Bike just died
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Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 567
Likes: 11
From: San Diego
Bike just died
I have an 03 Lowrider that has a carb. I'm going down the highway and all of a sudden the bike just dies. I pull onto the shoulder and coast, switch to reserve even though there's only 70 miles on the tank. It takes a minute or two and she starts up. I go another few miles and she dies again. This time she won't start. So I'm stuck on the side of the road for about 20 minutes checking fluid levels, battery connections, plug wires just about anything I can think of. All of a sudden she starts up so I decide to cancel my ride and get her home. She died out one more time coming home but I finally get her in the garage. Now I am stumped. I haven't done any work to her recently and I ride pretty much every day to work. Any suggestions on where to start would be appreciated.
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,049
Likes: 12
From: USI
Check the fuel tank vent. If you have dual tanks, it's the right side when sitting in the saddle.
If it's not working right, you'll end up with a vacuum on the tanks and no fuel flow until it bleeds down.
Also check the ignition coil. I've had them overheat and short out only to work again after cooling down. Encapsulated or not, they do go bad as they are sitting out there in the open most often.
Could also be the ignition timing trigger (right side of crankcase) overheating or wet from condensation and shorting out.
Just a couple things to look at. Good luck.
If it's not working right, you'll end up with a vacuum on the tanks and no fuel flow until it bleeds down.
Also check the ignition coil. I've had them overheat and short out only to work again after cooling down. Encapsulated or not, they do go bad as they are sitting out there in the open most often.
Could also be the ignition timing trigger (right side of crankcase) overheating or wet from condensation and shorting out.
Just a couple things to look at. Good luck.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 859
Likes: 14
From: Millsboro Delaware
Start with the basics. Check for spark. Pull the fuel line from the carb and see if you are getting a good flow of gas. Check the charging system, battery, alternator. and voltage regulator. When she died on you did you have a headlight, directionals and horn? Did it sputter like you were running out of gas? If everything went dead it could very well be electrical. Check the ground on the battery. You need to go through and check and eliminate each system.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 72
Likes: 1
From: Broken Arrow, OK.
X2 on the battery cables. If they're tight up top, check the lower points as well. If those are good, check inside the protective layer on the cables, water could have been making its way in there over the years and corrosion can hide and strike you down without ever seeing it.
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Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 567
Likes: 11
From: San Diego
I just replaced the battery and checked it on the side of the road. I replacedthe fuse but it doesn't look like anythings wrong with it, but I did make it home. When she died I still had lights and turn signals. I just replaced the fuel filter before my trip to Sturgis. Is there any way to test the ignition coil?
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Cruiser
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 188
Likes: 0
From: Pekin,IL
The fuel shut off is also vacuum operated, there is a vacuum hose going from the shut off to the carb. Check the hose , if it is good the valve in the shut off will let some fuel flow but not enough thus causing it to starve. I went to a non vacuum shut off and plugged the hose. Problem solved. I was stumped by this for awhile myself because when you check for fuel flow at least in my case I got some and decided to change the shut off anyway and it fixed it.
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Supporter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 15,788
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From: along the shore of Mishigami
Go for a ride not too far, till it stalls. Loosen your gas cap, what you are doing is allowing the tank to vent, thus allowing fuel to continue flowing, then start the bike up and see if it quits on you. It's quite possible the fuel cap is not venting creating a vacuum lock in the tank.
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Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 567
Likes: 11
From: San Diego
So far all I have found is some white powder around the fuse and the fuse had some corrosion on it. I replaced the fuse and cleaned up the white powder and sprayed some avoinics cleaner in there. Rode to work with no problems but I just don"t have a warm fuzzy feeling that the problem is fixed. I guess I'll just have to go for a long ride and see what happens. Being straned on the side of the highway sucked.