I understand the panic when you are on the highway and it dies. Have you taken it for a test ride since? Did it repeat the issue even with a full tank? Does it start back up right away? Have you gone very many miles, since it happened, for a good long ride to test it yet?

Let's hope it's just a dirty tank filter on the petcock.

There's a difference in testing procedures that it could be if you turn off the ignition and turn it back on and it starts. What I tried to explain was to test for spark without turning the ignition off, and then back on when you check for spark, or the lack of spark. Turning ignition off and on is different than it dieing on the road with the ignition still on. In other words you didn't make it die by turning off the ignition, so you then proceed to test for spark at that moment it died, with the ignition still on.

Switching off the ignition can reset the ignition module and allow it to work again for a while so testing it after you turn it off, and back on WILL probably give you spark and not show you that it died because of lack of spark.

I share your concerns about it dieing in a dangerous location having spent too many hours and miles with a similar issue last summer.

 

I got you, my friend. I haven't had a chance to ride it yet since eliminating the check valve in the vent - this damn weather here in West Central Florida is not cooperating with this fair-weather biker.

 

yeah when mine done it it was like it would vapor lock but it wouldn't start right back up.I had to let it set for about 5 mins before it would start.and it did not do all the time and that is what made hard to figure out what it was.but i got on here after checking everything that i could and made a post and about 2 days later with the help of the evo forums got it back going.

 

Happened again yesterday. Damn thing ran great until I again got to around 80 driven miles and it started to hesitate just like running out of gas as stated before. Went maybe a quarter of a mile, it sputtered and just shutdown. I pulled to the side of the road and I did NOT shut off the ignition, switched over to reserve, hit the starter, and within seconds it fired right up. As I headed down the road, I switched back over to main on the petcock. I made it about a 1/2 mile and it started acting up again. I immediately turned it back to reserve and it smoothed out and ran great. Tried this same thing 3 more times all with the same results. The previous owner of this bike replaced the stock HD fuel petcock with a Pingel. I found that you can actually turn the valve PAST the on. If the valve handle is set directly under the on, it runs perfect, no problems at all. If it goes beyond the on, it seems it is not allowing full fuel flow. When the fuel level got to less than half and the valve not allowing full flow, it was apparently restricting the fuel output. I ran the bike another 20+ miles just to confirm and had "NO" problems. Hopefully, problem solved!!!

This is my 3rd HD since August 2009 - all EVO's. Started with a 98 Sportster 1200S - turned into a bobber. Went to a 98 Dyna, and now the 99 Heritage. Love the EVO!!! Everyone pushes you to the TC but the old-school hands on keeps me with the classics.

Thanks to all for your ideas and help!!!

 

Well the petcock issue is good news.

Now drain the tank and pull it out. I was very surprised by the amount of debris that had sucked into my filter and was stuck all over it. Guess the older tanks need to be drained and the insides cleaned at some point in time.

Let us know how the petcock filter looks when you get to it.

 

That's next on the list. First-things-first... going to the Full Throttle Biker Build-off today!!! I'll post when I get the filter changed. Thanks.