New TE310 owner dealing with issues

[nonson]

Hey everyone. I picked up a 2011 TE310 a month ago with about 2000 miles on (hard miles from the looks of it) and I've basically been fixing little issues nonstop ever since:

• Positive battery lead tore loose - a side effect of poor battery placement design I assume.
• Chain tension adjuster bolt seized and I spent 3 days drilling it out.
• A head scratching bogging issue that was caused by the fuel pump coming loose from its holster.
• Headlight blew out both high and low beam within a day (no big).
• Chain snapped off (happens) and I pushed the bike home
• Had the starter issue that is apparently very common. Worm gear shaft and ring gear are chewed up. Couldn't even kick start because it was binding up and trying to spin the starter motor, so I suspect sprag clutch as well? Husky says they're not covering it since the bike isn't under warranty anymore...even though it's a design failure?? Ok, anyway...I hacked off the worm gear (because it was stuck and I couldn't remove it for some damned reason) and have been kicking it since.

Sooo yes, I have some questions and wanted to share my experience if you'll indulge me:

Question: Why me?

Real Question: Today I was in stop-and-go traffic and I had been riding for about an hour with no problem. Accidentally hit the kill switch so I kicked it over again. Started up and then crapped out right after. Tried again, same thing. Felt like it wasn't getting fuel or something - struggling to stay alive. I pulled over for a few minutes and let the bike sit, inspected it and didn't see anything obvious. Then I started it up again and it seemed everything was fine.

What happened?? Could it have been overheating in traffic in 80+ degree weather? I know temp sensors on these bikes are wonky too, but I didn't hear any popping from the engine, so I really don't know and it worries me. The last thing I want is for this thing to strand me like it has threatened to so many times already.

Sorry, that's long winded but it has been endless maintenance with this bike since day 1 and I had to vent. Do you think I'll ever feel like I can trust this little bastard? I love it when it works, but the moments of joy have punctuated by frequent moments of unreliability that I haven't experienced on a bike before. She hasn't won my trust.

Thanks!

 

[bmasho]

I feel for you, but know very little about the 2011. I am just now sorting out a 2013 TE310 and hope to gain that "trust" you have spoken of. Good luck getting the bike sorted out.

 

[ray_ray]

Too bad on the eStart but good to hear you are taking it like a man ... Oh so many here can't and that's ok and ~understandable with the $ these bike cost new ...

The fuel pump coming loose is another thing that was a slow fix also on the bikes during the bwm ownership yrs ... The talk of better quality product ~never really materialized as some thought ... (and yes, I expect my ~shadows to appear pretty quickly) ... The riders here did figure that one out and the pump can be locked down ...

The chain and headlights sound a little odd ... That OEM chain might not be the best quality ... As long as you did not break the engine housing or that slave-clutch right there at the sprocket, I'd count my blessings and get a better chain for the future ...

The dying for no reason? Lots of talk here on that topic for a few yrs now ... No clue but others here are on the inside of that saga and should provide you some guidance.

--

Read lots of threads here and opinions ... I give you a better that average chance of fixing that bad-a$$ Husky and riding past many other brands ...
(My 010 TCs have CARBs and ridden till the sun goes down often... Just a little afraid of my 1 EFI Husky also ... I doubt I'll ever take it too far out in the sticks and I always have a pull rope with me...An extra fuel pump and regulator are needed just to be safe...)

Another thing, if you are not familiar with EFI bikes ... remember the CARB jet clogging due to ethanol in the gas? Clogged injectors can be lots worst ... Keep the gas as clean as possible, starting at the point it is poured into the tank, and do not let the bike sit too long and allow the fuel system to get clogged ... Many use gas-additives in their EFI bikes ...

 

[Boogie]

...

• Positive battery lead tore loose - a side effect of poor battery placement design I assume. Does it have the rubber strap holding the battery in place? The seat should sit just on top of the battery holding it down. If it's a smaller battery than stock then may need to add a bit of rubber foam on top of the battery so the seat still puts a little bit of pressure on it.
• Chain tension adjuster bolt seized and I spent 3 days drilling it out. Previous owner obviously didn't add never seize to these bolts. Should do that on any new dirt bike.
• Chain snapped off (happens) and I pushed the bike home Get new chain and both sprockets...

Question: Why me? Why not?


What happened?? Could it have been overheating in traffic in 80+ degree weather? Have you filled with fresh coolant? Is the thermo fan working?

