Electrical Problem Continues...

[Honch777]

Hey again,

Several of you replied to my posts months ago about me having a problem with my ignition dropping out, seemingly at random.  A few days ago, I bought some foaming electrical spray designed to eat corrosion and used it on bout everything on my wiring harness.  After 3 applications and some sanding of contacts with what I could get to, I took it outside and fired it up.

(See my last thread regarding this http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=49957.0)

All seemed well for about 15 mins, warmed up just fine and rode it up and down the street for several minutes with no issues at all.  At this point, I put all my gear on and get ready for a ride, thinking this problem's gone.  Not so fast...

As soon as I pull to the end of the street, the same old problem suddendly crops up as I roll to a stop (bike only running on one cylinder and RPMs won't go past about 1500).  This time I noticed that this would only occur when the bike is in any gear.  When I clicked to neutral, the problem instantly went away, but the second I shifted to any gear, 1st to 6th, it would act up.  I pushed my bike a 1/4 mile back to my storage unit...

I'm out of ideas, any comments?
Thanks.

[cboling]

I had a volkswagen jetta that I rebuilt and swapped a manual transmission into. Once I got it all done, I was driving about 30 miles from a job back home and it started raining. The car died on me and I thought it was related to moisture. I worked on that car for about 3 more months with that particular problem and it really never got better. I could only get it to run for a bout 5 minutes before it would bogg down and die.

I ended up selling the car for $300 to some guy and later found out from him that he was having trouble finding the problem. He eventually did and it turned out to be the solenoid? The car would start and heat up and the solenoid had a crack in it that would open up due to heat. He only caught it because of the arc of electricity that he finally saw when it got dark.

Not sure this is your problem but have you checked the spark plug wires to make sure the ends (going into the solenoids) are cut clean and screwed in good? Simple to do and might fix the problem. Other than that, it could be anything. Gear position switch, faulty sidestand safety switch, faulty ground wire (there is a single black wire that acts as ground for all of the electrical system.)

[Honch777]

Hmm no I haven't investigated any of those switches you mentioned, but it does sound possible.  The thing that floored me is that on this particular occasion, it would only run erratically in any given gear but not neutral.  Before when it would do this, it would do it regardless of being in neutral or not.   

[birdman561]

My bike did all kinds of crazy stuff like you mention and I removed the
sidestand safety switch and everything was OK.
The fact that your bike runs in neutral but not in gear might make that
switch something to look at.

[Honch777]

There have been times where the engine would not start / instantly die if the kickstand was / came down when in neutral, possibility?

[Honch777]

Anyone else?  I'd like as much input as I can get before I bite the bullet and buy something, thanks.

Also I was wondering if this kickstand switch can just be flat out removed with no replacement?

[birdman561]

My switch went bad so it even with the stand up, it would make the bike stall at the worst times.
I had to keep reaching under the bike and wiggling it while I rode to make it home on the last ride
before I fixed it. I have a post in the archives talking about this stuff that another member pointed
out to me. It might not be the switch, but it only take 10 minutes to see.....
Quick version...Unbolt the switch at the stand, trace the two wires back to the module under
the left side panel, cut each wire about three inches from thier plugs, leave them plugged in
but twist the wires together after stripping the insulation, tape, shrink wrap, etc....
There is a switch in the clutch too, but mine hasnt gone bad........yet.

Good luck

[Honch777]

Just so I got you straight, twist both the bare wires together?  Just don't wanna create a short.

[birdman561]

^^^ Yep, just twist 'em together.
If you think you might forget to put your stand up, then
buy a new switch if you see this is the problem. If you are
OK with no safety switch, just heat-shrink them after they are
twisted together.