tip sensor - bike won't start

[mrpincher]

Has anyone (else) had their tip sensor activate? Supposedly mine was triggered/activated which would not allow the bike to start last week. Also, why would the sensor register a tip over then wait a four months before it shut off the bike?

I'm trying to figure out why my bike wouldn't start last week. I'm told the tip over sensor was to blame.

We cleared the computer fault codes and it fired up, soon after the air was pumped out of the fuel line. Don't ask why I drained the gas tank - please.

It is true that I got "bucked off" back in November and the bike fell on the right side. It didn't fall hard enough to damage anything, hardly scratched the plastic hand guard and AltRider saved the rest of the bike.

Anyway, I now know how to read and clear the computer codes.

Anyone have thoughts on this??

Mike

 

[dcstrom]

Has anyone (else) had their tip sensor activate? Supposedly mine was triggered/activated which would not allow the bike to start last week. Also, why would the sensor register a tip over then wait a four months before it shut off the bike?

I'm trying to figure out why my bike wouldn't start last week. I'm told the tip over sensor was to blame.

We cleared the computer fault codes and it fired up, soon after the air was pumped out of the fuel line. Don't ask why I drained the gas tank - please.

It is true that I got "bucked off" back in November and the bike fell on the right side. It didn't fall hard enough to damage anything, hardly scratched the plastic hand guard and AltRider saved the rest of the bike.

Anyway, I now know how to read and clear the computer codes.

Anyone have thoughts on this??

Mike

Yeah - I don't believe it. I think it more likely that you were having the same non-starting episode that many of us have suffered

http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=2149.0

Unless.... there IS a connection between the tip-over sensor and the hard-starting. THAT would be a find! Cos I don't believe we have gotten to the bottom of it yet. Can you get more details from your dealer?

Trevor

 

[mrpincher]

Trevor - thanks for re-acquainting me to that thread. I followed it when it first posted and hadn't realized more had been added.

If the moderators want to move this post into that thread - do it.

I have 12,500 miles on the bike and have NEVER had a single hard start until last week.

The only thing I did different - the night before the hard start I demo'd my super bright Denali lights for my brother-in-law. I started the bike, turned on the lights, shut off the bike because we couldn't talk with it running. The bike wasn't warmed up when I shut it off. Pushed the bike outside so I could take off riding first thing in the morning. Next morning - no spark, wouldn't kick over. Aaugh!

I know the computer had 1 fault code registered. We Zero'd out the tip over fault code and I continued to have trouble starting the bike because of air in the fuel line. I got impatient and we went ahead and erased all the codes. I let the bike set overnight and next morning the local Yamaha dealer in Salina Kansas cranked the air out of the line and it started. Has run beauooootifully ever since.

I always use the kill switch.

Mike

 

[stevepsd]

I always use the kill switch.

Mike

Hummm....I never use my kill switch, but a couple of days ago I was doing some things with the bike on (engine not running) and happened to use the kill-switch. I heard a relay click, then click some more. Interesting. So I turned the kill switch off and on, relays click, then stop. It does not appear that the kill switch button goes fully on as the red rocker stays fairly proud of the switch housing. If I press the red switch a bit more to the 'on' position, I can get the relay click again, and just barely touching the button on the 'off' side I get the relay click again. Sounds like the kill switch is not making good contact. Anyone else?

 

[markjenn]

Doesn't sound like the 4-mo tipover and your non-start are related. The tipover is probably logged into the trouble codes, but presence of the code doesn't mean it is preventing the bike from starting. The tipover system is supposed to reset and allow an engine start after your right the bike. And it appears it did since you rode the bike post-tipover.

The kill switch prevents the starter motor from turning over so if the bike is cranking, I'd say there is no problem with the kill switch.

Which leads us back to the probability that you simply have been bitten by the random non-start bug that many of us have been bitten by (as discussed in a couple other threads.) I'm not sure exactly what measure you took to finally get it going, but perhaps this was just troubleshooting down dead ends. The fact you were messing with the bike prior to the non-start seems to be a common factor, although I personally have had the problem with no such factor.

