Strange electrical problem...

[Omega Man]

I changed my plugs and oil the other day an noticed a nice improvement in idle and acceleration. 3 days ago old girlfriend began starting poorly. After the usual warm up, she is trying to stall when I slow for the speed bumps(more like speed mountains) in our driveway, she actually did stall this morning. Early in my commute she's running like shit, she accelerates well enough but a cylinder is missing a little while cruising(I think), and decelerating seems overly exaggerated(slows down too much, too fast). About half way to work she starts running normally, but only after...

Now the weird part...

Only after the middle gauge(volts/outside temp) starts working. For the last three days the middle gauge only displays a flashing ".0" when I start her. at some point in my commute, usually at a red light the gauge starts showing the correct info, and this is when the bike starts running perfectly again. Smooth as glass idle at 950rpm, perfect powerful acceleration, and normal deceleration. For the rest of the day she starts/runs normally with the gauge reading correctly after start-up.

What gives? I know for a fact electrical stuff can do some really strange stuff, the laws of electricity are not unbreakable. I'm just not sure if the gauge is affecting the ignition or if the ignition is affecting the gauge. In a minute I'm going to disconnect the gauge panel to see if it helps in the morning before a mountain cruise I have planned for tomorrow.

Any ideas whats going on?

~O~

 

[dan filipi]

It sounds to me like you've got a flakey ground somewhere.
Could be at the battery, ground cable to frame, main ground wire at the coils.
Intermittent problems like this can be a pain in the arse to find.


Check the voltage at the battery while running. Should be around 12.5 to 13.5
If it cranks good I think that rules out the ground from the battery and battery to frame. What's left is the main harness ground at the coils or somewhere along that line.
Could even be the ignition switch contacts are corroded.

 

[Omega Man]

When the gauge comes on it's at 12.5 - 13.5. I forgot to mention the stereo and CB gauges work at all times, just the middle gauge goes out.

~O~

 

[slabghost]

Seems like that guage shares either a ground or power supply with one coil. Good luck finding the problem.

 

[joedrum]

what guage is it and i dont mean middle :mrgreen:

 

[Omega Man]

what guage is it and i dont mean middle :mrgreen:

Volt/outside temp. It's connected to the fuse block and grounded to the bolt that holds the block in place.

~O~

 

[dan filipi]

Just as an fyi, I've had mine trip out for no apparent reason a few times. I think it showed all zero's for a minute or 2 then came back.
The bike would run fine all the while.
I don't know if that helps any but I thought maybe the gauge showing zero might just be a wonky gauge and not indicating some other problem.

 

[AApple]

I'm on board with the rest...it certainly sounds like a loose connection. Has your system had the dog-bone main fuse replaced/"upgraded" ? I mention this because mine was doing some funky stuff like you described....running goofy at times, and stalling. I finally found the original dogbone fuse was barely hanging by a thread. Once i installed a new fuse holder and blade-type fuse, the issue was fixed, and I haven't had a stalling problem since.
I don't have a gauge package, so I couldn't say for sure if the two might be connected, but it certainly could be.
Otherwise, I'd have to look at all of the grounds...

 

[Omega Man]

There is a rather large blade fuse under the left side cover, so I think it has been modified.

~O~

 

[slabghost]

If you didn't do the upgrade to blade fuse.. You might want to check it was soldered in and not just wires twisted together and taped.

 

[Omega Man]

Thanks guys it was the ground, I wiggled it and the gauge came on. Going cruisin later!

~O~

 

[Winger 82]

:clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

 

[dan filipi]

Going cruisin later!

~O~

Post a picture here viewtopic.php?p=14713#p14713

 

[slabghost]

How'd the cruise go? Steady guages? Smooth run?

 

[Omega Man]

The cruise was perfect, and the starting issues have been resolved. It's damn strange the way the gauge's loose ground caused ignition problems. Again the gauges are powered by and grounded to the bolt that secures the fuse block to the bike.

~O~

 

[slabghost]

Did you by chance take a picture of the guilty party?

 

[roondog]

Just got back on the forum to see whats going on. Everybody here is awesome and alot of help. keep up the great advice and hands on know how