Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech Please help. Dying bike in rain, 1300 miles away.

Would someone please be so kind as to lend a brother a hand? I would really appreciate it. I'm 1300 miles from home and kinda screwed right now.

Heres what's going on.
My brand new 06 TBA was runnin great untill I hit rain 100 miles from my finish line.
I remember reading about this problem but cannot find the darned info. (or maybe you know more) and I am only able to jump on a friends computer, which is a bit slowww, and the search feature of the site won't let me search multiple times. Blahh blahh. I cant research like I need to right now.
If possible could someone dig up some info for me and stick it here. I can't tell you how much it would help.

Here is a synopsis of my problem.

When I got into the rain all was going well. Then all of the sudden it started loosing power and just died. (I swear I read about this) I waited under a bridge for a couple minutes. It would not even try to start, just crank, unless I waited about 5 minutes, then it would start right back up like nothing ever happened. I would get going again then plop! Same thing. A 10 second fight to stay running followed by a dead bike rolling off to the shoulder. Wait again... Then it would start. One time in particular, I was rolling along and road was just WET, a truck passed me and as I hit that beautifull wall of spray, the bike died. Off I go... Wait.... Restart.
If I wouldn't wait long enough to restart, it would start very ruff and only last a very short time and die. Or better yet, not start at all unless I waited a good 10 minutes. Very wierd. As soon as the rain was gone and I was on semi-dry road she ran fine. The next day in dry weather no problem at all.
I pulled tank and di-electric greased everything! Spayed wire dry everywhere.

The bike has 3100 miles on it so I really wanted to kick Mr. Triumph in the nuts. This is crap. Anyhow thanks in advance to anyone who may be able to help. I will try to get back on later today.

Many Many Thanx....

P.S. I think I also remember something about water getting into carb/vent lines hanging too low, or somthing to this effect also.

my guess: the kickstand kill switch.

Front tire kicks water directly at it so when it shorts the bike thinks the kickstand just went down.

Check that kickstand, Reid, but with that few miles on it I can not imagine a problem there. Check the connections though.

Check you plug ins at the coils and ignitors, and then check any grounds you might find. I think there are several, and I'm not sure where they all are.

Check the wires running by the front sprocket cover, and make sure you haven't pinched one if you ever had that cover off.

Sounds electrical for sure, but I do not specifically recall anybody having such an issue from rain. I'll try to Search it now.

The only water-related (rain-related) post I could find was for a blown 30 amp fuse in the fuse box and that would prevent a restart so it is NOT YOUR PROBLEM.

On that thread many of us agreed we had never had rain related issues - the fuse box is relatively well protected. Spare fuses are a good idea, as is di-electric grease on them and all connectors. You can do those things later if you haven't already.

I just hope this thing straightens out for you soon, or the rain stops and you can go on. It may not be a srain-related as you think, but let us know when you can.

Thank you my fellow Texans!! Y'all rock.

If it were that kick stand switch, wouldn't it just die and not run ruff for a few seconds first before dying?
I may just disconnect that sucker anyways though. It seems the cons out weigh the pro's.

Thanx again, I'll be back on later gotta get off now.

I'd think twice about dissconnecting the kickstand switch... 3 weeks ago I was in custer state park talkin to a guy at a scenic overlook, as he pulled away you could hear the scrape of the kickstand that he forgot to put up and over the side he went... luckily he got hung up about ten feet down and we were able to drag his bike back up but it could have been real ugly...I'll bet that for the rest of his life his freinds will give him crap everytime he starts his bike

If it cranks, it's not the kill switch. Mine died in the rain once at Pat's last year. Started up and was fine, but I was only a mile from his place. I would suggest some sort of "pre filter" for under that filter. I think I remember someone else doing this. Like a sotchbrite pad, or a sponge, or piece of foam, or like some of that foam padding for carpets, or something. Something so the water won't liuterally flow inside. OR if you can get to an autoparts place, see if you can buy one of those filter condoms for a K&N pod filter. Maybe cut it into a flat piece, or just slip it over the end of the filter and slider her in.

If this were a car it would clearly be high tension electrics - the plugs etc. check everything for cracks or loose connections that would let water in.

Reido, I'm no expert but don't rule out the kickstand sw. being the culprit. The exposure to moisture causes cutoff. Time(heat from engine) dries it in 10 mins. and next splash sputters you again.
Might be therfore a combination effect of heat(expansion in a suposedly gasketed-"watertight" area) and then water entrance and simultaneous cooling,vaporizing rain,etc.
I'm like you. I remember reading some other problems like your's here too. Good luck. PS , where did you get stranded? Bob.

Man... Thanks to everyone for helpin. I've been bummin'. Feelin a lil better now.

Does this sound sensible.. if...
The water does start affecting the kickstand switch, shutting off the bike, but the reason the bike keeps running/sputtering is because it is still in gear, rolling and the key is on, therfore it is restarting, (like push starting) then as the water builds in the switch more and more it sputters (shuts off/restarts) more and more untill the water will not allow the bike to restart. Sitting for a few minutes allows the water to drain and since the pipes are right there the heat helps rid some water from the switch. Then good to go untill switch starts filling with water again.

I was just thinking it out ya know?

I got stranded about 20 miles north of Columbus, OH and was in route to Cleveland, OH. I'm here now for about a week then back to Houston.

But you said it cranks right? Wouldn't it not even crank if the switch was shorted?

Aww crap, your right Ben. And I thought I had it...
Back to the drawingboard..

Ha I found the other thread.
http://www.bonnevilleamerica.com/forums/...part=2&vc=1
Look at the Chris post 1/2 way down, concerning vent lines.
Could it be fuel starvation from water blocked vent line?
Any thoughts?

