2001 V11 Sport stalling problems

[Kiwi_Roy]

If it's a relay dropping out there's an easy way to prove/disprove that.

 

 

A small lamp one side grounded to the bars, the other side to a small gauge wire wrapped around the 87 pin of relay 5

If it flickers there move it to the coil of relay 4 etc.

[stewgnu]

Hi Owen, you should be able to get it sorted- I've biked my v11 all over England and Scotchland in some horrendous, miserable downpours and she never missed a beat so it is possible!

[Owen]

Morning Chuck.

 

Imagine coming to a stop sign or junction and you're shifting down through the gears to come to a stop. At the change from 4th to 3rd or from 3rd to 2nd, the engine just cuts out. Battery light comes on and rear wheel locks up. Now it's possible that the rear wheel is not completely locking, that in fact what I'm feeling is the engine braking so hard that it "drags" the rear wheel.

 

Now I know that a big twin with shaft drive can engine brake really hard but to actually lock up the rear?

 

Thanks again for all your help people!

[Chuck]

You'd know it if the rear wheel locked.

[Owen]

Well yes. It did lock. Fishtailed down the road. Hit hedge and dumped me in the road.

 

That's why I'm pretty keen to get to the bottom of the problem!

[GuzziMoto]

If it is locking up the rear wheel you have something going on there. You could turn off the bike going down the road and it would not lock up the rear wheel.

[bbolesaz]

I think Owen's issue is that he is downshifting when this happens.  So pull the clutch in, pop it down a gear, the engine stalls abruptly and then dump the clutch. Probably a combo of being in a lower gear than appropriate and too sudden clutch release or maybe a worn and grabby clutch also.  Maybe carrying a little more throttle during the downshift would help keep the motor turning. 

 

You could test the situation by pulling the clutch and chopping the throttle, but then leaving the gearshift alone.  That might help diagnose the engine stall.

[Owen]

Indeed there could be some "Pilot Error" going on as well!

 

Just been out for a run and keeping the revs high on downshift did seem to help matters. That heart in the mouth moment when you downshift is freaking me out a bit!

 

Thanks all for your patience and advice. Much appreciated.

[bbolesaz]

My other main ride is a BMW K1600GTL, a bike with a lot of mass, minimal engine braking and a slipper clutch to boot.  The first time I rolled off of the freeway on the Scura, I just about pitched myself over the handlebars.  Needless to say, I had to drastically alter my downshift points.

 

That said, I've never had the engine stall or even sputter on a less than graceful decel.  Does it have a modified ECU or Power Commander?  Maybe a bad timing map?

[czakky]

I have heard of being able to lock a back wheel up from going to a very low gear at high speeds, even with the clutch disengaged (pulled in).

[Scud]

I agree with checking/replacing relays as a first step to address the stalling issue. A problem will often have multiple small factors that contribute to it. One thing that hasn't been mentioned for Owen's problem is the rear brake. 

 

Do you use the rear brake when you downshift? Have you cleaned the rear caliper or flushed the fluid recently? If you are applying pressure to a sticky rear brake while downshifting and losing engine power it could contribute to a temporary wheel lock.

 

And how about the rear wheel bearings? Are they in good condition?

[Chuck]

Well yes. It did lock. Fishtailed down the road. Hit hedge and dumped me in the road.

 

That's why I'm pretty keen to get to the bottom of the problem!

 

Uh, yep.. that is locking, all right. Awfully hard to diagnose when half a world away. Pulling in the clutch lever should have let it roll.. did you do that?

[docc]

I do now of one V11 that locked up and crashed on a downshift. Only later did we figure out it had fuel starved and stalled.