Wet Weather Question

[Guest Venturing Ohio]

Ok, This may be a dumb question, but after doing a full tune up this spring, plugs, wires, boots, carb sycn the bike is running pretty good although I may be a bit rich as i do not need the choke to start, but that is a different issue.

 

My question is what does it take to water proof these bikes? If i get caught in the rain I am usually fine for 20 miles or so before the bike starts running rough. If the bike is sitting at work and it rains the bike will be hard starting and run very rough the whole way home.

 

I know that it has to be water getting into something as it will pop and spit until it is up to crusing speed and then it will seem to settle down until you come to the first stop.

 

could it be hairline cracks in the coil packs doing this if they get spashed with water?

 

Any Ideas would be helpful

 

Venturing the wetlands

[muffinman]

The first thing you need to try is to put dielectric grease in All of the connectors on the bike and use dw40 in the ignition switch that should take care of all of the wet problems.

Jeff

[6pak]

I Had the same problem on my 78 wing. Had replaced everything, and you couldn't even wash the thing without having a couple hours for it to dry out. If I was lucky enough to get it started, it ran like doodoo. And forget running in the rain.

Anyways, changed the coils and the thing can run in a tropical storm. Experience talking there. No problem with the venture there yet, but I figure with everything else it's just a matter of time.

Never again will I buy anything that has been sitting for "a coupla years".

Good luck.

[Guest Popeye]

"...as it will pop and spit..."

 

It seems a spark is jumping somewhere, otherwise the plug fire would not be out of sync. or electrical is being drained by conductive water.

I like to start such vehicles on a dark night & look for sparks....if you don't see anything, hose it down & look again.

 

Since plugs & wires are new, they can easily be ruled out.

 

"...at work and it rains the bike will be hard starting..."

This is a good clue as to which parts get wet when sitting still.

 

If I didn't see anything, I'd do exactly what muffinman suggested + replace all the small wires around the battery within reach [it's how I fixed my 86VR].

 

When all these easy fixes fail, then it's time to begin replacing $ parts.

[Marcarl]

I would just use a sray bottle with clean water. Start the bike up, let it warm well, and then start spraying around, Take your time moving from palce to place and soon you'll find the culprit.