Stuttering Power Mystery

[TRod]

Wanna bet? It is serviceable, but very touchy and a very specific procedure that I still don't know. I was there for that situation Pete described. It was a nail-biter and almost disabled 2 nines!

I was just going off what the service manual says. I wasn't trying to make up anything new.

[The HUFF]

I was just going off what the service manual says. I wasn't trying to make up anything new.

It's all good. I just didn't want someone to think messing with the TPS would be an easy thing. It messed with the electronics but slyDog was able to figure it out. I thought we had ruined two throttle bodies.

[Folkwulfe]

Spark....that is correct. Only with the key in and on, bike running, the ECM picked up a "random" ignition switch error code. The fault was very random and would not "save" as an error code in the ECM that could be pulled up later. The shop mechanic loaded the diagnostic software that checks a whole lot more than the ECM does and connected the laptop to the diagnostic plug under the left side panel. He then put the laptop in a backpack and rode around recording everything on the laptop. That's where the codes started popping up. As soon as they saw those random error codes....off came the ignition switch and the discovery of the crack. Now my 9er is a 2007 model I bought brand new in May '07. She has just short of 21,000 miles and has never been dropped. This fracture has to be associated with heat and/or vibrations from the riding. Something to beware of in everyone's future......hope it helps find someone's problems quicker (and cheaper) than it took me.

[keitho]

Thanks for the updates! That is a very interesting problem and glad you got it fixed.

[jhorsf]

You got lucky and got something rare a tech who actually knew something about the bike

[hunt1moore]

Thanks!
This is what this forum is about. Sorry you had to be the one to find out.

[2007LE]

And we have a winner!!! Picked up my 9 from the shop Saturday. Been TRYING to make her stutter as before....no soap. She purrs like brand new. So what was the final call? The ignition switch has a plastic round contact plate inside the rear of the switch housing. This plastic disk has the actual contacts for start and power....some contacts have a resistor soldered between them. These are necessary to prevent someone from cutting wires and "hot wiring" the bike to run without the key (theft prevention). Mine had a crack in the plastic disk that, when the engine reached a certain rpm, the vibrations made the contacts separated enough to cause the switch to go "on" to "off" and back on several times. No fault code registered because it saw the event as a "key on to key off to key on". This made the engines falter and sputter in the 2000-2200 (about 40 mph) range. As the crack got worse, the faltering and stuttering also got worse. The switch was replaced and she runs like a champ again. So.....if you have a stuttering problem and the shop sees a few random ignition switch fault code crop up....check the switch disk!

Did you get a part number for the items they replaced? If so, then I can check prices on it. I have been fighting a stuttering problem for over 8 months and I've replaced and checked everything except the Throttle Position Sensor and the ignition switch part you mentioned. I checked the manual and the dealership parts fische but I can't locate an exploded view of the ignition switch. Hell, I can't even find the ignition switch in the parts fische. It's not in the electrical or starter section. My bike's stuttering has gone from mild to really bad. I barely made it home today. The bike is parked until I locate and cure the problem. I can check the back of the switch tomorrow but if that isn't the problem, I'll have the dealership check the TPS.

[Folkwulfe]

2007LE.....here's what I have. The part number is 37110-48G30 and its official name is "SWITCH ASSY, IGNITION" and you can find it on the parts fiche under "wiring harness", not electrical or starter something. One of the sites I visited recently has it listed as $109.50. The assembly is complete and it takes about 15 minutes to swap out. BEWARE however.....the yoke lock and gas cap will still be keyed for the original ignition key. The ignition (of coarse) comes with two NEW keys. The Suzuki dealer says the gas cap and yoke can be re-keyed to the new key, but I haven't had that done yet (I carry both new and old copies now). As an aside....she still purrs like a kitten.....not a single stutter.

[2007LE]

Thanks Folkwulfe. I had planned to take the bike to the dealership today but my plans got changed. Tomorrow is the 4th of July so everything wlll probably be closed. Looks like I'll drop it off Thursday. In the meantime I'll do some more price checking in case it's something I can replace. Thanks for the heads-up about needing to re-key too (if that is the problem).