Has anyone had this idle problem

viking73

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Mar 7, 2007
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I have an 06 Rocket 3 that idles very high (around 2000 RPM). It occurs about half of the time. When I Start it up it climbs to 2000 RPM and stays. I can even drive off and let off the throttle in first and it stays at the same RPM. I can also pull in the clutch while riding down the road and it idles down to 2000 RPM and hangs there. I've tried turning it off and back on, hitting the throttle and letting off and it doesn't help. I have brought it in for the idle recall issue and it didn't resolve my particular problem. I've read through this forum and the other one and I've seen one other person decribe the same problem but they didn't have a resolution. I've been reading other idle issues and I think it may have something to do with either the Idle speed controller or the primary throttle position sensor (TPS). Can anyone help me out here? The service department is aware of the problem and I have brought it by to show them what is happening and they are telling me it will take a while to troubleshoot before they know what is causing the problem.
 
Have you seen these threads??



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Have the dealer check the voltage of the TPS sensor with their service tool as described on page 11.127 of the service manual.

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high idle when hot

Viking,

I posted a similar problem a few months back. Since then, I have solved my idling problem.

http://www.r3owners.net/showthread.php?t=1706&highlight=darron

1st) the problem: since that post, the fast idling problem has returned. Idles ok when first started cold and as it warms up progressively will not return to idle. When completely hot from running a while, will idle at about 2000rpm.

2nd) the solution: (It took a long time and a lot of returns to the dealer), but found the throttle shafts were sticking when hot. How did I, (not the dealer), prove it? By keeping a can of silicone spray with the bike and when the idle started creeping up, spraying both throttle shafts very liberally and completely from one end to the other with silicone. The idle immediately returned to normal, (800rpm).

Dealer's mechanic theorizes the sticking is because the heat causes the shaft, (which one we don't know), to slighly expand or even warp and thus sticks when hot. I don't know why this should be able to happen, but I keep the spray with me and use it when needed.
 
Wasn't I alluding to heat being the issue Viking? Mine was hanging at about 1500 intermittently during these recent 100+ degree days. Alabama has set a new record for the number of 100 degree days in August. With the cooler temps the last few days (about 90 DT peaks) I've had no high idle issues; and, I'm seeing 180F oil temps with these lower DayTime high temps after installing the RedLine Water Wetter. Previously the readings were about 190 with 90-95 degree days.

And to add more support to HEAT being the problem, with the 100 degree days and arriving to work at noon:30, near the peak daytime temps, I had idle RPMs at 1500. However, 8 hours later in the cooler dark ride home there was no idle issue.

Darron: What range of daytime temps, if then be the time of sticky shafts, were occurring during your episodes.
 
idling problem

I had the problem even on cool mornings. After the bike was ridden several miles, it would idle fast. Her3tic, I didn't try to evaluate the temp of the ambient air. It happened whenever I'd ride into town, (25 miles).
 
what tts has to say on this...

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2007 1:29 pm Post subject: 2000rpm idle I don't know about anyone else but I'm fed up with hearing problems with poor idle, stalling, fast idle etc. I have seen a lot of R3's since fitting superchargers and one thing that keeps rearing its ugly head is this problem. My last customers bike was fitted with our s/charger and after 500 miles or so it decides to go to a 2000 rpm idle. I had the bike back, played around with it, resetting codes etc and got it back to a 750rpm idle but it wouldn't come up to the 820 rpm programmed. I went out for a ride everything was great until I re fueled. I restarted the bike and get an instant 2000rpm idle. I struggled back to the shop. I could see that the idle control servo had maxed out. I changed the servo and the new one maxed out. Time for drastic action. I unscrewed the servo and zip tied it out the way, adjusted the idle manually to 800rpm. The bike now runs great. It idles at about 650 until it warms up but I have instant throttle response and no hang up of any description on closed throttle. I've never had a bike with a throttle servo before and I can't see why we need one now.
I hope to talk to a techy at Triumph tomorrow to ask what the ecu is looking for to keep a constant idle, for sure its not doing a very good job.
 
Rocky:

I find that the 12 minute tune on my 06 Classic returns everything to normal. My idle degrades over time to where the bike starts stalling and it will surge going down the road. I've never had a high idle problem other than on cold starts when the idle climbs to 2K and then settles to 800. I believe that if I had a throttle shaft binding, first thing I'd do would be to pull the shafts and ascertain whether they ran directly in the pot metal of the throttle bodies or whether they were bushed. If they are not bushed, you have two entirely different rates of expansion between the light alloy bodies and the mild steel shaft so either a bit of lapping compound is in order or a set miniature caged needle roller bearings in each body for a frictionless fit. Yes, I have the tools to line bore the bodies and install roller bearings.

Interestingly, Kohler Engine's and Tecumseh engines run a light alloy (pot metal) carb body with a mild steel throttle plate shaft and they use a felt wick/bushing arrangement to negate the effect of expansion.
 
First off, guys thanks for all the responses. this forum is VERY resourcefull. I think it will save me from the service department using my bike as a test dummy.

I emailed someone on another forum that described the same problem and they fixed his by replacing the Primary Throttle Position Sensor. Heretic, I think you were right about the heat being the problem but I think the heat has damaged the sensor somehow since it does it when cold now. I'll check the cable also. Has anyone ever lubed the cables with this: http://www.murphskits.com/cablelube.htm ?

What travelguy replied reminded me of a problem that I had with my Dodge Pickup right after I bought it. I was stuck in traffic on the interstate and my truck was surging and wouldn't idle correctly. they finally found the problem. the speed sensor in the rearend was defective and giving false reading to the ecm and the idle servo was trying to adjust, they replaced it and 120k later I have had no problems.

can I just unplug the idle speed controller (idle servo) and leave it installed until the dealership can get the TPS in to replace it?
 
You can unplug it but you will have to set the base idle and it will throw a check engine light.

If you live somewhat close to Her3tic, you could have his hook up his tuneboy diagnositics and see what the TPS voltage is. I am 99% sure you don't need a key code to run the diagnostics side of Tuneboy. There also is a function in Tuneboy that will allow you to reset the TPS voltage as the Triumph tool does. You do need a torx bit to loosen the sensor.
 
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