So after washing my bike I let it sit for about an hour then decided to show it off lol. I ran good for a few blocks then started to misfire and backfire but would idle just fine. I noticed at the same time my speedo would drop to zero and my engine light would be on. On my way back home it seemed to sort itself out. I figure it was water in a connection somewhere but I was wondering if anyone had any ideas where to start. I have an 04 superglide that is carbureted.

Thanks

 

My first thought would be under the seat where the ECU and wires meet.

 

Another favorite spot is in the handlebar switches.

Just squirt WD40 everywhere you see a connector plus in the handlebar switches, on the ECU connectors, the fuses, the coil, the plugs and plug leads.

 

bad idea, wd-40 is a lubricant, not a dielectric. small amount of vaseline in the connectors would work however. I wouldnt recommend it as its gonna attract loads of dust to the connectors. best thing to do is avoid spraying connectors with water

 

Well I gotta disagree with you.

This is exactly what WD40 is for - to displace and repel moisture. Unless you plan to dismantle every connector and apply vaseline to all the pins then WD40 is the only way you are going to waterproof your electrics.

Trust me, I have been using it on bikes for years and years and its a god-send. Its fixed mine and friends' bikes upteem times after wet rallies.

 

What he said.

 

WD40 is not a DIELECTRIC. use it on your bike if you want, but its a lubricant.

 

Use small amounts of dielectric grease inside the connectors, save the Vaseline for when your working on carpal tunnel.

 

While its not a dielectric - neither is it a lubricant. The WD stands for water dispersant and the 40 is the 40th try at creating the product. See for yourself. That said, I still wouldn't go spraying it on everything, it attracts dirt and other crap.

 

Back in the day, before DIS (distributorless ignition system) became commonplace, we used to carry WD40 in our cars and trucks down here. Down here, when it rains, it REALLY rains. And in those days most of the 'roads' down here were just cow paths that had been paved over. Not at all unusual for a foot of water to accumulate in a road. Easy. Hit a foot of standing water @ 30 MPH with an old style electrical system and it's usually gonna die on you.

Even for people that knew better, it was easy for standing water to sneak up on you and drown out your ignition system. Kill it. Get out, pop the distributor cap, spray it with WD40, spray the plug wires, the coil and whatever else you were in the mood to squirt. Give it a minute and fire it up. Then drive away a little more cautiously this time.

Even the Cops carried it in their cars. They'd come across a car that had died in the middle of the road and they couldn't just leave it there or call a tow truck every time somebody drove through a puddle of water. They'd jump out in their boots and rain slicks, spray the electrics, engine compartment, etc, call the driver a numbskull and send him on his/her way.

I don't know why WD40 works for displacing water but -- It does. Maybe we shouldn't have used it -- But we did.