HELP..'99 busa just will not start

[MikeM2117]

Here is my sob story

I was attending a school in a county that was about 65 miles away from my residence. Because it was such a beautiful day, I thought I would ride & take my pristine (1999 copper/gold, 100% stock, never wrecked, never in rain, always garaged, 10,000 mile bike) 'Busa to the site.

I get up, ride to class. Sit in class for about 4 hours, we then break for lunch. Ride about 3 miles, hit some traffic in town due to construction, get to BK, park bike (about 100 degrees, high humidity), and eat. Come back out about 40 minutes later, try to start bike, it just spins & spins, & spins, but will not fire. I try EVERY trick I know, check every cable, wire, etc. No start.

I have to call a local Suzuki dealership to come out and get me. Truck/trailer comes out with a Service Tech, can't get it going. We trailer back to the dealership, and spend the next four hours checking every wire, relay, fuse, and the black box.

At first, he goes & gets a black box, which he advised was off a new 2005 Hayabusa, plugs it in and still no start. Then, we try swapping just about everything out. Then he brings out some diagnostic tool (looks like a 'wire' with a 'toggle' switch) that connects to a wire near the tail section. This wire/switch/tool give a reading in the small LCD near the fairing that indicates a code that may be related to the "relay, fuel pump, or ECU". Well, they are stumped because we have swapped everything out EXCEPT for the fuel pump out.

I have to leave for the day, so they advise "they will make some calls" and get back with me. They call a few days later and tell me the black box they tried at first will not work with the 99's (I haven't verified this as being 'gospel') and that I need an older box. BUT, they advise, that the '99 box they can't get anymore. They 'tell' me they tried a 2001 box and the bike fired up (can't verify, I wasn't there).

Needless to say, I am pissed.

For one, why did the 2005 box not work?

2) Why can't they get the '99 box as that is what OEM was for that bike. Are they BS'ing?

3) I have been riding since I was 12 (I am now 38), owned & raced a zillion bikes, wrecked a couple, and have NEVER ever had a 'electronic black box failure'. How could it fail so suddenly and right after I had just ridden it? Is this common in the '99's? Could it have been something else and they detroyed it/shorted it out with all the 'test leeds' they were hooking up to it?

So, being suspicious, I had a buddy pick up the bike, and have been seeking second opinions. Plus, I figured, I could use the ECU I bought from a guy that had two for his 'busa ('99).

So, there you have it. I know I am being a big baby about the whole thing, but my bikes are like one of my children. Can anybody comment on this issue? And, before I put on the 'new' ECM, is there anything alse I should check? This issue probably has been addressed before and, me being the stupid neewb is asking the same old dumb questions, but, man 'o man, could I use the help.....thanks.

-Mike

P.S.

Did I mention I am out $368.12 for the labor trying to diagnose the issue with the bike & the towing fees? Not a happy guy this week...... Oh, and I can be contacted at: busa1300r(at)gmail(dot)com if you don't want to waste the Board space....

 

[loboboy]

In 2003 they changed to a 32 bit ECU and the newer 32 bit computers probably will not work with your bike. Also I would really check your fuel pump and make sure it is putting out the fuel pressure it is supposed to. When you turn the key on can you hear the pump run? If it is pumping to correct amount of fuel then I would replace the ECU. I believe they stopped making the 99-00 ECU's so all of the bikes would be limited to the 186 max MPH that is why they only offer a 2001 model ECU for replacement on the 99-00 models.

Like I said before make sure you check the fuel pump.

 

[MikeM2117]

Thanks for the reply. I will check for the sound of the fuel pump. However, when we were swapping out everything (ECM, Relay, etc) there was NOT any noise/sounds from the fuel pump.

Like I advised from my original post, the "code" they received from the tool they hooked to the bike indicated it was a "relay, ECM, and/or the fuel pump". It was explained to me that the diagnostic tool/code reading covered all three possible 'faults'.

Later, when they called back, they advised that the fuel pump would not activate if the ECM was dead.......

So, this brings me back to the original question: Is it common for a ECM to just fail? Do you think there is an underlying cause for the bike not to start and the ECM was shorted out by all the probes they were hooking up?

I know I have a million questions, but I don't want to install the new box and the same issue occur again.

