CB Transmit Problem -- Surfaced AFTER Service

[Spyder_Cowgirl]

I have searched and found similar problem to below ... but no answers that seemed to fit. Recent 14K service and the CB was transmitting just fine prior to the service, crystal clear, no issues. Now, after the service ....

• Sounds fine transmit and receive when the engine is not running.
• Receive is fine, but transmit contains a small amount of static / noise even at idle and the amount of static / noise increases with the engine speed (to the point where the receiver cannot understand what I say -- all they hear is static / noise).

UPDATE: Spyder_Cowboy (aka hogcowboy, aka injuncowboy) just pointed out that the new air scoops were installed as well (for the 2013 heat problem -- BRP did a good will retrofit onto my 2012 RT Limited due to heat issues during the summer). This means that all that baffling under the Tupperware was removed for air flow -- again, not sure if related (but definitely worth mentioning).

Dealer is willing to look at this, but does not have any way to test (no CB to receive transmission). So, to expedite the fix .... what do you CB / electronics experts think of this problem? :chat: Note that the spark plugs were changed during the service (as required), but do not know if that is related. Also, I did notice when I picked the bike up ... the clock was at ZERO and I reset it when I got home. Seems odd that the clock would be set to zero -- what causes that?

Help .... :hun: ... I am stumped -- Ann

 

[Snowbelt Spyder]

Hmmm. Well Ann, back in my traveling days, I was pretty heavily into CB. The problem of static occurring only when the motor is running can almost always be blamed on radio frequency interference (RFI ) coming from the ignition system. It's why they make resistor plugs and wires-to suppress that. It's what the letter "R" in a spark plug designation number means. Sounds like frying eggs and bacon in a pan. The volume AND pitch should change as engine RPM is changed.

However, if RFI is so bad that it actually goes out over the air with your transmit signal, you should definitely hear it when you are in receive mode. The RFI is picked up by your antenna and brought in just like any other signal. So, the symptoms aren't entirely fitting, but I would ask you to be certain that you don't hear it in your ear pieces as well.

Service wise - and back to the ignition system - if they did change plugs and did not put back in a resistor plug, that will increase the RFI output from your motor. A resistor plug is called for as the OEM plug on the 2012. In addition, if they did NOT replace the plug wires with new ones, all of the manipulating of the 4 your old, heat damaged, OEM crappy wires will certainly cause them to crack, spark, and cause a lot of RFI. My dealer automatically replaced wires at my 14K service, which I later replaced with Ron Wires.

Not having another radio for troubleshooting is a challenge, but if you have a friend you can talk to over the air, see if you can confirm if the static changes in both pitch and loudness as motor RPM changes during a transmission. If so, plugs and wires would be the first place I'd go. Since the panels that are removed to do the scoop mod are plastic and aren't shielded, I doubt that this is a cause. But as always, you can't be 100%.

Otherwise, it's hard to determine if the dealer would have disturbed any other grounds, shielding or wiring in the electrical system during the service that would introduced any static to the CB from the wiring harness or charging system - or loosened anything in the antenna circuit. Just a good visual inspection would have to be done in the areas he worked on.

BTW, since I mentioned bacon, Bob might chime in here, too. I believe he and others are Ham operators and might also have some input.

Good Luck

 

[OkieDoc]

Check your battery ground cable. A corroded or loose one can cause these symptoms.

 

[finless]

The internal acoustic panels being removed as part of the recall won't be an impact to this. They are plastic and are not going to stop RFI.

My bet it's the plug wires that got replaced or didn't. They may not have one seated well onto the spark plug (which trust is an easy mistake to make) or at the distributor. Or if they did not replace the plug wires, they damage one or both getting them off the plug (again another easy think to have happen).

Find out what they did with the plug wires as my bet that is going to be the issue.

Bob

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

The internal acoustic panels being removed as part of the recall won't be an impact to this. They are plastic and are not going to stop RFI.

That could have had an impact. Why? The insulation on the acoustic panels were covered with foil. The foil may have been serving as an RFI barrier.

 

[finless]

That could have had an impact. Why? The insulation on the acoustic panels were covered with foil. The foil may have been serving as an RFI barrier.

Not on any acoustic panels I have seen so far!

It this was added as a bandaid before the final recall fine, but stock they do not have anything on them as least none that I have seen.

Bob

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Not on any acoustic panels I have seen so far!

