[frankvalk1]

Dannofive from Utah and i have both experienced the same problem with the Rune running extremely rich. In both cases very poor idle, huge clouds of black smoke and 70 miles to a tank of gas instead of 200. In both cases the problem was in in the throttle positioning sensor and required replacement of the throttle body. Wonder if this is going to be a common problem. Might keep each other posted.


I made this a sticky/permanent post....seems a few BBS bikes are popping back up recently! - Redvalk

 

[RuneRunner]

Where is this sensor located?

I thought I saw that the first Rune with the problem got rained on and later there was a problem, but the two may just be a coincidence.

how do you use the spell checker?

 

[frankvalk1]

sensor location

My understanding is that it is part of the throttle body but i`ll check with my mechanic to clarify. The rain or water may or may not be a contributing factor. If it is we are all in big trouble--only ride when the sun shines??

 

[RuneSpyder]

. If it is we are all in big trouble--only ride when the sun shines??

Not a problem for me! I couldn't ride in the rain even if I wanted to...

 

[KenCrawleySC]

How big is the part?

quaint comment from may of 2004 removed because it is so.... quaint
ken

 

[frankvalk1]

Thesensor is not sold seperately. You have to get the entire throttle body- about 2x3 feet sits on top of the engine. It`s a back order item, mine was critical ordered and came from Toyko Japan. Frank

 

[RedValk]

don't know if this is related....but think it might be....

Sherry and i stopped after about a 50-60 mile ride yesterday...then went inside and ate some ice cream. Came back out after about a half hour...her bike was parked on a slight incline. Went to start the bike, and it did the following: some black/blue smoke on startup and when revved....didn't want to idle very well at all...and when it was shifted into first gear and attempted to make it start/go forward, it didn't even want to run....no power...like running on half the cylinders. Did this for a few seconds...then after somemore revving, the problem went away. Rode 50 miles back home with no problems whatsoever. Then rode it 30 miles into town tonight...and 30 back home. No problems.

Never saw that before with my Rune or hers....hope it was just a fluke thing. hasn't done it again...and it was only for a few seconds after starting it up. But still, after above posts....makes ya' want to watch it closely!

 

[HogSlayer]

HMMM

That sounds like oil or gas build up the cyclinders. Probably oil because
the injectors don't let gas into the cyclinders when there's no electric to them unless they're malfunctioning, which if they were it wouldn't have cleared itself.
You said the bike was parked on a incline, was the smoke coming from the downhill side?

 

[RedValk]

to be honest...i was on it. It was enough of an incline, that my wife asked me to move her bike for her to level ground. So she saw the smoke...but i got to 'witness' first hand the poor starting/poor idling/poor running for a few seconds. When i put it in gear and tried to move it...it didn't even want to move almost. But then....after a few more revs...it cleared up and began running right again.

Just really caught my attention...since my Rune has NEVER done that. And mine was parked right next to hers...but of course, no problem with it. That's why i sure noticed it. This bike is so smooth...so reliable....so to have hers do that was an eye opener!

 

[HogSlayer]

Tim, If it was mine I would call the Honda Rune Tech line and inquire
about it. Asking them what would cause that to happen with the bike
setting on a incline.

 

[KenCrawleySC]

Incline / tipped over

Sunday night I enjoined a Harley riding friend to ride my Rune in downtown Charleston. He got to the end of the parking lot, and then got bogged down in some sand and tipped my Rune over on its right side. The engine quit, as per the "bank sensor." --- NO SMOKE or poor running after we righted it back up. By the way, there was NO DAMAGE whatsoever. Even the engine guard, which was touching the sand has no scratches. Wow. So, it looks like the Honda guys did a great job designing the "oh shit, tipover bike prevention device" so nothing else touches if you go over at no speed. I am sure, all bets are off if you do a sliding stop on the side however!

I wonder if there are any crankcase ventilation tubes in the throttle body, that may have gotten clogged with oil, and then dumped it into the body? That would cause some temporary smoke and rough idling.

 

[RedValk]

er....uh....speaking of 'going down'. Way back in February...when i first bought SHerry's bike for her...the SECOND day she rode it, she accidentally dumped her bike in a parking lot. Actually, she drove off the edge and dropped it just off of the parking lot. It wasn't going very fast...about a few miles per hour.