 

[loboboy]

Honestly I would check the fuel pump first. If you have the know how I would hook the fuel pump up directly to the battery and see if the bike starts or see if you can hear the pump running, and it will be pretty loud and you will definitely be able to hear it. If you hook it up direct to the battery and still nothing then I would say it is the fuel pump, but if you hook the fuel pump up direct and it still does not start then I woud go the ECU route, always try the cheapest part first that is my philosophy. Let me know if you have any more questions and i will try and help.


I may not know as much as some others but I will help as much as I can.

 

[MikeM2117]

Thanks for all your help & input. I will check it this weekend when I pick the bike up from my friends house. If you have any other thoughts and/or idea's let me know. I will try anything at this point.

 

[loboboy]

You might PM Johnnycheese and see what he thinks, he is one of the more knowledgeable members around here and he could probably give you some more insight of where to start. Just do a search for his name as I typed it and you will find him.

 

[busabullet]

Don't feel bad bud I am having some issues with my 2000 also. But my FI light is flashing. Seems the 1999 and 2000 are having quite a bit of problems!

 

[MikeM2117]

Loboboy, thanks for the advise, I e-mailed & PM'ed him a few minutes ago.

Busabullet: you know what? I think (and, I could be wrong) when I was trying to start my 'busa when in just 'died', I think the FI light was flashing. Hmmmmmm.......

I think (again, I am not sure, I just can't recall exactly), that the dealer told me the FI light flashes or stays on until the bike starts. I should have jotted down some notes...I get dumber as I get older.

 

[busabullet]

I know the feeling, It seems like I get one thing fixed and another goes wrong with the fuel delivery system on this bike. No problems for the first 30,000 miles now it has almost 40 and it's one after another. If I wanted to work on my bike every time I rode it I would have bought a harley!!

 

[MikeM2117]

Busabullett, what issues are you having? Did your black box go up too? Fuel Pump? Was you bike garaged? Stock? If you have time and don't want to waste the Board space, you can e-mail me directly at: busa1300r(at)gmail(dot)com.

I am curious what you did to fix your fuel issues and if you used/found a knowledgeable authorized dealership. Everybody I talk to gives me "I dunno". Frustrating.

 

[sageronin]

Mike,

Was your bike at the local service shop here in Frederick? If so, I've been doing business with them for several years and they are very reliable. If that was your bike I saw then you're right it is pristine and Jim the service manager told me about your ecu problem. Anyway, I hope everything works out for you and let us know the outcome please.

 

[MikeM2117]

Don, yup, that was my bike. Thank you for the kind words about the condition. And, in reviewing my prior posts after your reply, I can see where in may be construed that I was not pleased with the dealership in Frederick, MD.

First off, let me say this: My opinions, thoughts, and the way I am 'suspicious', is me, and all 'me'. Maybe it comes from my job background or maybe from friends that have been hosed by some dealerships in the Baltimore metro area. I am fanatically anal about my bikes and the dealership (JT Motorsports, Frederick, MD) was nothing but polite, respectful, helpful beyond belief, and patient by putting up with my million and one questions. Please do not think that I am backpeddling here, as I am not.

Jim, the service manager personally came out to where I was broken down even though it was a million degrees outside and the humidity made it feel even worse. I have only had dealings with one Suzuki shop (L & D Suzuki, Dover, DE) where I have purchased & serviced virtually every bike I have ever owned. It was a pleasant surprise that this dealership (JT Motorsports) came out to help me when I was stuck so far from home and I wasn't even 'one of their regulars'. I would recommend the shop in Frederick to anybody who needed assistance and/or needed service for their bikes. In addition to "Jim", another mechanic came out to help try and figure out the problems with my bike and spent a hot, sweaty afternoon looking at my bike AND listen to me whine & complain.

My post here on this board and some of the comments (i.e. cost, towing, being 'suspicious", etc.) is just from the utter frustration I am having with my bike. Like I stated, I treat it like my child and could not understand how it could just 'die' for absoluetly no reason. Especially when I see abused bikes, rolling wrecks, etc and they run as fast & strong as ever.

I will be putting in the new ECU next weekend when my friend comes down as we are going to take the tank off, check all the lines, clean the filter/pump and see what happens next. I will post something back by the 31st of August. Peace. -Mike

 

[sageronin]

Cool Mike ... yep those are some good folks at JT Motorsports. I was admiring the heck out of your bike and even as I was wishing Jim much luck and getting it running again, I also told him to pass on a offer to you for me to buy it. Your's is without a doubt the best color scheme ever!!
Anyway, much luck in getting her back on the road soonest. She is a beauty!!