barend Posted March 20, 2012 Share #1 Posted March 20, 2012 (edited) While we were marching on Rome, my stepson, Sean went for a 'bout 100 mile ride with a friend. They both ride the rattlecan brand, 'xcept hers is new and his is a customized job (barhopper). I'm told they were hitting 80-90 mph and turning of on the exit for home his bike died - totally, No loose battery connection or out of gas, just dead. Now his friends are saying the bike wasn't built for that kind of riding and that it was the ethanol at those speeds. :think::confused07::confused24: We probably all agree that ethanol is not good for most any engine other then a racecar maybe, but I've never heard of a bike flat out dying because it was driving too fast for the type of fuel you buy. Oh yeah, the "friends" are saying he should only buy plain gas, which of course would really turn this puppy in a bar hopper. So, I'm calling BS. (in spite of the fact that it's a Harley) Edited March 20, 2012 by barend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yammer Dan Posted March 20, 2012 Share #2 Posted March 20, 2012 I'll agree with ya!! Most of them Hardley jockies only know how to polish them!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyR Posted March 20, 2012 Share #3 Posted March 20, 2012 maybe he got some gas with water in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRider Posted March 20, 2012 Share #4 Posted March 20, 2012 Unlikely to be alcohol to cause a sudden killing of the engine. Sounds like an electrical problem. If it was alcohol/water in the fuel, he would feel it underperforming and then seem to run out of gas (you know the feeling). A sudden (instant) killing of the engine is generally a loss of spark. Did it restart? Does it turn over? Does the headlight remain illuminated? Stay illuminated when trying to start (some bikes have a cutoff switch for the headlight when starting, so it may not stay on even if everything is otherwise OK)? If not, start with the easy stuff. Kill switch, sidestand switch, neutral switch, key switch, fuses. Apparently he was aware enough to check the battery connections - good boy. Best reason not to own a Harley. Can't afford both a bike and a trailer. (just had to throw a Harley poke - they're fine machines usually) RR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeWa Posted March 20, 2012 Share #5 Posted March 20, 2012 Can't help ya. But I agree with you. BS is BS. It doesn't sound like an alcohol issue. Could be water but unlikely because of the alcohol. So think mechanical or electrical as being the most likely culprits. Good Luck Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuddyRich Posted March 20, 2012 Share #6 Posted March 20, 2012 If an engine just dies it could be electrical. On a fuel injected engine a sudden inlet blockage would probably act the same. No way to keep pressure up and it would die pretty fast. But I would look for electrical problems first. Ethanol is not gonna cause it. I have run my bike at 80 and 90 for hours on end with the current 10% ethanol in the gas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyderhead Posted March 20, 2012 Share #7 Posted March 20, 2012 As one who has owned a few of the unmentionable rattlecans . . . they can and do just die sometimes. Often, in fact. Sometimes if you'll just pour part of a can of Bud over them or have a stripper rub against them, they will fire right up. Sometimes not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skydoc_17 Posted March 20, 2012 Share #8 Posted March 20, 2012 They Probably won't work, but it will be fun to watch! Have one of his Harley buddies hold the business end of a spark plug while he cranks the beast. Check the fuel filter, If it's brown, it's been around, too long. Check the main fuse, and the ignition fuse. My guess is one, or both of the coils are toast. It happens a lot. The rectifier on these bikes is not much better than a string between two cans. Unless he saw fire out the tail pipe, or there is a piston hanging out the side of one of the jugs, it is not getting fuel, or spark. Period. Check for spark first, if good there, try some starting fluid in the Carb. If it lights off, then figure out why the fuel from the tank is not getting to the engine. If my bike blew up every time I hit 90MPH, I'd have three dead bikes in the front yard, JUST TODAY! Earl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonslayer Posted March 20, 2012 Share #9 Posted March 20, 2012 As one who has owned a few of the unmentionable rattlecans . . . they can and do just die sometimes. Often, in fact. Sometimes if you'll just pour part of a can of Bud over them or have a stripper rub against them, they will fire right up. Sometimes not.I like your approach to solving mechnical problems. I've tried the same before. It didn't always work on the bike but it worked for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyinfool Posted March 21, 2012 Share #10 Posted March 21, 2012 It aint the ethanol. You can call BS. Here in Milwaukee the home of the rattlecan we have only ethanol gas. If it was making the hardly just stop they would be piled so high on all the roads that nothing but a rock climber would be able to get thru town. I agree on most likely electrical. Electrical is about the only think that will make it just shut off other than a catastrophic internal failure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bryan52577 Posted March 21, 2012 Share #11 Posted March 21, 2012 Last one of those I owned, I had a battery that a plate vibrated (OOPs sorry ) I mean busted / separated from all the jarring. And YES it just died instantly. Bryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueVenture87 Posted March 21, 2012 Share #12 Posted March 21, 2012 Seems if you tour at all you end up running ethanol mixed fuel out of necessity. I don't see many dead bikes in the slab so the ethanol isn't the most likely. I ran E-10 in my Goldwing for years and it still keeps going. But then it's a 'wing! -JK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tibadoe Posted March 21, 2012 Share #13 Posted March 21, 2012 Either the battery, bad cable and/or connection. Check the fuse and relays for moisture. Ethanol no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redneck Posted March 21, 2012 Share #14 Posted March 21, 2012 The problem could very well be an alcohol problem ( to much alcohol consumed by clueless friends). