Wilsons Sandbox

Hey, John, I know it's way too late now. But, the DL's fault codes are readily available online and the special tool the mechanics use to display the fault codes is nothing more than a connector to a plug behind the left rear body panel. The tool is a toggle switch to two pins in the bike side connector. A piece of wire or even a paperclip can jump the connections, allowing the temperature guage display to show the stored C## code. So, for a short piece of ordinary wire and a printout tucked away in the owner's manual, one could at least diagnose an error.   With the kickstand interlock as a redundancy, the first thing I did was disconnect the potentially troublesome clutch switch on my 02' 'Strom and bypass it so the system would still allow the engine to turn over. In it's place, I took a 2A ATO fuse (the kind with flat blade connectors) and plugged the wiring harness connectors to it and tucked it away up under the left switch gear. As for sand in injectors, the fuel pump strainer on most any EFI pump would stop it, as should've the petcock strainer on your KLR, actually. That said, as a mechanic, I have seen many petcock strainers on running bikes that were completely disintegrated and would pass chunks of rust, sand, etc...   -eddie in Ga.

----- Original Message ----- [b]From:[/b] johnbiccum@... [DSN_KLR650] [b]To:[/b] DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com ; jokerloco9@... [b]Sent:[/b] Tuesday, July 08, 2014 2:14 PM [b]Subject:[/b] RE: [DSN_KLR650] KLR Rant  

Maybe a month after buying my (fuel injected) V-Strom I pulled into a gas station for fuel. After filling the bike it wouldn't crank. The onboard diagnostics indicated SOME fault, I knew this because the CHEC was illuminated on the dash. But check what?  The owners manual told me only that the fault code was stored in the ECU (engine control unit). Suzuki doesn't use standard OBD codes or connectors so I had to  tow the bike to the dealer. They connected a (dealer only) computerized tool to the bike which indicated that the fault was with the clutch switch. ( the clutch lever had to be pulled in to start the bike). The problem was that the clutch electrical switch that tells the ECU that the clutch lever was pulled in had come electrically disconnected from the plug on the wiring harness.  The plug was still physically connect to the clutch switch but was not making contact.   Three hours and $100 later I was on my way. Yes, electronic fuel injection system are remarkably reliable.  But all the computerization needed to make them work makes it difficult to troubleshoot them on the road, especially if the information provided by the ECU is locked away such that only dealers can read it. In Baja on KLRs we ran into places where we were buying fuel from roadside entrepreneurs selling from 55 gallon plastic barrels. Most of this fuel was fine but one tankload contained some sand which found its way into the carb bowl jamming the float open. I dropped the bowl, cleaned it, cleaned the needle seat and we were on the way.  I couldn't imagine a similar outcome if the injectors on  FI bike were contaminated by sand. I love FI but for a bike for the backcountry the simplicity of a carb has merit.

Good ideas on troubleshooting.   But:   The fundamental idea that is completely lost on the current thought process in society today is keeping things simple.  High technology, options, the ability to this and that and everything else, are all the Gods to which the public must stand at the altar.    "Oh my god", version 2.2 is coming out, I must, I must, I MUST dispose of my version 2.1 because it is no longer viable.  Help me...Help MEEEEEEEEEEEEE  find my credit card, I must go to the store and buy Version 2.2........................Oh my, fuel injection is out,  I must I must get rid of my carb NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   The point here is if the bike never had that clutch switch (or fuel injector or computer or MAP sensor or anything else related to computer fuel injection) then nothing would have broken.  You would have still been on the road, you would have never wasted 3 hours and $100 at the dealer.   As a GM boss Kettering once said "things left off a car cost nothing and cause no warranty or maintenance issues".   Leaving the KLR alone with a carb leaves the option available to some buyers.  Changing it to fuel injection forces everyone to deal with all of the other crap that goes along with it.  For many, it will force them to visit the dealar more often.   Jeff         -----Original Message----- From: 'eddie' edgyver40@... [DSN_KLR650] DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> To: John Biccum ; DSN_KLR650 DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Tue, Jul 8, 2014 11:59 am Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] KLR Rant.   Hey, John, I know it's way too late now. But, the DL's fault codes are readily available online and the special tool the mechanics use to display the fault codes is nothing more than a connector to a plug behind the left rear body panel. The tool is a toggle switch to two pins in the bike side connector. A piece of wire or even a paperclip can jump the connections, allowing the temperature guage display to show the stored C## code. So, for a short piece of ordinary wire and a printout tucked away in the owner's manual, one could at least diagnose an error.   With the kickstand interlock as a redundancy, the first thing I did was disconnect the potentially troublesome clutch switch on my 02' 'Strom and bypass it so the system would still allow the engine to turn over. In it's place, I took a 2A ATO fuse (the kind with flat blade connectors) and plugged the wiring harness connectors to it and tucked it away up under the left switch gear. As for sand in injectors, the fuel pump strainer on most any EFI pump would stop it, as should've the petcock strainer on your KLR, actually. That said, as a mechanic, I have seen many petcock strainers on running bikes that were completely disintegrated and would pass chunks of rust, sand, etc...   -eddie in Ga.

