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The Harbinger Of Doom

Blog Date - 11 May 2016

I have been helping out an acquaintance, I've not known him quite long enough to call him a friend just yet. He has 3 motorbikes. An SLR 650 in need of a replacement front brake pipe and a little preparation for it's MOT. A BMW GS 1150 that just needs a battery fitting to get it started. And a Fazer FZ6 that's only running on 2 pistons, probably a loose wire to one of the coils.

The idea with the SLR is to sell it once it's MOT'd. Just a brake pipe and put a few bits back on? Errrrm...no. The front brake calliper is seized requiring a strip down and possibly new seals or even pistons. The rear brake is exactly the same. The master cylinder for the rear brake is also seized, something I've never come across before. The lock stops are severely damaged. The front forks but not the wheel are apparently off an Africa Twin so the front wheel spindle looks all wrong. There's corrosion everywhere and to seal the bike's fate the rear linkage is also seized.

The linkage and the brake on the slr 650. rusty, crusty, old and stuck solid
There's a lot of work to be done to get this lot through it's MOT.

So the SLR is a basket case. The time and cost of fixing all these problems is way beyond any expected sale value. 

So, on to the BMW. It takes a short while to work out how the tank comes off but soon the battery is fitted. It however refuses to start. When the ignition is switched on there's no fuel pump sounds, on most injected machines you expect to hear a few seconds of buzzing, whirring or spinning noises. With the tank off we put 12v across the pump's wires to be greeted only with a "thud". The motor is trying to turn but something is seized. So that's a new fuel pump for the GS 1150.

The tank and the fuel pump housing on the BMW 1150GSBehind this plate lurks more gremlins.

One bike condemned, one in need of parts.

Next to the Fazer. Other folks have checked the obvious - loose wire to the coils. The engine light is on and a mysterious "33" shows on the clocks, this transpires to be an error code. According to all forums, websites and official looking documents error code 33 means the computer cannot see or sense the coils for pistons 1 and 4. Remarkably, it's pistons 1 and 4 that are not running! They're amazing these computers.

It is a hell of a job to get down through the tank, the airbox and the battery to even get close to the coils, but I manage it. I test the obvious - continuity from the coil to the computer. There is a nick in the wire but continuity is good. The earth is good. I connect the wires to the other coils. Same error code...but...no error code 34 (34 = the computer cannot see the coils for 2&3).

With all coil wires disconnected I would expect code 33 and code 34. it *IS* possible that the test program runs like this though...
 Can is see coil 1&4? Yes - Can I see coil 2&3...
 Can is see coil 1&4? No - Stop with error.

So rather than finding both errors the program stops at the first error. We both agree this is possible but very unlikely as to program in this manner is, frankly, ridiculous. 

The digital clocks on the Fazer showing 33...error code 33...

So where does this leave us? Personally I suspect but cannot be absolutely sure the computer is the problem. I am not aware of anywhere that offers testing for FZ6 ECU computers. How about swapping an ECU from another FZ6? Oh...hang on...the key is coded and the ECU is tied to the key as the immobiliser. Any computer must be replaced along with the keys. This...this could be very expensive. 

One bike condemned (SLR 650), one in need of parts (BMW 1150) and now one requiring either expert attention or expensive parts (Fazer FZ6). I'm quite sure my new acquaintance is ruefully regretting the day we ever crossed paths. I'm sorry JH, I tried I really tried.

Reader's Comments

Ian Soady said :-
Shame about the SLR. As you say, it would probably cost more to fix (especially using new parts) than it would be worth. I'm still enjoying mine....

By the look of that one it's stood outside for years. It might be worth asking Bob who posted some clever stuff here a while ago if he has anyspare bits that might suit - he was stockpiling them till he suddenly went off Hondas and transferred his allegiance to BMW singles.....

WRT the Fazer, given that only one code is ever displayed, I think you may be right that it only shows the first error it comes across. Fix that then it will show the next etc.
12/05/2016 06:50:35 UTC
Henrik said :-
The ECU/key issue is reason enough I would never touch such a bike, not even with gloves on, any kind of monopoply, or hard to get nessesary test-equipment as well, full service-manual should also be available, (if nothing else on the black market), and with a full Service-manual I mean every sheme and referances needed, basic error-codes included,..

All parts should also be available, any small but essential electronic or mechanical component will always be priced to the extreme hights, just to take advantage that you are in troubles, and have no-where else to go. So if getting such bike it should be sold in so EXTREMELY high amount that the parts will be frequently available from ripped crash-bike on ebay. (and then it would still be a problem, becourse in a few years all will be hunting the same parts, becourse generally the same things will fail).

