worked on the "old Girl".....

[spongebob]

Changed oil, oil filter, new plugs, adjusted valves, tighten exhaust nuts, installed new intake o-rings..... washed her real good..... And I mean washed..... rode her down the road a piece until she ran good from all the water every where.............. Left out 3 days later for a little ride (1100).... all was well until hit a oil spill in a hairpen curve ........................ Thank goodness for all those years of riding dirt bikes......We kept it up but did break a toe or so .................. But anywho.....Heading home... About 800 miles in trip, run thru a very, very light, light rain..... after rain quit, about 2-3 miles down road, old girl loses a cylinder.... then another, another, another, until running about 2 cylinders then quits.................. let her sit about 20 minutes.... get her restarted................. runs fine until hit another light rain............ same thing again............. wait 20-30 and she would fire back up.............. rode the last 250 miles fine................. And we are talking about a very fine mist, rain.... and no puddle hits............. I have alot of ideas where to look, but looking to see if anyone else had this exact problem......... But will tell ya that my grimlin bell has lost it "banger".................. Do I need a new Bell?

[Michvalk]

You got water getting under the rubber plugs that go over the sparkplugs. Probably have a couple of drain holes plugged, and collecting water around the plug or plugs:cooldude:

Plus, you just need a new "banger"

[The emperor has no clothes]

Don't know about the gremlins but I wanna hear how you broke your toe. You didn't put your foot down as you saved it on that oil spill did you?

[Patrick]

Along with making sure the drain holes are clear and the sparkler wires are on fully try to make sure the fuel tank vent hose is open a the ' T ' and shorten the end near the swing arm a couple inches.

[garyheskett All 49 x 3 st.louis]

I had somewhat of a similar problem a couple of years ago.  I had been riding in the rain for a couple of hours.  The bike just quit, like I turned the key off.  Pulled over, waited about 1/2 hour in the rain, bike started right up. Drove it about 4-5 miles, it quit again.  I was about 10 miles from home and one of the guys had trailered his bike, so I trailered it home.  Bike started right up at home.  As Patrick suggested, I did shorten the hose with the "T" on it.  I don't remember what else I tried.  But, I've ridden in the rain numerous times since and it has never done it again.  I am a little gun shy when I ride in the rain, though.

[spongebob]

Thanks for the input.......... On the vent hose, been same length since bought bike in 03, but it could be in a different position, place from where it was,.. Spark plug wires are about 3 years old.... But I do know that drain holes are opened and the boots were seated down................But then again, I did move those plug wires, maybe causing hairline cracks

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

I had a problem with the kill switch on the handlebar getting wet and killing the bike. Let it set and it would fire up and run fine. after a couple of times I pulled the switch and cleaned the contacts and no more problems.

[Robert]

Get a hose and start low with a mist and keep going up till it stops there's your problem.

[spongebob]

Well had time this evening to get the "Girl" out.... rode it down to the end of the road and back (1/6) of a mile.... left it running and started to spray water on her very very fine mist.... still run like a champ..... got heavier, she still purring....... flooded her................ she purring still.... run RPM up to 2100...... done same thing..... she never missed a beat..... put water up......cleaned water from seat..... bike still at idle..... take off to end of road..... about 1/10 of mile.... start to turn around.... she looses a cyl..... then another.... another.... until she dies ............ Mercy......get restarted... maybe 1 or no more than 2 running...... limp her back to the shed............. ................................. Now where is that thinking cap at?

[Hook#3287]

It really sounds like fuel starvation caused by the vent hose not working right. I would pull the tank and inspect the hose from top to bottom to rule it out.

[pancho]

I also think fuel starvation problem...         for one reason or another           ...

[Ricky-D]

Yep,,

It's the losing one cylinder after another and continuing until there's only a few and then "none"

You know it's an easy thing to check.

Use the key to open the gas fill and see if that stops the problem.

Can't understand why that hasn't been done!

***

[Gryphon Rider]

Have a look at my post, linked here:
http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,37577.0.html

Can you relate to these symptoms?

Someone is riding down the highway and the bike starts to sputter just like it does when you need to switch to reserve, only he hasn't ridden that far yet.  He switches to reserve and is able to go a little farther before the bike starts to slow down again.  When he pulls over and idles on the side of the highway, the engine recovers and he is good to go for a couple more miles, then the problem repeats.

[spongebob]

Fuel is not the problem.................... water is getting somewhere................... just got to figure where...... Rode it this evening...... 50 miles........ fast, slow, low RPM, fast RPM...... only quits when gets wet...........

[Hook#3287]

Fuel is not the problem

Spongebob;

I'm not questioning your knowledge or ability, just wondering if you understand how the vent system for the gas tank works?

I found out how it works the hard way.  While doing a winter cleaning in 2001 or 2002, I found the "T" on the vent line and figured it was a extra installed by Honda, similar to the extra wires sometimes found in the wiring harness, so I removed it.

First rain storm I hit that spring, she sputters to a stop, just like yours is now.  Five minutes later, started right up.  When I got home, I reinstalled it.

Maybe one of your vent hose ends is plugged or it's cracked above the "T" and taking in water, but you should rule that out as your problem.

Try what Ricky-D suggested and wet your bike down, crack the tank cap, go for a ride and if she doesn't stop, you'll know it's fuel starvation.

Good luck.