VL acts like it's running out of gas....but

[frichie68]

Yes, resistance rises with heat. Sounds like Steve is onto something with the stud insulator!

Regarding ignition coils, they are typically rugged and reliable; but can fail for a variety of reasons. Heat & vibration can damage the coil’s windings and insulation causing shorts in the primary or secondary windings. The number one killer of ignition coils is voltage overload caused by bad spark plugs or plug wires.

If a plug or plug wire is open or has excessive resistance, the ignition coil's output voltage can rise to the point where it burns through the coil's internal insulation causing a short. The insulation in many coils can be damaged if output exceeds 35k volts. Once this happens, the coil's output voltage may drop causing ignition misfire when the engine is under load, or the coil may cease to put out any voltage preventing the engine from starting or running.

If a coil has battery voltage at its positive terminal and is being grounded on and off in the circuit but is not producing a spark, the coil is defective and needs to be replaced.

Thanks for the reply. Seems like that would be trace-able only while it's failing(?) and that usually lasts only for a few seconds before it fires up again. Electrics baffle me, my senility doesn't help!
Still would like to see a picture of the mysterious insulator and/or better description of its placement.

[wideglide38]

I wish electricity were like oil. . . . at least you can see where its leaking from. I looked in my parts catalog for an image. Poor repro. quality. I sketched the stud insulator from what I can best tell. The insulator covers the stud at the circuit breaker where the low tension wire (to coil) attaches. Maybe Steve has and can send a better image for this part. Hope this helps!

[frichie68]

Found it! A big Homer DUH on my part, didn't think to look on the back. Oily, tab broken off and....the nut was loose. May well be my problem.
89537.jpg0811141418.jpg

[wideglide38]

I hope that's the fix! Who's book (author, book name) is that?

[Jim]

Found it! A big Homer DUH on my part, didn't think to look on the back. Oily, tab broken off and....the nut was loose. May well be my problem.

Rich, I NEVER thought about the back of the breaker plate either! Well... at least you don't have a screw loose! HAHA!!

[frichie68]

I hope that's the fix! Who's book (author, book name) is that?

Johnny Sells Restoration Guide for 29-36 D & R Series 45" Twins.
I'm lousy at 'lectrics and computer stupid but every once in a while get lucky!

[frichie68]

Rich, I NEVER thought about the back of the breaker plate either! Well... at least you don't have a screw loose! HAHA!!

Watch it Jim, some folks think that's debatable....

[wideglide38]

Thanks Rich. I thought it was Johnny's manual and a great manual at that! William

[downunder vl]

Hi Rich, Please let us all know if you have a fix.When I did my points I found a NOS insulator here in Aus but it was so brittle that it cracked when I was fitting it. I found a sheet of circuit board material and made up an insulator. The NOS was just as Williams illustration but I just made a square to fit the recess and it has been going fine for a number of years.
Phill

[frichie68]

Hi Rich, Please let us all know if you have a fix.When I did my points I found a NOS insulator here in Aus but it was so brittle that it cracked when I was fitting it. I found a sheet of circuit board material and made up an insulator. The NOS was just as Williams illustration but I just made a square to fit the recess and it has been going fine for a number of years.
Phill

Cardboard, several coats of "hot fuel proof" model airplane dope. That stuff should be right up there with duct tape and WD-40!
Busy today but will reassemble later this afternoon. Probably get a test run in over the next day or two.
0812141617.jpg

[frichie68]

Same song, 2nd verse (3rd? 4th?)
New cardboard insulator, wiring properly attached and neatened-up and put back together.
Nice 80 degree day, 12 mile test ride....crapped out three times, just like before.
Anticipating the 2nd failure and thinking about Steve's comment about the leather sealed gas caps, as it started to fluff I quickly unscrewed the gas cap to insure air was getting in; coasted nearly a block with no restart. Retightened the cap, started and ran on 1st kick.
Next and last failure, choked it briefly and it lit right back up and got me home.

Thought about Steve's comment on the possibility of an internal filter in the tank: Ran a piece of 18 gauge wire up through the tap, at least 6 inches into the tank with no resistance, no filter.
If it was a float problem, I don't see how it could stick in the UP position and shut off the flow...then, drop back down and run normally a while longer. I've been completely through the carb.

NOTHING I have done has changed the problem, it still starts and runs fine....between stalls. Obviously, I'm missing something. Still unable to discount either fuel or electrical at this point. I'm baffled.

[T. Cotten]

Rich!

Are you really that proud of that blistered and band-aided float?

While you have the carb off, I suggest a simple bubble-test of the manifold: http://virtualindian.org/11techleaktest.html,
just to eliminate that variable, too.

Happy to help if I can,

....Cotten

[frichie68]

Rich!

Are you really that proud of that blistered and band-aided float?

While you have the carb off, I suggest a simple bubble-test of the manifold: http://virtualindian.org/11techleaktest.html,
just to eliminate that variable, too.

Happy to help if I can,

....Cotten

Thanks, Tom. Nothing I've read matches the symptoms.

[36 knuck man]

Robbie might have nailed it, I know the bike I am going to refer to is much newer, but the prin is the same. I rode my newly acquired 83 FXRT to Wauseon. On the way up it quit a couple of times for no reason at all. It would start back up and we continued. On sat on the way home it quit about every 2 or 3 miles, I would choke it and sometimes it would start back up. Finally while I was riding and it quitting again, I opened the gas cap to look inside, bingo, as soon as I cracked the cap a little it ran the rest of the 290 miles home without a hitch. All I did was clean, drill out the vent and it has ran fine ever since, thanks, Larry

[frichie68]

Robbie might have nailed it, I know the bike I am going to refer to is much newer, but the prin is the same. I rode my newly acquired 83 FXRT to Wauseon. On the way up it quit a couple of times for no reason at all. It would start back up and we continued. On sat on the way home it quit about every 2 or 3 miles, I would choke it and sometimes it would start back up. Finally while I was riding and it quitting again, I opened the gas cap to look inside, bingo, as soon as I cracked the cap a little it ran the rest of the 290 miles home without a hitch. All I did was clean, drill out the vent and it has ran fine ever since, thanks, Larry

Cap vents are clear and clean-and it occurs with either tank turned on- even with BOTH tanks turned on.