Engine Light

[Fishbein]

Fish here - hope all is well. Just thought I'd run this by the experts, but remember I'm just a nuts and bolts guy (not set up to taker her apart). Looking to see if there's some simple solution; otherwise I will take her to the shop.

I got tired of having to take my R3T all the way to Camp Springs, Md (Clinton Cycles) so I tried the local shop nearby, Crossroads Cycle. They did a maintenance, cleaning/adjusting valves, etc., just before last winter. I rode straight thru the winter w/ no problems.

This summer I was having trouble finding my neutral light at times, but seemed neutral was working (just not showing sometimes). Then the safety sensor which doesn't allow bike in gear w/ kickstand down started preventing starts or shutting bike off w/ stand down. Crossroads replaced neutral light (I had suspected faulty sensor) and all was good for a while. Then noticed neutral not showing sometimes when downshifting, but since bike not shutting off and starting, I ignored it.

But then engine light appeared and not sure why. 12 minute tune turned it off a few times, but doesn't always work. Keeps coming back on. Any thoughts on simple solution regarding engine light, or might be serious? Big trip in August so need to resolve. Thanks!!!

 

[tdragger]

I'd take it by an AutoZone and have them hook up their code reader to the OBDII port under your seat. Get the code and come back here.

Alternatively, buy a cheap reader from ebay: $20

Alternatively II, buy a ODBII cable off ebay ($20) and download TuneECU (free) to your laptop if you have one. Hook it up and get the code.

 

[WJ]

A strip of black electrical tape should do the job.

 

[zenbiker]

I could not get my check engine light off after reducing my idle. Called Bob Carpenter and he told me to do a reset by disconnecting the negative battery cable for a couple of minutes. I never thought this would work but it did! Not back on since! Try it...can't hurt.

 

[Fishbein]

Hey, guys, I think my last response didn't go thru. Thanks for the tips!! I'm on a trip up by the Fingerlakes in NY. When I get back to DC I'm going to try the battery trick b/c I failed to mention that I did put in a scorpion battery just before last winter to get more batt power. But I should have gotten the reader 5 yrs ago - I need to do that. Thanx y peace.

Fish

 

[Fishbein]

So I got the cable, but I'm reading about TuneECU and every other sentence warns me that if I don't know what I'm doing I can destroy my engine. Well, I don't know what I'm doing, so I'm afraid to ruin the bike.

 

[Fishbein]

Thanx for the step by step idk! I ran another 12 min tune, but this time a good bit longer, maybe 30 mins or so. Rode to work and back today with no engine light and no noticeable problems. I will see if the light comes back on.

 

[warp9.9]

yes the 12 minute tune takes 25 to 30 minutes as time does not start until the fan cycles for the first time. usually takes mine about 10 minutes before the fan comes on.

 

[Fishbein]

Thanks, Warp, yeah, I always wait about 10 mins for the fan, but this time I think I ran the engine about a half hour after the fan came on just to see if it would help running her a little longer. Hard for me to know if its fixed or just masking a problem. I assume if there's no engine light on there's nothing to read, decode so to speak. I'm surprised Crossroad Cycles doesn't have the cable to read codes, but they're old school.

 

[Fishbein]

That's what I was thinking. I just hope that if there's a continuing problem the engine light would come back on. I'd hate to mask a problem by doing the tune over and over, and do real damage to the engine (if that's possible). Seems to be running fine, but I don't know...I suppose if there's no engine light on there's nothing to read/decode?