1500 Cranks Only/NO START, Lots of New parts?????

[DC]

Greast that your bike is up and running again.   

[Trall]

Excellent!
Sometimes it is best to take it to an expert...
If we can find one.
Glad you are up and running now!

Yes it was.  The service tech said they had  a little over 4 hours into it and charged me for 3.

That or really had 2 hours and charged me for 3.  Either way I was relieved and happy to ride her home instead of tow her when I dropped her off.

The bill total was $333.

[tj]

Damn wires!

Glad all is well.

[JagLite]

Excellent!
Sometimes it is best to take it to an expert...
If we can find one.
Glad you are up and running now!

[Old Drifter]

Glad to hear the good news! It's a great feeling to have you're bike up and running again. Now go clean up that shop and put the tools and spare parts away.

[Pilgrim]

  wonderful. Well, you replaced a few parts but you also got to know your bike better.
Glad you got her up and running. Still be some good riding days left.

[Troll]

Everybody worries about the parts at the end of the wires, nobody considers the wires, themselves....

[Trall]

On the road again and the Drifter Gods were shining in IL today with sunshine and 49 degrees.

I got the ECU with a 30 day return policy and swapped out but exact same symptoms.   So that ruled out a bad computer.  After calling a few bike shops, then I towed it to the local Kawasaki Dealer who had a 40 year Master tech.  Figured if he can't find the issue then no one can.   The Master mechanic had the bike up and ready 4 hours later.

I was not able to speak directly with the Master tech. but the service advisor Notes read "Ground wires from coils to ignitor were split somewhere in harness.  Front cylinder had total split ground and rear cylinder had loose ground causing intermit spark. Problem was resolved by re-running ground wires from both coils to functioning ground wires in harness."

Bottom line, my Drifter is alive again and the 50 minute ride home was like I was at Disneyland.  I probably pinched some ground wires is my guess  from having the tank on and off or other parts off during the painting, cleaning, and detailing process.

Thank again for pointers along the way..................

[Troll]

Thank you. I am just about 375 miles short of 110,000 on it as of this evening.

[Trall]

Thats prob the issue in a wire somewhere.  I have no to limited knowledge in electrical checks but have someone next week that does and will have to check those areas but first-
Just to rule it out, I got a used ECU that the seller has 30 days no questions returns minus return shipping costs and 10% restock fee.  So for about $30 costs I can quickly rule that in or out in about 3 minutes to hook a new ECU up to the bike. If ruled out then has to be a wire.

I had a car once that had several weird electrical issues and running issue and the master mechanic check everything and change some likely parts and problem persisted until new car ECU and never a problem since.

Thanks.

P.S. Hey Troll I see you also have a rockin 01 with great factory colors.  In your pictures with solo seat and solo structs with added solo luggage rack with added aftermarket pad- With that luggage rack support a person?  I have  the same one.

[Troll]

check for continuity in the wire harness. a broken wire is a much more likely cause.

[Trall]

Unbelievable Frustration....... I got the alternate cover off from other posts -http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/forum/index.php?topic=44167.0 (just adding thread in in case someone reads this down the road with same issues)

I Waited 24hrs. plus for the pickup coil rubber wire plugs that slide into alternator cover  / silicone sealant to dry on the alternator cover and still have the same problem and bike not running normal.  Got the bike started after a few tries and front cylinder pipe still cold and rear cylinder pipe hot and FI light still ON.  I run the jumper wire from the ECU for code and it's still saying 21 code for pickup coil #1 bad.

With brand new Kawasaki pickup coil set that seems unlikely.  I called my mechanic friend and told him.   He thought something must be bad with a wire somewhere.  First, He said for me to change out the front cylinder spark plugs in case they were fouled up from gas and not running since dealing with this issue, like Troll mentioned earlier when dealing with this problem.  Did that and same conditions.  He said if that does not work then its probably a bad wire somewhere from the pickup coil or ignition coils or maybe the ECU is bad.  At this point he's booked up but can check the bike and start testing the wires and parts next week when I drop it off.

Is there a way to test the ECU, to see if it's bad?? I disconnected the connectors to it and all the metal prongs look clean with no corrosion.

Would a bad ECU say a pickup coil #1 is bad and only run the 2nd cylinder? Even after new pick-up coils installed?

With brand new Kaw parts so far being Ignition coils with sparkplug wires and spark plugs, pickup coils #1 and #2, FI relay, and new battery I am leaning towards - its probably and bad wire somewhere or bad ECU.

[Trall]

Thanks for the invite.  I can't plan that far ahead right now with money, job, kids and wife but will keep it in mind. I spent some crazy bucks /credit card debt on restoring my beauty.  I did everything to my 800 and everything else I wanted to do to the 800 to my 1500.  Its like running a marathon to get it all done compared to waiting tell Xmas day. I was thinking to make it to a Drift In if thats the name first at some point and year.
One thing I did was the Gilroy Indian Era right side air cover that is absolutely gorgeous on the Drifter.   Ill post pics soon when its all done.  Its close......Well see..........

[Old Drifter]

So its a clean machine to say the least.  I think all the bugs are figured out with this last part and she should be ready for the road soon once this part on a backorder comes in. 

So does that mean you'll be riding to Sturgis 2017 with me? I'll stop by and pick you up on my way out.

[CDNRatMan]

  part of the fun of a new  / used bike getting to learn it's little moods and such, then learning what makes it tick and how it responds......

[Trall]

Well he might just be a decent business man.

You did not have any issues with the 800, oh and count the front spokes for Zoar........

