Loud Electrical Ticking (battery connected wrong way)

[Bagman]

Let's start the 2018 riding season with a spark!

I don't know how. Don't ask. I connected the battery backward and blew the 50A main fuse. All other fuses are intact, so I'm guessing the main fuse did its job. Bought a new fuse to try again. Problem:

- kill switch in off position
- insert key
- turn to ON
- * normally, this is when the Fz8 makes it 2 second long electrical/fuel pump priming noise
- NOW, all I hear is a loud ticking noise. Almost like it is trying to do the normal prime, but can't.

It's a louder tick tick tick noise and almost seems to have a mechanical component to the noise. It's coming from around where top of cylinder head is beneath the tank (by radiator). Fuel pump? Best I can tell all the relays, including the fuel relay are all by the seat. If one is toast, could that cause a noise by front of bike?

The battery sat indoors all winter. Should have been good to go, but admittedly I didn't throw it on the tender prior to me trying to fire up the bike. I tried to turn it over twice, and not for very long. I maybe did a total of 1 minute's worth of listening to the noise on and off. Noise got less as the battery quickly drained away. Now bike won't do anything when into "ON" position.

It's on the Battery Tender now, but within 2 minutes flashing green - meaning 80% charged?

Battery fried? I have no reason to suspect it's dead from over winter. Did the incorrect hook-up drain it? Battery fried?

 

[Bagman]

To update:

I think I fried the battery when I connected it backwards. Seems logical. lol. The battery tender only took 30 minutes to go "solid green", and I know that's not long enough to charge a battery from dead (like the battery was acting like). Connected it to bike....

- kill switch off
- key into ignition and turn to ON...
- can hear more quiet tick noise from under tank
- kill switch to ON position...
- now hear electrical ticks coming from where battery and relays are
- now hear fuel pump noises (on/off - like trying to repeatedly prime)
- now hear louder ticks like original from by cylinder head/under tank

Basically, sounds like noises cars also make when the battery is totally toast - just a bunch of electrical clicks and ticks when put into accessory. The bike would laboured to try and turn over - didn't, and second time I tried the start button did nothing.

 

[Bagman]

To update:

Connected Battery Backwards! YEAY!!

I had the bike taken to a local shop. They were able to get the bike to fire up without issue after removing a wire out of a connector that controls the fuel pump relay and talks with the ECU. They noted the ticking noise heard with the kill-switch OFF, but key turned to ON was the fuel pump trying to work. If sitting on the bike the connector sits around the bottom-front-left of the tank (toward front of bike).

Yamaha Canada techs advised the shop that the instrument cluster was not the issue, and that the ECU was fried. They knew I had the ECU flashed and they didn't seem to care and didn't simply blame the ECU flash.

Bauce Racing is who flashed they ECU. They, and the shop, have been very helpful and accomodating. Bauce Racing made mention in an e-mail about very rarely they have issues with the flash that prevents the fuel pump from priming.

I'm playing on the balance of probabilities here. What are the odds I fried the ECU, but nothing else on the bike? It is possible, but not probable. I'm sending ECU back to get flashed back to stock map to test.

 

[Bagman]

Final Update:

It was the ECU. Very long, frustrating saga of crapola over the last month with it. In the end a new ECU purchased from Burlington Cycle solved it. I guess I did fry the ECU and nothing else when I connected the terminal backward.

 

[Bagman]

I should probably update this.

FINAL FINAL UPDATE:

The ECU did NOT get fried when I connected the terminal on the battery backward. The main 50A fuse blew and did its job. What was the issue? The tune/flash from Bauce Racing! I have only positive comments about Bauce Racing. A very professional and patient individual that did his best to help, and refunded me all money.

What I dislike is Flashtune the company. That's the actual culprit.

Locally, I was able to track down JSFLASHTUNE (who uses the Flashtune software) to tune the ECU. I got it on his dyno and he was able to only play with the Fueling Map. If he tried to play with the Ignition Map the motorbike wouldn't start just like how it did as I described in the past (think the ECU was fried). The bike definitely pulls much harder now and nice smooth throttle. He also told me he couldn't play with fan temps or correct the speedo, because it wouldn't work. I wonder if he just forgot to make those changes after all was said and done.

Both Bauce Racing and JSFlashtune tried to work with Flashtune (the company) and they were politely told they didn't give a crap. Fz8 is just not worth their time.

I know Guhl's reverse engineers and does he own maps (computer engineering techy guy), and I guess ECUUnleashed (the other company option) doesn't have these issues with the Fz8.