First Highway Breakdown dilemma

I decided to take a three hour ride up to my friend's farm today. Everything was going so well. It was an absolutely beautiful day. I had just the right jacket for the weather, my helmet was feeling really comfortable, almost no wind and very little traffic. I was really enjoying the ride and my bike had never given me any trouble before.

I was cruising for about an hour between 62- 65 on a 65 mph highway when the bike started coughing and farting, almost like when you're out of gas. It finally stalled and I pulled over to the side. Nothing seemed out of place, no funny smells, nothing seemed wrong. I made a few phone calls and after resting for 10-15 minutes the bike started up again. I tried to press on, but 25-30 minutes later the same thing happened. I decide to turn around and try for home, figuring a holiday weekend is a bad time to get stranded. Drove about 1/2 hour, stopped for gas and a soft drink for 1/2 hour, started up fine and drove all the way home (1 1/4 hours) without any issues at all.

Any thoughts on what might have happened?

I drive a 2003 Sporty 883 with Stage 1 upgrade and drag pipes fitted with V&H baffles. It used to pop, fart and hesitate before the Stage 1 process, after that, only an occasional pop when I was driving cold, perfectly smooth after warming up a bit. I filled up at the local Mobil station before leaving. I usually use Mobile, but from a different station. I know this sounds paranoid, but I've been suspicious for years of the local station for a few reasons. Could they be messing with the gas?

One of the younger mechanics at my Harley dealership who helped me out a few weeks ago when I foolishly changed the primary cover and lost oil, mentioned he thought I needed a tune up because it popped when he rode it for a minute and he said it shouldn't do that. He also thought I might be running a little lean. This was the first time he'd tried my bike and it's been fine since they did the Stage 1 and baffles around two months ago.

1st thing that comes to mind is ignition module - when they get too hot they screw up. I've seen that many times.

Good to hear from you Art. If it is the ignition module, what's the best cure? Wouldn't the same thing happen to a new one when it gets even hotter than today was?

Once the module starts messing up there's no fix other than replacement & it's not that big a deal. You can do it yourself with the factory service manual, a drill & regular hand tools.

With respect to the heat & with the risk of starting a "dreaded oil thread", use straight-weight oil "like God & Willie G. intended" - you'll never see the day I use anything less than SAE50. Keep the oil temps down (mine typically run in the 175 range & never over 200) & you won't have overheating problems.

Thanks Chuck, Art. The previous owner had fluids changed in December. He didn't know what brand/weight it was. I had 2350 miles when I got my bike in January and is at 3600 now. I thought I would be OK for a few more months and was thinking of switching to synthetic when I get my 5000 mile service done. I suspect the heat had something to do with my problem since I'd never run my bike at that speed for as long before.

Art, I thought you used synthetic oil, am I mistaken?

could it be as simple as some bsd gas

synthetic oils come in straight wieghts. i have been using a 20-50 syntetic oil and haven't had over heating problems. usually runs cool enough that on a 75 to 80 degree day i can put bare fingers on the rocker box for 5-6 seconds before it gets to hot to keep them there, and in 35 to 40 degree weather it starts better with a multi-grade oil. easier on starter and battery.

I use both conventional & synthetic, depending on the application. I'm very impressed with Red Line synthetic which I first started using in 2001, but I've run Valvoline Racing Oil (conventional) since 1969 & still like it. Figuring oil change intervals & cost-per-mile, conventional costs less, but when you can run a full-race engine for a year, win a championship & find no measurable wear after taking the engine apart, that gets my attention. Also, comparing oil-temps from Valvoline conventional to Red Line synthetic (same weights), they're the same.

Art, what do you use in your Sportsters now?

I'm not worried about the cost, I feel it's negligible when compared to the cost of a breakdown, (time lost, plans botched, possible towing). I only want the best possible products in my bike, I can save a few dollars somewhere else.

I'm curious about the ignition module, can it be checked for trouble before replacing?

