ETS May or may not be the problem.

Myself, 97 RK, and was getting funky'ness going on with the engine temp sensor. So pulled it, and hot bath it to makes sure that the ohm readings where correctly changing. Also played with the connector to make sure not broken wires at the sensor.

Few months, got a funky throttle problem blip for a second a couple of times, then lost throttle until I turned the motor off and restarted the bike, and codes where for both the temp sensor and the air temp sensor, both of which check out fine when tested.

So pulled up the wiring schematic to see what wires these two had in common, which turned out to be the Black with white strip wire back to the ECM, that also includes the TPS, then BPS and another sensor on the #8 connector. Hence no codes for the other sensor, just these two sensors.

On the schematic, shows the splice joint for the ETS right at the ITS, before it gets to the TPS, so started to check for the spice joint, only to find it way back just before the ECM connector for all the wires at the same point. So splice connector is just a basic crimp type barrel connector, which GM hot glues before they installed the heat shrink tubing over the works. So on motor side of the crimp connector, had the ETS, the ITS, and the TPS sensor wires in, on the other side of the barrel type crimp connector towards the ECM, wires from the the ECM, the BPS, and the last sensor from the #8 connector.

Since I was not getting an code from the TPS that is on the same side of the ETS and the ITS of the barrel connector, and did not have any breaks in the wire up line of the splice connector, best I could figure out, is the hot glue had melted to get into the barrel type crimp connector, and was bad enough wicking down the wires, that it was breaking continuity between the ETS and ITS to the barrel connector/TPS wire, to cause the problem intermediate loses of continuity on just these two sensors.

So short bus, cut the barrel type connector out past the the point of hot glue to get that out of the works, then went to town to solder the wires together, with large gauge cable as the connector point for the connector/hot glue section that I cut out, with heat shrink tubing over the works. And no, did not hot glue the works this time around under the heat shrink, to just cause the same problem again.

So really ,if the TPS checks out fine (ohm read it as the water starts to heat up to check the changing ohm resistance), would start with checking ohm continuity through the wiring from the sensor connector to the ECM connector as you are moving the wire loom just before the Ecm. Also, check your schematic, since you can use one of the other sensor wires that is spliced in to check it's ohm reading to the ECM connector pin as well. And again, the spice joints for the wires, are right before the ECM main connector, although the schematic will show them much farther towards the sensors isntead.

Food for thought, when you are chasing a wiring problem where you don't find a break in the wire or at the connector pins, but had one of HD's hot glue'd barrel type crimp connector special spice joints that may be the problem instead.

 

Interesting. I didn't have a problem using mine. That was well over two years ago though.

 

Dano523 describes a wiring malfunction I would never have looked for without his 'heads up". Thanks for the information.

 

Pulling my ETS was as easy as stated here and in my service manual. I just loosened horn to side and I was able to get at it no problem! I’m just waiting on new sensor to arrive to put her back together.
My issue is there is no rubber boot to cover the electrical connector! Posters here and my manual says there should be. Those 2 little wires look awfully vulnerable around all that heat. Do you think it’ll be ok?

-Thanks

 

The ET sensor has a seal within the connector. You can use some dialectric grease to add additional protection if you are concerned.