Put in mind that most industrial products is furthermore made to fail in a certain periode of time, then when this happens everything is set up to rob you, and you are left with no alternatives,...

I heard that in the US people don't whant to own their cars anymore, and the majority is now leasing, how could that be, is that the way to go ?
12/05/2016 08:53:46 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
The CB500X comes complete with immobiliser key linked to the ECU. The thing is with immobiliser systems like this and the FZ6 is that they are remarkably effective. The motorcycle cannot be started without the coded key unless the ECU and key are replaced, they're almost like a matching pair.

This does not stop motorcycles being stolen but it means they are either stolen for parts or whoever ends up with the bike has to be a serious hacker or replace the ECU/Key pair.

The very nature of this security also means the home DIY mechanic is a long long way up poop creek without a paddle if anything goes wrong. As far as I understand computers cannot be fixed at the roadside with a spanner and a welding torch. You don't repair circuit boards, you replace them.

Ian - with regards the codes. When the air box was removed it listed code 12, 22 then 33 in a loop. 12 and 22 are air box sensors. This would imply the system will go through all errors. However it still remains a possibility that the coil checking program stops on the first error. Again as Henrik suggests, you can't open the box and poke around to work out how it has been programmed.

Henrik, it is possible that one day in the future the home mechanic will be more of a hacker/programmer. I believe that someone, somewhere, sometime soon will make a generic ECU. Consider the Raspberry Pi for example. This £25 computer is more than powerful enough to run a motorcycle or even a complex car. It is just a case of writing a program and working out the connections to do this. It is a lot of work but if 15 year old kids can hack into the FBI then they're sure capable of creating their own ECU.

Things are not better, nor are they worse. They're just different. Us old school tinkerers are being left behind by the tech.
12/05/2016 17:02:27 UTC
Henrik said :-
I would say yes, the little man, the consumer, should sted into programming, driven by both indignation, and simple economical self-defence, I would gladly support some open-source development, or fund-raising, planned obsolesense is a disgustin thing as well, and how could I belive that my ecu is not programmed to fail me, when VW etc even trick the US authorityes
13/05/2016 08:48:45 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
It certainly is not beyond the realm of possibility for an ECU to have written into the code a "self destruct" program. And as you say if a massive business like VW are prepared to trick multiple authorities around the world then it becomes all to believable they would program in such other skulduggery.

The risk is in being found out, as VW has been. Imagine if Honda or Suzuki did put in place a "self destruct" piece of code then some whizz kid nerd unravelled the code and put it online. That business would be ruined. The purpose of a business is simply to make money and in this quest I'm sure being found out is a risk they'd be ready to take. Profits are about today, not in some future.
14/05/2016 16:17:01 UTC
Ian Soady said :-
WRT DIY ECUs (3 TLAs in 3 words (or indeed 4 in 4)) I believe there is a thriving community for such things eg http://www.diyefi.org/ , an arduino based forum here: http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=213700.0 . I'm sure the raspberry pi would also make a good starting point although I am not the person to do it.

One thing I really liked about the 955i Triumph I had was the ability to change fuel maps etc using free software such as TuneECU (or expensive such as Tuneboy). I used the latter to remove the designed-in flat spot around 3,000 rpm by tricking the ECU into running in open-loop rather than closed-loop mode in this area.
15/05/2016 12:19:48 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Ian you are a fountain of knowledge. I actually do computer stuff for a living and I'd never heard anything about DIY EFI systems. I'd have to do some serious learning before I'd attempt to fit anything I've created myself.

I have heard of the Trumpet's programmable ECU. Is it difficult to do and do the modern Triumphs still allow such tinkering? I'm surprised it was allowed even back then, that 3,000 rpm flat spot would be to meet some regulations?
16/05/2016 17:51:41 UTC
Henrik said :-
Yes, thanks for mentioning Ian, had never heard about it, and have not had the time yet to look at it, so dont know if its for people to get back the control over what they own, and already paid for once, in orde to maintain and repair,... or if its more about tuning
17/05/2016 06:13:02 UTC
Ian Soady said :-
I thought I'd already posted this......

WRT the modern Triumphs, I believe TuneECU works for them (and for others as listed here: http://tuneecu.com/TuneECU_En/android.html). Mine was a 2004 model with a Sagem system.

Yes, the flat spot was there to meet emissions requirements (not for UK) as it put the ECU in closed loop mode where it looked at the O2 sensor to decide whether to enrich or weaken the mixture. This caused it to hunt as it looked for the right mixture. As it only ran in closed loop when the target A/F was set at 12.5 (+/- a bit) it was easy to enrich it through that area to around 12.2 or even less. The map is displayed like a spreadsheet with throttle opening and engine speed as the 2 axes and it's very (some might say too) easy to tinker with. I never tried to alter the ignition settings.

