I was riding a couple days ago and was caught in the rain. Pulled over to let the heavy stuff pass then back on the road as the temp was dropping quickly as night was setting in.

The bike died at the first red light I came to. It had been running fine for 50+ miles. It wouldn't start so I pulled the plugs and the back cylinder was black (carbon). Cleaned both plugs and it started but was missing bad. I put some new plugs in and looked things over. Breaking out the manual now to trace the problem.

Any experience with this?? I rode the bike home on what sounded like one cylinder. It's had two days to dry out and it still runs bad. Both plugs were coated with carbon now. Bad coil? Module? Wires are pretty new. Less than 4 months old.

Gonna tear into this tomorrow. I have a meter and the manual.

 

Hope it's the factory manual. You're doing the right thing - check everything. I'd check the coil first and don't pass over the obvious of pulling a plug, connect the wire, turn it over and physically LOOK at the spark. Pay careful attention to everything you disconnect for bad connection/corrosion. You already know all this, I have a feeling.

Generally if it's the module, they just die and don't come back. A pickup usually gets heat or cold sensitive but more often it's the wires going to it getting ragged or broken that causes them to fail. A coil going bad typically does exactly what you described so that's my "guess." And of course all this is assuming it's ignition problems.

Good luck - keep us posted

 

Drop the carb float bowl to see if water is present

 

The manual I have is the Clymer book. I did check the plugs for spark and they are both getting a good spark.

Water in the gas was something I thought about. I have pop up caps on the bike and a S&S carb. Not sure how to check the bowl for water. Maybe the caps leaked and water got into the tanks. Not sure.

 

S&S carb just take out the brass drain plug (bottom of the float bowl) Drain into a container You might see water droplets ! Pop up caps?? Does this engine have compression release ?

 

thanks. I figured out that was the drain. But I didn't try and catch the gas.

It seemed to be running better but I didn't have the choke arm back on and was having to manually hold it. Got it all back together and I think I just lost the starter or solenoid. If it's not one thing..........

Taking a break before I get mad!


Pop up caps. I'm talking about the flat hidden gas caps. I was thinking they could have let some water in. But I guess it could just get sucked into the filter just as easy.

 

Or starter relay!!

 

I can hear a click when I press the button. Ill read up in the manual on testing the parts.

 

OK. I traced the "click" to the relay. It tested OK on the bike I think. The book isn't real clear on the test checks. But I replaced it and it's doing the same thing.

So either the wiring is bad or the solenoid is out is what I'm thinking

 

Try jumping the solenoid Go to the solenoid you will see a small terminal with a green wire attached You will see two large terminals ( One big wire from the top large terminal goes to the bat positive the one on the bottom goes to the starter motor ) Take a screwdriver and jump the small terminal to the top large terminal this should crank the motor over if the solenoid is OK