Dies when stopped

[jdross440]

My VR will be running fine. I pull up to a light or stop in traffic. Sometimes it just dies like you turned the ignition off. It doesn't sputter before it does this, it just quits. It will usually start right back up, but the starter turns it slowly. Sometimes I have to push it out of traffic and wait a minute or two before it will crank fast enough to start. I have to put it in neutral, just pulling the clutch lever won't let it crank. It doesn't do it until it has warmed up and I have driven a ways (it usually does it when driven at least 10 or 15 miles in warm weather). It has a one year old gel cell battery and a 4 brush starter with large battery wire. Sometimes if I catch it quick enough as I'm starting to open the throttle, it will pick back up and run ok, until the next time.

[SilvrT]

What comes to my mind first is idle rpm ... too low maybe?

[Squidley]

I had an '84 that I ran driving lights on all the time. When it was hot in the summer and the fan would come on if I was at a stoplight, it would die as it was pulling too much current. The idle should be right at 1000 rpms, and if you are running driving lights a lower watt bulb might be in order.

[etcswjoe]

My VR will be running fine. I pull up to a light or stop in traffic. Sometimes it just dies like you turned the ignition off. It doesn't sputter before it does this, it just quits. It will usually start right back up, but the starter turns it slowly. Sometimes I have to push it out of traffic and wait a minute or two before it will crank fast enough to start. I have to put it in neutral, just pulling the clutch lever won't let it crank. It doesn't do it until it has warmed up and I have driven a ways (it usually does it when driven at least 10 or 15 miles in warm weather). It has a one year old gel cell battery and a 4 brush starter with large battery wire. Sometimes if I catch it quick enough as I'm starting to open the throttle, it will pick back up and run ok, until the next time.

 

 

Check your battery and connections, I had the same symptoms on a bike before. When the RPMS drop the bttery did not have enough juice to keep it running. Since the starter switch cuts out the lights and other items it would turn over slowly like you describe. Either the battery is borderline or you have corroded connections.

[bongobobny]

May be that it's time for a carb rebuild, the idle circuit in the carbs may be partially plugged up.

 

 

Have you synced the carbs lately??

 

Elsewise sounds like you pretty much did all the mods for hot starting, bigger battery lines, 4 brush starter, and better battery like the Odessey or a DEKA...

[Black Owl]

Just a wild idea here, but it sounds like your stator may be on it's way out.

[jdross440]

The battery is a little over a year old Odessey. I sync'd the carbs last summer (1 was way out). I installed a high output stator winter of 09. I'll have to check idle rpm. May be a little low. I know at idle with brakes on, the voltage drops to between the center mark and the yellow line. May be the high output stator doesn't do enough at idle rpm to keep up. I only run my 1 driving light at night when I am in dark areas. As long as I'm moving the voltage stays above the center mark on the guage. I need to get my digital voltmeter and plug in to see what my voltage is really doing.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[Squidley]

JD,

I want to mention that I am not a fan of the Odessy batteries due to 2 going bad in less than a year on Gunboats '99. I used to think they were a good battery, but 2 bad to the same guy is too much coincidence for me. I would definitely charge the battery fully and have it load tested to make sure it is in fact good.

[bongobobny]

I, on the other hand, am a big fan of Odessey!! I had one in my '84 that sat for almost 3 years and still was at 12 volts! Anyway, even a high output stator is not going to have much, if any, output at idle, especially if it is lower than 1000 rpm. The stator really does not put out enough to keep the system at a surplus until around 2000 rpm. The other part of the equation is the voltage regulator. There is a better aftermarket regulator out there that should be installed along with the high output stator to complete the job...

 

As far as 2nd gens go there is some kind of issue with how much they drain while shut off. I am curently having problems with my DEKA if left unattended for a couple of weeks, and someone else has noticed an issue with this as well. Not sure if that was Gunboat's problem or not, but AGM batteries do not like automated chargers at all if they are discharged. They say they are bad when they are not. You have to slow charge them with a non monitoring type charger to bring them back to life!

Edited April 20, 2011 by bongobobny

[SilvrT]

The battery is a little over a year old Odessey.

 

Never ASSume that since it is an Odessey -OR- that it is only a year old, that it is still good. Have it checked out.

[jdross440]

If I let it sit and cool some, it starts right up. Cranking speed is good, so I suspect the battery voltage is good. When I'm not riding it for several days, I keep an automatic trickle charger on it. I have an alarm that draws some current even when not armed and if I let it sit for 2 weeks, it won't start. It was doing that with the lead acid battery too. I thought the battery was bad and put the odessey in.

[SilvrT]

If I let it sit and cool some, it starts right up.

 

I used to manage a car/truck rental fleet back in the 70's. We had GMC 5 tons that we rented out. They would do similar.... you'd be running them for a while and then stop somewhere.... a few min's later go to start them up and they'd just grunt. Let them sit for 15-20 min and no problem!

[OldGazer]

If I let it sit and cool some, it starts right up. Cranking speed is good, so I suspect the battery voltage is good.

 

 

Check the starter. I had a '69 Chevell SS-396 375 HP that did the exact same thing. Turns out the starter motor bushings were worn out. When the engine was cold the starter would turn the engine over and it would start. When the engine was "hot" the starter acted like the battery was dead.

 

The root cause was the worn bushings. When the starter was hot the bushings would expand and let the armature bind.

[bongobobny]

Another very remote possibility, replace your fuel filter. Probably not the issue but hey, you never know...