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My Vic is lifeless...:-(

19K views 36 replies 13 participants last post by  RoughneckOly 
#1 · (Edited)
I'm hoping someone else has experienced this and has a miraculous cure.
I was putting a new battery on my 2000 V92c and got ready to fire her up.....nothing. I checked the connections and polarity and all was good. I went to the fuse panel and discovered a blown FLASHERS/IGNITION fuse (10 amp) . I figured no big deal and replaced it. Turned on the key and blew the same fuse again. Did this once more then decided I had some diagnosing to do. I have found that if I unplug the ECM, the electrical system is all good , the starter works, and the fuse stays intact. Plug the ECM back in and it blows again as soon as I turn the key. Obviously if I isolate the ECM from the system, I eliminate the issue.

My question is: Should I assume that the ECM has an internal short and needs replacement, or could it possibly be that when its plugged in , it completes a circuit (Flasher?Ignition circuit?) and causes the condition. I have looked all over for a legible wiring diagram, so I can grab a meter and check it out, but haven't been successful in finding one. The bike had no problems prior to this. Hopefully the V92 gurus here can gimme some insight.....Thanks in Advance!!
 
#2 ·
I was putting a new battery on my 2000 V92c and got ready to fire her up.....nothing. I checked the connections and polarity and all was good.
Just so myself if no one else, is clear here. You have been riding this 2000 V92c with NO prior problems and I am guessing the Batt went bad. You replaced it and now you blow the fuse with the ECM connected ONLY when you turn the key to on.

Not to long ago, someone got a ground slipped onto the positive terminal and was blowing fuses when trying to start. This is sounding similar. How many of what wiring do you have on each terminal??
 
#4 ·
J...How many of what wiring do you have on each terminal??
You didn't answer this question. Do you only have one for ground and one for positive, or do you (like many of us) have other direct connections to the battery for added accessories?
 
#5 ·
I actually thought from another rider on your model there are 2 additional wires besides a battery tender or something of that sort being fed from the Batt. A few months ago a rider had question about which wire was on the positive and negative but I cant find the post. Obviously this is in addition to a tender or GPS direct wiring. So your saying you have only a single positive lead to the batt and a single Negative lead to the batt in addition to the battery tender???? When you unhook the ECM do you hear the fuel pump spool up??
 
#3 · (Edited)
That's correct. No prior problems. My battery was old and had slowly lost power, so I replaced it. The key factor could possibly be that I jumped it from a car charger the last time I started it, but it didn't exhibit any problems at the time, and I was careful not to get the hot cable against a ground. I waited about a month after that ride before replacing it. The fuse doesn't blow until the key is switched on, then it's instantaneous. If the ECM is unplugged, all is good.
The battery has the standard leads, as well as a set of maintainer leads. From what I can tell, they show no signs of overheat/burns/arcing or evidence of shorting or grounding out. The new battery reads 12.5V across the terminals right now.
We're having some unseasonably warm weather for November here in Texas, and no being able to ride is killing me :ride::puke:

I did manage to find a PDF file of a service manual, but when I enlarge the Wiring diagram enough to try and read, it becomes blurry and completely unlegible.
 
#6 · (Edited)
OK, I'll try to clarify.

What I called the "standard leads" from the battery actually has two cables crimped into both the Positive and Negative cable. I am unsure of where the second of those two goes, but in addition to those, there is a smaller set of charger/maintainer leads attached to the terminals. In effect, three cables to each terminal.

As to the fuel pump, I do hear it pressure up when I turn the key with the ECM unplugged.
 
#7 ·
It is not unheard of the blow the ECM on those years. The ECM will come apart and 90% of the time you can see a burnt spot on the circuit board. But before you do that unhook both front turn signals from the harness. Sounds crazy but humor me, sometimes the sockets short out internally and can do crazy things with the rest of the bike.
 
#8 ·
+1. Just read a rider resolving a blown fuse with that troubleshoot technique. Funny they would tie running lights into that circuit.

If you want to try used parts, pinrest used bike parts of Ohio have a good rep. The test run their bikes before parting them out.
 
#10 ·
Update:

I isolated the two front turn signals by unplugging them inside the headlight bucket. For some reason now, instead of blowing the FLASHER/IGN fuse, its decided it would rather blow the ECM fuse. I replaced the ECM fuse, turned on the key and blew it again. I hooked the turn signals back up and with the ECM fuse blown, but with the FLASHER/IGN fuse intact, the flashers and turn signals function. Installed another ECM fuse, turned on the key and blew it a third time.

I removed the ECM and opened the case. Ever so gently so as not to touch any circuitry, I removed the circuit board and checked both sides with a magnifying glass. No sign of arcing or burned circuits or components. The decal seals on the ECM had been broken, so I guess someone had been inside it at some point in it's life.

