right in front of us all the time...
Wiggle the injector harness wire right near the injector itself with the bike running and see if it stumbles. There were problems with the early 2000 bikes with the harness being strapped to tightly from the factory and the engine rocking in the rubber mounts would break the copper in the injector wire right near the plug where it connects to the injector. The insulation still looks like it's OK but the copper inside is broken and would respond to temp changes with a sporadic miss.Originally Posted by RibEye
P0261: Front Injector Open/Low.
Maybe get it hot before you do this and use a stick or something to keep from burning your hand because it seems to be acting up when it's hot.
Also take a look here...
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RibEye
Senior Member
I have known about the problem with wires breaking inside the insulation, and will go at it again. I did not beep it out, since I do not have , and cannot get, the "proprietary" breakout box. What I did do was bend the wires and look for places where the wire might not be continuous, indicated by a place where the wire bends easily, and does not curve in the bend like the rest of the wire does (kind of a subtle kink at the break). I will yank the tank tonight, and get at her again.
I still think its the ECM, but $500 (HD or Thundermax Open Loop) warrants a bit more checking before additional expenditure.
It is nice to have a direction.
Enjoy,
Rich P
Keep in mind that even one strand of wire will show continuity while it isn't enough to operate the injector. No need to pull the tank to do the wiggle test (HOT)
Sometimes not only wiggling but giving it a bit of a tug near the plug will separate the wire if it is broken and cause a miss.
Sometimes not only wiggling but giving it a bit of a tug near the plug will separate the wire if it is broken and cause a miss.