Zoar can count his own spokes...LOL....My 800 had its share of bugs after buying but after getting then all worked out the new owner drove it back home from IL to NY with no problems.  Ill be there soon with the new scoot..........

[CDNRatMan]

  Well he might just be a decent business man.

You did not have any issues with the 800, oh and count the front spokes for Zoar........

[Trall]

So while you are waiting, you can clean and polish the bike and clean all the spokes and the rims, getting ready to ride it for the few weeks left of the summer.

Oh yea.  Thats what I have been doing for the past two months,  that and every maintenance preventative item that comes to mind, coolant temp. sensor,  powder coater did rims and some other Drifter parts, brake pads, coolant flush/change (did that one before I took the tank off), steering stem zerk mod, brake flush, clutch flush, rectifier relocation mod, Ted Strubble Hand shifter, Ted Strubble shaft cover, and more in my down time. All because my painter had all my body parts and was 1 month late in returning them.   So its a clean machine to say the least.  I think all the bugs are figured out with this last part and she should be ready for the road soon once this part on a backorder comes in.  You should see my credit card bill.

At least my painter had a conscience for being so late and reduced my bill by $225. 

[CDNRatMan]

  So while you are waiting, you can clean and polish the bike and clean all the spokes and the rims, getting ready to ride it for the few weeks left of the summer.

[Trall]

My friend mechanic stopped by to check the 21 code.    And it's definitely the pick up coil is bad  and because of that the bike is running on one cylinder instead of two that he said as well when he checked.

So now no one has the parts it's on backorder so I'm going to have to wait about a week and a half till I get it.

Taking off the inner alternator cover should be fairly easy when he looked at it.

I was thinking about the other cover behind the alternator innner cover.  I thought that might've had to come off which require a lot more time and work.

So  hopefully the end is in sight and all the bugs we were dead after this new  pick up coils replaced.

Thanks for everybody help.

[Pilgrim]

I wouldn't pull that cover until your buddy checks the coils with his ohm meter.
I have never had to check these coils but there should be a wire harness coming out with a connector and should be able to check the coils from the connector.

I have never laid eyes on the connector but from looking at the parts diagram, it looks like two wires to each coil so it is probably a four pin connector.

[Trall]

I just pulled off the Left ALt. cover to get ready for the mechanic to test.  Everything looks plugged it form the wires available.
I looked at the manual in case the coils have to be removed to replace them.   The inner alternator cover looks like a major chore to remove.  The manual mentions using jacks and removing engine front and rear mounting bolts and lots of stuff.  I don't know if I can do it with what i have just to get the inner alt. cover off.

Anyone have any tips on the easiest way to remove the inner alt cover???

Partzilla calls the pick up coils Coil-Pulsing Kawasaki Part #59026-1158. Cost 63.69 plus shipping.  Sold as a set, so you get both Pick-up coils 1 + 2 it looks like.

[Trall]

another thread to read..

http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/forum/index.php?topic=1377.0

I think your getting close bro. Hopefully your friend will help you out this evening.

I was thinking of the ignition coils that should not impact performance. If one ignition coil is bad the ECU picks the good one to run the bike.  My ignition coils are all new and but there fine, I was confusing myself and thinking ignition coils but no codes on them, just it the pickup coil #1.

Thats a good thread.

I just checked my manual and the pickup coils are located under the alternator cover / Left cover.  I don't know if this is related but when my body parts were off to the painter, I moved the rectifier with a Nomad rectifier mounting bracket  to the mounted holes on lower frame tubes at bottom of radiator, never needed unplugged but I had to remove the left side cover to re-route the rectifier wiring to the front.  I wonder if anything got touched in the process since the pickup coils are located there???

I ll know more this afternoon.

[Pilgrim]

another thread to read..

http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/forum/index.php?topic=1377.0

I think your getting close bro. Hopefully your friend will help you out this evening.

[Trall]

with one coil not working you are only running on one cylinder.

Are you sure? I thought the the ECU just needs one pick up coil to run normal.  So if one has a fault it picks up the good one and runs normal, and if both coils are bad then it won't run at all.

Last night it seemed to idle OK with no gas but hesitates when I tried to go in 1st gear, it also had a few misfires as well.  Since I have the new VH pipes installed, this morning I added a stainless steel washer to each exhaust nut since I am sure 1 0r two nuts bottomed out and could be an exhaust leak and cause of the idle gas issue and backfire.  So this morning bright and early added a 3mm thick lock washer to each exhaust nut and torqued them done. All the nuts no longer bottomed out.  I already had new exhaust gaskets in place.  Next I did the Marble Mod. to the right side air cover and that only takes a minute to do.   The bike seemed to start better and idle better.  Maybe its just in my mind but seemed to start easier and idle better compared to last night.   Its also about 45 outside.  It seemed to idle better.  No backfires like last night.  After warming up it went in first and stayed running.  I went for a 7 min ride and everything seemed to be normal and run right.  Went up to 4 th gear around 40mph and no backfires.  Made it home fine.

SO check the box for an exhaust leak that is now fixed.

This afternoon when my mechanic friend stops by hopefully he can tell whats up with the FI code 21 for the pick up coil #1.

Ill keep in mind about the change out of coils if needed but he should be able to test each one.

Thanks...

Heres the link to marble mod and other good stuff from good folks here on the VDR-

Backfiring issues-
http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/forum/index.php?topic=38218.msg83254#msg83254

Marble Mod disable reed valves-
http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/smog-marbling.html

Air / Emissions Info-
http://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/forum/index.php?action=links;cat=62