A Disturbance in the force…

[Guest norman]

At the end of last years season, my 1100Sport ie spun just fine. During the winter I have made the 4000km service, and this spring I improved the wiring for the headlight with a couple of relays and also changed some relays to ones with better quality. The latter moments were managed with some good help and supervision, from my pal Raz (with whom I also have tuned a couple of mopeds back in the days).

 

When I had my first run this year at the end of April, I noticed a strange very short intermittent power loss, between 5000rpm and 6000rpm. It feels just like if the ECU stops delivering some very important signal to the stuff that gives birth to the almighty Guzzi force, if u know what I mean?

 

I have checked the wiring (connections and insulation), the valves, and this morning I got some new spark plugs. After a test drive a moment ago I concluded, that the problem still hangs around, disturbing the force.

 

Does anyone have any experience of this scenario?

 

/norman, uppsala sweden.

[waspp]

Have you checked your air filter? After the winter months mine became an acorn storehouse which can affect proper airflow, also a friend of mine found the isulation under his tank fell down and blocked his modified airbox. I ended up making a pair of meial screens to install under the rubber snorkels to keep the critters out.

[Frenchbob]

Modern petrol can leave residues of varnish in carbs [throttle bodies too, I suppose] after a winter's standing - my 750 S3 suffers from this if I don't drain the carbs before putting it away for the winter and the result is just as you describe. Just a thought.

[rocker59]

My Sport 1100 was acting funny earlier this year and it turned out to be a poor connection on the negative side of the front battery...

 

I still run two Yuasas in my 1996.

[raz]

He's got K&N pods with pre-chargers. A test-run without the pre-chargers fitted would be an easy check.

 

Norman, I know you replaced the fuel filter, but did you ever remove the petcock and its' mesh filter? Maybe we should just check your fuel pressure, I have a gauge. But you don't have any problems above 6.000 rpm, do you?

 

Also, since you've got a PCIII I guess we could use the software to check that your sensors and the crappy cabling is OK. Just stop by here, weather is great, no?

[Cliff]

One of the relays supplies power to the ECU and another to the coil injectors. Perhaps vibration is interrupting supply. Try putting the originals back in.

[Guest norman]

WoW, thanks for your responses!

 

Just as Raz says, I have got K&N air filter pods. They are recently cleaned and oiled according to the instructions on the cleaning set package. I do not think that's the problem. I have also washed the prechargers quite recently.

 

Regarding the fuel residues, i have some experience of that problem (from my old Le mans), and I guess that it applies to fuel injectors as well - I will try with some cleaning product to mix with the fuel.

 

Before yesterdays test run, I switched places of the ECU and Injector relays, unfortunatley I threw the old ones in the garbage can.

 

I think that I will look more and deeper in to Rockers clue. Have any of u guys altered/improved the battery ground connection by the way (compared to the original design)?

 

[raz]

Early this season I put a full bottle of injection cleaner (enough for a full car tank) in my tank with less than 5 litres of fuel in it, then ran it a couple of kms before filling up with fuel. I didn't have any sympthoms, I was just being pro-active and Guzzichondriac

 

I don't think you have to improve the ground braid connection at the battery other than checking it's not seated in rust. As far as I remember we did the alternator and head light grounding improvements that I think are the consensus here.

[nose2wind]

When I had my first run this year at the end of April, I noticed a strange very short intermittent power loss, between 5000rpm and 6000rpm. It feels just like if the ECU stops delivering some very important signal to the stuff that gives birth to the almighty Guzzi force, if u know what I mean?

 

Does anyone have any experience of this scenario?

 

/norman, uppsala sweden.

 

I had this happen years back. If you mean very short maybe a second or less. I would be crusing at 5000 running fine and get a blip like someone turning the power off and on. It eventually got worse more often and finally just quite and left me stranded. Turned out to be the ECU relay. I know you changed them so maybe you could swap two around and see if it goes away.

 

Good luck!

[raz]

unfortunatley I threw the old ones in the garbage can.

I'm pretty sure you saved one as a reserve for the tool bag, didn't you? Otherwise I do have a couple of the original ones somewhere. Not that I think it will help (it usually goes the other way) but you may feel good ruling that out.

[Guest norman]

Yes I saved one of the relays and if I excavate the garbage can in the garage, I might find the rest of the little buggers. I will try switching relays and take a test run.

[Guest norman]

...After a lineup and a confrontation with the suspects:

1) The ECU relay.

2) Clogged fuel injectors due to modern fuel.

 

The perpetrator turned out to be the bad fuel. I solved the problem with a bottle of injetion cleaner so the case is closed

[Guest norman]

Thanks for all the tips and help by the way

 

Anybody got any tips on how to prepare the the injection fuel system, for winter storage (to avoid further problems of similar type)? Is it draining or to put something in the fuel the last autumn run?

[Tom M]

Thanks for all the tips and help by the way

 

Anybody got any tips on how to prepare the the injection fuel system, for winter storage (to avoid further problems of similar type)? Is it draining or to put something in the fuel the last autumn run?

 

I shut off the petcock and run the bike 'till it stalls out, then drain the tank. I don't know if it's right but it seems to work for me.

[waspp]

I usually add fuel stabilizer to both the injected and carbureted bikes, it seems to work ok. I do frequently start the bike during the winter as well so they arn''t sittung for months without running.