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Sudden ignition & engine shutdown

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Old Jul 12, 2005 | 08:34 PM
  #1  
98 Harley Dude's Avatar
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Default Sudden ignition & engine shutdown

Gentleman , this is my first trip here & I hope someone can point me in the right direction .. I just got back in the saddle after TOOOOO many years and it is GREAT !! I bought a really nice 98 Ultra Classic Fuel Injected ( 40,000 miles ) from the orig. owner . I have been riding around for a few weeks getting use to THE GENTLE GIANT and have not had any problems . Yesterday while riding for a while on a warm day ( 90 degrees ) I was coming uo to an intersection when the engine just shut down . As I pulled off to the shoulder I tried the switch but it did not restart . After I stopped , I tried the starter button & it fired up . It was a sudden loss of ign. & engine and was only for a few seconds . I did not have any futher problems on the way home .. The bike is stock with fairing , passing lights , radio , etc. .. I do not want to have to deal with any more surprises .. Thank you for any help & or advice you may be able to offer .. Ride safe .. 98 Harley Dude
 
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Old Jul 12, 2005 | 11:04 PM
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Default RE: Sudden ignition & engine shutdown

I would pick up a new main breaker and replace the one in the bike, did you notice if you lost the lights also? If so then it points to the breaker for sure.
 
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Old Jul 12, 2005 | 11:13 PM
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Default RE: Sudden ignition & engine shutdown

Did you check the battery leads?
 
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Old Jul 12, 2005 | 11:38 PM
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Default RE: Sudden ignition & engine shutdown

Welcome to the forum and back to riding. I hate to state the obvious, but a while back we went round and round with a guy trying to help him with a similar problem. Turns out he was low on gas. Hope you find it, but there are much better mechanics here than I am. Art
 
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Old Jul 13, 2005 | 12:39 AM
  #5  
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Default RE: Sudden ignition & engine shutdown

trust me if it starts happening more frequent and gets harder to start.......its a cam sensor, but you can spend millions trying to find that out by the factory trained parts changers.


good luck
 
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Old Sep 2, 2012 | 11:01 PM
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Had the same problem...mystery shutoffs....sudden eerie silence on the Wisconsin backroads with the better looking half looking at me like: "well...now what?" It did it a few times on my 98 FLHTCUI on what was supposed to be a couples' getaway on the new to us bike. Thanks to this Forum I checked...yep, had the 40 AMP original main breaker. $6.95 minus my discount at the local HD for the upgraded 50 AMP. The problem is the breaker itself is mounted directly above the rear cylinder and gets too hot just by virtue of it's location in front of the battery. Ten minute fix including removing and reinstalling the seat and we're on the road again, hopefully with the gremlin left behind on my garage workbench...
This is a great Forum, and this is an "I love you, man!" moment. Lol.
 

Last edited by Boston Tom MN; Sep 2, 2012 at 11:04 PM.
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Old Sep 3, 2012 | 07:58 AM
  #7  
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My new 2012 Sportster (900 miles) "cuts-out" for a split second every time I go over a bump. Even small bumps will do it. It's as if you jabbed at a kill switch button. I've had it in 2 times now and after replacing the computer it still does it. The gauges don't go out, gas level or engine temp or air temp doesn't, matter and I have a Harley L.E.D. headlight installed by the selling dealer. Anybody offer a clue? Thanks.
(P.S. I'll try the breaker in case there's no reply.)
 
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Old Sep 3, 2012 | 03:57 PM
  #8  
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Last summer my 2000 Ultra developed an unusual habit of occassionally being hard to start,and once or twice it would just quit (usually at low speeds).
Once it quit ust a short distance from my driveway and that time it was really hard to get started I knew I had to get it to the shop or else I would be stranded someday.

Turned out to be a faulty "kill switch".

I also had an '87 FXSTC that had starting and stalling out issues but that turned out to be a faulty ignition module.

As someone said earlier, if your bike does this again, it's important to notice if you have lost power to your lights or just to your ignition.
 
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Old Sep 3, 2012 | 04:42 PM
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Wow, this has to be one of the oldest resurrected threads I have seen on this forum. 2005!
 
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