 

[ray_ray]

How much dirt vs street riding are you gonna be doing on this bike?

 

[reveille]

My 2012 310 had a weird bog and would idle but die under load and that left me stranded on the trail. It was a bad battery. It will not run properly without a properly running battery. Food for thought.

 

[Shovelhead85]

Hey everyone. I picked up a 2011 TE310 a month ago with about 2000 miles on (hard miles from the looks of it) and I've basically been fixing little issues nonstop ever since:

• Positive battery lead tore loose - a side effect of poor battery placement design I assume.

maybe a problem with the hold-down system (agreed) but not necessarily the location, if that's what you're saying.

• Chain tension adjuster bolt seized and I spent 3 days drilling it out.

yeah, one of the first things I do on a new bike is hit the adjusters with anti-seize. It only took me 20 years to learn that one.

• A head scratching bogging issue that was caused by the fuel pump coming loose from its holster.

thanks- I'll file that little diagnostic tidbit away.

• Headlight blew out both high and low beam within a day (no big).

hmmm- I disagree about it being a NBFD. The odds of that happening (2 filaments) without an external influence are very, very low. Bet'cha it's related to your battery connection problem (ie, regulator went nuts with over-voltage) or something similar. Hopefully there is no permanent damage to your charging system, but keep an eye on things.

• Chain snapped off (happens) and I pushed the bike home

wow- kinda rare nowadays that a chain flat-out breaks. Well at least not like it was it the late '60s-'70s where everbody rode with extra links, half-links and a couple of masters with a mini-breaker on the front brake cable.
Could you do me a "flavor" and check out the brand & style (o-ring or not) of chain that broke?

• Had the starter issue that is apparently very common. Worm gear shaft and ring gear are chewed up. Couldn't even kick start because it was binding up and trying to spin the starter motor, so I suspect sprag clutch as well? Husky says they're not covering it since the bike isn't under warranty anymore...even though it's a design failure?? Ok, anyway...I hacked off the worm gear (because it was stuck and I couldn't remove it for some damned reason) and have been kicking it since.

Sooo yes, I have some questions and wanted to share my experience if you'll indulge me:

Question: Why me?

Real Question: Today I was in stop-and-go traffic and I had been riding for about an hour with no problem. Accidentally hit the kill switch so I kicked it over again. Started up and then crapped out right after. Tried again, same thing. Felt like it wasn't getting fuel or something - struggling to stay alive. I pulled over for a few minutes and let the bike sit, inspected it and didn't see anything obvious. Then I started it up again and it seemed everything was fine.

What happened?? Could it have been overheating in traffic in 80+ degree weather? I know temp sensors on these bikes are wonky too, but I didn't hear any popping from the engine, so I really don't know and it worries me. The last thing I want is for this thing to strand me like it has threatened to so many times already.

Sorry, that's long winded but it has been endless maintenance with this bike since day 1 and I had to vent. Do you think I'll ever feel like I can trust this little bastard? I love it when it works, but the moments of joy have punctuated by frequent moments of unreliability that I haven't experienced on a bike before. She hasn't won my trust.

Thanks!

I am not sure what happened. Did your fan ever come on (do '11s have fans)? I am of the opinion that x-lite engines aren't really meant for road work- 'specially an hour long drone. True, Stop-n-Go might be a bit easier on it; but my redhead engine feels "brittle" on the street. If your bike continues to act this way, take a look at the temperature sensor. A lot of folks with blackheads have been replacing 'em at a drop of a hat ($15-$17 IIRC) because a spare is good to have.

edit: hey, reveille's point might make sense- if your battery is shot (and '11s do NOT have a capacitor IIRC) it would act this way (including blowing bulbs out). Load test the battery. And if you have boiled away your electrolyte, you probably need a new regulator too- at least. Hopefully, not an ECU ($$$). Let us know, 'cause if this all happened because of a loose terminal there's more of us that need to check on this.

And if you could check out that chain that would be g-r-e-a-a-a-t (channeling Lumbergh from Office Space there- no I don't need a TPS report... just the brand/type)

 

[nonson]

I feel for you, but know very little about the 2011. I am just now sorting out a 2013 TE310 and hope to gain that "trust" you have spoken of. Good luck getting the bike sorted out.

