Runs great, dies intermittently.

[KJK]

81 Eleven Special. I've owned this beautiful bike for one year now, and have had to replace the battery. Nothing else! Lately I've had an intermittent dieing problem. She starts and runs GREAT, but will die with out notice. If I'm running down the road it will last about 1 to 2 seconds , and restart sounding like a gear shift or rolling the throttle forward then back. She also dies at idle, but again starts right back up. I do not hear or feel any warning before she dies, and it always restarts every time. This is my first bike, and am hoping for some advise before I jump into repairing it.

Thanks
Kevin

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Kevin,

Sounds like an attack of electrical gremlins to me! Check your fuse holders and fuses, pull them out, glass ones can corrode, etc.! There is a separate main fuse on the left side vs. the right fuse group. Next, check your kill button in the right hand control set, you may need to pull if off, take is apart and clean the contacts and such?! Same thing with the main Key Switch!

Main thing is to check ALL of the electrical connections, all of those fun plugs, pull apart, inspect for corrosion, get some contact cleaner, etc., and have at it! Check your connections to your TCI unit. It doesn't sound like the pickup coil wires to me yet! Good Luck, and welcome!

[John]

Don't forget to check the 'tip over switch' under the gas tank.

[randy]

The tipover switch is easy to test. Unplug it, pull it rearward off the frame and toss it in the trash.

Seroiusly, you don't need it to run, it shorts out the ignition when you tip over. Might be handy in an accident, but I'm trying to cut down on those

PS. The idiot P.O. might have installed in upside-down. Don't ask me how I know this

[tab1324]

stand switches

Those stand switches can get a bit of "stiction" in them... Don't know if they'd be intermittent though it worth a look.

Tom B.

[81xsproject]

Huh... Does my 81SH have the tipover switch? If so, where is it?
JC

[TopCatGr58]

Hey JC,

It's in the middle of the frame, under the tank, up near the coils, it has the words UPPER written/enscribed on it telling you which end to keep up!!
T.C.

[KJK]

First, Thanks for the help so far. I checked each then and now only to find them in good working order. The "now" I refer to is that she does not run now. The intermittent dieing is now constant. I have just done the following.

-Battery reads 12 Volts.
-Battery water level is good, topped off.
-Jumpered the starter, rotates and sounds normal.
-Disconnected tip-over switch, 0 Ohm’s, reconnected pressed starter button and nothing.
-Read Ohm’s thru off/run(kill) switch, 0 in off, and high numbers in run.
-Read Ohm’s thru starter button, 0 with out button pressed, high numbers when button is pressed.
- Checked all fuses only to find them all to be in good condition.

Any ideas?
The only thing I can think of now is I need to check for spark while jumpering the starter.

Kevin

[mro]

tip over switch

Randy

quote
__________________________________________________
The tipover switch is easy to test. Unplug it, pull it rearward off the frame and toss it in the trash.
__________________________________________________

Has come in very handy for me several times now.
If xs's wern't built like a tank mine would be dumpster material now.



mro

PS
no switch on kick stand (don't ask how I know this)

[mro]

ohm meters

KJK

DC electric can be tricky.

OHM meters do not put a load on a circuit.
No load might give the impression that you have continuity, but apply current/amp's and the circuit can brake down.

Also the starter button (I have no manual) should activate a relay or starter solenoid which then allows power to starter.

So if you have to "jump" the starter it might be something to check.



mro
beginner mc mechanic

[KJK]

MRO, I agree the starter button needs to go thru a relay before it hits the starter, but without a wiring diagram I am also in the dark. My first thought is I have a bad ignition unit, but hope it is cheaper than that.

[prometheus578]

When she dies... do you still have your "dash lights"? When idling and it dies... do you still have a neutral light, or does it go out? That'd be main electrical prob... fuse.
I've seen bikes with pinched fuel lines act the same way... there's another avenue to explore, but it do be soundin' electrical. not so much a component, but a connection.

[randy]

KJK,

re-read all of the posts above,

it shorts out the ignition when you tip over

If your tipover switch is reading zero ohms, that is bad.

Have you tried to run without the tipover switch?

[KJK]

When it would die intermitently I did have all lights, and gauges. Elecrtricly and visualy nothing changed during the 1-2 second stopping of the engine.

[flb_78]

sounds like a bad connection on the main fuse.