It does look as though roll-your-own using arduino or similar may be tricky, megasquirt may be a halfway house. http://www.megasquirtuk.co.uk/index.html
17/05/2016 12:26:21 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
The difficulty with Arduino or Raspberry Pi is that of the sensors. I imagine...my Honda 125 has for example a temperature sensor that will, I presume, return a resistance depending upon the temp. Firstly something is needed to turn that resistance into a signal the Arduino can understand. Then that signal will need to be calibrated. This will need to be done for all the sensors.

Once that is done there is some serious learning to be taken in to create some kind of program.

Honda will have a team of engineers dedicated to JUST temperature sensors. Another team to throttle position sensors and so on and so on. It is hard to imagine some guy coming up with a complete working system from his garden shed, there's only so much knowledge one person can acquire in a lifetime.

That said, the MegaSquirt website seems to be just that, one guy! I'd love to sit down with him one day and pick his brains.
17/05/2016 17:55:15 UTC
Henrik said :-
Could be that the temperature-sensor is just a resistor, it could still be calibrated, or just selected,... then again there is things like LM35,.. but I think that also a two-pin active sensor, with just GND and Vcc, could easely transmit a serial data-transmission by modulating the VCC, or a third pin, I would be supprised if it didnt already exist, cheap,...
17/05/2016 19:58:56 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
As far as I know, and I am not an expert, the pins would expect a binary signal so any resistance, current or voltage would need to be digitised. As you say Henrik there will be things out there to do this...

I bet Mr Soady will know or find something! Ian, would it be sacrilege to convert the Sunbeam to fuel injection?
18/05/2016 05:20:35 UTC
Ian Soady said :-
Hmmm, there's an idea. Slightly unreliable 6 volt electrics may preclude it however......

JOOI I attach a pic of the A/F map I developed for my Tiger.

Open loop map
19/05/2016 09:50:36 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Load...would that be the the throttle position? You'll have to explain further Ian how this works.
19/05/2016 12:27:34 UTC
Ian Soady said :-
Yes, load is throttle position. The number in each cell is the ratio (by weight) of air to fuel - ie the grams of air for each gram of fuel injected. The "ideal" stoichometric ratio is about 15:1 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air%E2%80%93fuel_ratio) so anything below this is theoretically rich. It's generally accepted that around 12.5:1 is about as low as you can go.

The Triumph engine is set so that if the A/F is set to 14.5 then it is in closed loop and monitors the CO monitor so that it can adjust the A/F to keep the emissions low. And the standard map (see below) is at 14.5 for quite a lot of its range...... If it is above or below 14.5 (not sure how much) then it ignores the CO sensor. Closed loop causes hunting and general lumpiness.

I took a modified version which never went into closed loop and tweaked it so that it only went closed loop right at the bottom of both the rev and throttle range. This meant that it could adapt itself at idle but wasn't fighting itself at higher revs - especially that critical 3,000 rpm area.

However I am far from an expert and it's now some years since I played with all this.....

There was a huge amount of knowledge on some of the Triumph forums (but as usual not all of it was correct....)

standard tune
19/05/2016 14:49:37 UTC
Ian Soady said :-
I have been having a little think about all this (dangerous I know). In fact there are only 3 things you need to control: when the spark happens, how much fuel to squirt in (as in the maps above) and when to do it. In fact, you can ignore the last one as lots of FI systems just dump it in the inlet manifold at any old time.

The variables you need to input are crankshaft speed, crankshaft (well strictly camshaft) position and throttle opening. With just those you could have a working system, allowing the rider to override the mixture for when the engine is cold. In fact, s/he could even manually adjust the ignition timing as on the Sunbeam.

If you could get it working like that you could then progressively add things like air flow metering, idle control via an IACV, automatic enrichment for cold weather etc etc. I don't actually think it would be that hard.........

But I'm not going to fit it to the 'Beam.
20/05/2016 10:32:56 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
The thing I'd struggle with Ian is creating something that a computer could understand. I know the throttle position sensor for example is just a variable resistor, basically a glorified volume control off an old radio for example. There must be a circuit that translates that resistance into a digital input so the spreadsheet can map a value to that value.

As you say the basics are simple. I dare say if you could get the kit together and something to test it on even we mortals would manage to get the bike up and running sooner or later. What really would mess things up is trying to actually replace the existing ECU on a modern motorcycle.

Oh my head hurts now. You're making me want to get an old CG125 and fully digitise it but there's just SO much to learn!
20/05/2016 22:23:59 UTC

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