2010 TE 450 RUNNING ROUGH, STALLING , NO START

I have been having issues with my 2010 TE 450 with ~500 miles. It acts like it is fuel starved or hitting a rev limiter, stalling, not starting and flooding when trying to start.

This started after I installed a JD tune kit. At the same time I checked my valves and did an oil change. The bike ran great for about 20 miles then started missing and finally died. I removed the JD kit on the side of the road, had trouble starting it and when it did finally start it ran poorly as if were fuel starved above ~5000 rpm. It hasn't been right since.

I was hoping maybe with all the work, I had loosened a connector or wire. I have looked at everything and can find no problems. I checked the mounts and leads to the coil and everything looked secure. I pulled the coil and tested it. I got an "open" when testing between the grounding/mounting block and the spark plug grip on the coil wire. The only resistance measurement I could get at all was between the spark plug grip and either of the small leads, which were both 25 ohms. I sanded and cleaned the coil mount spot on the frame and put everything back together. I disconnected the fuel pump plug, and checked the plug for spark. (Spark plug in the coil wire held against the engine block to complete the ground.) I DID have spark, not bright white but consistent.

I put everything back together and the bike started pretty easily. I let it idle while I got my helmet and jacket on and then when I gave it a few small revs, it died again and would not start. Fuel pump seems to be running/priming normally and sometimes flooding the bike badly when cranked for more than a few seconds. I have received a "FAIL" on the instrument panel when trying to start it. I disconnected the battery, the "FAIL" went away, and it has started since the fail, but hasn't run correctly.

So I guess one question is exactly how are you to test your coil?

If I was testing it correctly (seems pretty simple, I don't know how I could be dorking it up) Is it possible to in fact have an open circuit reading and the coil still work at all?

Are these symptoms of a misadjusted TPS?

If I can't determine that my coil is the issue, I think my next step is to buy the Ibeat and use that for trouble shooting. (Anyone have an Ibeat I can buy or rent? ) I have ordered a fuel pump and when that gets here I will open the tank and replace that while doing the fuel pump mods I've seen in here. Judging by the sound, the fuel pump seems to be running/priming just fine. Twice I have flooded the bike where fuel is running out of the exhaust while trying to start it.

Any ideas? I just bought the bike a few weeks ago and it ran fine until I installed the JD tuner. I can't help but think I messed something up but I've had plenty of strange things hapeen when it comes to these damn motorbikes!

You are gonna have to go back and re-check everything you did with the JD install AND un-install, it's 90% sure to be the source of your problem. If you don't have the wiring diagram for your bike, you should get it and start to look at it often as you are checking wires.

Your spark with the plug against the head, should be big, fat and dark blue. If your plug is carboned up, it will tend to make the spark more yellow. You should get a brand new plug and try to use it only for spark checking. If you have a fat, blue spark with a new plg, clean up the old one until you can get the same blue spark and use the old one.

When I was having my problems I wanted to fault the coil and I almost bought one to rule it out. Unnecessary. I have read 100s of posts on this forum and I have yet to read of a bad coil. I found my problem and still have my OEM coil.

In all the problems I've had with my 2010, and many of those problems were with the fueling system, I NEVER had a flooding problem. SOMETHING is holding the fuel injector in the CONTINUOUS OPEN position when it's only supposed to be opening and closing on the intake stroke.

In 13,000 miles, and I even took the TPS assembly apart one time to see what it looked like, I have never reset my TPS and my bike runs flawlessly now.

Video of spark check, focus is bad, blue color is visible.

I did think the spark looked a little week. I'll get a new plug on the way home. Cheap and easy trouble shooting.

I always try to undue the last thing I have done when running into problems. The first thing I did was uninstall the kit. The JD kit is very simple. Unplug the FI plug and plug the kit in between and a ground under the voltage regulator. All removed and inspected. My fear is I damaged a wire or plug when fiddling with the gas tank and all. I think the Ibeat may help a lot to show a stored fault.

As far as the coil goes, I just don't know how I could mess up the check on it. But it is obviously working at least somewhat.

The bike is only flooding when I am cranking it for more than a few seconds and it does not start. Not when running.


Another thing I forgot to add in the original post is the bike has the PU mod.



Thanks for the help!

A little update...
I bought a brand new plug last night. I checked the new plug for spark and got nothing. I installed the old plug and got a consistent spark again. I don't think it is as good/blue as OHR's. Installed the new plug again, being careful not to disturb any wires and again no spark with the new plug. WTF?! I doubt if the new plug is bad, but I will exchange it for a new one today and try again.

Spark plug wire might be parted/separated inside the sheathing, the act of pulling plugs out and pushing plugs back in alters the break inside the sheathing. I'd keep the plug you have and keep trying, I have never seen a bad spark plug out of the box.

Agreed, nor have I. Highly unlikely it's bad.


I found this....

When I had the coil off the bike, the wire spun freely at the coil. Should the wire be tightly screwed into the coil?

My parts guy told me that the coil and the spark plug wire (2010 TE) were all one piece and could not be purchased separately.

The parts book shows that the cap is available separately, and I don't know if that includes the wire up to the coil or if the cap is just the cap.

I'd disassemble what you have and take a look at it, get some pics, you may to start a new thread to get some experienced eyeballs

I guess I'll try to screw it together tighter and see if it feels more secure. It felt to me like the wire just spun freely in the coil.

By the way, thanks for the video. I've always just held the plug against the motor. Taping it is a great way to free up your hands. It's the little things in life....

Hey Man
I know its been a while I was just wondering if you figured your spark problem I'm running into the same thing, I replaced the coil but still no change I did find another thread who pretty much went down the same path too until pin pointing it to the ECU.