Cold weather ABS

[Bill Montgomery]

Since cold weather has arrived, it has been very difficult for me to get abs lights to blink together when starting the bike. It can take up to 10 starts and even then I sometimes give up till my first stop on my trip. It usually functions then, but sometimes not.

 

Ideas?

 

Thanks,

 

Bill Montgomery

Stanville, KY

'97 R1100RT

[cruisin]

Have you tried riding about three or four miles and then while still rolling at low speed, (when it's safe to do so), pull the clutch in, switch the key off for about two seconds and back on and restart using starter button?

[dirtrider]

Morning Bill

 

Your symptoms usually point to low system voltage to or at the ABS controller. Sometimes a new battery will help at least for a while.

 

The real cure is to either install an ABS inhibit relay to keep the ABS from initializing until AFTER engine start and the alternator has raised system voltage or add a simple push button switch in the green wire going to the ABS controller. If the ABS won’t properly initialize (lights flashing) a simple push of the switch will allow the ABS to reboot with the engine already running.

 

Might be something else but the above is by far the most common reason.

 

[NonComp]

Here's the link to the relay delay modification. I did this and have been very pleased with the results. I have not had a single erroneous ABS fault in 3 years since doing this modification.

 

ABS relay delay modification

 

The momentary push button modification is simpler, but the relay modification is completely automatic, so you never see erroneous ABS errors.

[dan cata]

Here's the link to the relay delay modification. I did this and have been very pleased with the results. I have not had a single erroneous ABS fault in 3 years since doing this modification.

 

ABS relay delay modification

 

The momentary push button modification is simpler, but the relay modification is completely automatic, so you never see erroneous ABS errors.

+1 on that.

 

I have wanted to do this mod on my RT, but since now it's in the house in the room next door, I might just do it

 

Dan.

[Bill Montgomery]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I would like to take the simpler option with the switch. If I understand, I'll be using a push to break on-(off) switch. Is there an easy way to identify the green wire with only the top of the fuse/relay box cover removed?

 

Bill Montgomery

Stanville, KY

'97 R1100RT

[NonComp]

I think if you read the article on the relay mod. you'll get a good idea where you can get access to the green wire. I think that this is still a tank-off procedure, but Dirtrider may have more info about where he spliced into his harness.

[Ian]

Since cold weather has arrived, it has been very difficult for me to get abs lights to blink together when starting the bike. It can take up to 10 starts and even then I sometimes give up till my first stop on my trip. It usually functions then, but sometimes not.

 

Ideas?

 

Thanks,

 

Bill Montgomery

 

Bill,

 

I just make sure that my lights and heated grips are off until I start off. ABS lights go off then even in the cold.

 

Ian

Stanville, KY

'97 R1100RT

[Zulu5Oscar]

Had exactly the same issues with my RT a few years back. Someone had told me it may be my battery voltage was low. Since the battery turned over the bike fine, I ignored the suggestion and spend the next 6 months with work-around. Much to my embarrassment, I later installed a new Odyssey battery and the problem went away (have not had the issue since) Shame on me for not listening.

[NonComp]

Had exactly the same issues with my RT a few years back. Someone had told me it may be my battery voltage was low. Since the battery turned over the bike fine, I ignored the suggestion and spend the next 6 months with work-around. Much to my embarrassment, I later installed a new Odyssey battery and the problem went away (have not had the issue since) Shame on me for not listening.

Yes, but the point is that if the bike starts fine, then you really didn't need a new battery, except for the artifical ABS fault. Batteries costing what they do today, I'm glad I did the modification.

[Bill Montgomery]

Okay, now I've done something wrong, but don't know what. I put an on-off switch in line with the green wire that's on the large spade connector of the turquoise relay in the fusebox. After starting the bike, the result of turning the switch off is that one of the indicator lights on the dash does not flash. You can hear the relay ticking and the other one flashes by itself. When I turn the switch back on, the lights resume flashing alternately. It's like I just cut the circuit to one of the indicator bulbs without doing anything at all to the boot procedure.

 

Ideas?

 

Thanks,

Bill Montgomery

Stanville, KY

'97 R1100RT

[dirtrider]

Evening Bill

 

 

A couple of possibilities on your problem.

 

First being, maybe you put your switch in the green/yellow warning light wire.

 

If that isn’t your problem then you didn’t get your switch location on the ABS controller side of the double green wire splice. There are two green wires entering the ABS relay that come together some distance from the relay itself, if you don’t put your switch in the green wire going from that splice to the ABS controller it won’t do the job.

 

Keep in mind you are not trying to de-power the relay you are trying to place the switch in the green wire between the ignition switch and the ABS controller.