At this point it is certainly worth pulling the tank and making sure the vent line isn't pinched.

Thinking more on the electrical... it COULD be electrical, but it would have to be something real close to the motor, like plug connections, coil connections, that kinda thing. It wouldn't be something in the kill switch or starter circuitry, or probably anything in the general wiring of the bike for that matter, or else you wouldn't get any cranking. Check/grease the plug wires, etc? I think I remember some talk of the plug wire connections under the tank being iffy.

Moisture in the kickstand switch will make it sputter as the switch wont work like its all the way closed or open. When you drift it to a stop while driving in gear you are also flooding it because you have manually fed carbs but no fire.

I strongly believe its 1- electrical and 2- low on the bike and forward. (thats because thats where most the water is hitting.) unless the headlamp itself is leaking which I doubt.

anyhow, good luck on the trip and be safe. Take it in when you get home and all will be well.

Have a good vacation!

How did we EVER ride safely before: kickstand switches; electric start; anti-rollover fuel shutoffs; and (self-cancelling) turn signals!

The turn signals on all my older bikes were self canceling. The signal canceled when I put my left hand back on the grip.

There was one time in particular when the bike just would not start. I pulled the "dashboard" off to check those wires for water. (which of course requires the gas cap to come off) The bike started right up after I put it back together. This does lead me to believe that the fuel vent line could be getting blocked by mass water. It would take a few minutes for the vent line to clear due to vaccum helping to keep it clogged and then she starts up. This make alot of sense. I am going to plug the line tommorrow and see if it does what it did. This sure makes more sense.
If this seems like it, I'm thinking along the lines of either cutting the line shorter or maybe putting one of those little fish tank stone aerator thingies in the bottom of the hose? I need to think a bit about that. Anyone forsee problems with one of those on there? Or cut a small notch or 2 or 3 in the hose about 2 or 3 inches from the bottom. Yeah, I like that thought.

I got to thinking if the bike would crank but not start and sitting for a few minutes allows it to start that there really isn't anything electrical that "resets" right?

As for water getting to my filter and buggering it up a little, Brent is taking excellent care of me and my K&N and some extra oil is on its way rush. Thanx Brent.

F.Y.I. The airbox mod did let some water in and I was in baddd rain and water filled roads doing 60mph, but I really do believe it was only a problem because of the paper filter. I think an oiled K&N or UNI filter would definatly repel that little bit of water. Really, it was more like a mist than straight water. Also I will probably cut the bottom off the snorkel and stick the top part back on to prevent water (and dirt) from coming in the top.

Thanx again Y'all for keeping me up.
-Reid

Take some dielectric grease and mash it into where the wires go into the sidestand switch. get it in there good.

I had a similar problem two years ago going up to the GA Rally. Had grease everywhere else but there. Did that fix and I have run in torrential downpours since then with nary a problem.

It's a quick fix too....

If rain blows up under the tank and kills the ignition, sitting a couple of minutes will stop more water from getting in there and the engine heat will dry it out, giving a reset effect.
Take a close look at the wiring where it goes into the headlight. If the insulation is worn, water could cause some high resistance short term shorting that can kill the engine without blowing a fuse.
There is a rollover valve in the tank vent hose. If by some chance, the tank gets overfilled, it is possible for enough gas to overflow into the hose to force the valve shut. Loosen the cap when the bike starts to die. If it fixes the problem, either the hose is pinched or the rollover valve is blocked.
It's a longshot but, if all else fails, check the battery ground cable at the frame end. Water doesn't conduct electricity as well as a good solid metal on metal connection and it could insulate the ground enough to kill the engine.

I have packed grease everywhere. Interesting about the overflow valve. I did just fill up before all this. I mean Just filled up. Looking back, it did feel like fuel starvation. I think this vent hose is somewhere in the guilty area. I still have to plug it today and compare the results. No way was it pinched or anything, it would have either been water from the bottom or excess fuel from the top.

Hey REido, while your at your friends house, take the tank off and use dielectric grease on every connection to include the kickstand switch. Then buy yourself a K&N prefilter cover and place that over your air filter. You should be good to go after the preventive maintenace.......Angelis

OK, I do believe I found the problem.
I took a screw and plugged the Fuel Tank Vent Line. The bike did the exact same thing it was doing to me in the rain. It started puttering and dying then poof dead. When I tried to restart it wouldnt until i waited a few minutes.
I did it again and this time when the bike started sputtering I losened the gas cap and bike kicked right in and ran fine for a few minutes.
So, I do believe the mass amount of water under the bike was obstructing the hose, or water was being sucked in and clogging the hose. What I did is reroute the hose up and over the top and behind that "electrical box thing" That hangs on the bottom of the bike.

Thanx again to all who lent a hand. I will be heading back to Houston from Cleveland, in the next day or two. If I hit water I will let y'all know my results.

Just a quick update and a big thanx to everyone that threw in some help.
I made it back to Houston. Ahh Home, alas.
I cut back my fuel tank vent line about 2 1/2 inches at a very long angle (angle/hole, facing the rear). But only after riding in the rain again and feeling the sputter, I cracked the gas cap and she ran like a charm. (I now knew that it wasn't electrical) So I cut the hose like I described and kept on trucking with no sputter and no dying again.
The prolem was water clogging the fuel tank vent line.
Judging from the threads I have read about sputtering in the rain, This may be one of those "common problems/fixes" that could go into the vault.
Thanx again all. What an awesome 3000 mile, 11 day trip. Only 2 days straight riding each way though.

Me and my TBA "Emtoo" are now officialy one!