Throttle sticks open! Watch my video and see!! HELP!!!

Watch the video I made of the problem: YouTube - '00 VFR800FI throttle sticks open! HELP!

I had a little wipe out on the right side when I was turning from a stop and ever since the throttle is sticking open. It is NOT the grip rubbing the bar end. I have generously lubed both ends of the throttle cable and cleared away any obstructions. The grip snaps back nicely when the bike is off but after about five minutes of riding around 50-60 mph the throttle never closes fully unless I push the grip forward.

I've only ridden her half a dozen times so I admit I'm still getting comfortable with it but I don't feel safe when the engine doesn't slow down when I let go of the throttle!

Please, please, please help.

 

Have you taken the bar end off and driven without it as a check.
Id take the grip off the throttle twist and have a look at the plastic-it may have taken a bit of damage and after 20 minutes of you holding it tight it grips the handlebar underneath it?

 

I had my throttle stick when I bought my 2002 interceptor a couple weeks ago. All I did was get some penetrating lubricant and spray it underneath the grip. Then I snapped the throttle a few times and it went back to normal. Hope this helps you in any way.

 

Thanks so much for the suggestions. I did try completely removing the bar end just to be sure it wasn't the grip rubbing it, but that did not do it. I took the grip off and lubed the stink out of the throttle twist, cables and assembly also to no avail. I even gave more free play in the throttle twist by adjusting the nut on the cable housing; that too didn't fix it.

It feels like something beyond the mechanical cable connection. If the bike was carbuerated, I'd maybe suspect something in there. But fuel injected? Can something get "stuck open" with this kind of system? Is it even something I can look at myself or would I have to take it in?

 

UPDATE: I recently followed the instructions in the service manual (section 5-8) on doing a self-diagnosis on the PGM-FI by shorting the service check connector and got a whole bunch of blinking indicators! This is the sequence of blinks: long, short. long, long, short, short, short. Then 1 blink, 2 blinks, 8 blinks, and finally 9 blinks. This sequence then repeats.

I'm really confused what the long and short blinks mean, but the service manual defines 1 and 2 blinks as being a MAP (manifold negative pressure) sensor issue, 8 blinks as being a TP (throttle postion) sensor issue, and 9 blinks as a IAT (intake air temperature) sensor issue (section 5-12).

Based on the nature of my throttle problem, I checked the connection to the TP sensor and it seemed fine. I even sprayed electronics cleaner in it, let it dry and reconnected it. Didn't seem to help.

Any thoughts on this new development???

 

If you wanted to totally rid the bike of the possibility of a cabling problem, get your bike up to whatever condition causes the sticky throttle. Shut it off, and take the cable ends out of the intake side. Use a screwdriver or whatever to rev it up and see if it still sticks. If so, then its definitely not a cable problem.

Dont know how easy that thing is to get to on a regular VFR. Mine never was complete, and now has a ton of missing parts, so this option might not be as probable for you as it is in my head.

 

NightViper, thanks for the idea! I like it--it would narrow down where the problem lies. It wouldn't be a problem to disconnect the cable cuz I've messed with it when the problem started happening.

However, I felt at the end of my ability-rope so I gave in and took the bike into a Honda motorsport dealership. To me, it truly felt like something other than a cable issue, maybe some sensor is off. But I'm still a newbie and probably don't know the difference between a crankshaft and an exhaust pipe, let alone anything electronic.

I know they'll fix it right. It has the small-shop feel with the expertise of a dealership (and, of course, the price tag of a dealership--$96/hr labor) but it'll be worth having a bike I feel safe on. Smooth turning/shifting was near impossible as I didn't know when the throttle would race the engine up.

I'll post the results when I get her back (which might not be for a few weeks :sad. Oh well, rain is in the forecast for the next couple weeks anyway.

 

After talking with another motorcycle friend, I decided to call the dealership and ask them not to touch it so I could "pursue another course of action." They didn't even get to my bike yet so I avoided any steep labor costs. The guy there seems to think it has something to do with my little drop incident and that I should start there.

I'm going to try NightViper's idea and then have my friend look at it with a buddy of his. They do tons on their bikes in their shop.

I'd still like to hear more suggestions from all y'all!

 

If you totally eliminate the cables and it still sticks, then it will get interesting. Without seeing the bike, its hard to say what it could be, especially since its been down. Make sure all the wire harnesses are tight and the hoses arent leaking. Your MAP sensor is on the rear right side of the airbox, back by the frame and rear shock. Make sure that the wire and hose going to it are snug and good.

A dirty throttle plate can cause sticky throttle, but I doubt that a crash would cause your throttle plates to gum up, and it would be linear as opposed to only when warm.

 

Thanks NV. You'd have to describe what a throttle plate is cuz I'm such a newbie still. However, get this...

So I picked up my bike from the dealership yesterday morning, rode it to work and fought the throttle the whole way to work. Still stickin' open. Five 'o' clock rolls around, I hop back on her and THE PROBLEM VANISHED!!! No lie! Smooth sailing the whole way home. When I got home I adjusted the fast idle but it was dialed in just fine (except the needle shows 1500rpm when I turn off the engine, so I may start a thread about that later). I took her for another test, rode out and back 30 minutes each way and she was perfect! No throttle sticking!!

Part of me is elated but part of me is apprehensive because I know that intermittent problems can show up later and turn into real PITAs. Still I'm having some local gearhead friends of mine take a look at it on Sunday. I'm so glad I pulled her from the dealership--saved a few benjamins.

Any more ideas about the throttle issue are still welcome and also about my tachometer! Like I said, when I turn the engine off, the needle points at 1500 rpm. When I idle and the engine is warm, it points at 2800 rpm. The difference (1300) is right in line with the recommended idle speed per the service manual. I'd just like my tach to show it correctly.