- Mark

 

[Tremor38]

Has anyone (else) had their tip sensor activate? Supposedly mine was triggered/activated which would not allow the bike to start last week. Also, why would the sensor register a tip over then wait a four months before it shut off the bike?

I'm trying to figure out why my bike wouldn't start last week. I'm told the tip over sensor was to blame.

We cleared the computer fault codes and it fired up, soon after the air was pumped out of the fuel line. Don't ask why I drained the gas tank - please.

It is true that I got "bucked off" back in November and the bike fell on the right side. It didn't fall hard enough to damage anything, hardly scratched the plastic hand guard and AltRider saved the rest of the bike.

Anyway, I now know how to read and clear the computer codes.

Anyone have thoughts on this??

Mike

I've had the tip sensor activate. it did it's job by cutting off the engine. Once I righted the bike, she started right back up. As others have said, the sequence of events might have led you to believe that the stored code had something to do with your hard starting, but it really doen't have any bearing on the issue.
The well-documented hard starting issue with this bike just decided to rear its ugly head at the right time.

 

[fredz43]

I would bet the short start/shutdown sequence you described here is the culprit. Happened to several of us.

"The only thing I did different - the night before the hard start I demo'd my super bright Denali lights for my brother-in-law. I started the bike, turned on the lights, shut off the bike because we couldn't talk with it running. The bike wasn't warmed up when I shut it off"

 

[mrpincher]

fredz43 - You'll be pleased with me for giving the Yamaha tech that started the bike a $40.00 gift card. Ya - after the delay and frustration....I was that damn happy to hear it start + he was a super nice guy.

Thank You to everyone who offered advice to this post. I'm convinced - almost certainly - that it was the short start cycle and not some bad karma I picked up along the road. ::003::

 

[tomatocity]

Did not know there was a tip-over effect until I read this thread.

I tipped my Tenere 300 miles ago and have noticed the gas mileage is less. Last 157 miles was 4.2 gallons or 37 MPG. I used to average 43 MPG. How to check (and clear) for error codes?

 

[EricV]

Did not know there was a tip-over effect until I read this thread.

I tipped my Tenere 300 miles ago and have noticed the gas mileage is less. Last 157 miles was 4.2 gallons or 37 MPG. I used to average 43 MPG. How to check (and clear) for error codes?

The tip over sensor does create a ECU error code log entry, but it's not a lasting effect on anything. Is there anything else you changed in the last 300 miles, (add any farkles?), or perhaps you've had some wind during that time? I noticed a loss of mpg during all the wind storms we've had in the prior weeks, which I consider a normal effect that has nothing to do with the motorcycle. IIRC, Cali has also gotten it's fair share of big wind.

As to the OP, yep, your fail to start was EXACTLY caused by your not fully warming the bike up to show off the lights, then letting it sit over night. It was just flooded. WOT and cranking it usually works if you realize it before running the battery down. Or a good long hill and bump start.

There seems to be a lot of concern about finding out exactly what's happening during the hard starting issues. It would seem to be more important to simply understand DON'T DO THAT. Ditto on working on the bike's electrical bits with the kill switch on.

 

[markjenn]

While avoiding the contributing factors is a good idea, I think the key thing I'd tell folks is that they should try WOT if the bike doesn't cold start normally. Don't keep cranking with the throttle closed - you'll just make the problem worse.

- Mark

 

[EricV]

they should try WOT if the bike doesn't cold start normally. Don't keep cranking with the throttle closed - you'll just make the problem worse.

A very good point Mark.

 

[mrpincher]

Don't keep cranking with the throttle closed - you'll just make the problem worse.

- Mark

Mark - It's crystal clear now - friend! I'm not going through that again. All because I was trying to impress the brother in law.

The second rule would need to be - don't call a service tech and ask for help, in that situation. (Unless they read this forum) Otherwise they'll have you spilling out your tools and .............the rest of this story is just foolishness.