I'm back to square one.
 
#11 ·
I noticed it's been a few days since you have posted any updates
and i was wondering if you solved the problem. I was thinking you might be able to take your ECM to a victory dealer and have it tested.
not sure, just a suggestion. Also if Vic builder can answer this question. Is it possible to fry the ECM by just changing the battery?
and if so what should be done to avoid this from happening.

Thanks.... Dann
 
#12 ·
Unfortunately, I haven't made any progress. I haven't been able to secure a good legible wiring diagram for my year model. I have tried to isolate just about every circuit, electrical connector, and component on the bike to see if I can see if anything else could be causing the ECM fuse to blow. I have just about decided that the ECM itself is bad, although a peek inside didn't reveal any evidence of it being smoked.
I did find a company online that specializes in diagnosis, repair and sales of ECM/ECU components, so a call to them could be in my future. For the time being, I am just watching Feebay for the correct one for my bike, hopefully one guaranteed not to be DOA.
I would also like to know about the charging issue, wanna make sure I don't smoke another one in the future.
 
#13 ·
Shoot a PM to Kevinx since your at a road blck. I was looking at my wiring, not sure how different a 04TC s but looks like the ECU takes input from both air box sensors, TPS, crank position sensor, and fuel injectors. Singal isolation maybe. I'm lost on this one. :-(
 
#15 ·
I'm lost as well. I did find a legible ECM plug pin diagram for an '02 model, and it looks like the layout is slightly different than my '00. Probably due to a change in the ECM itself after the "00 year models.(?)

All I know is that I'm keeping the local AutoZone guys in beer money just from buying 25-count packs of 10amp fuses to smoke check this thing....:mad:
 
#14 ·
I was looking through my service manual and ran across some test
procedures for the electrical system. My bike is a 99 but it should
be the same. If you give me your email i can send them to you, maybe
it will help you out. also i was thinking if it's possible you got a bad
battery. I know you said you tested it but crazy things happen.
 
#17 ·
Ciruit breaker.

Buy yourself a circuit breaker to plug in place of the fuse. If the circuit breaker is to large to fit into the fuse area just plug a couple of wires onto the circuit breaker and then plug the wires into the fuse box. If there is a short the breaker will blow,then after a short period of time reset itself and you can reuse it again.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Well, I bit the bullet and bought another ECM from Feebay. I'll post the results as soon as I plug it in and hit the key. I'm biting my nails on this one. If I hit the key and hear another fuse pop, I think I'll have to be put in a padded cell......:crzy: Kudos to Dann for sending me an electrical troubleshooting guide for the bike. If it fails again, about the only thing I can think of is an internal short in a harness somewhere that I cant find or isolate.
 
#25 ·
Just an update on my electrical problems.
After heavy diagnostics and isolating every circuit, I decided to gamble that the problem was the most simple and obvious. I bought another ECM off of Feebay. Got a good price....$60.
Plugged that sucker in, crossed my fingers and turned the key........YeeeHawww!! No blown fuses, and she fires up again!

As Rylan advised, I guess these ECMs do occasionally fry. Now I just hope I don't fry this one.... so far so good. Thanks to all who replied with suggestions. Now if we can just extend this ridiculously warm winter we're having in Texas so I can put a few miles on her.
 
#28 ·
Just an update on my electrical problems.
After heavy diagnostics and isolating every circuit, I decided to gamble that the problem was the most simple and obvious. I bought another ECM off of Feebay. Got a good price....$60.
Plugged that sucker in, crossed my fingers and turned the key........YeeeHawww!! No blown fuses, and she fires up again!

As Rylan advised, I guess these ECMs do occasionally fry.
If it was pulling enough current to blow a 10A fuse, something on your ECM's circuit card was getting really HOT. You could jump the fuse and feel around for the hot part (probably the processor), but if it's some standard part, you could always replace it and put it up on Feebay to recoup a few bucks. Though $60 ain't such a bad price to get such a thorough education of your bike. ;)
 
#32 ·
I thought I could put this thread to bed, but I still have one minor issue. The bike runs great, and the new ECM seems to work as good as the old one, but......my Speedometer has died. Everything else on the gauge cluster, including lights,tach, display, etc. work fine. The speedo is the only thing not working. I checked the connectors from the headlight back, and everything looks ok.
One thing of note, the previous owner must have modified the sensor circuit. there is a severed cable where the sensor enters the crankcase, and a new sensor has been added with a pick-up at the front drive gear. This setup worked fine before my other issues. Also I have noticed an extra connector in the headlight bucket that isn't hooked up, and nowhere to hook it up. I am guessing it was there all along, I just didn't notice when I was isolating circuits. It is a two wire connector with a yellow and black wire. Any ideas what this is for? Any other ideas on the speedometer?
 
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