----- Original Message ----- [b]From:[/b] johnbiccum@... [DSN_KLR650] [b]To:[/b] DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com ; jokerloco9@... [b]Sent:[/b] Tuesday, July 08, 2014 2:14 PM [b]Subject:[/b] RE: [DSN_KLR650] KLR Rant   Maybe a month after buying my (fuel injected) V-Strom I pulled into a gas station for fuel. After filling the bike it wouldn't crank. The onboard diagnostics indicated SOME fault, I knew this because the CHEC was illuminated on the dash. But check what?  The owners manual told me only that the fault code was stored in the ECU (engine control unit). Suzuki doesn't use standard OBD codes or connectors so I had to  tow the bike to the dealer. They connected a (dealer only) computerized tool to the bike which indicated that the fault was with the clutch switch. ( the clutch lever had to be pulled in to start the bike). The problem was that the clutch electrical switch that tells the ECU that the clutch lever was pulled in had come electrically disconnected from the plug on the wiring harness.  The plug was still physically connect to the clutch switch but was not making contact.   Three hours and $100 later I was on my way. Yes, electronic fuel injection system are remarkably reliable.  But all the computerization needed to make them work makes it difficult to troubleshoot them on the road, especially if the information provided by the ECU is locked away such that only dealers can read it. In Baja on KLRs we ran into places where we were buying fuel from roadside entrepreneurs selling from 55 gallon plastic barrels. Most of this fuel was fine but one tankload contained some sand which found its way into the carb bowl jamming the float open. I dropped the bowl, cleaned it, cleaned the needle seat and we were on the way.  I couldn't imagine a similar outcome if the injectors on  FI bike were contaminated by sand. I love FI but for a bike for the backcountry the simplicity of a carb has merit.

#ygrps-yiv-799421233 blockquote.ygrps-yiv-799421233cite {margin-left:5px;margin-right:0px;padding-left:10px;padding-right:0px;border-left:1px solid #cccccc;} #ygrps-yiv-799421233 blockquote.ygrps-yiv-799421233cite2 {margin-left:5px;margin-right:0px;padding-left:10px;padding-right:0px;border-left:1px solid #cccccc;margin-top:3px;padding-top:0px;} #ygrps-yiv-799421233 .ygrps-yiv-799421233plain pre, #ygrps-yiv-799421233 .ygrps-yiv-799421233plain tt {font-family:monospace;font-size:100%;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;} #ygrps-yiv-799421233 {font-family:Tahoma;font-size:12pt;} #ygrps-yiv-799421233 .ygrps-yiv-799421233plain pre, #ygrps-yiv-799421233 .ygrps-yiv-799421233plain tt {font-family:Tahoma;font-size:12pt;} A friend emailed this link regarding master cylinder ratios. Interesting as there are some base lines from which to consider...   http://www.vintagebrake.com/mastercylinder.htm

I like the line "the simplicity of a carb has merit". Simplicity? Sure looks like a lot of little parts in there to me, and if they aren't all marching to the same tune she runs like crap. My WR250R has fuel injection (plus wide ratio 6 speed, 350 watt stator, 26,000 mile valve checks, tunable suspension front and rear but I digress) and it just goes. Turn the key and ride off. No choke, no warm up, just go. Long trip?, just pack another pump body (eBay $35.00!) if you are that worried about it. Carburetors should join the manual typewriter, points and condenser and buggy whip pile but that's just me.

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There are few moving parts to a carb.  Most of the rest are fixed orifaces.  Keep the carb clean, and it won't give you any trouble.  I have operated equipment with 100+ year old carbs.  Clean them, and they work fine.   Jeff     -----Original Message----- From: Stephen North stephennrth@... [DSN_KLR650] DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> To: DSN_KLR650 DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Tue, Jul 8, 2014 5:10 pm Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: KLR Rant.   I like the line "the simplicity of a carb has merit". Simplicity? Sure looks like a lot of little parts in there to me, and if they aren't all marching to the same tune she runs like crap. My WR250R has fuel injection (plus wide ratio 6 speed, 350 watt stator, 26,000 mile valve checks, tunable suspension front and rear but I digress) and it just goes. Turn the key and ride off. No choke, no warm up, just go. Long trip?, just pack another pump body (eBay $35.00!) if you are that worried about it. Carburetors should join the manual typewriter, points and condenser and buggy whip pile but that's just me.

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