Bike stops in the rain
 

My XTZ 660 has stopped 3 times this year in heavy rain. I have gone over all the wiring connections again and again. They are clean and sound and protected with silicon grease.

The HT side is equally well protected from moisture.

Each time the bike stopped it just cut out suddenly when I rolled off the throttle.

I would be riding along steady at 60,70 mph - NO misfires or any signs of the usual wet weather trouble - then when I approach a corner and close the throttle to change gear the engine just quits and refuses to start again.

I feel that if I had kept the throttle open it wouldn't have stopped, but then I might not have got round the corner !!!

I have to leave it parked by the road but when I return to the bike some hours later it fires up and I can ride home ok.

I know the damp is causing a problem somewhere and there are lots of places to look, but has anyone experienced a symptom like this before, and what caused it ?

I suspect water in the carb. Check the various openings, drain hoses etc. Pull the float bowl and see if there is any water.

The KLR has a problem with sucking water up one of the vent hoses for the carb which causes similar problem. The hose is too low to the road!

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Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
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One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Exactly the same used to happen with my XT600E. As soon as I changed the throttle opening the engine cut. It did then splutter once or twice before dying.

With me it was the HT rubber boot that supposedly protects the Spark plug cap. Despite looking fine, being new, covered in grease, nothing would stop the damp getting in. Only in really heavy rain and river crossings.

She usually restarted after 5-10 minutes.

George

Fella's thanks for your replies.

I got to work on the bike the other day. I stripped off all the bodywork and rigged up a little petrol tank from a washing up bottle.
I was able to run the bike and spray water unto the electrics at the same time. When I sprayed the coil the bike stopped and refused to start, in fact you would just have run the battery flat trying.
I dried off the coil again with a heat gun and it fired up first turn of the engine.
Later I tried it again at night and the arc-ing was clear to see all around the coil and HT lead.
This surprised me because I thought it was pretty well insulated, but obviously not.

Anyway I removed coil, lead and plug cap and wrapped up everything with self amalgamating tape. Not electrical insulating tape but instead the rubbery tape that moulds to itself.

After that it didn't seem to matter how much water I sprayed on it, I could see some very tiny arcs but I couldn't get the bike to stop.

So I hope that's it fixed - at least til' the next time.

Thanks again

Hi Ralph, congratulations for having found that. But it seems not normal, otherwise all 660's would have the same problem? I suspect there's something wrong either inside your coil or at the connection of the HT lead.
Come over to the meeting in Goirle first weekend of September and we'll all have a look at it!

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Fred, XTZ660, Holland.