Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Performance Mods spluttering in the rain

I have experienced this whenever I drive for over 45 minutes in rain.

The bike starts to splutter and loses power- today it resulted in me calling out a mechanic.

Could anyone advise

BA 02
Unifilter- with a1 snorkels out
petrol with additives
inline filter

mechanic thought water was getting into the engine or electrics- used wd40 all over the bike and suggested the spark may have been shorting?

Also said water may be getting into the air filetr and getting sucked in as it dripped under the seat?

How can I test this and narrow it down- im sure it is NOT the fuel

had the same no idea what but well it was long ago when I was riding last time in rain !

Rodyork, Could be electrics getting wet. Try dielectric grease on all electrical connectors and see if that helps.
Mike

Yes...use the electic grease on everything...every connection.

Check the kickstand switch especially...

And I'd say you could rule out the water-in-the-airbox theory, unless you're crossing swollen streams or installed a wire mesh seat recently.

Rod,
I've experienced the same, too. It has occured more than once and only during heavy rain (monsoon like). I've considered electrical sources but what puzzles me is that a momentary pull to the side of the road and the sputtering stops and I can continue without problems as long as what got wet doesn't get wet again. It would seem to me that if it were electrical, the problem would not resolve so quickly. Anyway, it ain't gonna stop me...

My kickstand switch got wet in Georgia this year. First time since I bought the bike that I have ever had an issue with water, and I ride through a bunch of rain in Florida. Well, I usually ride through a bunch of rain but not this year. I have never put any grease on the connectors but many others do with great success. those with the Freak seem to suffer more from the rain than those of us with a modified airbox.

Good luck.

Barry(pipedr) - you summed up my incident perfectly and it has happened twice now....driving along, spluttering starts after 40minutes+ in rain; pull over, or stall....curse,wait 5 mins and the bike starts up again, and splutters into life.

Grump- I will check the kick stand...that seems really obvious after you said it!

Mike(mikemm03)I will buy some of this grease- where would you advise it go... beyond the kickstand?

I was considering extra rubber shrouds for the sparkplugs- is this wise and can you get them?

I am almost looking foward to the next heavy downpour- (in uk time, usually at weekends !!)-so I can do my (lieutenant Dang/ForestGump bit) and laugh at the raging storm shouting "is this all you have got"

seriously though...which electrical parts do I put this grease on

Regards

RodYork

I would start with yourbattery connections and fuse box, then pull off the gas tank and hit all of the conections under there.

Rod, I agree with Mlessard. Take an hour or so and pull the tank. Go over the entire bike and put a smear of the dielectric grease on every connection you can find. this may not be what is causing your problem but it's a good preventive measure.
Mike

bought some grease today (castrol) and have started on the bike stand- I ahev to cook at a school fair on Saturday, but plan to get the bike sorted Saturday night!

( sad I know!)

Thanks for all your help- watch this space!

Right- back from catering at a school fair- I immediately lifted the tank and got to the electrics with grease- which I hope will do the trick along with the side stand cut off switch.

A friend mentioned that over time the HT leads (leads which come from the spark plug)will naturally begin the degrade and may not transfer the current so well.

When should I replace HT leads- the bike is an 03 with 15,000miles on the clock- the leads show no sign of degradation/cracking. ( oh and are they easy to do, are there any recommended sites for this type of job- if required? )

Thanks in advance

RodYork

My leads have been changed...but then the nice dealer thought that they were part of the problems I had before Xmas...As far as I know (which is not much) they will degrade with time, as any rubber, or synthetic will. Don't know how easy they are to change but I have heard they are easier to change with the tank off.

Mine was struggling a bit on Friday in the rain...I just pulled the choke out a bit to get more heat to dry it out. Probably the wrong answer, but I got to work without stalling.

My America experienced the same problem in an extremly heavy downpour, it isn't the kickstand switch, because I took mine of the day I bought the bike because I was told rain affected it. I'm 95% sure it is the carby breathers getting doused in water from the front wheel, try it for yourself put your finger on the carby breather and the bike experiences the same symtoms. I have cut the breather a little bit shorter and on a very acute angle. We always used to cut the carby breathers back to within 2 inches from the carby on our enduro bikes to stop them from stopping when going through creeks and rivers. Unfortunately it hasn't rained hard enough lately to test my remedy. Best Of Luck.

Hi Chris!
Thanks for your input- could you ( or anyone)point out where these carby breathers are

I may be getting closer!

Juydging by todays weather in UK- I will be able to shortly put your theory to the test!

are these the snorkels you speak of- within the air box?

