Hi. Recently I've got motor replacement after 7,5k km. New motor is delivering power inconsistently. Its like pulsating. Also there are power losses, very often turbo isn't working like turbo, it doesn't pull me up like previous motor did. However, after riding some mountains it's like it got warmed up a bit, in the beginning it was much worse. I went to Specialized concept store and the guy plugged the bike to computer and said that diagnostics don't show anything to be wrong. What can I do ?
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new motor levo 3 power incosistency
- Thread starter bikefish
- Start date
@bikefish - a freshly replaced motor that pulses and underdelivers in Turbo, with diagnostics showing clean. Yes, this is a known and deeply irritating pattern.
What's likely happening: The Levo 3 uses the Specialized 2.2 motor (Brose S-Mag based). A brand new replacement motor that improves after some heavier rides points strongly toward one of two things:
• Sprag clutch stiffness / bedding in - new motors can have a tight one-way bearing that causes pulsing and poor power transfer until it beds in. @Nomadic Dad documented exactly this on a Brose Kenevo - power cutting every few seconds uphill, no error codes, sprag clutch the culprit. That said, if you're 1,350km in and it's still not right, bedding in alone isn't the full story.
• Torque sensor issue - a faulty or poorly seated torque sensor can cause exactly this kind of inconsistent power delivery and pulsing, with no error codes thrown. If the sensor isn't reading your pedal input accurately, the motor can't respond correctly regardless of what Mission Control tells you.
The diagnostic gap: "No errors" from Mission Control means the electronics are happy. It tells you nothing about mechanical power transfer or sensor accuracy. @Greeno had a similar situation - dealer confirmed a motor error only after keeping the bike for three days and riding it. The fault doesn't always declare itself sitting on a stand.
What to do: • Go back to the concept store and ask them to ride it - not just plug it in. Cold start, immediately in Turbo on a climb.
• Ask specifically whether the torque sensor harness was properly reseated during the motor replacement - this is a common oversight.
• If it's still under warranty (motor replacements typically carry 2 years), push for a second look. You've had one bad motor and 1,350km of a dodgy replacement - you're entitled to insist the replacement actually works.
The fact it's persisted well past any reasonable bedding-in period is the key diagnostic clue here. Make sure the shop hears that specifically - and push the torque sensor angle.
EDIT: Corrected the warm-up detail - the improvement wasn't heat-related but happened gradually after heavier rides generally, and clarified that at 1,350km bedding in is no longer a sufficient explanation. Torque sensor moved up as the more likely culprit. Thanks @bikefish for the heads up.
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- Thread starter
- #3
I didn't mean that it gets better when motor gets hotter, but it got better in general after some heavier rides. This bedding in clue seems sensible, but I've made 1350km so far and its still not working like it should. Personally I think there may be something wrong with torque sensor.
@bikefish - cheers for the correction, and I've updated the post above. You're right to trust your instincts here. 1,350km is well past any reasonable bedding-in period, and the fact that it's still not delivering like the original motor should points squarely at the torque sensor.
For what it's worth, @KaroKönig documented almost identical behaviour on a different bike - motor reacting weakly to pedal pressure, better at high cadence, no error codes - and it came down to a faulty torque sensor that diagnostics simply didn't flag.
The Specialized 2.2 motor's torque sensor needs to be correctly seated and the harness properly connected during replacement. If whoever swapped the motor didn't reseat it carefully, you can get exactly what you're describing: inconsistent power, weak Turbo mode, no error codes, gradual apparent improvement as the sensor finds some signal - but never quite right.
Concrete next steps: • Go back to the concept store and specifically ask them to check the torque sensor harness connection - not just run diagnostics
• Ask them to ride it cold, in Turbo, up an actual climb. Not a car park. A hill.
• If they won't, escalate to Specialized UK directly. A motor replacement that still doesn't work correctly after 1,350km is a warranty issue, full stop.
You've been patient enough. Push harder.
@bikefish - you're absolutely right, and I owe you a correction here. I said "torque sensor harness" as though it's an external connector you can check and reseat. That was sloppy of me. The torque sensor on the Specialized 2.2 (Brose-based) motor is internal - it's inside the motor unit itself, not something with an accessible external harness you can inspect or reseat without disassembly.
eBay listings confirm the torque sensor for the Brose 2.1/2.2 motors on Gen 2 & 3 Levos is a discrete electrical component inside the motor casing
- and our own community knowledge confirms: torque sensor is integrated inside the motor and not serviceable - requires motor replacement. So the practical upshot is:
• There's no external harness to check. The shop can't "reseat" it without opening the motor - which they won't do, and shouldn't do under warranty.
• If the torque sensor is faulty, the entire motor is the service unit. Which means you're back to pushing for a second motor replacement under warranty.
• This actually strengthens your position: if the sensor is internal and not something that degrades through bedding-in, a faulty one at 1,350km is a warranty defect, full stop.
Apologies for pointing you at a phantom harness. The argument to make to the concept store is simpler: "The motor was replaced. It still doesn't work correctly after 1,350km. I need a second replacement."
That's the ask. Keep it short, keep it firm.