Thank you. I feel like the only real contender is the Yamaha WR series, but the 250 apparently feels pretty down on power and the 450f is not easily road legal, at least where I am. Plus how much more expensive they are, even used.

Too bad on the eStart but good to hear you are taking it like a man ... Oh so many here can't and that's ok and ~understandable with the $ these bike cost new ...

The fuel pump coming loose is another thing that was a slow fix also on the bikes during the bwm ownership yrs ... The talk of better quality product ~never really materialized as some thought ... (and yes, I expect my ~shadows to appear pretty quickly) ... The riders here did figure that one out and the pump can be locked down ...Here I was thinking I was the only one. The holding tabs are so tiny for something that's going to get jarred a lot.

The chain and headlights sound a little odd ... That OEM chain might not be the best quality ... As long as you did not break the engine housing or that slave-clutch right there at the sprocket, I'd count my blessings and get a better chain for the future ... Got a fancy gold DID chain and new front and rear sprockets!

The dying for no reason? Lots of talk here on that topic for a few yrs now ... No clue but others here are on the inside of that saga and should provide you some guidance.

--

Read lots of threads here and opinions ... I give you a better that average chance of fixing that bad-a$$ Husky and riding past many other brands ...
(My 010 TCs have CARBs and ridden till the sun goes down often... Just a little afraid of my 1 EFI Husky also ... I doubt I'll ever take it too far out in the sticks and I always have a pull rope with me...An extra fuel pump and regulator are needed just to be safe...)

Another thing, if you are not familiar with EFI bikes ... remember the CARB jet clogging due to ethanol in the gas? Clogged injectors can be lots worst ... Keep the gas as clean as possible, starting at the point it is poured into the tank, and do not let the bike sit too long and allow the fuel system to get clogged ... Many use gas-additives in their EFI bikes ...I ran some seafoam and ATF as well when I first picked it up so I'm hoping my injector is pretty clean now

• Positive battery lead tore loose - a side effect of poor battery placement design I assume. Does it have the rubber strap holding the battery in place? The seat should sit just on top of the battery holding it down. If it's a smaller battery than stock then may need to add a bit of rubber foam on top of the battery so the seat still puts a little bit of pressure on it. No strap on my bike. I've zip tied it the best I could
• Chain tension adjuster bolt seized and I spent 3 days drilling it out. Previous owner obviously didn't add never seize to these bolts. Should do that on any new dirt bike.
• Chain snapped off (happens) and I pushed the bike home Get new chain and both sprockets...

Question: Why me? Why not?


What happened?? Could it have been overheating in traffic in 80+ degree weather? Have you filled with fresh coolant? Is the thermo fan working? I've seen the fan come on before, but I don't know how reliable the system is. Might be worth changing the temp sensor since it's cheap

How much dirt vs street riding are you gonna be doing on this bike?

I do more on street than maybe this bike is even suited for. I like to take random jaunts around town and find little dirt patches and small forest trails

My 2012 310 had a weird bog and would idle but die under load and that left me stranded on the trail. It was a bad battery. It will not run properly without a properly running battery. Food for thought.

The battery is nice and fresh. I changed it when I thought my starter issue was a battery issue!

I am not sure what happened. Did your fan ever come on (do '11s have fans)? I am of the opinion that x-lite engines aren't really meant for road work- 'specially an hour long drone. True, Stop-n-Go might be a bit easier on it; but my redhead engine feels "brittle" on the street. If your bike continues to act this way, take a look at the temperature sensor. A lot of folks with blackheads have been replacing 'em at a drop of a hat ($15-$17 IIRC) because a spare is good to have.

edit: hey, reveille's point might make sense- if your battery is shot (and '11s do NOT have a capacitor IIRC) it would act this way (including blowing bulbs out). Load test the battery. And if you have boiled away your electrolyte, you probably need a new regulator too- at least. Hopefully, not an ECU ($$$). Let us know, 'cause if this all happened because of a loose terminal there's more of us that need to check on this.

And if you could check out that chain that would be g-r-e-a-a-a-t (channeling Lumbergh from Office Space there- no I don't need a TPS report... just the brand/type)

They do have fans and mine has come on before, but as I was saying above, I might just go ahead and change out the temp sensor anyway.

As for the chain, it doesn't appear to have any brand markings on it, so I assume it was OEM!

------

Guys, thanks a lot for the responses so far. It's a nice community here. Coming from a Kawasaki Super Sherpa to this was a big step up, but can't help to see the differences in reliabilty. Of course the Husky is a whole different breed of bike, so it's been quite an experience.