But when she dropped it...in the dirt off the edge of the lot....unlike Ken's experience, her engine did NOT quit running (she was straddling it after it touched down...she had to hit the kill switch ...the rear tire was just a turning!)....and....it damaged just about everyting on the left side you could damage. $3105 worth of damage. Header covers, rear exhaust cover, kick stand, gear shifter, case saver, radiator cowling, foot peg, etc.

haven't told that story here before.....now i have. Might get smacked when i get home if she reads this, though :roll:

 

[RuneRunner]

I have noticed latley a problem starting my bike also. After riding it and the bike is warm I park it, say to eat lunch or go into the house for about 30 minuits. When I restart it, it seems like ther is no power at idel or taking off in first gear. I have not noticed any smoke, yet. after i get it going there is no problem. Only after it has been sitting for 30 mins or an hour after it is warm. when its cold, no problem.

 

[HogSlayer]

runerunner, my bike was doing the same exact thing this past weekend.

 

[KenCrawleySC]

Pulling to the right

My Rune kind of drifts to the right too. It is most noticeable when I set my cruise control. I have to lean some to make it track straight. Perhaps the pivot bearing in the swing arm is not perfectly set.. or, it is a function of asymmetrical aerodynamics due to having a pivot arm rear wheel.

As for the tires. When I replaced the front tire (6,500mi) It was perfectly worn. The rear tire is still wearing perfectly. Cupping wear sounds to me like out of balance. Ken (7,600mi)

 

[RedValk]

that sure does sound similar to Sherry's bike....though as i said, she happened to be standing behind me....and noticed smoke from the exhaust. As soon as i got it going, it was fine. Hasn't done it again since.

I'll be watching this. If it does it again....i'll be checking with HOnda. If it was just that once...for mere seconds....i'll consider it some kind of 'anomaly'.

 

[RuneRunner]

i am wondering if this is just the beginning of something worse to come. I am going to take it into the dealer 2morrow.

over the past weekend i went to the rot ralley in austin. put about 800 miles on the bike. i noticed it pulling to the right on the highway. really not noticable in city driving at lower speeds. my thinking is, this is why the rront tires are cupping. I have never had a bike pull to this magnitude and never had tires cupp.

 

[frankvalk1]

smoke- note

One small addition to information on my problem with the Rune. I made a point of asking my dealer-mechanic if there was any sign of moisture in the connector to the throttle bodies or if he felt moisture might have caused the problem. His answer to both questions was no. When in Daytona the problem of smoke and no power happened a couple times before it persisted. Don`t mean to cause unnecessary alarm-just might help another owner if this problem happens to their bike. Dannofive may have saved me a lot of down time by posting his problem. I wasn able to give my dealer a heads up on the problem

 

[RedValk]

i know i'll keep an eye on my wife's bike. But at this point, i'm not worried. This is a dang Honda folks. It's going to be reliable....and they stand behind what they make. It's not going to be a 'problem'....no matter what happens. I've got the 7 year warranty on mine.

 

[ELP_JC]

...This is a dang Honda folks. It's going to be reliable....and they stand behind what they make. It's not going to be a 'problem'....no matter what happens. I've got the 7 year warranty on mine.

That's what I thought too, but wasn't the case with my GL1800. I was VERY disappointed. It took a massive class-action lawsuit to acknowledge the overheating problem after almost 2 years. Then the frame problem kicked us while we were down, but since it was safety related, a recall was issued (I sold it before having to deal with this). The 'overheating' issue was a catch-22 for owners, and Honda took advantage of us. We could have let the bike truly overheat until the engine seized to make a statement, but warranty wouldn't have covered the damage because owners are responsible for not letting the engine overheat or run without oil. Therefore, no overheating? No problem. So we had to pull over the side of the road way too many times until the darn thing cooled down. On an $18K tourer, no less. It was embarrassing, especially with the Harley crowd.
The bad news is Honda stands behind its product... only if it's forced to. The good news? Every other manufacturer seems to behave the same way, and they're happy to sell more extended warranties :evil: . That doesn't stop me from buying new bikes, but not a 1st year model if I can avoid it. The only reason I'll wait to see if '05 Runes come along is the sensor problem reported on many bikes, which requires the ENTIRE throttle-body assembly to be replaced; what were Honda engineers thinking?? The other is a noise in the left fork, which can be corrected with a TSB. Only problem is both little problems require major disassembly, and it's no fun to have your brand new toy worked up like that. Again, both problems are not major, so if '05 doesn't materialize, I'll get one of the newest '04s available.
Later.