Oscillating idle speed.

[bscrive]

While I was out on a ride today the bike would idle 1000 to 1500 rpm.  It only did it once it go up to operating temp.  I have been looking online and I have seen that this a fairly common issue with Goldwing.  It could be the air temp sensor, O2 sensor or heaven forbid, the ecm. I am on the road today and tomorrow, so it will have to wait. Hopefully, it doesn't crap out on me.

[bscrive]

Well, I am back from my two day ride.  We did about 14 hours of driving and I still have an issue with the oscillating idling speed.  Sometimes it would idle up and down between 1000 and 1500 rpm, other times at 750 rpm, sometimes at 1000 rpm and sometimes it would idle at 1500 rpm.  When the idle speed would oscillate up and down it seems like the bike wasn't hitting on all cylinders and it sounded horrible.

When running down the road it acts fine and I haven't any change in my fuel economy.  Each time I stop it can be a different speed that it idles at.

Basically, I think that my ECM is pooched and a new one isn't cheap.  The cheapest I could find is $649 and of course it is a different part number than a regular Goldwing. 

My next thing to see is if a re-flash would work.  There are a few places around that do that and I am going to contact them to see what their opinion is.

[Robert]

You should have the check engine light flashing. Leave the key on the engine off and see if the check engine light flashes. Count the flashes and post the number or numbers here. Or look on line and see what the number means. It will be the same as the Goldwing and if the bike is running that erratically it should be throwing a code for the computer to light up the check engine light.

There is an idle solenoid attached to the throttle body also that is supposed to regulate the idle. If that took a dump then that could be your problem. Unfortunately you will have to lift the tank off to get to it or are you sure you dont have a cable hung up and not allowing the idle all the way down.

What I would first check is, if you dont have a check engine light flashing then the computer says there is nothing wrong. If that is the case I would look seriously into a binding cable. Its always possible but I doubt the computer is bad, that would be very unusual. There are also switches on the brakes and clutch that can have an effect on idle also.

Just had a thought to check one more thing there is a vacuum line going to the tank to suck out the vapors.

[bscrive]

Thanks for the response Robert.

I will take the tank off later today.  I wanted to check a few things with the throttle body and I will add your suggestions to my checklist.

I will also go and see if there are any codes.....I just went to check the codes and nothing came up.  So, it idles like crap, but it doesn't set a code.  I guess Honda thinks that this is ok.   

[ledany]

It can't be the ECU, imho. 

[Robert]

Thanks for the response Robert.

I will take the tank off later today.  I wanted to check a few things with the throttle body and I will add your suggestions to my checklist.

I will also go and see if there are any codes.....I just went to check the codes and nothing came up.  So, it idles like crap, but it doesn't set a code.  I guess Honda thinks that this is ok.   

If you have no codes then it could be something as simple as a miss or bad plug or wire. I am not sure if the computer is sophisticated enough to detect a miss in the engine. A miss should eventually show up as an O2 code though. But it wont happen right away. In diagnosis it helps to know what the computer shows as a code and what it does not. This way you know its something the computer cannot see with no code. To set a code you have to have a monitoring system that costs extra money and I doubt Honda got that sophisticated with these bikes knowing they cut out things on the fuel systems also compared to the wing.

If you would like to see if the computer is ok you can set a code by disconnecting something that would set a code like the intake air temp sensor and see if the check engine light flashes. If it does then the computer is registering faults if not then the computer could be suspect.

I would wait till I have checked first to see if its one cylinder that is having an issue. Once you take the tank off you have to put it back on to check the bike. I would say that since the computer doesn't see the problem start with the basic stuff first like making sure spark to all cylinders and plugs are ok. Once you have an idea if it is a cylinder you can go further without wasting time.

[sleepngbear]

Possible it's a bad coil? My fairly new Mazda had an episode with idling awhile back, although mine was idling low while varying the RPM's, otherwise it seemed to be running fine. It took about 4 or 5 days before it finally threw a CEL, which said bad coil. Stealer replaced under warranty and it's been fine ever since. I've never had a bad coil act like that, usually it just killed the spark to one cylinder and would run like total crap. Might be one more thing to look at.

[bscrive]

I checked everything out and I couldn't find anything wrong.  I decided to just do an ECM reset and it is idling fine now.  I will have to wait until I can get a chance to go out for a ride to make sure that it will still idle correctly.  It was super hot today, 95F. and high humidity, so I didn't feel like going out for a ride.  That is too hot for me to ride.  Us Canadians are not used to temps like that. 

[goldstar903]

  It was super hot today, 95F. and high humidity, so I didn't feel like going out for a ride.  That is too hot for me to ride.  Us Canadians are not used to temps like that. 

Brian, maybe you could save those days for when winter comes? 

[bscrive]

I replaced the idle air control valve which is called the 'rotary air control valve' on our bikes and the idling is back to normal. 
I tried to get one here in Canada, but my Honda dealer told me that they are backordered until mid-August and the price here was $295!!!  I told him that I can get it at Partzilla for $80 USD.  He told me that he pays more than that for the part.  I ordered the part from Partzilla.  After I ordered the part I remembered that I had bought a throttle body from a wing a couple of years ago for the cruise mechanism.  I checked the part number and it was the same.  I changed the part and the bike is now idling perfectly.  I will keep the other IACV in case this one goes.

[Bill Havins]

Good! 

[pago cruiser]

Glad you got it figured out!
Any way to test it to verify it died?  Can it be disassembled and cleaned?
If the board had a Technical Section on the 2014+ Valk, would be ideal to add this.

[bscrive]

I am not sure if it can be cleaned, but I figured it was easier just changing the part.  When I was reading about this fix on the wing board they just say to change it.

The weird thing is that there was just a tad of nice clean oil in the three ports.  Not much, but I figured that was the reason for the failure.  Not sure how oil could have gotten there.  One of life's mysteries I guess.