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcarl Posted March 21, 2012 Share #15 Posted March 21, 2012 It would be the KILL SWITCH,,,, yep never use it, then don't even think of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie Annie Posted March 21, 2012 Share #16 Posted March 21, 2012 I'll agree with ya!! Most of them Hardley jockies only know how to polish them!!! :rasberry::buttkick: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bongobobny Posted March 21, 2012 Share #17 Posted March 21, 2012 Sooo, let us know when it gets fixed what the issue was! Ya know, 90% of all Harleys are still on the road, the other 10% made it home, or so I've been told... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyderhead Posted March 21, 2012 Share #18 Posted March 21, 2012 I think the 10% figure for Hardleys that made it home is probably propaganda . . . most likely put out by Hardley. Think the figure is more like 5% (maybe 7% if kept in town and used for bar-hopping). But they DO polish up nicely. One should always carry polish when on a HD, as it gives you something to do while waiting for the tow truck to arrive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barend Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share #19 Posted March 21, 2012 Y'all gonna love this one!!! I've been texting him since we both work nights, let me excerpt this: him: I just think bad gas all that white stuff feels like wet sand all in the carb me: No fuel filter????? him: Not that I've seen :doh::bang head::bang head: Oh well, he does ride a Harley :rotfl::rotfl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyinfool Posted March 21, 2012 Share #20 Posted March 21, 2012 Y'all gonna love this one!!! I've been texting him since we both work nights, let me excerpt this: him: I just think bad gas all that white stuff feels like wet sand all in the carb me: No fuel filter????? him: Not that I've seen :doh::bang head::bang head: Oh well, he does ride a Harley :rotfl::rotfl: :rotfl: If there is that much in the carb, It would have plugged up a filter if there had been one. Either someone added a present to his gas tank or there should be a bunch of vehicles around with plugged fuel filters in the area. My Bro in law owns a service station and had cases where a local gas station had a bad load of gas. He had a sudden spike in clogged fuel filters and after questioning all of the customers, they all bought gas at the same place on the same day. The gas station paid all of the repair bills rather than taking dozens of people to court and getting it out in the news that they sold bad gas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Itsan06 Posted March 21, 2012 Share #21 Posted March 21, 2012 Being in the boat business we run into the ethanol question a lot.... here's the skinny a model T ford engine or any other gasoline engine will run on ethanol fuel... the problems are the fuel lines, tank liner material etc... ethanol/alcohol breaks down these components and eventually shoves the little pieces and goo into the carb or injectors.....henceforth killing the engine it would not/could not just automatically shut one down no matter what brand of bike even if it was a harlhondzuki or a real bike like a Yamaha Venture even a first gen.....lol...come on guys its a joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barend Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share #22 Posted March 21, 2012 Actually talked to Sean after he talked to the guy who build the engine. The verdict is that someone sugared his tank at some point. If I understand it correctly, the way the engine is build, I think it's an S&S, any trash would have blown straight through the engine, but since it has been sitting a lot over the winter and then got run this hard, caused some of the crystallized sugar to break up and clog the jets. Sean says you could squeeze the fuel line and hear it crackle. The man said he'll clean the fuel system, install new lines and flush the tank and he'll be good to go. So I am humbled by my premature assessment. .....................Still wouldn't want one:cool17: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bongobobny Posted March 21, 2012 Share #23 Posted March 21, 2012 Hmmmm, yet another strong argument for locking gas caps... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyinfool Posted March 22, 2012 Share #24 Posted March 22, 2012 :rotfl: If there is that much in the carb, It would have plugged up a filter if there had been one. Either someone added a present to his gas tank or there should be a bunch of vehicles around with plugged fuel filters in the area. Actually talked to Sean after he talked to the guy who build the engine. The verdict is that someone sugared his tank at some point. If I understand it correctly, the way the engine is build, I think it's an S&S, any trash would have blown straight through the engine, but since it has been sitting a lot over the winter and then got run this hard, caused some of the crystallized sugar to break up and clog the jets. Sean says you could squeeze the fuel line and hear it crackle. The man said he'll clean the fuel system, install new lines and flush the tank and he'll be good to go. So I am humbled by my premature assessment. .....................Still wouldn't want one:cool17: I had it right. Do I win the ice cream? Next question is who did he pi$$ off that bad. If someone will go that far would they nick a tire or brake line and wait for it to blow. With just that vandalism I would give the bike a very thorough going over before riding it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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