I need help!

[VaBusa]

A few weeks back I was running up through the gears and my Busa cut off...I coasted, pulled over and immediately smelled a slight burning smell...couldn't tell you what it was, just that it worried me that I'd just blown my bike up...

Well, my husband took over on the Busa while I rode his Harley to make sure everything was okay, and it seemed that it was. When we got home, we checked the oil and coolent levels, didn't smell that burning smell anymore, and just assumed that I'd hit the kill switch and didn't realize it.

It happened again yesterday, and I am 100% positive I did not hit the kill switch. I was going through the gears, was in 6th gear going 90 mph...I was nearing my road to head home, hit both brakes, applied the clutch and shifted down in to 5th gear, all the while looking at my instrument panel...no sudden rpms, speed was dropping, the normal routine...well, the Busa shut off almost as soon as I shifted in to 5th gear. Dead, again...I smelled that burning smell again, coasted for a few seconds, then decided to just hit the ignition switch to restart, pulled in my driveway and told my husband that it died on me again. I told him exactly what I was doing, how fast I was going, the gear I was in, and that I'd shifted down in to 5th on my way to slowing to make a turn when it died. He took it out and tried to make it cut off 3 times without any luck...

I have no idea what I may have done to cause this, and if I'm not to blame, is there something wrong with my Busa?

Anyone experienced this before?

Thanks guys!

 

[EAKbusa]

Sounds like it could be a faulty sensor or a short. Not sure about the Busa, but for alot of bikes, if a sensor stops sending a signal (or shorts temporarily) the engine will shut off automatically as a safety measure to prevent possible damage. If it starts again easily, that sounds like a short somewhere. I would check all the connections to the sensors and main ECU to see if they are loose or appear damaged. Also, if you have a Powercommander I would disconnect it and see if the problem stops. If it does then the short is in the PC cable somewhere or it might be faulty altogether.

To get to these connections, raise the tank and you will see a mass of connectors underneath. Just wiggle them and see that they are all snapped tight together and appear undamaged. You can also follow the wires to all of the sensors and see that they are properly plugged in. For instance if the gear position sensor is loose somewhere and shorted out, it would stop sending a signal and the engine would shut down like you are seeing. When the connection was restored it would restart like nothing was wrong until it shorted again.

In any case it sounds to me that you will need to go to a dealer that can diagnose the problem unless you can find a loose cable/connection. Good luck. I can tell you that I have an '03 with no such problems nor have I heard of any such problems.



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[GeebMan]

I had an '03 Black/Grey that when I would do some hard braking while pulling in the clutch it would on rare occasions die. It only did this twice and never did it again so I'm not sure what the cause was.

 

[havoc]

Make sure the idle is adjusted between 1100-1300, mine did the same thing, after adjusted never had the problem again

 

[jwcfbd]

The only thing I can think of right now is to check your idle speed.  The Busa likes to stall if it gets to low.  It should be set at around 1100rpm.  As for the burning smell I don't know what to tell you, sorry.
good luck



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[busahigg]

If the RPMs are high enough to keep the bike running it is of course, not the idle. As for the burning smell. It sounds like you have a loose connection or a short somewhere. It could even be the battery terminal connections. I would check all the simple things first. Start with the battery.

 

[VaBusa]

Thanks guys...at least this gives me a place to start...I'm not the mechanical kind like all of you, but I'm learning!

 

[LoBusa]

Hey Girl,

I checked with my mechanic and he said the same thing as above. Check your idle and make sure it is high enough. (But that would not cause any burning smell) Like Higgy said, check all connections to the battery as well. Just an FYI, I barely use 6th gear unless I am well over 100 mph... The RPM's are just too low under that speed in that gear....

just my .02.... GOOD LUCK!

Lo

 

[RaiderDm]

Make sure the idle is adjusted between 1100-1300, mine did the same thing, after adjusted never had the problem again

What he said!!!

The idle will slowly adjust its self down. On my Busa it gets to the point where it stalls every time I close the throttle after approx 3000 miles.