My engine sounds like it fires on the second full turn of the pistons ? Very rarely do I need to crank it longer.

Thanks guys -

 

[tomatocity]

The tip over sensor does create a ECU error code log entry, but it's not a lasting effect on anything. Is there anything else you changed in the last 300 miles, (add any farkles?), or perhaps you've had some wind during that time? I noticed a loss of mpg during all the wind storms we've had in the prior weeks, which I consider a normal effect that has nothing to do with the motorcycle. IIRC, Cali has also gotten it's fair share of big wind.

Thanks Eric. Do the error codes clear themselves or just not have an effect after awhile?
- Wind ??? Noticed that from the get go and posted so on a MPG discussion long ago. The Tenere seems to be effected by the wind very much in comparison to the KLR or older Honda Shadow, both carb'd. The DL1000 would drop off but not as bad as the Tenere. I have been averaging 37 to 43 MPG and used to get 44 to 50+ MPG (warmer months).
- Tested the wind effect the last three nights with Freeway travel and it seems to be more sensitive.
- The Tenere seems to be on choke longer than before and I have ridden in colder weather, 19F-21F, a couple months ago without significantly noticeable problems. When the engine is on choke it usually gets no better than 32 mpg an a very very light throttle.
- The way I test to see if the FI is working properly or normally is to go 100% off throttle and see if the MG is 99.9. When it is on choke it is no where near 99.9. If I can get 40 MPG I am good to go though I would prefer 45-50 MPG.

I was looking for an easy fix or easy find.

 

[EricV]

Thanks Eric. Do the error codes clear themselves or just not have an effect after awhile?

No lasting effects in most cases, but the code stays until cleared so the tech can see potential for issues.

- Wind ??? Noticed that from the get go and posted so on a MPG discussion long ago. The Tenere seems to be effected by the wind very much in comparison to the KLR or older Honda Shadow, both carb'd. The DL1000 would drop off but not as bad as the Tenere. I have been averaging 37 to 43 MPG and used to get 44 to 50+ MPG (warmer months).

::026::

- Tested the wind effect the last three nights with Freeway travel and it seems to be more sensitive.
- The Tenere seems to be on choke longer than before and I have ridden in colder weather, 19F-21F, a couple months ago without significantly noticeable problems. When the engine is on choke it usually gets no better than 32 mpg an a very very light throttle.
- The way I test to see if the FI is working properly or normally is to go 100% off throttle and see if the MG is 99.9. When it is on choke it is no where near 99.9. If I can get 40 MPG I am good to go though I would prefer 45-50 MPG.

I was looking for an easy fix or easy find.

Understand. All I'm saying is perhaps no problem, just conditions. Not sure how accurate the on board calculations are, but it's a fair standard. I notice wind can really affect the mpg calculations.

 

[WRW9751]

Question, are the codes able to be read by a OBD ll code reader or is it a Yamaha dealer only tool?

 

[EricV]

Question, are the codes able to be read by a OBD ll code reader or is it a Yamaha dealer only tool?

Motorcycles don't use OBD II, so you would need a Yamaha specific software and plug to read the codes the way they do. You can use the on board diagnostic system to read the codes though. It's covered in the Yamaha shop manual. Possibly here on the forum too, but I haven't searched for it.

 

[WRW9751]

Thanks Eric!
I do remember reading that in one of the treads now that you mention it. I don't have a manual but I should!

 

[stevepsd]

Motorcycles don't use OBD II, so you would need a Yamaha specific software and plug to read the codes the way they do. You can use the on board diagnostic system to read the codes though. It's covered in the Yamaha shop manual. Possibly here on the forum too, but I haven't searched for it.

My Triumph Tiger uses OBD II with the standard OBD II connector under the seat. In fact my car code reader works on it just fine! I wish the bike mfg's would standardize.

 

[tomatocity]

My Triumph Tiger uses OBD II with the standard OBD II connector under the seat. In fact my car code reader works on it just fine! I wish the bike mfg's would standardize.

Do you have a CA or 49 States model?