Sputtering and shutting off

[Bryfz0312 2]

My 2015 Mto7 has been sputtering and randomly shutting off on its own, today while riding I was slowing down after it had sputtered for a bit and it shut off, even the dash. I was able to pull off the road and tried to restart and nothing no lights nothing. Did it a couple of times and she cranked  and I got home. Before I baught the bike is was sitting for a about 6-8 months. Today I added some fuel injector cleaner and has helped the bike not shut off while idling but the sputter continues…The bike was dropped on a low side crash, minimal damage though. I replaced spark plugs, oil and coolant, the bike at first did not give me those issues it wasn’t until I filled it up completely about the second or third time that this started. Today I checked the spark plugs, checked the coils and air filter and all are fine. The bike has a two brothers exhaust with a power commander 5. Please help ! 

Edited June 17, 2022 by Bryfz0312

[M. Hausknecht 361]

Seems like an electrical problem. They are often intermittent in nature. I'd look next at connections to the battery and battery voltage. If the bike just sat for months and the battery wasn't on a trickle charger, it could be at the end of its life. Corroded fuse connections are another possibility. I expect others will have good ideas, if not better.

Edited June 17, 2022 by M. Hausknecht

[Bryfz0312 2]

Thanks man no this is great advice I’d take anything I can get at this point lol and where would I find the fuse connections ? 

[Triple Jim 490]

Agreed... measure the battery voltage when you try to start it, while it's running, and when it quits.  If the charging system is not working, for example, it could cause symptoms like this.

[Bryfz0312 2]

So I just changed the battery to a new one and seems to idled slightly better but still hearing a bit of sputter, true test will be tomorrow and see how it does on the road. Thanks guys ! 

[Triple Jim 490]

If the charging system in the problem, the new battery won't help very long.  You should still measure the battery voltage:

1. Before you start it

2. During starting

3. when it's running

[Bryfz0312 2]

How should I do that ? 

[Bryfz0312 2]

And where do I find the charging system ? 

[cornerslider 794]

Buy a volt meter, and check the voltage across the battery terminals in the conditions that @Triple Jim mentioned. I doesn't take much of a battery problem to raise this sort of havoc....

I recently had a catastrophic battery failure on my wife's R3. It turned over twice, then all the dash lights went out, and everything was "dead". I turned it off/on again, and NOTHING!!! The fuel pump wouldn't even prime! The battery was showing 12.8 volts. I checked all the fuses (good), and I instantly assumed the absolute worst, and started pouring through the service manual (I truly all HATE electrical issues). As a last ditch effort, I pulled the battery from my dedicated track-only R3, and put it in her R3. Instantly, the dash lit up, the fuel pump primed, and it sprang back to life!!!!  I have never seen a battery have such a "rapid"  failure, that gave ZERO warning? I replaced the battery about a month ago, and it's been issue-free since I did that -

I'm NOT saying that you have a bad battery, as you just replaced it. Maybe your issues are electrical/charging related, as @M. Hausknecht suggested, or possibly bad fuel? You mentioned it was stored 6-8 months before you purchased it....

My suggestion, is start with the "easy" stuff first. Get rid of all the fuel in the tank, and refill it with "non-oxygenated" fuel. Most modern fuel is garbage compared to the fuel from just 20 years ago. The ethanol/additives make it cheaper to refine (more profit for refineries). Most modern EFI systems "mask" how poor the fuel is, by raising the fuel pressure (the sound you hear when you when the fuel pump primes itself when you turn the key to "on"). I run ONLY non-oxygenated fuel in all my bikes, and haven't had a fueling issue in well over a decade... I don't even use a fuel-stabilizer in the tanks in the off season -

If it isn't a "bad fuel" situation, the next thing I would suggest is to TEMPORARILY remove the Power Commander V. It's a hassle, and Youtube is your friend at this point... The PC5 effectively "hijacks" your EFI system, and makes the air/fuel ratios work with your given aftermarket exhaust. It has been known to "fail" at times. If you take the PC5 out of the equation , your bike will run "lean". This is not a good long-term situation. However- if it runs "better" (no sputtering/dying), your PC5 may have "failed"???

If that is the case, my personal recommendation would be to get the ECU "flashed" by 2WDW. They are a site sponsor on this forum. I have ZERO affiliation with them. That being said, they have "flashed" all (4) of the bikes in the stable.... I could not be more happy with the results!!! Good luck, and let us know how it turns out -

 

[Bryfz0312 2]

Cornerslider, thank you man ! I’m not home now cuz of work, but will definitely look into all of this as soon as I get home, it is weird honestly. Hopefully it’s just a simple fix lol 

[Pursuvant 446]

On 6/18/2022 at 2:16 AM, cornerslider said:

...Buy a volt meter, and check the voltage across the battery terminals in the conditions that @Triple Jim mentioned...

...Maybe your issues are electrical/charging related, as @M. Hausknecht suggested...

...My suggestion, is start with the "easy" stuff first. Get rid of all the fuel in the tank...

...the next thing I would suggest is to TEMPORARILY remove the Power Commander V...

...my personal recommendation would be to get the ECU "flashed" by 2WDW...

 

That's why I'm here on the forum, 'cause you all are practical and wide thinkers...

[Bryfz0312 2]

Quick update, I tested the charging system by checking the battery before during and after the engine ran, the voltage stayed above 14 it fluctuated but stayed above 14 and did not reach 15 while it was running and before and after it returned to 12. Something .I’m gonna assume that’s a good thing. Secondly I didn’t remove the gas bc I had already spent and refilled the bike about 4 time prior of me posting on here. Third, I did remove the power commander and I think honestly that was my issue, I did not experience any flutter on todays ride. When it was idling during the warm up it kinda sounded like she was gonna die just a bit but barely, I think that’s maybe form the cold start and also not being cranked in the month I was gone for work. But other then that the bike today had no sputters didn’t die on me while riding, let’s see how the rest of the week goes bc in the past it would do that and it just became worse over time…did notice a huge difference without the pcm v lol, but I will look into getting the ecu flashed by the recommend company. So far so good hopefully that was it lol thank you again everyone!!!! 

[cornerslider 794]

Contact 2WDW- they are a site sponsor here....

[Bryfz0312 2]

@cornerslider most definitely will man thank you ! 

[mtechdan 1]

Sounds like a regulator/rectifier.  That was the charging issue with my old 78 CB550.  I converted to Rick’s and it was good to go.  My bike kept dieing all the time.  I changed batteries and even charged it multiple times.  Once I put a new RR, it stayed charged every since.