HELP: M696 backfiring/bucking/stalling

[gtmotor]

Forum,

I'm having trouble with my 2009 M696.  I rode it over 50 miles this morning and everything was fine.  When I went to leave work, it was hard to start and it backfired a few times while just sitting there idling.  The check engine light wasn't on so I didn't think much of it and hopped on to ride it off and hope it would clear out.

Well... it got a lot worse.  Started backfiring/bucking like crazy until it stalled out.  I cycled the key a few times and started it back up.  It reeked like fuel and would backfire badly until I just killed it and pushed it into a parking spot.  A friend was luckily leaving work at the same time and saw me having trouble so he just gave me a ride home.

Mods:

- Termignoni exhaust/ECU setup

No lights were on in the dash and it ran great until I tried to leave work.  I'm going to pick it up in my truck tomorrow and am debating if I should just drop it off at the dealer or if I should take it home and try to self diagnose. 

Any suggestions?  Is there a way to (easily) reset the ECU and see if that fixes the problem?

Thanks!

[elgallo73]

I'm not familiar with the Termignoni ECU but the symptoms you are describing SHOULD throw a code...  I had similar problems with a newer model Ford truck where the MAF sensor failed.  Granted, this was an auto and not a motorcycle, but they are both internal combustion engines and the basic rules still apply: air, fuel, compression, spark.

I would check all electrical connections to include sensors, injectors, ECU, and dash (has a baro trim sensor).  Barring this, you could swap in the old ECU and cans, that will quickly tell you if there are any issues with the Termi firmware.

The largest issue I see here is no code thrown with an engine obviously not running properly.  Does the Termi ECU eliminate the O2 sensors?  I would think an overly rich mixture (from your description) or raw fuel as a consequence of a timing issue would trigger a fault via the O2 sensors and an inability for the ECU to correct the issue.

I'm no expert and this is just my 2 cents but hope this helps...

[Howie]

There is a TPS reset procedure you can do on your bike with the ignition key.  Worth a try.  Unfortunately I can't remember how it is done, but the method is somewhere here on the board.

The DP ECU on your 696 does not eliminate the O₂ sensors and is probably not the problem.  Do check all electrical connections.

[gtmotor]

A Google searched turned up the TPS reset procedure.  It is to turn the ignition on and off 3 times without touching the throttle or the fast idle lever.  I didn't do that today... it'll be the first thing I try tomorrow when we go back. 

[gtmotor]

Update:

1. Checked all wires, everything looks good
2. Swapped ECUs, put the stock intake filter back
3. Buttoned her up, took it for a ride.

Still runs like sh*t.

I get mad and drain all the fuel out thinking it may be bad gas.  I replace with 91 octane Chevron, then took it for a ride again.

Still runs like sh*t.  I get mad again and give it more throttle just to see what would happen.  It sputters, coughs, then suddenly accelerates.  ...then it stalls out.  I get it started again with the fast idle lever on full.  It's idling slightly higher than it was before.  I take it out down the street again and its sputtering/backfiring/coughing and randomly accelerating now!  Maybe it was bad gas?  I go wide open throttle a few times and it's getting smoother and smoother.  Now it will idle with the fast lever in the off position.

Then I had to get home for some other commitments.  It didn't stall once on the way home.  It's still sputtering and randomly ignoring my throttle inputs but it's 100% better than it was before.  I'm going to swap the DP ECU back in and take it for a freeway run later today to really clear it out.

I guess the Italian tune-up is more than just a name...

[Curmudgeon]

You don't have codes stored in your instrument cluster? Could be a bad sensor giving off an erroneous reading. Since all your plug connections have been checked and you've eliminated the ECU, might be easier to take it to your dealer and hook up to the hand tester/computer. That will show any parameters which are off.

[gtmotor]

No check engine light... so there probably isn't a code stored.

I put the bike in my truck and took it to the dealer yesterday.  They turned me away because they were too busy.  I guess I should have called first.

[Raux]

with no check engine light hmmm

did you remove the charcoal canister? check the Throttle bodies for vacuum leaks

[Curmudgeon]

Showing up at you dealer's door on a Saturday?!  Why didn't you leave it then?

Get out your owner's manual and scroll through the code menu. A MIL light is just for specific malfunctions and I believe not for everything. You may still have a stored code.

As per Raux's comment, is your tank vent hose crimped? Just a thought.

[HotIce]

Smells like bad gas to me. Went through this a couple of times already (with a Suzuki Bandit 1200), and 1/3..1/2 a bottle of Seafoam together with a full tank of fresh gas solved it for me.
Once didn't, and I had to pull the fuel filter and manually clean it, as it accumulated a huge amount of crud.

[Buckethead]

Smells like bad gas to me. Went through this a couple of times already (with a Suzuki Bandit 1200), and 1/3..1/2 a bottle of Seafoam together with a full tank of fresh gas solved it for me.
Once didn't, and I had to pull the fuel filter and manually clean it, as it accumulated a huge amount of crud.

This.

How many miles have you put on the bike so far this year?

[gtmotor]

The dealer had easily 30+ bikes all piled into their bay.  They said it they wouldn't even be able to look at my bike until the end of April.  I decided I didn't want to leave it that long and took it home (I just stopped there after I picked it up from work where it stalled out).

Throttle bodies are fine with no leaks.  The charcoal canister has been eliminated and an M6 bolt was installed in each TB with high temp RTV as secondary seal.

I read the manual and don't see the "error" menu pop up when I cycle through the options.  That means there is no code stored in the cluster.  I'm still leaning toward a bad tank of gas.  The odd thing is I rode the bike all through the winter.  It has probably 1000 miles on it since December.

I swapped the DP ECU back in but haven't had a chance to ride it.  I put some Seafoam in the tank also.  I'll be able to ride it again tomorrow afternoon so I'll report back if it's better or worse.

[CFM]

I was reading the posts on here and the problems you seem to be having.  I had similar issues after i took my exhaust off so i could paint it.  After i put it back on it was back firing and running like shit.  After much forum searching and finding nothing that helped I discovered that i had switched the O2 sensors and thats what was causing the rough running.  I would swap your O2 sensors and see if that helps.