Don't swap relays

[ZX11]

My fuel pump relay died after being intermittant for a week. I swapped the fan relay into the pump relay position to troubleshoot the problem. It fixed it but gave me an engine fault light. The fault light didn't go out even after I replaced the fan relay with the original fan relay and the pump relay with a new one. The ECM recorded the lack of fan relay as a fault when I started the bike with the fan relay in the pump position. It never turned off the light. I had to take the bike to the dealer to have the buds system clear the fault. The fault clearing cost me $41. That is crap. It shouldn't have cost me anything. I need to get a copy of that buds program off the internet to save the rediculous fees.

Go buy a spare relay or two before you have the problem. Use it to trouble shoot any fuel pump relay issues instead of the fan relay. You won't get a engine fault light that way. I bought my relays at one of the car parts stores (autozone).

That is a picture of the OEM relay taken apart. It cracked during when I removed the lid. I think there is just carbon buildup on the contacts since it ohm'd ok.

[TNT]

You'd think the minor code be reset by a key cycle, according to the manual it should....I know ppl have been swapping relays for years this is the first I have heard of this makes me wonder about your ECM. Sounds like it's best to carry xtras and not turn the key on w/o a relay or chance it. I'd use some dielectric grease to prevent that carbon.

[klm20_2000]

Shouldn't you be able to disconnect the battery and clear it out. Maybe leave it disconnected over night?

[ZX11]

I disconnected the battery to clear it but it didn't work. I only left the battery disconnected for a few minutes though. The manual said it should clear since it is a minor fault but it didn't.

I am mostly frustrated with the $41 cost and the need to use Buds to clear the codes. Whats worse was that the dealer originally said to bring the bike back after the weekend since he was too busy to connect the Buds that day. The parts guy wound up connecting it and clearing the codes.

People could put the bad relay in the fan relay position and that may prevent the fault while the fan relay is in the fuel pump position. It is just easier to have a new relay ready. Mine was $10 from Riley's autoparts.

[maille99]

the engine light will turn off when u turn the key off and wait the 30 seconds or 1 minute for everything to shut down on the bike, at that time it should clear itself if it is only a minor prob, if not u got another fault that the dealer didnt tell u about

[reinaldo]

Quote: Originally Posted by ZX11

My fuel pump relay died after being intermittant for a week. I swapped the fan relay into the pump relay position to troubleshoot the problem. It fixed it but gave me an engine fault light. The fault light didn't go out even after I replaced the fan relay with the original fan relay and the pump relay with a new one. The ECM recorded the lack of fan relay as a fault when I started the bike with the fan relay in the pump position. It never turned off the light. I had to take the bike to the dealer to have the buds system clear the fault. The fault clearing cost me $41. That is crap. It shouldn't have cost me anything. I need to get a copy of that buds program off the internet to save the rediculous fees.

Go buy a spare relay or two before you have the problem. Use it to trouble shoot any fuel pump relay issues instead of the fan relay. You won't get a engine fault light that way. I bought my relays at one of the car parts stores (autozone).

That is a picture of the OEM relay taken apart. It cracked during when I removed the lid. I think there is just carbon buildup on the contacts since it ohm'd ok.

Thank you for the advice. I thought swapping relays is the best solution to save money but it makes the situation worst.

[TNT]

Quote: Originally Posted by reinaldo

Quote: Originally Posted by ZX11

My fuel pump relay died after being intermittant for a week. I swapped the fan relay into the pump relay position to troubleshoot the problem. It fixed it but gave me an engine fault light. The fault light didn't go out even after I replaced the fan relay with the original fan relay and the pump relay with a new one. The ECM recorded the lack of fan relay as a fault when I started the bike with the fan relay in the pump position. It never turned off the light. I had to take the bike to the dealer to have the buds system clear the fault. The fault clearing cost me $41. That is crap. It shouldn't have cost me anything. I need to get a copy of that buds program off the internet to save the rediculous fees.

Go buy a spare relay or two before you have the problem. Use it to trouble shoot any fuel pump relay issues instead of the fan relay. You won't get a engine fault light that way. I bought my relays at one of the car parts stores (autozone).

That is a picture of the OEM relay taken apart. It cracked during when I removed the lid. I think there is just carbon buildup on the contacts since it ohm'd ok.

Thank you for the advice. I thought swapping relays is the best solution to save money but it makes the situation worst.

Both the fan and fuel pump relays can throw a code for being "disconnected" from a dirty blade or bad contact at the engine connector, also water on the blades or connectors shorting the ECM to ground, or bad wires lack of voltage to the relay.

So all the conditions above can cause the engine light to go on. In the case above the code happen when the fault did not by swaping the relays. I have seen ppl swap relays for years and the minor code reset when the fault is corrected. I don't know why this ECM did not reset, I think something else was going on. The light should go out but the ECM will store the code as history.

[Firerider335]

You can swap the fan and fuel pump relays to test if you have a faulty relay. Problem is that after 3-7 key turns or engine starts(I believe) it should throw a soft code which can be cleared by you. BUT if the engine is already hot and you swap the relays and the fan kicks on, it will then throw a "hard" code and you will have to take it to the dealer to reset. This is what my dealer told me yesterday. Bottom line is just buy at least one extra!

[ds450power]

just take off ur display lights and the engine code light will go away lol...

[canamdan]

I replaced all 3 relays thru the plastic vent without removing any plastics. I used the autozone relays. Ill keep you posted if they last longer than the canam crap