Strange FI Light happenings

[DanGSX]

Hey guys,

Strange one. I decided to take the bike out for a run on Friday after work. I went to get some fresh fuel. Topped up with my usual Shell premium...

15 minutes later, the 'FI' light illuminated on the dash. Bike lost a bit of performance mainly at low revs. Taking off from stationary required more throttle than usual and bike felt a bit lifeless. Revs a bit higher than usual when cruising.

I was freaking out, so I rode to the nearest bike garage as I was under the impression that if I switched off the engine, I wouldn't get it back on again, but afterwards I read on here that there's two types of FI error, so I got the one where the engine continues to run. Turning the key off and on again cleared it, but 5 seconds later it came back on, even without starting the engine.

Probably silly of me, but I decided to carry on. After 10 more mins of riding, I noticed the light flicker a bit, then finally went out....It hasn't come back on since Friday and FULL power is back again. So i've absolutely no idea what that was all about and can't get the error code as I can't replicate it.

Any ideas what it could have been?

Cheers 

[RickC]

Hi Dan,

The F1 faults clear as soon as ignition is turned off unless you have a permanent hard fault I think, the problem with intermittent faults is you have to lift the seat to bridge out the dealer plug to get the code up.
A couple of options, get a dealer mode switch and secure it outside of your seat - I've been meaning to mount mine under the helmet lock or carry a spare key and with the engine on bridge out the dealer switch with a paperclip or suitable piece of wire. Pins and codes will be on here somewhere.

To guess what your problem might be - I had a PC3 fitted to my bike which was doing similar things it turned out to be worn pins on the LH large grey connector under the LH side cover - I stumbled on the problem accidently when I used contact cleaner to clean the plug which swelled the O ring, I removed the O ring and the fault never came back. Doing a pin tension check and changing the pin out and replacing the O ring would have been the proper repair.

Cheers,
Rick

[DanGSX]

Hi @RickC,

Thanks for your input. I will give everything a good check under the covers to see if I can spot anything.

Really annoying me that I obviously won't be able to get the code now, so may never know what actually caused it.

[DanGSX]

Hi guys,

Checked under the panels etc at the wiring over the weekend, but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. I think I need to start taking more pieces off.

An interesting thing - The light seems to only come on when it has been raining or when i've washed the bike, then gone 2 miles approx. So I believe it's water getting into where it shouldn't and causing a short circuit. Never comes on when we've had a good few dry days.

Hate these kind of problems 

[gsxbarmy]

Dan - as you say it does sound like a dodgy connection somewhere where water is getting in. Personally I'd check/do the following:

- squirt of contact cleaner down the ignition switch
- take off the RH handlebar switch and give the kill switch a squirt of contact cleaner
- headlight off, take both the ignition and the RH handlebar plugs apart, squirt both with contact cleaner and plug them back together
- take clutch switch off - on the underside of the switch you will find a pin hole, squirt contact cleaner in through that pin hole (as best you can)
- LH panel off, take the big grey plug apart and squirt with contact cleaner. Likewise the white plug that's there

If none of that solves the issue, then it's rare - but not unknown - for water to get into the ECU / ECU plug on occasion. So seat off, tray over the battery off, lift the battery out and pull out the ECU, remove the plugs (or plugs - depending on which model 14 you have) squirt with contact cleaner and re-assemble.

If all the above fails, then would suggest wash the bike in sections, checking (by switching the ignition on) when the FI light comes on - at least then you will have narrowed down the locailty

[Hooli]

While you're near the ECU, clear the drain hole for the tray, I think it's the front left corner & about 3mm diameter.

[DanGSX]

Hi guys,

Many thanks for the advice.

Makes it easier now that I've got key points to look at.

While i'm in there, do you think it's wise to cover the connections in WD-40 before re-assembly?

Mines a k2 model by the way.

Cheers 

[saggy0000]

not being funny but both my wife and i went through this a few months ago,after filling up at blackpool with shell both bikes would not idle,and they ran very hot,both cut out a couple of times, fans came on,(mega hot) the gsx would run okish but the hornet had to be drained,after 2 days i put the crap in the lawn mower(THAT WILL RUN ON NATS PISS)wouldnt even start,so my advice is dont buy SHELL its SHITE,

[gsxbarmy]

@saggy0000 Please moderate your posting language, thank you. This is a public forum read by many including wives and children.

And for the record I for one, being an avid user of both Shell Optimax and BP Ultimate over many years with performance cars and my bikes have never had an issue, in fact in tests carried out by Which (not based on one tankful of fuel) Shell Optimax came out as one of the best fuels available for performance and economy.

I suspect the garage you filled up at may have had issues with its tanks, and possible infected fuel which caused your issue. That does not mean that the overall petrol supplier is "not good"