FI Light and Vacume Hose Issues

[Igofar]

You should put an article together Larry, that way you help hundreds not just the few near you or that call you.

I would love to be able to do some Articles for other members, however, it may come as a surprize to many here, but I spend alot of time in the garage with spanners and sockets and don't know a whole lot about computor stuff! Milehigh has already done a really nice article on bleeding brakes, with some of the best photo's I've seen, it would be hard to add to that. Perhaps is one of my local friends, who's good with computors would help out with a photo shoot and posting stuff I could assemble a few of the more common services that I do the most: Preload Adjuster Service - including a complete tear down and cleaning, SMC Rebuild or Replacement, Clutch Flush and Bleed, Complete Brake Flush and Bleed WITHOUT removing any tupperware, TB Sync and Map Sensor line replacement, etc.
But until then....Anyone and Everyone on this forum is more than welcome to :call: the white courtesy phone or PM me for any advice I may be able to offer. And just for the record, I don't just help Local folks, I've assisted folks as far away as the UK, The Outback, The Philippines, Canada, Japan, Mississippi, and even FLORIDA!
Anyone wanna help me do a photo shoot?

 

[Justytroll]

I would love to be able to do some Articles for other members, however, it may come as a surprize to many here, but I spend alot of time in the garage with spanners and sockets and don't know a whole lot about computor stuff! Milehigh has already done a really nice article on bleeding brakes, with some of the best photo's I've seen, it would be hard to add to that. Perhaps is one of my local friends, who's good with computors would help out with a photo shoot and posting stuff I could assemble a few of the more common services that I do the most: Preload Adjuster Service - including a complete tear down and cleaning, SMC Rebuild or Replacement, Clutch Flush and Bleed, Complete Brake Flush and Bleed WITHOUT removing any tupperware, TB Sync and Map Sensor line replacement, etc.
But until then....Anyone and Everyone on this forum is more than welcome to :call: the white courtesy phone or PM me for any advice I may be able to offer. And just for the record, I don't just help Local folks, I've assisted folks as far away as the UK, The Outback, The Philippines, Canada, Japan, Mississippi, and even FLORIDA!
Anyone wanna help me do a photo shoot?

He knows his local friend would be more than happy to help him compile those how-to instructions.

 

[Justytroll]

You can probably search the articals and find one about how to do it.

Three hours for Igofar because of all the squirrels.





But I love him!!!!!

 

[CYYJ]

There is a very good illustrated "how-to" article (complete with a video, even) explaining how to clean the 5-way connector at the Australian ST Owner's forum, here is the link:

F1 light map sensor - clean the 5 way connector

Michael

 

[Kevin Tate]

Thanks for eveyone's info on this topic. My '04 with barely 20K (I know, I know) was running fine last weekend then wouldn't hold its idle the next day when getting ready to ride it to work. Letting it warm didn't help. Once again, You guys rock. I would have never gone as far to guess it was a tiny little plastic connector that brought my 1300cc bike to its knees. Like Igofar hinted, I pulled off the hose from the map sensor, along with the other four leading out from the T-connector and used a bottle brush and canned air to clean them as best I could. When reassembled, it ran normally. (Hint: For $1.99, Harbor Freight has a tiny set of bottle brushes that worked perfectly.)

 

[jswartz]

I think I may have solved the FI and poor idle issues several of us have been having lately!
JustyTroll stopped by today with the flashing FI light and poor idle/die routine. I've fixed a few of these by running pipe cleaners through the vacume hoses and cleaning all of them as well as the black 5-Way-T. On several bikes I've found that it was THE LINE running from the map sensor to the five way connector that was clogged, not the 5 way connector, and after a quick cleaning all was well again. However, tonight I replaced all Troll's lines with new hoses and extended them up front for easier access. It was as I was picking up the old lines off the bench that I noticed that they felt really stiff, dry and coarse feeling. I scraped the outside of the hose with my fingernail and it crumbled! I took a razor blade and opened one up to find the inside of the hose was rotting away and when I scraped the inside with my thumbnail, I got ALOT of goop off the surface of the rubber itself. The pipe cleaners were soft enough that it was not cleaning or removing the goop, only brushing by it, giving the appearance of a clean unobstructed line. I would not have known the inside of the hose was rotting.
If your having FI issues, and you pull the lines to inspect them, I'd suggest you simply go to autozone and spend $5 bucks on new 4mm vacume line and replace the lines. I plan on doing this as yearly maintence from now on...
And before anyone replies that "I have 114,000 miles on my bike and the hoses are fine"....I'm just trying to provide folks with more ideas to get their bikes running the best they can.
After I replaced the Troll's lines tonight, we did the TB sync, and got the levels dead even. So I think new lines do help. YMMV.
Ride safe
Igofar

>> Your a genius! 4 k idle issue, cleaned the wax from the 5 way joint n polished with carb cleaner for extra measure, hit the intakes with cleaner, runs like a charm! VAC tubes are a tad loose and now the FI is on but idles at 1000 with out AIR box. Great idea to put on new vac lines, will probably tighten it all up, n hope the FI light gets a happy ending. 89k miles, 2006. Ear wax in the 5 way, thinking the wax may be on the sensor too but runs well now. Thanks Igofar !!

 

[jfheath]

Question for the complete ignoramus. (Me).

The first time i did TB sync the bike felt superb for a couple of years. The next time it felt superb again, but a year later it doesn't have the same broad grin factor. So I'll be going in again in Autumn. I'll probably change the hoses after reading Larry's essay.

I started looking up 4mm vacuum hose for carbs/injectors and came across some info that left me confused.

Fuel hose and vacuum hose tend to be grouped together in online sources.
Fuel hoses are designed to resist heat / expansion / fuel
Vacuum hoses are designed to resist collapse
Silicone is porous, not suitable for fuel
Nitrile can be sutiable for up to E10 fuel.

PVC - Excellent resistance to water, oil, fuel. That's a bit like saying a raincoat is resistant to water - subtext: You'll get wet in this.
Used for air lines - but that is for pressure, not vacuum.

2.5mm walls (ie 9mm outside diameter) is better to resist collapse - but most tubing is 8mm OD

So I think I am looking for 4mm ID, 8mm OD Silicone tube. That isn't fuel resistant, but I don't suppose it needs to be.

I think I am answering my own question. But am I right ?

 

[ST1100Y]

If your having FI issues, and you pull the lines to inspect them, I'd suggest you simply go to autozone and spend $5 bucks on new 4mm vacume line and replace the lines.

Would braided silicone vacuum lines (rated for automotive use, resistant against oil, fuel and high temps) be superior?

 

[Al st1100]

Would braided silicone vacuum lines (rated for automotive use, resistant against oil, fuel and high temps) be superior?

No. Vacuum lines will have some fuel vapor, gas will eat silicone. "Can you use silicone hoses for fuel hoses? Well standard silicone hoses are porous and therefore not suitable for oil or fuel. "

 

[GitSum]

I bought 5' of this and I am happy with it

 

[David Fyffe]

Look up TYGON hose.