'02 LeMans "dies"

[Guest scott]

Hey folks:

 

Last weekend while celebrating the fact that my odometer passed the 10,000 mile mark my bike suddenly "died" while moving along at 50mph. The engine immediately came back to life after about a second and would run as if nothing had happened. This occured a few more times (it acts as if an on/off switch is being applied to the engine).

 

After I pulled over I inspected the following: fuel level full, no tank sucking sound upon opening the gas cap, all lights work, fuel pump pressurizes as ignition is turned on, kill switch works normally and no obvious leaks or shorts. The past few days the symptoms continue; the engine just dies as if all fuel/spark were momentarily shut off.

 

Has anyone had this problem? Any solutions?

[Guest Nogbad]

Replace the crank sensor. These have a reputation of sometimes becoming intermittent and causing the symptoms you describe. It's the black thing screwed into the side of the timing cover.

[al_roethlisberger]

...also, check that you didn't bump your cutoff switch, and I've also heard these switches are finicky sometimes

 

If it never does it again, for another 10k miles, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

al

[jrt]

Sounds like a loose wire connector to me. I'd check the sidestand and clutch failsafe connectors first (under the tank) and any large mulit-wire connector I could.

[mik]

Sounds like a loose wire connector to me.  I'd check the sidestand and clutch failsafe connectors first (under the tank) and any large mulit-wire connector I could.

54370[/snapback]

JRT, I have just recently had this problem with my 03 LeMans.....on the way to work I have no problem, but after the bike sits in a lot near the ocean all day I get some stalling and stuttering and the engine dies completely at times. I am tired of cycling the kill switch and I'm thinking it is the switch that is the problem because when the motor falters the second the switch is cycled the problem stops. I have ridden this bike in a lot of rain and now it sits in the hot sun all day by the ocean so i'm going to get a can of electrical conatct cleaner and spray hell out of it. The switch doesn't seem to be able to be taken apart and cleaned, but there are spots where I can get a straw in there and flood it. I'm hoping it's just a little corrosion on the contacts of the switch. I guess I'll find out soon enough mik

[jrt]

The switchgear on Guzzi's isn't the best, and letting them live outside just speeds up their demise.

I have heard deoxit works well on electronic gear. I would think it should work on bike switches as well. I've seen deoxit available at Rat Shack or on the web, but I've never used it myself.

 

After cleaning the switches up, you might put some dielectric grease in them. Good luck!

[Murray]

Switch gear on Guzzis is as good as anyone else uses these days and has been for a number of years. Common with Honda Yamaha Ducati Aprilia etc etc. Start witht he simple stuff, looked at your battery terminals lately? Are they clean and tight how about where the earth connects to the frame? Then start lookinf at the various side stand swtches kill switches etc etc they usally tend to build up a green cooper corosion on the contacts which is not conductive. I would find it very unsual not to be able to disasemble switch gear but havn't looked at the V11 recently couple of screws undernath. If you havn't taken a switch block apart before be very careful as they usally have small ball bearings and springs that are ready to jump out a disappear given the slightest oppourtunity.

[mik]

Switch gear on Guzzis is as good as anyone else uses these days and has been for a number of years. Common with Honda Yamaha Ducati Aprilia etc etc. Start witht he simple stuff, looked at your battery terminals lately? Are they clean and tight how about where the earth connects to the frame? Then start lookinf at the various side stand swtches kill switches etc etc they usally tend to build up a green cooper corosion on the contacts which is not conductive. I would find it very unsual not to be able to disasemble switch gear but havn't looked at the V11 recently couple of screws undernath. If you havn't taken a switch block apart before be very careful as they usally have small ball bearings and springs that are ready to jump out a disappear given the slightest oppourtunity.

56257[/snapback]

The problem is definitely the kill switch.....it is a press together unit that is not made to be disassembled. I was able to douche it out with electronic contact cleaner and there was an overabundance of grease in there. The problem, however, seems to be just an overly sensitive kill button. I have never used the darn thing to begin with, but toggling it to keep or get the bike running is only exacerbating the problem. The way I see it, I have a few choices here....try to locate a new switch assembly, which includes the starter button, try to pry the old one apart and bend the cheesy contacts so that the tolerances are a little more forgiving......or just snip the wires and tie them together under the switch housing.

All other connections are clean, dry and tight.....if the kill button is just moved less than an eighth of an inch, the motor dies, so I imagine a vibration from road surfaces can cause it to happen too. It's just a sloppily made switch.