Electrical gremlins in the 1260!

dannymax · Apr 21, 2014

Riding along at a reasonable speed (45 or so) in 4th when the bike began to run a little rough, it got worse and I pushed the choke down and it seemed to pick back up, pulled the choke off and it went fine for a few more miles when it started doing the same thing. This time it got worse and worse and finally quit. No fuel light, only 15 miles since the last fill-up but I hit the reserve button anyway....depressed the starter and she took right off again.

Stopped at the gas station, looked in the tank and there was all kinds of gas so I continued on my way. Every few miles it would act up, I'd turn it on reserve and it would smooth back out.

I got my errand done and returned home, it seemed to be running ok but when I pulled up to the garage the tach & temp gauge weren't working. Shut it off, started right back up and the tach and temp gauge were working again.

Wondering if this is tied to the reserve switch, or sending unit in the tank....or something else entirely.

Seems like I read a post where someone had the same symptoms but no idea who or when it was.....anyone got any ideas?

Thanks.

jfeagins · Apr 21, 2014

Check your ground wires all around! Sounds like you may have a loose cluster of ground wires playing havoc with your electrical stuff, including the fuel pump. That, or a multi-connector some place with corrosion issues developing.

maleko89 · Apr 21, 2014

Dan, I would check the fuel pump relay. There is a sense wire that picks up ignition signals. It's a safety feature that allows fuel pump to turn off after a few seconds if bike isn't running. Check the grey wire going to the vboost controller and also to tach and ignition coil.

dannymax · Apr 21, 2014

jfeagins said:
Check your ground wires all around! Sounds like you may have a loose cluster of ground wires playing havoc with your electrical stuff, including the fuel pump. That, or a multi-connector some place with corrosion issues developing.

maleko89 said:
Dan, I would check the fuel pump relay. There is a sense wire that picks up ignition signals. It's a safety feature that allows fuel pump to turn off after a few seconds if bike isn't running. Check the grey wire going to the vboost controller and also to tach and ignition coil.

Thanks Jim & Mark-o, I will check both! Was thinking corrosion somewhere was a strong possibility but also, when it quit and I turned the key to start it the pump ran like the bowls were dry....maybe some of each going on....:confused2:

wildweasel_pt · Apr 21, 2014

Relay would be a good start. I had the same problem once and it cured itself. So i can't be of help further

customizedcreationz · Apr 21, 2014

I had a problem like that and it was a sintered bronze fuel filter that was clogging and unclogging.

Todd

dannymax · Apr 21, 2014

wildweasel_pt said:
Relay would be a good start. I had the same problem once and it cured itself. So i can't be of help further

I'm really hoping that will happen this time too....:worthy:

customizedcreationz said:
I had a problem like that and it was a sintered bronze fuel filter that was clogging and unclogging.

Todd

Really! How the heck did you ever figure out that was the problem?

06VMAXIMUS · Apr 21, 2014

It's shot Danny, you should sell it to me quick!

tothemax93 · Apr 21, 2014

06VMAXIMUS said:
It's shot Danny, you should sell it to me quick!

You beat me to it. I thought the same thing. There's no saving it. I was gonna offer to haul it away for him free of charge:eusa_dance:

06VMAXIMUS · Apr 21, 2014

tothemax93 said:
You beat me to it. I thought the same thing. There's no saving it. I was gonna offer to haul it away for him free of charge:eusa_dance:

Yeah I'm sure Danny was expecting our response:rofl_200:

tothemax93 · Apr 21, 2014

Here on the VMF we do not dissapoint:eusa_dance:

alorio1 · Apr 21, 2014

I have seen a bad TCI cause the tach jump around like crazy on someone elses Vmax and also it popped and missed. You could just have a bad or corroded connection to the TCI...

dannymax · Apr 21, 2014

06VMAXIMUS said:
It's shot Danny, you should sell it to me quick!

tothemax93 said:
You beat me to it. I thought the same thing. There's no saving it. I was gonna offer to haul it away for him free of charge:eusa_dance:

I wuz gonna offer it to you guys but would want to deliver it as part of the deal....it's only right ya know!

unk:

But I can't depend on it making it....it might quit and then I'd have to inconvenience youse to come get me.....and that ain't right.....guess I'm stuck wid it for awhile! :bang head:

alorio1 said:
I have seen a bad TCI cause the tach jump around like crazy on someone elses Vmax and also it popped and missed. You could just have a bad or corroded connection to the TCI...

I was hoping for corrosion Joe but just got done pulling all the connectors I could find and they all have di-electric grease on them....no nasty shit anywhere. It's such an intermittent problem it may be a little difficult to pin down.....maybe I should find an early model fuel pump relay and keep it on board for when it quits for good.

Have to look the RES - ON switch over first tho, may be something hiding in there.....:confused2:

jfeagins · Apr 22, 2014

Could it be the internals of the fuel pump have become dislodged and now you have a very weak fuel pressure, not keeping up with demand for gas?

tugla · Apr 22, 2014

I think its CUZ you CAN drive 55......go faster think bike is sleeping on you til you crank it up.......

unk:

tugla · Apr 22, 2014

you got a shift light or any aftermarket doodads on the bike dan.....thinking something along that teach wire or key power line source maybe

dannymax · Apr 22, 2014

jfeagins said:
Could it be the internals of the fuel pump have become dislodged and now you have a very weak fuel pressure, not keeping up with demand for gas?

Leaning more towards electrical Jim cause of tach & temp gauge working part time. The test bike ('96) has the same part # for the fuel pump relay so I'm thinking I'll throw that in my pocket and take off down the Taconic, see if the issues starts again and do a swap....IF I can beat the rain!

tugla said:
you got a shift light or any aftermarket doodads on the bike dan.....thinking something along that teach wire or key power line source maybe

No doodats Rovic, a digital voltage gauge, that's it (and it's wired directly to the battery)....really thinking if the relay is good it is very likely to be corrosion somewhere, the issue is so sporadic

dannymax · Apr 22, 2014

Update: Don't think it's the fuel pump relay, I tried switching with the '96 relay when the issue started but no dice....same thing, bike will run (poorly) but no tach, temp gauge or neutral light. Sometimes slowing down and shifting to neutral will get everything working again, sometimes shutting it off and back on will do the trick.

It seems to sit and idle for quite awhile without issue but just a mile or two on the road and the tach will start jumping and eventually go to zero, same with the temp gauge.

Once, with the bike not running and the key on, tapping the shift lever would cause the temp needle to jump up a little. I don't have a real clear set of symptoms cause they seem to keep changing a little and don't dare play with it too much out on the road cause it's gonna strand me sure as shit!

tugla · Apr 22, 2014

batt neg cable is tight dan? any loose wires on horn or kick stand switch.

dannymax · Apr 22, 2014

tugla said:
batt neg cable is tight dan? any loose wires on horn or kick stand switch.

Don't know Rovic but certainly worth a check....thanks!

Electrical gremlins in the 1260!

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