It this was added as a bandaid before the final recall fine, but stock they do not have anything on them as least none that I have seen.

Bob

Hmmm, I'd have sworn there was something covering the foam or fiberglass. I can't verify that now with my '13 RT since they were tossed out with the heat fix, but I'll look closer when I take my '14 apart to farkle it.

 

[finless]

Hmmm, I'd have sworn there was something covering the foam or fiberglass. I can't verify that now with my '13 RT since they were tossed out with the heat fix, but I'll look closer when I take my '14 apart to farkle it.

There is some thermal tape/foam on the Tupperware panel near the acoustic panel but it's not on the acoustic panel itself.

Many of my videos where I remove the panels will show this.

Bob

 

[jaherbst]

The internal acoustic panels being removed as part of the recall won't be an impact to this. They are plastic and are not going to stop RFI.

My bet it's the plug wires that got replaced or didn't. They may not have one seated well onto the spark plug (which trust is an easy mistake to make) or at the distributor. Or if they did not replace the plug wires, they damage one or both getting them off the plug (again another easy think to have happen).

Find out what they did with the plug wires as my bet that is going to be the issue.

Bob

Bob did you mean "THING" and not (again another easy "THINK" to happen) See you too can make a spelling error!

Jack

 

[finless]

Bob did you mean "THING" and not (again another easy "THINK" to happen) See you too can make a spelling error!

Jack

LMAO.... busted! :yikes:

 

[Spyder_Cowgirl]

Update -- Fix in Progress

Based on the above, I went ahead and ordered a new set of plug wires from BajaRon ... they were NOT replaced during service, so I am just about certain that is the problem. Now, the question is (for me) ... do I want to tackle replacing the wires myself? It looks like, possibly, four panels and the air filter cover to remove just to get to the spark plug end, not sure if there are additional to get to the other end of the wires.

Bob (as in finless)... is this, by chance, a video you have done? Anyone aware of a video of replacing plugs / wires on a 2012 RT?

As always ... thanks for the input ... Ann

 

[finless]

Based on the above, I went ahead and ordered a new set of plug wires from BajaRon ... they were NOT replaced during service, so I am just about certain that is the problem. Now, the question is (for me) ... do I want to tackle replacing the wires myself? It looks like, possibly, four panels and the air filter cover to remove just to get to the spark plug end, not sure if there are additional to get to the other end of the wires.

Bob (as in finless)... is this, by chance, a video you have done? Anyone aware of a video of replacing plugs / wires on a 2012 RT?

As always ... thanks for the input ... Ann

I don't have a video on it sorry. I was shooting one when I did mine but when I had the set screw in the engine problem I stopped. I did make one video showing tips for the airbox removal and mods for easier later removal.

Trust this is not an easy job because removing the airbox is a pain. Getting the air box out is a real hassle.
However you can actually replace the wires without removing the air box. The front wire is the hard one and if you have small hands you might be able to do it. The tricky part of doing it with the airbox in place is making sure you have the spark plug wire seated fully onto the plugs. They go on hard and its tricky as the feel of it going on all the way and "snapping" onto the head of the plug is not obvious.
I used the old plug wires as a reference to how far they go in the hole and marked them. Then held up the new Baja Ron wires so the inside metal contacts lined up and then marked the outside Baja Ron wires. Once on, I could see if the mark I made was at the right spot. Be aware you do have to make the marks you make on the outside are in relation to the contacts inside the wires as the Baja Ron plug wires have longer/different rubber hoods. So don't use just the outside rubber hood as a guide.

This little video shows what it takes to get the air box out and how I modded it to go back in EASY and thus for later removals it will come out easy.

Good luck and contact me if you need any help.

Bob

 

[Spyder_Cowgirl]

Update - CB Transmit Problems Resolved

Thanks to all that chimed in with recommendations! The problem was, indeed, the plug wires that the dealer failed to replace during the 14k service. Static now gone and hubby can HEAR me .... yay!

We are happy! Thanks again ..... Ann :yes:

 

[Snowbelt Spyder]

Thanks to all that chimed in with recommendations! The problem was, indeed, the plug wires that the dealer failed to replace during the 14k service. Static now gone and hubby can HEAR me .... yay!

We are happy! Thanks again ..... Ann :yes:

Thank YOU very much for coming back to the forum and providing an update on what worked.
Happy Riding.