Shouldn't but Did it Anyway!

[dewibp]

First really nice day in SE SD. Temperarture got up to the mid 70's so pulled out my favorite xs11 special for a little ride. Put the carbs on prime for about 5 minutes and the ole girl fired right up and ran like a dream. Took her down the rode a few miles a blew the cobs out of her and still running like a dream. Decided the ole girl could use a bath (first inkling that high pressure water can be a problem) but no she really needed a good cleaning. Riding down to the car wash I thought about my original special being pretty fussy about water and would cough and run rough for a mile or two till she dried out. I went ahead and cleaned her up and took my time drying her off so the wind would help dry the electrical up too. Spent plenty of time admiring how nice she looked too. Started her up, running on the outside cylinders! No problem, take her out on the road, get a little wind through her and dry her out, ten miles later still running on two cylinders. Spent yesterday pulling tank, checking coils and finding coil for 2-3 was bad or wet what ever the case was. Thank god I had another coil. Anybody else have a premonition you shouldn't before doing something and finding out the premonition came true?

[Parr8hed]

MARRIAGE?

[79XS11F]

When I wash my bike I do it by hand and then rinse it off from above so I don't find myself directing a lot of water into areas when it isn't ment to go. Even while riding in a down pour, water usually does not get up under the tank where its not welcome.
Rob

[Czekus21]

I had the same problem with MIYAMI. If it'll miss when you wash her, It'll miss when it rains and your riding. I put dilecric grease ( non-condictive ) on every electrical connection on the bike. Not just on the spade side of the connectors, but on every part of the connectors. Then fired her up and gave it the ol' garden hose test. Sprayed water in every orfice and crevis that I could find. No more spitting and sputtering.

[planedick]

Pressure wash..

I use the local coin operated high pressure wash often. The '79 would miss for a little while after the ordeal, but Pathfinder don't care. High pressure everywhere, top to bottom, up under tank, etc and she never misses a beat. Fire her up drippen wet to get out of the spray booth and never misses at all.

[Dragonrider]

Just keep the pressure washers off the bearings. Anything else should take it. If it prangs your electrical, you've got work to do...'cause a heavy rain's gonna do the same thing. You should fix it first ('cause it sucks trying to fix wet electrical problems beside the road in the rain)

[MartyA]

Happened once to me in a rainstorm on my 78E. Started misfiring a little. First chance I had I took the coils out and I could see that the spark plug wires had a gap where they entered the coil. I covered the whole area with gasket material and never had a problem again.

Hard to believe rain can get up in there.