 

[LandofMotards]

Doesn't hard starting when hot mean the valves may need adjusted?

 

[R_Little]

As for the chain....these bikes like the chain a little loose.
If it is too tight it might break (like you) , destroy the rear wheel bearings (worse), or even break a countershaft in the trans.

If it dies when hot and restarts after it cools, I'd suspect a overheated fuel pump like my 2010 had.

Always make sure your valves are in spec before troubleshooting anything else.
Note the left ex valve under the de-compressor likes to be a little on the loose side.....like the chain.

 

[Shovelhead85]

As for the chain....these bikes like the chain a little loose...
...Note the left ex valve under the de-compressor likes to be a little on the loose side.....like the chain.

wait... you mean "tight" on that valve so the de-compressor opens it more at low rpms- right? or did my dyslexia kick in again?

hell, I can't figure out why OHC engines need so much clearance to begin with (6-8 thousandths on lotsa engines). there's no solid pushrods to grow with heat; and seat wear (or stem stretch maybe) would be the biggest loss of clearance. .002-.003" seems fine to me. Can anybody enlighten me?

and, yep, I agree: run that chain loose- especially in mud.

 

[Fooschnickenz]

My fuel pump is on its way out, I notice after I'm stopped the fuel tank sucks up all the heat from the head and makes the pump labor a bit. I've been trying to keep the tank topped off till the new pump comes in a effort to keep it cooler. I also plan on installing some kinda heat shield/reflective tape to bottom of tank to help with this in the future, maybe even zipty tank spacers "MIGHT" help with airflow

 

[R_Little]

wait... you mean "tight" on that valve so the de-compressor opens it more at low rpms- right? or did my dyslexia kick in again?

hell, I can't figure out why OHC engines need so much clearance to begin with (6-8 thousandths on lotsa engines). there's no solid pushrods to grow with heat; and seat wear (or stem stretch maybe) would be the biggest loss of clearance. .002-.003" seems fine to me. Can anybody enlighten me?

and, yep, I agree: run that chain loose- especially in mud.

You are right.....the ex valve needs to be a little tight on the spec.!

Sorry!

 

[Shovelhead85]

My fuel pump is on its way out, I notice after I'm stopped the fuel tank sucks up all the heat from the head and makes the pump labor a bit. I've been trying to keep the tank topped off till the new pump comes in a effort to keep it cooler. I also plan on installing some kinda heat shield/reflective tape to bottom of tank to help with this in the future, maybe even zipty tank spacers "MIGHT" help with airflow

Fooz- use heat-reflective tape (alum. or ss) underneath your tank closest to where the header or valve cover/head radiate. No doubt the convective heat isn't helping, but I believe the radiant heat is the bigger factor.

 

[Fooschnickenz]

Thanks for the pict Shovelhead that is EXACTLY what I had in mind well cept I might go to town a bit!

 

[Tinken]

Where did you get the gas tank elbow, that doesn't look like one of ours?

 

[Boogie]

Where did you get the gas tank elbow, that doesn't look like one of ours?

I think the 2014 red 250/310's had them stock? Made from ergal if I recall correctly. My plastic elbow was replaced under warranty with the husky aluminium part.

 

[MorganD]

Part number 8000 H7649

 

[Tinken]

Wow, I didn't realize they copied one of our parts. I guess theirs is at a straight 90 and ours is at a slight angle.

 

[Shovelhead85]

(sorry... just saw this)
funny thing is: the new, updated fuel outlet (due to the Australian recall??) just moved the problem to the stiff, $30 fuel hose. This teflon low volatile emissions non-permeable 5/16" hose is inserted in a regular style fuel line (!) and then has the spiral warp wire loom protector around it. My fuel hose caused the quick disconnect to break once when removing the tank on a cold 20°F morning (edit: the problem is the spiral wrap gets hung up when removing the tank sometimes)

I decided to put a 1/4" Gates fuel hose and 2 QD fuel fittings on for about $8; I made it about an inch longer IIRC. I also repaired the stock fuel hose just for the heck of it. The new fittings aren't as easy to remove by hand over the stock ones (I did modify 'em a bit to make it easier). Way easier to remove the tank overall though. I used heat-shrinking tubing as a semi-hose clamp, i guess you could say.

here's a terrible picture: