extreme sensitivity to moisture

[dtoebaert-5311]

Hi!
I've been experiencing problems with my bike from day one - in short: sometimes it runs great, next it runs like sh*t, with no apparent reason...
Been helped out on this and the vmoa site regularly (thanks all unk, went through the complete drill (battery, ethanol, choke, carb sync,...), every time it got better, but still "sometimes" it behaves as if it just doesn't want to ride...:bang head:
To-day same thing: yesterday great ride, this afternoon it handles as if it wants to throw me off..BUT: I think I singled it out to bad/irregular ignition due to dampness: the only thing different between yesterday and to-day was that after a few weeks of having my car parked outside at night (needed some garage space), I parked it inside yesterday evening "to dry out..." - and BINGO: same problem.
Is there any mod that can reduce this sensitivity to moisture? I can hardly have it idle for half an hour to warm up if I just want to go for a short ride??

 

[Fire-medic]

Hmmm, have you checked out your coils to see if they have cracks in the body, Sean Morley says you can often just fill in the cracks & it will work. Or, go for the 'coil-over-plug' conversion and eliminate the stock plugs/wires. Check your plug wires where they go into the plug caps, mine were green w/corrosion when I checked them while having starting problems, if you decide to keep the stock coils. After that, I suggest disconnecting all wiring harness connections to check for bad connections to the spade terminals male & female, this will require you to remove the individual wires from the plastic quick disconnects, use a narrow shim or a small bladed screwdriver to release the tang on ea. wire in the molded disconnect & remove it for inspection. I found some of my connections had broken strands of wire which required replacement of the terminals. I soldered them for better conduction though some here actually solder connections to eliminate the disconnects.

When you reassemble the connectors, use dielectric grease on the connectors to lessen the intrusion of water and to keep the connectors clean over time w/> chance of corrosion.

 

[ninjaneer]

...Or, go for the 'coil-over-plug' conversion and eliminate the stock plugs/wires.

...After that, I suggest disconnecting all wiring harness connections to check for bad connections to the spade terminals male & female, this will require you to remove the individual wires from the plastic quick disconnects, use a narrow shim or a small bladed screwdriver to release the tang on ea. wire in the molded disconnect & remove it for inspection.

:barf:

 

[davidon]

Hi!
I've been experiencing problems with my bike from day one - in short: sometimes it runs great, next it runs like sh*t, with no apparent reason...
Been helped out on this and the vmoa site regularly (thanks all unk, went through the complete drill (battery, ethanol, choke, carb sync,...), every time it got better, but still "sometimes" it behaves as if it just doesn't want to ride...:bang head:
To-day same thing: yesterday great ride, this afternoon it handles as if it wants to throw me off..BUT: I think I singled it out to bad/irregular ignition due to dampness: the only thing different between yesterday and to-day was that after a few weeks of having my car parked outside at night (needed - and BINGO: same problem.
Is there any mod that can reduce this sensitivity to moisture? I can hardly have it idle for half an hour to warm up if I just want to go for a short ride??

I agree 100%. I just think my ignition unit got toasted in the rain. I now have to ship it back home or go pick it up (12 hours away). I will put dielectric grease all connections and try and silicone any water prone areas when I get it back

 

[95spfldmax]

I was having starting problems the last few seasons up until this year. I did alot of things to the bike this past winter and can't pin it down to this for sure but my problem seems gone this summer.
What I did though is silicone the diode pack that sits in the front left side of the air box. Try it. Easy to do and cheap. Hope this helps.

 

[dtoebaert-5311]

Hello again
Thanks for all these tips! I'll check out the coils today & find the diode block!
Maybe will go for COPs in the end

 

[Fire-medic]

Something else I have seen done to help make water resistant items is to use a hot glue gun to encase something in the glue, I suppose the silicone RTV would offer a similar benefit. The hot glue might be better if the item was prone to vibration or coming-apart & you needed to have it stay together. You can also fasten it in-place w/it.

 

[dtoebaert-5311]

By the way, upon removing the top cover (faux tank lid), I noticed this 'mousse' glued to the 'shoulders' of the cover, extending beyond the factory rubber seal. I don't know if that should be there? It seems to block a lot of air into the 'Y' piece to the air filter :ummm: - this could explain some bad behaviour in a strong cross-wind, maybe it 'runs out of breath??)

 

[dtoebaert-5311]

What I did though is silicone the diode pack that sits in the front left side of the air box. Try it. Easy to do and cheap. Hope this helps.

On the left side of the air box?? Do you mean underneath the left scoop?

 

[Miles Long]

On the left side of the air box?? Do you mean underneath the left scoop?

This is the diode pack. In front of the airbox. Easily accessible if you remove the box.

 

[95spfldmax]

On the left side of the air box?? Do you mean underneath the left scoop?

I meant to put "front-left" of the air box. Sorry for the confusion.........

 

[dtoebaert-5311]

I agree 100%. I just think my ignition unit got toasted in the rain. I now have to ship it back home or go pick it up (12 hours away). I will put dielectric grease all connections and try and silicone any water prone areas when I get it back

Just to finish off this thread - you won't believe it but my bike runs perfect & reliable & repeatable by ..... parking it on the grease-pit (if that's a word in English). I never use it for my car, its closed with wood, but ever since I park my bike on top of that pit in sted of on the (cold, damp) garage floor, it's been good as gold ! unk:

 

[bkuberek]

I have finally figured out this pattern with mine. Works great when is dry out, but when it stays out in the rain it will only run with the choke on at 2k+ rpm. After running with choke on for about 30+ minutes i can remove the choke. Unfortunately, I don't have a garage and the bike stays out on the street.

 

[dtoebaert-5311]

I have finally figured out this pattern with mine. Works great when is dry out, but when it stays out in the rain it will only run with the choke on at 2k+ rpm. After running with choke on for about 30+ minutes i can remove the choke. Unfortunately, I don't have a garage and the bike stays out on the street.

Try sealing the left scoop as good as possible (around the body and don't forget around the inlay in front); I have the experience that it's not only standing in the rain that will do it, riding in the rain, even a drizzle, will blow water into it and it takes ages to dry out; Making sure the electronics hiding under the left scoop are and remain dry should already help a lot.

 

[MaxMidnight]

I would run the bike in the dark (but NOT in an enclosed space!) and look from any pyrotechnics from the HT leads and suppressor caps.
If these are still the originals then they probably would benefit from replacement.
No need for any exotic lead, copper core from your local car repair shop will do. I used the NGK waterproof plug caps

 

[dannymax]

I have finally figured out this pattern with mine. Works great when is dry out, but when it stays out in the rain it will only run with the choke on at 2k+ rpm. After running with choke on for about 30+ minutes i can remove the choke. Unfortunately, I don't have a garage and the bike stays out on the street.

Are you running Dyna-Tech ignition? I've heard of this issue with a Dyna being cleared up by di-greasing the connectors. Don't see why it couldn't occur with the OEM box either, for that matter.

 

[bkuberek]

I'm not sure which ignition I am running. Got this bike mid summer. So am I having electronics problem? I was trying to understand why even when the bike is warmed up it doesn't improve. Only after a good amount of time will it work fine and I thought something was taking sometime to dry out. But I never thought it could been the electronics. Thanks for clarifying that. I will try to seal the place up as much as I can.

 

[Orion1130]

Are you running Dyna-Tech ignition? I've heard of this issue with a Dyna being cleared up by di-greasing the connectors. Don't see why it couldn't occur with the OEM box either, for that matter.

Can you either tell me what you have heard or point me in the direction of a thread. I have a Dyna 3000 (without dip switches) and am having ignition issues most likely attributed to moisture.

Thanks!

 

[blaxmax]

Can you either tell me what you have heard or point me in the direction of a thread. I have a Dyna 3000 (without dip switches) and am having ignition issues most likely attributed to moisture.

Thanks!

Are you running stock coils?
I think Dannymax is saying use dielectric grease on the electric prongs on the Dynatek box.