Overheat and Shut/Turn/Cut Off concern

[only1reds]

Yesterday I took my XB9SX out for a short ride (50 miles), then parked in the sun for a few hours.

Here's the issue, when I came back to get on my bike to head back out, I noticed she was extremely hot (frame, airbox cover, seat, everything).

So I started her up but she sounded a bit rough, and after 45 seconds just cut off. I then went ahead to start her back up and ONCE AGAIN, she turned off.

Now at this point I went with my first mind, and thought I should pull her out of the direct sunlight and allow her to cool off a bit.

Returned back 30-45 minutes later, checked with my hands to feel if she was still hot, in which she wasn't, then went ahead and fired her back up, issue resolved.

Has anyone ever had this happened?

MIND YOU, I AM IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (temp was in the 90's yesterday)

[Macbuell]

When you got it to run the 45 seconds before cut off was it skipping some piston firings? As I understand it, that will happen before it shuts off completely.

[XBear9S]

I live in the Heart of Texas where 100°+ in not uncommon.
My bike gets warm, though thanks to my right hand scoop, not so much these days.
Having your bike die and or not fire b/c its overheated is NOT normal.
It sounds like you had the bike moving and not in traffic,
so it should not have over heated.

What year is your XB9SX?
How often do you check the oil?
Any other recent issues?

Thanks for the info,

Special K!
Central Texas Hill Country Hellbuellies
"I'm a Hellbuelly! What the hell are you?"


"Do not meddle in the affairs of Buells, for they are subtle and quick to wheelie!"

--JRR1000 Tolkien

[only1reds]

When you got it to run the 45 seconds before cut off was it skipping some piston firings?

No, just seeming a bit more fired up, as if it were running HARD


What year is your XB9SX?

'05


How often do you check the oil?

Just changed the primary oil 2 days ago


Any other recent issues?

I had to swap out a busted clutch cable, this is why I changed the oil in the primary.

Okay this seems to be a PROBLEM.

I took her back out today, she fired up just fine, went for 20 mile 65 mph calm ride. Parked in the shade for a few hours no problems.

Then I left, and rode home like a MANIAC the entire way. Got home, she was hot, let her sit for about 15 mintues then came back downstairs to ride around locally.

SAME ISSUE AS BEFORE!!!

Fired up, she seemed to be running hard once more, than cut off. I then just parked and chained her up.

ANY HELP IS MOST APPRECIATED

[only1reds]

Does anyone have any idea what this could be???

[03Firebolt9R]

Not sure what it could be, but I have had mine shut down on me only one time. I was at a bike rally in AR stuck in traffic at midday. I coasted into a lot and let it cool down. No problems after that though. Sorry I couldnt be more help....just thought I would share my experience.

[only1reds]

Okay good. I was hoping at least someone had a similiar experience.

I since called the local HD dealership and asked could all this possibly be from the heat, and was told, "YES, It is highly possible that the heat has fouled out somethings".

Went downstairs and fired her up, and she seems to be fine. So I believe it was just the heat and running her really hard.

But we'll see what happens

[XBear9S]

Have you ever had problems with your voltage regulator.
Have you ever switched out your #77 connector?

I had a very similar problem twice.
Both times I was told it was my voltage regulator.
But the bike got hot just before it broke down both times.
The tank actually got hot to the touch.

It was arcing in the connector that was the problem.
When the bike fist fired she ran fine,
then as she heated up, the connector would separate and arc.
This caused elec surges throughout the bike.
Eventually she'd run ruff and even drop a cylinder.
But by then the voltage reg was fried.

See this link

http://www.buellxb.com/Buell-XB-Forum/Buell-Parts-Guy-Questions-and-Answers/Voltage-Regulator-Connector-Pre-08-XBs

Hope it helps,

Special K!
Central Texas Hill Country Hellbuellies
"I'm a Hellbuelly! What the hell are you?"


"It's a friggin' Buell, it's not supposed to be comfortable, quiet or safe. The wind noise is supposed to hurt your ears, the seat should be hard and riding it should make you $hit your pants every now and then. It's a fricking motorcycle, suck it up!"

--Scary MC, ADV Rider

[Odin]

haven't had that issue, just wanted to say: I live in phoenix, and every day my bikes parked outside at work for 10 hours while it's 100+ outside. never fails to start when i leave (and still hot outside)
So i wouldn't look at the weather as your problem. having some strict bike -only issues

[fannar]

Having similar problems. Bike runs fine, when it gets hot it dies, cuts off. I wait until it cools down and then I can start it again.

I'm gonna check XBear9S's solution. Hope that works for me :S

--
XB12Ss 2005

[1SexyBuell]

WOW XBear9S your bike was doing the SAME EXACT thing that my bike is doing now.... I have taken it to 2 dealers already and neither one has mentioned anything about the problem being the voltage regulator... I have to print this out and take it to them :o I mean this is exact down to the T about what has been happening to my bike since March 2nd [sad]

[Paniller]

Same here. If I go somewhere for lunch (5-10min ride) then let it sit for 30-45 minutes, it struggles and misses when I fire it up. Only happens in 85+ weather though. It'll smooth out once I baby it to start going, but it runs like crap and even stalls until I get out of the parking lot.

Oh yeah, let's not forget the 30mpg average, 35 max. I think my warranty expires before I can get in for service, too. 1 month backup.

[icepop77]

I had a Mercury Sable that did the same thing. Ended up being a failing ECM that would act up once it got warm and was shut down and then restarted. When it was started up "warm", the engine sputtered and ran with about half the normal power. It was near undriveable like that. If I drove somewhere and shut it off, I knew I was stuck there for at least an hour or else it would run like crap if I started it up again.

It wasn't a Buell, but if I described the problem and substituted "Buell" for "Mercury" it would read the exact same way as the OP.

[Nikolai]

1SexyBuell umm, if you read XBear9S's post again you'll notice the root cause was not the voltage regulator but the #77 connector that was arcing with the frame.

A frame arc can be very dangerous. You can blow up your battery.

[Paniller]

Where is this alleged #77 connector? Any pics?

[Stevenc150]

#77 Connector (http://docs.google.com/view?docid=d4rbxwr_20dq5khf) ;)

[Paniller]

Awesome, thanks. I'll check that section out later.

[TooFst]

Is the fan working?