Melted Knock Sensor Connector

Hey guys, I need some advice..

I did a brief search here (at the ST Forums) and didn't see any similar issues to the two that my bikes is having/showing.

Issue #1:
My right-side knock sensor connector is melted (see photo). It's not causing any problems (yet), but I want to address it right away. This might be a stretch, but could this be considered a manufacturer's defect, because the plastic can't withstand the engine heat? I'm guessing Honda would deny it because it's not happening on a lot of bikes?

Issue #2:
My left-side knock sensor connector's wire is stretched so tight I can strum a C-sharp on it. In the photo, you can see the wire is routed around a bolt and behind an aluminum bracket. I didn't take another picture of this next part, but I unplugged the connector and brought the wire over the top of the bolt, which eased the tension, but then I was thinking it had too much slack and could melt being too close to the exhaust, so I put it back like the photo. When I pulled on the grey sleeve material, I didn't gain any extra wire. Is it normal to be this tight? I couldn't find a good depiction in the FSM.

Any thoughts, suggestions on either issue?

Thanks!
Matt

Yea, the wire cover on mine has melted but that is clearly a manufacturer defect and should get covered.

I have no idea how to go about getting it covered, but clearly a defect.

Rob Hephner said:

I have no idea how to go about getting it covered, but clearly a defect.

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Thought so. It's kind of a give-away when they make a guard around it (for heat protection). I was thinking the two bolts could be utilized to fashion some sort of metal cover for the open side (for the line-of-sight radiant heat coming off the exhaust).

Well, there is that, but I meant getting the replacement of the faulty part covered by the factory.

Maybe the problem isn't the plastic cover. Could it be your header is getting hotter than it should be? Just a thought.

<heavy sigh> Yet _another_ reason to keep the 1100! <ducking>

Two so far. Has anyone else checked theirs since Matt poSTed this?

I have, and do own both, and the 1100`s are a more perfected bike out of the crate.

STPaulK said:

Could it be your header is getting hotter than it should be? Just a thought.

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Good point. I plan on doing a throttle-body snyc. before the plastic goes back on. That, and a counter-balance adjust. Hopefully between the two of them.

Rob Hephner said:

Well, there is that, but I meant getting the replacement of the faulty part covered by the factory.

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"Oh, the ol' double entendre trick." (Maxwell Smart )

George said:

<heavy sigh> Yet _another_ reason to keep the 1100! <ducking>

Two so far. Has anyone else checked theirs since Matt poSTed this?

Click to expand...

I had a good look at both of mine last weekend while I had the plastic off checking the valve clearances. I did not notice anything unusual, no melting or anything was apparent. I can't remember how the wire was routed, whether it was tight like that or not.

I don't know why I didn't think of this before , but an easy fix for the second issue (the stretched wire), would be to do as I described before, but with a twist: unplug the connector and route it over bolt, then simply tie-wrap the grey sleeve to the back side of the aluminum bracket (to take up the slack). A metal hose clamp would probably hold up to the heat better than a tie-wrap.