My friend has a 2006 Street Glide with a Vance Hines power commander. After a long ride, at least two hours, the bike won't restart. It will turn over but won't catch. We have to wait until the bike cools down then it will start. Also the neutral light has been coming on while he's riding. On smaller rides the bike will restart but when the bike gets real hot it won't. Any ideas?

 

My friend also has an 06. Same exact symptoms except just not the neutral light. The dealer diagnosed it as the stator. Since replaced all is well.

 

Vapor lock or 'confused' head temp sensor maybe but I can't make the connection as to how a stator is to blame. The stator isn't doing anything at the start up of the bike.

 

Trust me, I thought the same thing. I was quick to follow up and he said problem was cured.

 

Sandman, since we are both from little Rhode Island hope we aren't talking about the same guy with the bike problem. My friend also had a new stator put in and thought the problem was fixed. We just came back from a three day throughout NH and every time we stopped for gas after a long hot ride, we waited twenty minutes before the bike would fire up. On short trips the bike fires back up but not when she's hot.

 

It's a small world.....yup I know your friend. I knew the dealers diagnosis was crap.

 

I'd assume the dealer checked all the battery connections at both the battery and grounds? But who knows.

Maybe neutral switch or perhaps the starter bolts need to be tightened? Or the starter in general is failing?

 

the starter, battery cables etc are all good- because it cranks

so we think maybe a fuel or spark problem- try unplugging the power commander.

mike

 

neutral switch?

so if it comes on while riding no issue with engine as it is already running.
faulty neutral switch with heat perhaps. I know you pulled the clutch so it does not have to be in neutral. But sounds the same as a faulty run/stop switch. circuit has to be completed to satisfy ECM.

 

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OK,here a good place to start to get an idea where to start diagnostics weather it be an ign/no spark issue or a fuel delivery issue.

Ok,since it wont refire hot post couple hrs ride even though motor spins over when start button is pushed seems like either there's no ign-spark or its a fuel delivery issue not getting fuel /elec f pump not being told to turn on or injectors not being activated,etc.

Easy quick easy 2 min test for that is get a can of quick start/ether and a good used spark plug.

Then get bike good and hot to where it worn refire,then pull a plug wire off and put the good used plug in the wire and ground the metal body of the sparkplug to the motor.

Then hit starter to see if there's fire/good hot blue spark at the plug,if yes all is good with ign and need to move on,if no spark you know the issue is no ign or spark and to look into coil,ecm etc.

If spark is good reattach plug wire to plug in bike motor and now give a good shot of starting fluid into air cleaner and hit the starter,if it fires and then dies you have a fuel delivery issue when hot to be checked out.

If coil is mounted behind motor and ecm under seat behind motor too maybe when they get good & heat soaked making something electronically craps out when its at max expansion due to excessive making something electrical GO OPEN loosing elec contact.

Then when cools down a bit something on a circut board and or in an electrical component , wire , connector re-establishes a proper elec connection in which ever system is failing (ign -coil -ecm or fuel pump -ecm ) and motor refires.

After thought,could be an issue with bad connection in ign kill sw on hand grip too?

Scott