My Wide Glide dies on me. Why?
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6th Gear
Joined: May 2007
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My Wide Glide dies on me. Why?
I cant seem to find any threads on my issue so I'm posting. I have a 2000 Wide Glide and it is dying on me. Here's the details: It sat pretty much all last year, I rode it maybe twice for a total of about 100 miles and it sat from August 2009 until March 2010. I pulled it out and changed the engine oil, transmission and primary fluids. I rode it that day and it ran fine for about 25 minutes. Then, with no warning or symptoms, it just died! The engine cut off but I had all electrical power; lights, horn, speedo backlighting, etc. I pulled over and cranked it but it wouldnt start, just crank crank crank. I let it sit for about 20 minutes and it fired right up and ran another 20 or so minutes to get me home. That weekend I rebuilt the carb, changed the tank fuel filter, cleaned out all fuel and vacuum lines and put fresh gas in it. It ran like a champ that day for over an hour so I thought I had fixed it. WRONG! A few days later I rode it again and after about 30 minutes, same thing, died! I let it sit for about 5 minutes that time and then it started and got me home, about 5 miles down the road. Suspecting vapor lock, I drilled the hole in the gas cap. That didnt work either, she still dies on me. Heres the tricky part...I know most of you are thinking ignition coil, as am I...but it only dies on me when its warm outside, like above 80 degrees or higher out. When its cooler out, below 70, it runs fine. I rode it the other day for over 2 hours and it ran fine, but it was about 65 out. Sorry for the long post but I am stumped on this one. Please HELP!!! Any ideas? Some people still think it could be the coil. On warmer days it gets hotter and if it is cracked internally it could be failing, cooler days it works fine. I dont think it is but at this point I'm not so sure. Thanks in advance for the advice.
V/R,
John
V/R,
John
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,109
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From: Connecticut
Not sure if I'd shoot either in a hot motor. That stuff can be unhealthy to a motor. Use brakekleen it will run a motor at idle if you are going to shoot it. I would just bring an old sparkplug and take the wire off a cyl and plug it i and crank it over with the plug grounded and see what kind of spark you got if any
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Here
But if the main breaker was tripped from heat, wouldn't that kill all the electric power too?
I don't know anything about carb HD's, but isn't there some vacuum activated valve in the petcock inside the tank? Maybe that is getting warm and acting up? Just a stab in the dark...
I don't know anything about carb HD's, but isn't there some vacuum activated valve in the petcock inside the tank? Maybe that is getting warm and acting up? Just a stab in the dark...
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6th Gear
Joined: May 2007
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Thanks for the inputs yall. I think I figured it out though! The forward plug wire was resting on the engine block. I moved it away from the block, rode the bike for about an hour yesterday and she ran great. It was only about 72 degrees out though so Im not completely convinced. The problem only happened before when it was hotter out. What do yall think? Could that have been the problem? The heat from the engine was interrupting the input to the plug somehow? Seems logical to me.
Last edited by hooserdaddy3; Apr 26, 2010 at 05:02 PM.
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From: Danville Va, Providence NC
Thanks for the inputs yall. I think I figured it out though! The forward plug wire was resting on the engine block. I moved it away from the block, rode the bike for about an hour yesterday and she ran great. It was only about 72 degrees out though so Im not completely convinced. The problem only happened before when it was hotter out. What do yall think? Could that have been the problem? The heat from the engine was interrupting the input to the plug somehow? Seems logical to me.
RD.
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Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: May 2007
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I think you are correct. It would run like crap if only one plug was firing but it would still run. Im stumped here guys. Everyone I talk to seems to be stumped as well. I will NEVER give up though! I will let yall know what fixed it whenever I figure it out, and I WILL figure it out! Thanks for the help!
John
John