computer glitch

[deo]

Just got my bike out with a whole lot of help from TC. It was like a dream come true to ride 164 outside of Portsmouth VA and feel the wind in my face. We rode at night and it was nice and cool.

Just a side note. I want to say a huge public thank you to TC for the work he did on my bike. He did the transmission fix, worked on the carbs and fine tuned them, did an internal coating on the gas tank, and much more than I can mention. All this time I was at work in Florida. When I offered to pay him for doing it he said, " I do it for the love of the bike and a fellow XSer." Thanks TC.

As we finished at midnight last night there was only one thing that needed further attention. The blinking redlight on my computer. You know the one in between the turn signals. I can't seem to get it turned off except after getting up on the highway and hitting the check system button twice. Other wise it blinks 24/7. Can anyone give me a hint about where I can get another computer or how to fix this one?

deo

[TopCatGr58]

Thanks for the kind words Dave,

Due to time constraints, I/We couldn't trouble shoot his computer warning light problem. The P.O. had removed the sidestand switch, and I'm assuming bypassed it because the XJ will start and run. The oil sensor seemed intact and connected when I pulled it off with the tranny pan. The neutral light sensor is working. The warning light comes on seemingly when you start it up, and then if you cancel it, will restart after you drive and go thru a few gears. Once you get into a gear and stay there, you can cancel it again, and it won't come back on until you shift gears again. The PO had also removed the Clutch override switch also.

When you start it up , the display shows it's running the diagnostic, the battery never shows fully charged, but I had checked and charged it prior to putting it back in, it has the wire going to the battery sensor. The oil indicator is on for a few moments, but then goes out, and when the read light starts blinking again after you've cancelled it, there isn't any other message in the display except for the sidestand!!!??? "IIRC"

Does this sound like the culprit, cause I would think that it would blink to warn you that the sidestand isn't up if you were moving and shifting gears, on a regular XJ with the sidestand switch intact!? TIA for any help for Dave.
T.C.

[Mike Hart]

xj flashing red light

Clutch switch won't matter.

If 'sidestand' is what displays on the lcd readout, then perhaps in conjunction with the neutral switch the act of shifting somehow triggers the sidestand warning again. I'm not home (in California having a blast on the XJ!) so I can't give specifics, but the schematic should show a way to fool the computer into thinking the sidestand switch is there.

The 'batt' indicator - it isn't a state of charge thing, it senses the electrolyte level, so if the fluid is low in that one cell, the batt sensor will make the red light flash and 'batt' will display.

I've noticed that being even a coupla-few ounces short of full on oil might trigger the oil warning too.

hth

[Jerry]

XJ Owner's Manual mentions that the battery sensor needs to be pulled and cleaned occasionally. Buildup on the sensor causes a false reading.

Point on oil level is right on. Oil can be above the lower mark on the sight-glass and trigger the flashing light.

If the kick-stand switch has been removed, the 3-pin connector at the rear of the gas tank where the switch plugged into the harness needs to have all 3 pins tied together. I made up a 3-way connector using standard 1/4 inch terminals and some speaker wire.

If the battery sensor is bad, or to test it or bypass it, see:

http://facstaff.uww.edu/fieldsj/mcycle/connect

Good luck!

[deo]

down but not out

Just took the bike for a solo trip to the bank. In the process of negociating the turn out of the lot the clutch studdered, I gave it more gas, and being a new rider, too much gas whereby the bike lurched forward and we went for a ride that I will never forget. One broken leg, demolished fairing, and severly dented Mercedes Benz, which the owner had for one week. I landed on my keister. Didn't know the leg was broken until about an hour later, after I sent the ambulance home. Such a start.

I guess I am going back to the regular bucket headlight system and will be making sure that I adjust the clutch again.

I had just put in a new cable and I guess it stretched and I was going to, famous last words, adjust it when I got home.

Back to the repair/drawing board for the summer. Can't put any weight on my leg for 6 weeks.

deo

[Dragonrider]

Sorry to hear it Deo!

Heal well!

[Bud Manley]

Awe man that sucks. Get well soon.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Dave/DEO,

Man, I'm so sorry to hear about this!!! But I am curious as to why you put a new clutch cable on it?? The old one seemed to be working fine? I guess we tuned it up too well, otherwise, eh!? Dare I ask whether the rear left turn signal post survived the incident?? I guess it might have helped if you had been able to mount those crash bars you had spoken about earlier..... but now that the FAIRING mounts won't be there, you should have room for them now!?

Get well soon, and get some more practice with that clutch in learning how to fan/slip it into engagement with modest adjustments in throttle. I had noticed when we went for our little test ride and when you drove it down the street before I was on my bike, that it seemed like you were dumping the clutch a bit too quickly which then drops the RPM's way low and then causes it to surge when you then get on the throttle at such low rpms and low driving speed. Keeping the RPM's up around 3-4 k and slowly feeding the clutch over a few seconds is the way to avoid that dumping/shudder you described. You might also look into/or may be required by the court(?) to partake in a MSF safety course to relearn some of those rusty handling skills!?

T.C.

[deo]

The cable that you saw was the new cable. I had replaced that when I did the brake system. I have a feeling that it stretched during the first few times out.

The stutter happened only at the top of the release. Because the clutch caught at the top end that explains to me why the first gear stutter happened. When I took off from you house I was manifesting some very old skills and am looking into the course but won 't be able to do it for at least 6 to 8 weeks. the braces have to come off first.

thanks again for every thing.

dave

[deo]

PS left rear made it through with out a scratch but the front left lost it.

[fusionking]

Sympathizin' wit ya'

Sorry to read about this. Sorta know what you're going thru with all the embarrassing stuff and all. It's not like you did it on purpose! I get to work on my ride too after I ran it over like a dog with a GMC Jimmy!

[deo]

Yeah, embarassing is right. But I guess I will grow through this. Thanks for the thoughts.

deo