Cause & Fix For My '98 R110RT ?

About five weeks ago when riding my Oilhead, a major downpour burst upon the landscape, lasting about ninety minutes. Although I passed one rider sitting it out on the shoulder, I rode on with the bike riding fine. Met up with a buddy and spent about hour over lunch.

After lunch, I thought that I might have to get a tow until the bike eventually started. Ever since then the bike is very difficult to start and when it does, it stutters and sometimes backfires. Once on the road, it runs better than fine.

The bike is about three thousand kilometres short of its' next service. Since the incident, I have changed the plugs, sprayed the spark wires where they connect to the plugs with electrical cleaner, checked the air filter (fine) and added a decent amount of HEET into gas tank. The bike still runs fine once it is started, but still difficult to start, although somewhat marginally better since adding the HEET. When in Canada, I always fill the bikes with non-ethanol fuel.

Since this started immediately after the downpour, I assume that the rain was the culprit. What could have possibly could have gotten wet that shouldn't have?

Suggestions appreciated.

Paul

Spark plugs.

Just change them and see what happens.

If the Hall Effect Sensor and its associated wiring is still original it is suspect. The wiring always fails. And if moisture gets inside the outer sheath then very inconsistent things happen until the bike just won't run any more.

Very likely the insulation has failed on the Hall Sensor assembly.
What is the mileage? They all eventually fail.
You can purchase a new unit or have yours rewired. I can help you with the latter.

Did you read what GSAddict said? THEY ALL FAIL. Your symptom is classic HES failure. Send yours to GSAddict and have it rewired professionally.

GSAddict said:

Very likely the insulation has failed on the Hall Sensor assembly.
What is the mileage? They all eventually fail.
You can purchase a new unit or have yours rewired. I can help you with the latter.

Click to expand...

I had ruled out the Hall Sensor as you rewired it three or four years ago.

Paul_F said:

I had ruled out the Hall Sensor as you rewired it three or four years ago.

Click to expand...

Then it is something else. I would look at the spark plug leads and the coil next.
There was an issue with coils cracking on that vintage.

Look at the little clips that anchor the sparkplug wires along the frame - these are tight and have teeth...
Also look at them in a darkened garage - maybe you'll spot some arcing or corona. (No not the beer...)
If they cause damaged insulation, that's an intermittent short to ground.
Or a plug wire may actually be going bad.
Note that you shouldn't use "resistor" plugs on these.
I forget offhand if the older RTs had that little drain hole around the gas cap - if it's clogged (it happens), water gets into the gas. This can also clog a fuel filter.
Maybe the charcoal canister got wet? Delete with extreme prejudice.

It's only money and time but go ahead, ignore KISS.

I will say that I have entered my 5th decade of being a pro-wrench. I still remember some of the first things I learned, for a gasser with issues, replace the plugs and go from there.

For a banger, fuel filter.

But in fairness to the other advice here, I get at least three of my guys in a week wanting to replace the ECM. Last time I bought an ECM was three years ago.

The rest, grounds.

Then again, what do I know?

Just to be clear... I do Not disagree with post #2.

dieselyoda said:

Spark plugs.

Just change them and see what happens.

Click to expand...

dieselyoda said:

It's only money and time but go ahead, ignore KISS.

I will say that I have entered my 5th decade of being a pro-wrench. I still remember some of the first things I learned, for a gasser with issues, replace the plugs and go from there.

For a banger, fuel filter.

Click to expand...

Pauls1150 said:

Just to be clear... I do Not disagree with post #2.

Click to expand...

In my original post, I did state that the first thing that I did was change the plugs.

The bike normally starts on the second push of the starter button, which it hadn't been doing since the initial rain storm, possibly five weeks ago. However yesterday, it start on the second push, although sputtering and running rough. Took it for 40 minute spin on the freeway.

This morning, it once again started on the second attempt, sputtering and putting out blue smoke. Rode for an hour on the freeway between 120-130 km/hour. After visiting with my son, took the back roads home. I would estimate that I travelled about 250 kilometres. Having nothing to lose, I took Dieselyoda's and Pauls1150's advice later in the afternoon and once again changed the plugs. Went for a spirited 60 km highway ride after supper with temperature being 44F. The good news is it started on the usual second attempt with no sputtering; in other words, normal.

Thanks to all for your suggestions.

The downside is it was nighttime and I thought I might as well once again see the brightness of my LED headlamp with and without the auxiliary LEDs. No difference as the auxiliaries were not operating! I had noticed yesterday that they did look somewhat dull. Changing the fuse once I was home still did not fire up those lights.

Win some and lose some. Lights will be a problem for another day.