bigjohnsd
2021 BMW R1250GSA
I'm stick in Guerro Negro eith a sick 09 KLR 685.
Left Tecate Saturday morning, through National park, Laguna Hansen and on to San Felipe, bike ran great. Sunday morning bike would not start. Plug fouled badly, black fouling. Changed plug and dropped jet from #142 to #140. Has KLX jet kit installed with needle and clip as recommended by EM.
Ran down the coast to B de LA, bike ran great all day. Started this morning on second attempt, ran ok after warm-up. Rode back towards MX I and dropped to put on rain gear about half way. Bike would not start, popped once or twice but wouldn't run. Pulled plug, clean. Checked spark, weak and orange, pulled plug cap from coil lead, checked spark, again weak and orange. A kind Ride Baja Go Desert Riding Tour sag wagon driver loaded bike on his trailer and hauled me South to Guerro Negro. Bike sat for 6 hours and wss cold. I thought I'd check voltage to the coil, bike started on the first try. Damn intermittent electrical problems!
My recollection is that when coils start to fail this is how they act? Scott Allen Rivera and Eagle Mike suggested wiring, wiring inspected, harness split and wires examined individually. Started bike, it starts easily when cold, ran for 15 minutes while inspecting and wiggling wires. While working near rectifier bike burped a few times then quit and would not start. Will try again with the local man who is helping in about an hour.Tech arrived, we worked for an hour inspecting wires and harness. No apparent rubs. Connected gas tank and started bike. Ran well until warm then either he wiggled a wire in the harness going to the rectifier, or something failed as bike sputtered once or twice, then quit running and would not start. Again. Definitely an electrical issue. Coil seems good, about 10 ohms resistance across primary on my crappy meter.
2 more hours, found nothing rubbing or rubbed. Separated harnesses, untaped and inspected wires, nothing visually wrong. Coil tests sat, primary, secondary and cap all within specs. Still has a weak spark, tried another coil but It was not a KLR coil and it didn't test good on the secondary side, it also got pretty hot.
The bike started and ran several times. Each time it ran for shorter periods of time before it quits, the last being about two minutes. Once it quits it is done. The funny thing is that after it quits if you lay a plug on the head and crank the bike there is always one or two string sparks after you release the starter button while the engine is still spinning.
Puzzled in Guerro Negro!
Left Tecate Saturday morning, through National park, Laguna Hansen and on to San Felipe, bike ran great. Sunday morning bike would not start. Plug fouled badly, black fouling. Changed plug and dropped jet from #142 to #140. Has KLX jet kit installed with needle and clip as recommended by EM.
Ran down the coast to B de LA, bike ran great all day. Started this morning on second attempt, ran ok after warm-up. Rode back towards MX I and dropped to put on rain gear about half way. Bike would not start, popped once or twice but wouldn't run. Pulled plug, clean. Checked spark, weak and orange, pulled plug cap from coil lead, checked spark, again weak and orange. A kind Ride Baja Go Desert Riding Tour sag wagon driver loaded bike on his trailer and hauled me South to Guerro Negro. Bike sat for 6 hours and wss cold. I thought I'd check voltage to the coil, bike started on the first try. Damn intermittent electrical problems!
My recollection is that when coils start to fail this is how they act? Scott Allen Rivera and Eagle Mike suggested wiring, wiring inspected, harness split and wires examined individually. Started bike, it starts easily when cold, ran for 15 minutes while inspecting and wiggling wires. While working near rectifier bike burped a few times then quit and would not start. Will try again with the local man who is helping in about an hour.Tech arrived, we worked for an hour inspecting wires and harness. No apparent rubs. Connected gas tank and started bike. Ran well until warm then either he wiggled a wire in the harness going to the rectifier, or something failed as bike sputtered once or twice, then quit running and would not start. Again. Definitely an electrical issue. Coil seems good, about 10 ohms resistance across primary on my crappy meter.
2 more hours, found nothing rubbing or rubbed. Separated harnesses, untaped and inspected wires, nothing visually wrong. Coil tests sat, primary, secondary and cap all within specs. Still has a weak spark, tried another coil but It was not a KLR coil and it didn't test good on the secondary side, it also got pretty hot.
The bike started and ran several times. Each time it ran for shorter periods of time before it quits, the last being about two minutes. Once it quits it is done. The funny thing is that after it quits if you lay a plug on the head and crank the bike there is always one or two string sparks after you release the starter button while the engine is still spinning.
Puzzled in Guerro Negro!