 

Personally I have always added the switch in the green wire (cavity 15) right at the ABS controller itself. That way you can’t miss cutting the ABS controller power.

 

[Bill Montgomery]

Thanks Dirtrider,

 

Your 2nd explanation is the one that makes sense. I got the green wire, but at a location physically directly under the relay. Is there a way to pull that ABS controller connector without pulling the fuel tank? For some reason I think I'd rather have a root canal than mess with the fuel tank.

 

Thanks again,

 

Bill Montgomery

Stanville, KY

'97 R1100RT

[dan cata]

Why would you do that? If you want no more failures regarding the ABS and the weak battery, just do the relay mod and be done with it.

 

That's what I did

 

Dan.

[dirtrider]

Thanks Dirtrider,

 

Your 2nd explanation is the one that makes sense. I got the green wire, but at a location physically directly under the relay. Is there a way to pull that ABS controller connector without pulling the fuel tank? For some reason I think I'd rather have a root canal than mess with the fuel tank.

 

 

Morning Bill

 

No way to adequately access that ABS connector at the controller without lifting the fuel tank that I know of.

 

I do believe it is possible to access that green wire forward of the 2 wire splice but that involves opening up the wire harness and knowing right where it is.

I can’t help you there as I haven’t ever done it that way. It would also be difficult to tell what green wire you are working with without tracing each of the green wires through the harness a ways.

 

[dan cata]

Thanks Dirtrider,

 

Your 2nd explanation is the one that makes sense. I got the green wire, but at a location physically directly under the relay. Is there a way to pull that ABS controller connector without pulling the fuel tank? For some reason I think I'd rather have a root canal than mess with the fuel tank.

 

 

Morning Bill

 

No way to adequately access that ABS connector at the controller without lifting the fuel tank that I know of.

 

I do believe it is possible to access that green wire forward of the 2 wire splice but that involves opening up the wire harness and knowing right where it is.

I can’t help you there as I haven’t ever done it that way. It would also be difficult to tell what green wire you are working with without tracing each of the green wires through the harness a ways.

 

That can be easyly done

Here's a post from a fellow rider from here

 

http://advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=13902358&postcount=22

 

You can track the green ABS wire by using a DVM an testing for wire continuity between the green one and the front spade in the fusebox coresponding to the ABS relay

 

Dan.

[dirtrider]

Morning Dan

 

I wouldn’t say "easily" as that write up you posted shows removing the fuel tank.

 

There is also the reference to

“ Determine which of the 9 wires from the bundle connects to pin #15 on the ABS connector"That is difficult to do without accessing the large connector on the ABS controller under the fuel tank to ohm the wire bundle out.

 

I guess my question is; if the fuel tank has to come off anyhow and the ABS connector accessed why would anyone want to cut into their wire harness and mess with that factory wrapped bundle of wires ?

 

[dan cata]

Morning Dan

 

I wouldn’t say "easily" as that write up you posted shows removing the fuel tank.

 

There is also the reference to

“ Determine which of the 9 wires from the bundle connects to pin #15 on the ABS connector"That is difficult to do without accessing the large connector on the ABS controller under the fuel tank to ohm the wire bundle out.

 

I guess my question is; if the fuel tank has to come off anyhow and the ABS connector accessed why would anyone want to cut into their wire harness and mess with that factory wrapped bundle of wires ?

 

Well, you can always put heat shrink tubine instead of the factory tape

 

That green wire cand be found on the ABS controller connector, in the bundle of wires and in the fusebox, where the ABS relay would be, it's the front most spade where the relay plugs in

 

Dan.

[dirtrider]

Morning Dan

 

In my mind that doesn’t sound like the place to access the PROPER green wire as the power needs to be cut between the splice and the ABS controller not between the relay and the splice.

Power IN from the ignition switch goes TO the splice then splits off going back to the relay and also forward to the ABS controller. I guess I can’t see in my mind what good finding the wire at the relay would do for identifying the wire entering cavity 15 at the ABS controller.

 

I guess if you have done one without lifting the gas tank and just using the green wire identification at the relay I will have to default to your knowledge on this but would sure like to know how you found the proper wire going to cavity 15 by accessing the harness “only” at the relay and the splice?

 

[NonComp]

As I mentioned previously, this is a tank-off procedure, unless you want to continue the trial and error process. Taking the tank off is not so bad, once you've done it.

[Bill Montgomery]

Maybe y'all are talking about a different bike, but on this R1100RT, after taking the left tupperware off and then the air duct that goes to the air box, that connector was staring me in the face. Hinged at the top and latched at the bottom, came off cleanly and without much force.

 

Bill Montgomery

Stanville, KY

R1100RT