problem starting/idling when wet
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 50
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problem starting/idling when wet
Why is my bike being such a pain in the *** after I wash it or leave it out in the rain? It starts and runs as if the tank is full of water! It coughs and sputters, it quits on me, and sometines restarts on one cylinder! WTF? It's a brand new Fat Bob with 350 miles on it. I never had this problem with my Nightrain. Could it be water getting in the tank somewhere? Water getting on the air filter? Water on the power commander or electronics under the seat? I rode it hard yesterday for 15 minutes after washing it to hopefully evaporate any residual water but even after it sat after the ride it still didn't want to restart right or idle correctly. Anybody know what it probably is?
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,678
Likes: 1
From: Brooklyn, NY
Lmfaoo, you said it..
water and electrics dont mesh well.
ok listen up, first thing is first. go to the auto store and get a tube of dielectric grease.
first chance you get... pull the fuses, clean and (what i do ) is WD-40 the contacts.
Dielectric grease the contacts, reinsert fuses. (DONE>)
Power Commander, the connection thats on the forward cylinder, exposed to the elements( not under the seat )
that has a great nasty habit of catching water..( pull it apart, drain water....lol)
WD-40 contacts.....apply a general proportion of dielectric grease... reattach.. (done)
check your various connections repeat wd-40, dielectric grease..
Done.....
No sweat Son, it happens to alot of people here.
water and electrics dont mesh well.
ok listen up, first thing is first. go to the auto store and get a tube of dielectric grease.
first chance you get... pull the fuses, clean and (what i do ) is WD-40 the contacts.
Dielectric grease the contacts, reinsert fuses. (DONE>)
Power Commander, the connection thats on the forward cylinder, exposed to the elements( not under the seat )
that has a great nasty habit of catching water..( pull it apart, drain water....lol)
WD-40 contacts.....apply a general proportion of dielectric grease... reattach.. (done)
check your various connections repeat wd-40, dielectric grease..
Done.....
No sweat Son, it happens to alot of people here.
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 728
Likes: 0
From: So Cal
I love my Dyna, but I never had this problem with my last bike (Sportbike). You would THINK that Harley would have this together after A HUNDRED FRACKIN YEARS!!!
I always cover all the switches and anything resembling an electrical connection with plastic bags before I wash it. I never have this problem riding in the rain, perhaps the water just runs right off of the connections and doesn't get a chance to settle in?
I always cover all the switches and anything resembling an electrical connection with plastic bags before I wash it. I never have this problem riding in the rain, perhaps the water just runs right off of the connections and doesn't get a chance to settle in?
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 349
Likes: 1
From: Pittsburgh
I haven't had this problem with mine, but I'm careful when I wash it not to drown it, and have the luxury of a garage to keep it out of the elements. The few times I've gotten cought in the rain I haven't noticed any problems, but maybe I'm just lucky. You're still under warranty right? I'd play it up a little to the dealer and say that humidity effects it too, and let a company mech look it over. Hey, it's free under the warranty, so worse case scenario they don't find anything, right?
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 143
Likes: 1
From: upstate NY
fuse box is the box under the seat. On the Left side of the bike. just pull and that cover pops off.
Power commander... i am not sure where they put those on dyna models, but most likely right there. - it doesn't connect to your front cylinder, it is just the main connection right there that you have to clean up.
Power commander... i am not sure where they put those on dyna models, but most likely right there. - it doesn't connect to your front cylinder, it is just the main connection right there that you have to clean up.
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 430
Likes: 1
From: Hampton, VA
I had this problem a few weeks back. It turned out to be the ignition wires that out of the point cover have another connection under the bike. It was getting wet and causing a problem similar to yours.
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Tourer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 257
Likes: 0
My cousin's new sportster is doing the same thing. Water drains down under the seat and into the fuse box. Dealer told him quite a few sportys and dynas are doing it. If your fuse box is full of water I would find a way to seal it or replace the fuse box. A good marine grade fuse box would outlast the bike and be waterproof. Closing the box and sealing is with RTV gasket maker from Autozone would probably work too.
Supporter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 15,788
Likes: 5,622
From: along the shore of Mishigami
Guess I've been real lucky, I've driven both bikes thru some real frog strangling rain s and not a hic cup from either one. Of course most of my electrics have been treated for water intrusion including plug wires, at the plug and at the coil.