Rod, the breather comes from the carbies and runs down between the rear of the clutch cover and the battery box and exits just below the bottom of the frame. My problem occurred on a rain soaked highway the bike would die at around 80 kph plus and coast to a stop. It would re-start immediately I'd take of get up to speed again and the problem would repeat itself. It did this three times and as I was close to home I just sat on 60 kmp and made it home. I immediately removed the tank to look for signs of water on the coils and connectors etc etc but they were all dry. In my case it definately felt like a fuel starvation problem. When you locate the breather put your finger over the end whilst the bike is running and see if it cuts out in a similar fashion

Regards CJ

Rod
With the side stand switch I'm fairly certain when the stand is up it forms a closed circuit because when I removed my switch I had to solder the two switch wires together for the bike to run. I'm no electrician but would water only affect a switch with an open circuit ??

Regards CJ

Hi Chris, thanks for such a great explanation!

I think I have found the pipes, they are grouped with the battery drain pipe etc.??

You talk about cutting them back-

by how much would you consider- I appreciate your enduro input here!-- perhaps about 2" or really high up nearer the carb?

you talk of an accute angle- would the longer part of the accute angle face the front of the bike or should it be the other way around

finally is there just 1 carby breather?

Thankls for all your help; you describe the condition of 80kmp> 60kmp perfectly!!

I could be riding in the rain tomorrow!- or not!

Start the bike up in the dark and look up under the tank. If it looks like a fireworks show, it is time to change the wires.

What a good idea- I will try that tonight-

I have cut back the carby breather so it is approx 9" from the carbs- alright 6"- but we all exagerate dont we! ( I have tucked it away and feel it wont get wet again

In a sick sort of way- I am looking foward to the next major
downpour.

I have greased everything
I have cut the carby breather down and placed in an accute angle, longest end towards the front of the bike
I have added a rag to to the top of the air filter area, so if any rain does get in, it is absorbed here first.
I have greased all electrics-including teh side stand
Based on tonights "sparks/no sparks" - I will replace the HT leads.

If anyone can think of any other possibilities, I would be grateful.

I have replaced the spark plugs
I have an inline extra filter
I have a unifilter
I have NOW got a great bike tool kit- which I now carry everywhere.
I use quality fuel
I pray nightly!

any extras, please feel free to chime in...and thank you all for your input todate!

Hello Rod,

My apologises for not replying earlier I didn’t have a look at the forums yesterday. There are two hoses exiting in this location one is a breather for both carburettors and the other is a breather for the fuel tank,
it has a non return valve in-line near the carbies.

I only cut enough of both hoses so they were not hanging down were water may affect them, the only issue with cutting them to high up is you may get a bit of fuel on your bike instead of dripping on the road.

I also had the angled opening of the hoses facing backwards as I assume the water was coming of the front wheel. The reasoning behind cutting the hoses at an acute angle was to create a greater suface area of opening for the breathers

The stock NGK ignition wires from Triumph use EPDM rubber as an insulator over tinned copper wires and the NGK SDO5F plug caps. EPDM is prone to dielectric breakdown and moisture penetration after a couple years. The NGK plug caps are not sealed properly where the wire lead enters the cap. Brent's NGK wires are sealed with silicon and then the rubber boot placed over the cap. Brent's NGK wires also use silicon coated wire instead of EPDM. In my estimation the stock Triumph wires life span is probably 2 to 3 years years at best.

Hi Chris Thanks for all your help- im just waiting on constant rain ( which is forecast for tomorrow and saturday)- I can then put this all to the test!

Hi Fishercat (Ron)- I am going to replace the HT leads (ignition wires shortly- depending upon availability)- I dont think it will be cost effective to order from Brent for such a small article- but I am heading to his site now! to check

im looking foward to fixing this problem- and once again...

Thanks for everyones help
Regards

Rod York

right then- we have the answer Reido113 helped me on another thread "need Help .....mysterious Problem " and this is the definitive explanation- water causing a vacuum up the petrol vent pipe.

Today it was the worst rain I have ever riden in and the bike did not even splutter.

Job sorted!

Glad that did it for you.
I have seen this problem/thread go all over the electrical things, but the #1 thing is what you've found.
Someday it will blossom itself in the minds and become the first response. (not saying the others aren't good ideas, but Heavy water/sputtering/dead bike/cranks but no start/waiting 5 minutes and restarts = vacuum lock.)

Dont forget, a lot of connectors in the headlight bucket, where it gets much water when it rains. more than I thought it would
G

Anybody ever drilled a small drain hole in the bottom of the headlight bucket?

i had the same problem running to bike week in ocean city maryland last year. in fact i was okay in the rain but when i was running in puddled water i soaked the coils, under the tank. i made it to a gas station on one cylinder, bought some wd-40 and emptied the can on everything under the tank that it would reach. had a beer and then got back in the deluge. no problems immediately or since then.