Getting Frustrated

[snowhound82]

FYI to anyone who who uses a Attitude Fuel Controller. I purchased one of these EFI controller units with the latest turbo kit I just installed on an HCR 800. 3 1/2 weeks ago I was riding in light rain and wet snow when about 1 hour into the ride my sled started running strang. Long story short, after a days worth of riding and returning home, I was putting the sled away and noticed water dripping out of the Attitude box. The end result from the water getting into the electronics was a fried ECU. I just installed the new ECU last night and the sled fired right up. Today I went out to load my sled for a ride scheduled for tomorrow, while it was sitting there ideling I noticed smoke coming out of the Attitude Box and it quite running again. Out of frustration with this EFI box, I removed it from the sled and took the outer shell off of it. When I looked at the circuit board I noticed that several of the resisters had fried. My take of these controller boxes is there very expensive but yet built like #$%@! I have ruffley 35 hrs into diagnosing what the original symtems where caused from the day of the ride, another 6 hrs at the dealer trying to also diagnose, a new $1000 ECU and now a toasted Controller Box. Nothing like staring at a $17K toy sitting in the shop and watching all your friends go riding for the last 3 1/2 weeks just because someone makes a piece of crap product. I truly hope anyone else that has this product is having much better luck with it

 

[mynewuseddoo]

Send it back to attitude for warranty. I siliconed mine before I installed it. The crappy rubber "seals" around the wires are mickey mouse at best. It apparently will void the warranty of the controller if you silicone it but at least it doesn't get water in it.

 

[snowhound82]

I should have put some silicon on it to begin with but did'nt, especially knowing like you did that the rubber groments were a cheap design, as far as the warranty, they'll be quite shocked to see what I did to their product in the process of trying to figure out the problem, if they don't warranty it, simple solution, they just lost another customer. Don't you feel that having to try and make a product better out of the box is a joke. Good luck with your's and thanks for the reply.

 

[mynewuseddoo]

Just call Derrick at attitude, the number is on the website, and explain the situation. Hopefully he understands.

Good luck.

 

[snowhound82]

If I hadn't purchased everything through a dealer I would be contacting him directly. The dealer I deal with is awesome, even though I feel I've been a huge pain in their @#$ for the last 3 weeks while trying to figure this whole mystery out, I know that they'll step up again and hopefully make this right. If anyone wants great service and loyal support, shop at Granite Sportland in Phillipsburg, MT, it well worth the 100 mile drive for me. Does anyone know of another EFI controller out there that has preloaded Artctic Cat programming in it for a turbo?

 

[backcountryislife]

I've had the exact same problem with the BD box... except I don't ride in rain & I live in CO... one of the driest states in the union.
When I sent it back, it came back NOT fixed (they fixed the internals, but didn't fix the PROBLEM, the seal!), and they didn't do anything else I wanted done either...

I'll take my attitude box any day.

That said... I don't think ANY of these guys seem to realize that we use these things ... outside... you know, like in the snow & stuff... for F sake, send us electronics that are better protected!

 

[snowhound82]

AMEN to that brother!!!!! They should be making this @#$% like a Rolex that's good for 500 meters in depth, not something you should have to try and "KEEP DRY" and "MOISTURE FREE"? What the heck do people think these days, oh yeah charge high prices, build stuff cheap and increase their profit margins, that's what it's about.

 

[mynewuseddoo]

X2, great electronics but the box their in could use some improvement.

 

[diggerdown]

If anyone ever makes a controller that actually works and keeps working and does not short out the ecu's everytime they have a glitch, they would sell a lot of them. Warrenty, I use the term loosely, does not get you off the mountain or out riding the weekend with your friends.

 

[snowhound82]

I would agree, I would find it amusing if I saw one of these guys out riding and their own product took a dump on them, would they stop and help us or keep riding, I think we all know the awnser to that. I'd ride right on past and ask them how their warranty was working for them.

 

[SNOW JW]

Backcountry what year was your BD box?? The new ones are jell filled is why I ask I have done water test were I put EBC and BD box in the water glass and let it sit for 24hrs take out and ride the next day this is the reason i ask water was an issue back a few years ago not now even with a bad seal the parts are encased in a silicone gell not sprayed with a light layer like some boxes are.

 

[snowhound82]

The thing I noticed yesterday after taking apart my controller is , the clear silicon jell once it gets wet or any moisture pertrudes it, it becomes a foggy color and flakes off the circuit board, just by me handling the circuit board carefully all of the silicon fell or flaked off of it, atleast this happened on the Attitude brand?

 

[snowhound82]

Just had a thought, weren't the 80's the years when we worked on crap for a week just to ride it for a day? Starting to miss those years, easier to fix nuts and bolts and moving parts than learning to be an electrician?

 

[diggerdown]

Back in the 70' I worked on my sled all week, rode it on Sunday and walked home!

 

[snowhound82]

That's funny, I'm actually thinking of investing in a set of snow shoes because that's how I'm starting to feel. Work, work, work and very little play sucks!

 

[m8magicandmystery]

i keep my box accessible by the handle bars but in a plastic zip lock sandwich bag..its a purelogic...no issues 3 years..you can program through the bag..

 

[Dunatic]

How about some kind of clear shrink wrap that you could wrap your controller in and then heat shrink it with a blow dry or heat gun, you would still be able to see it and program it.

 

[snowhound82]

I like the heat shrink idea for when I hopefully recieve a new controller unit, the thing I don't like is were all trying to figure out how to make something that should already be bullet proof, bullet proof. However, like I said I'll definetly give the heat shrink a go and see how that works.

 

[backcountryislife]

Justin, mine was a 2008 box that did that, also had it happen in 2007.

GOnna try the baggie or shrinkwrap idea, never had a problem with the attitude box in 3 years, but never hurts to be proactive.

 

[dubbs]

That's a good idea guy's the shrink wrap over the box... Or bag.. I agree that it should stand up to what it's designed for (which mines has so far) but to avoid problems like you had I'll shrink wrap the shat out of it!!

I makeshift laminated a turbo cheat sheet with all the important stuff about the box ect ect with clear packing tape... Just taped both sides completely and cut it out with scissors. Worked really good actually. I think I'll try one wrap with shrink wrap then follow it up with packing tape and run it up the wires some. Thanks for the idea.