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New to me Benelli Tornado 900, idle issues

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max_novecento

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Benelli Tornado 900, 2007
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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hi,

After reading in this forum for the past few days I decided to make a Post.

Last weekend I got myself a Benelli Tornado 900, which was sitting for the past 10 years or so after the previous owner dropped it resulting in a broken steering bar. I changed the oil, coolant, fixed up the steering, and put some new tires on. Before trying to start it I put some oil in the cylinders and cranked the engine over. Because it was sitting for so long I had to also change the fuel pump, which was completely stuck, and clean the injectors. After that the bike startet right up. After doing a short testride I noticed the fork seals where leaking, which stoped after about 10km of riding. Another thing I noticed is that the bike tends to sometimes shut off if the clutch is pulled in while riding, if the bike is standing it idles just fine, even in gear. I've read that changing the injectors might solve this issue, but I'm unsure of which part number to get. ( Denso 25326903?). Any advice as to what else could be the reason is appreciated :).

Greetings from Germany,

Max
 

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#3 ·
The problem is mainly due to the engine having been designed for racing. It can decelerate at a higher rate than the ECU/IACV can respond. So when you declutch from above idle, when the IACV is closed, opening the IACV to restore idle speed takes too long & it stalls. Ride by wire systems don't have this problem, and neither do rotary solenoid IACVs. If the ECU kept the IACV open all of the time, like that on my C4, it wouldn't happen, but then that would reduce the engine braking.
A few things you can do to improve it.
  • Synchronise the throttle bodies so that they all pull together.
  • adjust the idle a little rich, to make it more resilient
  • raise the idle speed from 1200 to 1300
  • learn to hold the throttle just slightly open as it transitions to idle, before closing it. That's a skill.
  • you could open all of the bypass screws a couple of turns, but that reduces the ability of the ECU to control the idle speed. I used to do it, but not now.
  • declutch at a lower rev
  • anticipate it happening so that you are ready to stab the starter when it happens. Nell always starts starts immediately.
  • changing to 12 hole injectors helped the 1130s, but I have them on my 900, and the improvement was marginal at best.
This is not just a Benelli problem btw. Many other bikes with stepper IACVs do it too. Even my mates old BMW F800 did it.
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
Thanks for the quick reply, I thought that might be the case, as the bike feels really happy otherwise. I feel like you could get used to it pretty quick, but I'm going to try raising the idle just a bit. If one of you could point me in the right direction as to how I would go about that I'd be very happy.
 
#7 ·
+1 for what’s been said.

Also IIRC the stepper (IACV) can’t be found from triumph as a spare part from their 995i sprint, don’t quote me but I’m 90% sure that’s where I got my replacement (same throttle bodies)

This then installed and correctly set using TuneECU and resetting the TPS will see you a lot better.

I had no idle issues after doing this for the 3 years until I sold mine.

Other option is to get the metal plunger Stepper motor off the 1130 TRE or the 900 TNT- bit harder to source though


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#10 ·
tundraphile said:
I had an ‘02 Daytona back in the day. Same Sagem FI
I don’t remember it running anything but flawlessly
Click to expand...
Very very different engine. The Triumph rotational inertia is a good deal higher, so it spools down slower, which gives the ECU the time it needs to move the stepper to where it needs to be, when it needs to be there.
 
#12 ·
That's exactly what I aim to do on my RXV550. Not so much a flywheel, but adding weight to the alternator. Those who have done it report a much easier bike to live with.
On the Tornado - nah. The other side of it spooling down so quickly, is its spooling up speed. I like that bit.
 
#14 ·
Engenia said:
Very very different engine. The Triumph rotational inertia is a good deal higher, so it spools down slower, which gives the ECU the time it needs to move the stepper to where it needs to be, when it needs to be there.
Click to expand...
Same throttle bodies though, worth adding to the parts page (cannot remember if I did or not years back)


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#16 ·
Engenia said:
Same throttle bodies? Did not know that.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I was trawling through a local breakers many moons ago for throttle bodies to fit onto a 3 pot Suzuki car engine, noticed the branding and then the same TPS, then the stepper, balance pipes and yeah/ all the same.
Not 100% which year triumph they came off but they were in the 955i section.


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#17 ·
Good to know that I am one of many with the idle stall sometimes when you're not careful.
To give it a blip most times helps.
I also use a triumph stepper and starter motor from a triumph tiger that is identical.
It's great that you can use some triumph parts on the Benellis.
Everybody be safe and enjoy the sun.
25 degrees from sunny Ireland.
Sammy
 
#18 ·
millgolfhouse said:
25 degrees from sunny Ireland.
Sammy
Click to expand...
I had a most excellent tour of the island of Ireland on my Aprilia RSV-R a few years back…

🤔 Hmmm…

A similar tour on a Bella Benelli sounds vary attractive, very attractive indeed!

🍻🇨🇮🤘🏻
 
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#19 ·
Engenia said:
The problem is mainly due to the engine having been designed for racing. It can decelerate at a higher rate than the ECU/IACV can respond. So when you declutch from above idle, when the IACV is closed, opening the IACV to restore idle speed takes too long & it stalls. Ride by wire systems don't have this problem, and neither do rotary solenoid IACVs. If the ECU kept the IACV open all of the time, like that on my C4, it wouldn't happen, but then that would reduce the engine braking.
A few things you can do to improve it.
  • Synchronise the throttle bodies so that they all pull together.
  • adjust the idle a little rich, to make it more resilient
  • raise the idle speed from 1200 to 1300
  • learn to hold the throttle just slightly open as it transitions to idle, before closing it. That's a skill.
  • you could open all of the bypass screws a couple of turns, but that reduces the ability of the ECU to control the idle speed. I used to do it, but not now.
  • declutch at a lower rev
  • anticipate it happening so that you are ready to stab the starter when it happens. Nell always starts starts immediately.
  • changing to 12 hole injectors helped the 1130s, but I have them on my 900, and the improvement was marginal at best.
This is not just a Benelli problem btw. Many other bikes with stepper IACVs do it too. Even my mates old BMW F800 did it.
Click to expand...
Errol, are you implying that all that would happen is loss of engine braking?

If that is the case, I could still get my nelli running, get it ready for use and just wait until I can find a replacement IACV!

🤔
 
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