With respect to oil & your 1st question, I've got conventional Valvoline Racing Oil SAE 50 in one & synthetic Red Line SAE 50 in the other. Red Line carries the 20W50 rating because it can pass the cold-flow tests of a 20W, but it's not multi-grade like a conventional that starts out being 20 weight & then additives are mixed in to make it act like a 50 weight hot.

With respect to the ignition module question, you can test it with a hair-dryer. Take the cover plate off, start the bike & heat up the module - if the engine starts missing then you know the module is going bad & you'll have to replace it. If the cover has never been removed before you'll have to (carefully) drill out the rivets to get it off & while you can get the special rivets from H-D to put it back on, the better way to go is to get machine screws instead.

Thanks Art. With the Redline 20W/50, do you think it would be good for the four seasons in NYC? I ride thru December, but only a few days here and there in January and February, depending on the temperature.

Gotta get going now, it's a beautiful day, be back later. Time to reflect for a few minutes and thank our veterans for their efforts. I live only a few blocks away from the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Monument where the veterans gather.

Yep. The stuff flows to like 45 degrees below -0- while conventional straight-weight is "mollasses in January".

Can't Believe You Have So Many Problems With Your Bike, Being So New In Mileage, Could Be The Bad Gas, Or Module, I Would Try The Hair Dryer Thing Or Just Ride Around The House, Where You Know Your Not Gonna Get Stranded, If That's The Problem Then It Will Keep Doing It, Could Have Also Been Trash In Your Line Or Carb, As You Said, After You Filled Up With Gas It Ran Fine, Make'n Me Think You Where Low On Gas. Always Hard To Tell 3,000 Miles Away, But At Least You Have A Starter Point.

I know what you mean Sportsterboy, I've had a few more problems with a relatively new bike than expected, especially since Harley did the Stage 1 and baffles and checked it out. Of course, they couldn't know about an ignition switch issue, so I don't hold them responsible. It's a real drag not having confidence to take a 2-4 hour ride. I had plenty of gas left when it farted out, so that wasn't the cause.

I spoke with the service manager at my HD dealer this morning. His first response was, "sounds like bad gas" after I gave him the general picture of my highway breakdown. As I mentioned before, I've been suspicious of this Mobil station for years, not that it really means much. He said "that bike should be able to go to California" and then offered to look at the plugs for me this Saturday. He asked if the warning lights (engine light? I forget exactly what he said) went on and I said no. Since I made it home without any trouble (60 miles or more) after filling up again, he didn't think it could be easily duplicated at the dealer. I guess I'll try to work out the bike locally by circling the city, (so I'm not too far away for towing) and see if I have any further trouble..

Whatever it is, at least it seems to work OK after resting for 10-20 minutes, so I'll probably be OK if it stalls out locally.

UPDATE: I rode on the local streets intermittently most of the day yesterday with no troubles. I never went past 40 though, and it was the usual stop and go city riding.

It's not the distance you ride that makes an ignition module mess up, it's how hot it gets. Which is why H-D moved the module from the nosecome in '04. If the engine temp stays down you can ride all day, but get it hot & that module can mess up almost immediately.

Thanks Art, so in theory, a change to synthetic might lower temperature on a long hard ride? Perhaps there's some kind of insulation I can try?

My experience has been that comparing weight for weight, the oil temps are the same using conventional or synthetic. But I also use nothing less than SAE 50.

No way to insulate the nosecone module & while you can run with the cover off so it can get some air & that's done @ the track, you wouldn't want to do that on the street.

And if the module's fixin' to go, it's fixin' to go - just might not do it until a hot summer day. The hairdryer trick will tell ya pretty quick if it's gonna die on you.

Electronics aren't predictable like mechanical parts - you might get lucky & get a few warnings, but you also might not. When in doubt, replace it.

Got it, thanks Art. I'll make some progress reports as time passes. It's gonna rain here, so no riding today.