 

[RaiderDm]

If the RPMs are high enough to keep the bike running it is of course, not the idle.  As for the burning smell.  It sounds like you have a loose connection or a short somewhere.  It could even be the battery terminal connections.  I would check all the simple things first.  Start with the battery.

Busahigg , Hate to tell you this but you are wrong. Bike will Idle at 800 rpm but when you close the throttle (like when down shifting or stopping the bike will die. Sometimes she'll start right up from the rear tire acting as a push start. Other times you have to hit the starter button.

 

[VaBusa]

Hey Girl,

I checked with my mechanic and he said the same thing as above.  Check your idle and make sure it is high enough.  (But that would not cause any burning smell)  Like Higgy said, check all connections to the battery as well.  Just an FYI, I barely use 6th gear unless I am well over 100 mph...  The RPM's are just too low under that speed in that gear....

just my .02....     GOOD LUCK!

Lo

Thanks Lo...it's funny because I know I don't need to be in 6th gear, but since it's there, I instinctively use it nearly every ride...

I'll work on not using it so much...gonna be hard though!

 

[RaiderDm]

Why wouldn't you use 6th or 5th gear?

 

[†WÃ￾§†ëD]

whats does the smelly smell smell like? plastic, oil, rubber, toast ? or, what doesnt it smell like .....

 

[HP Junkie]

If the RPMs are high enough to keep the bike running it is of course, not the idle.  As for the burning smell.  It sounds like you have a loose connection or a short somewhere.  It could even be the battery terminal connections.  I would check all the simple things first.  Start with the battery.

Busahigg , Hate to tell you this but you are wrong. Bike will Idle at 800 rpm but when you close the throttle (like when down shifting or stopping the bike will die. Sometimes she'll start right up from the rear tire acting as a push start. Other times you have to hit the starter button.

mine died because of the idle on the highway but when i tried to pop start it (drop clutch) she refused and my fi light came on . went away after i turned off the key.it took a while after i came to a stop before she would start.

 

[FLCN72]

If all the other things to check don't solve the problem, you might want to make certain there isn't a kink in the fuel line under the tank. Sometimes they get a weird bend that restricts fuel flow and can cause stalling and dying. Just lift the tank and take a look at the rubber hoses to make sure they aren't bent up.

 

[†WÃ￾§†ëD]

Oh and one more thing, sure its not the hardley you smell?

 

[Rhythm]

Oh and one more thing, sure its not the hardley you smell? [/QUOTE]

 

[VaBusa]

whats does the smelly smell smell like? plastic, oil, rubber, toast ? or, what doesnt it smell like .....

As much as I'd like to blame the Harley, it wasn't around...

The smell isn't distinguishable to me...just like someone lit something with a match...a burning smell...not oil...not coolant...I'm not sure, but I know that both times my Busa's stalled, I've smelled it...

I'm thinking I've got a short somewhere, as mentioned by others several times now...I've been riding tons on my Busa in the last several days without any problems until my last ride on Monday...it's not happening often, but it does bother me...

While it's under warranty, I'd like to make sure I don't have something going very wrong with it...

Thanks for all the advice though guys/gals...gives me a place to start...I've never torn down bikes or performed maintenance on them, so I'm truly learning as I go...

 

[VaBusa]

Why wouldn't you use 6th or 5th gear?

I use 5th and 6th gear all of the time Raider...never knew not to...I am used to shifting through all the gears in my Mustang until I hit 5th, downshift when I need to, etc...I do the same on the Busa and didn't think it was a problem...

But, I've often wondered how many even get to 6th gear just cruising around town?

 

[stkr00]

VaBusa - To determine if it's an electrical smell, you could take a "SPARE" piece of wire and burn the insulation with a lighter. I wouldn't use a match, because you'll likely be smelling the sulfer instead of the insulation. This will at least let you know what burning insulation smell like. It's an acrid chemical type smell.

Be carefull, the fumes are toxic, so don't breathe too much of it.

If it's electrical, and it's still under warranty, then I would let the dealership trace out all the wiring to find the problem. That's a lot better than having your bike burn up on the side of the road.

Good Luck