Yes No Maybe Trouble

[zoom45]

I know it's hard to diagnos something over the computer but I have a wierd problem. My 2000 Nomad 1500 (carbed) has a problem where it occasionally will cut off on it's on. It may be fine for months then all of a sudden it will be hard to crank or when it cranks will warm up and maybe die once you start on your ride. You can be running down the interstate and all of a sudden it may start bucking and cut off or start back running smooth or it may crank up after it quits and run fine for months with no trouble. This sounds like a short to me maybe a wire pinched or something getting hot and cooling off. It does not seem to be a fuel problem. I'm not a dummy mechanically and have checked all connections and wire harnesses with no problems (yes Mac I have a light and a meter I check it with that stays with the bike in the tool kit). I have a new battery and everything accessory is on a relay. It's just one of those deals that it might act up or might be fine for months. Has anyone ran into this trouble? I hate to replace parts and hope I find a problem. My guess is the ignition switch and I haven't torn it apart yet. Is there something else internal that can't be looked at that I may be missing? Not scared to take off for Alaska on it tomorrow but sure would like to figure this out. (Vickie gets upset if it quits and thinks she may have to walk somewhere) LOL. So far if it quits it seems to crank up later and run ok for months or until the next ride. Vickie wants me to sell and get a newer bike. It's a 2000 with about 75,000 and I would like to keep it (too cheap to buy another). Harley will give $500 over trade in. It's got to be something simple.
Zoom45

[macmac]

It could be the ign switch, more so if you have a key chain with anything dangling on it. The action can ruin a switch.

Another place to check is the wire loom under the tank where it bends down sharply passing cly 2. There are reports that the harness there can chaff and wear the insulation off some of the wires.

Note the nylock has a release tab, so find it and don't cut that nylock like I did, before i found out.

These would be my 2 best guesses, and the harness would be first.. Then thew switch and to test it I would run the bike and wiggle the key all over every whichy way.

[zoom45]

Thanks Mac. I had some wires in the past that had to be patched where the steering turns . The harness comes down the left side of the fork assembly and does move when you turn the handlebars. I untaped the whole harness in that area before (the bike headlight quit in a rainstorm at night) and found a pinched wire that I had to be fix. I'm leaning more toward the ignition switch. It has cut on and off a few times since it was new. I hate to spend $150 for a new (or Chuckster) switch if that's not what the problem is. I guess the rectifier is not related to this problem, It sound more like a wire or contact that moves. I wish it would just quit then I could find the problem.

Zoom
Zoom45

[VulcanE]

Another thing to check would be all the harness connections (clutch safety switch, main fuse panel, kick stand, bank sensor, etc, etc). un-plug each one, clean the contacts on both sides, and apply a little dielectric grease. I have heard of these tarnishing and having intermittent electrical problems.

[ringadingh]

I was going to suggest the same things that mac did about the wiring harness, thats a bad spot for them. The ignition switch could also be the culprit, mine acts up fairly often this past season. You can take it apart and check if the contacts are stuck. They are supposed to float under a bit of spring pressure but mine collapse and get stuck allowing no contact.
If it is your switch you can buy an aftermarket Harley style switch for under $25.00 and relocate it.
That can be a hard problem to diagnose since there are so many possibility's. Good luck and let us know how you make out.

[ells]

Sounds a lot like problems I've had with my '99 VN 800B. Never found a solution. Will be running fine, then starts sputtering, then dead on the side of the road, then after a few minutes starts and runs great. Has only happened three times in 10 years and 45K mi so just decided to live with it, after getting over the agony of it all. Hard to diagnose when the problem is gone. Always thought it might be a carburetor or fuel system thing since none of the electrical acted up like a switch issue. Have never had a single other problem with the bike and will keep it for a long time as my light spare.

[zoom45]

I'm leaning toward the ignition switch now. Not a problem for me if it breaks down, but with Vickie on it too I get concerned. Maybe I need to hit chuckster up for a new switch. I hate to spend money if it's not really needed! I don't like multiple keys to keep up with if I change something either.
Zoom45

[zoom45]

Vulcan E did all that still nothing that shows up. Many years ago I was a GM tech. Those warranty intermiittent problems would drive you nuts. GM didn't pay much for all the troubleshooting either. I have torn cars completely apart to bare metal looking for a mior water leak. Sometimes they are almost imposible to find.
Zoom45

[blowndodge]

I wonder if he has some crap in his tank that gets sucked into the pick up line and its too big to pass so it blocks the fuel and when the engine shuts off the lack of vacuum unsticks this piece of junk and allows the fuel to flow until the next time it covers the pickup tube?

Almost all my mysterious temporary shut offs have been fuel related

[AlabamaNomadRider]

I had a similar problem with a Honda and it was the wiring harness. It never quit but would run extremely rough. It would then run smooth for a while then rough again. I thought trash as BD mentioned but it was the wiring harness where it plugs together. Had to replace a couple of the pins. Could also be the switch as Mac says.

[chuckster131]

Friend of mines 99 Nomad was cutting out on the highway coming back home from St.Louis a couple years ago and it was the battery cable (loose connection) at the battery.

[classic1]

I was thinking battery connection too. Check the coil wires and connections.

[trosco]

I'm with BD on this one. What you are describing is a float level problem. You might have a sticking needle valve or the float itself (fiber type) may have absorbed enough (alcohol is gas does that to them) that it weights to much.
Coast to a stop, tip the bike to side stand and the float frees up and the fuel flow cates up or hit a bump after it cuts out and float frees up, fuel flow cathes up and it starts.
I'd get a carb kit and go thru the carb. Even if that is not your problem at 10 years and 75,000 miles you'll improve other stuff!

[zoom45]

All good ideas. Got more to look for now. Thanks.

[macmac]

Don't discount that know harness failur at the other end of that same harness..

NAPA has universal switches too with keys... Some have removable keys.

The 1600 have a different location and a different lock where the keys comes out.

And yeah I have fished out stuff clogging the strainer screens from all sorts of things, lostly coming up with tinfoil from dry gas caps.

It is pretty easy to pop the tank off and dump the tank out...

Everyone seems to have a hissey fit with the fuel line on injected bikes, but the hardest part is disconnecting the 2 main wire harness at the nacell.

The carbed 1500 has a eletric fuel pump and you could with in reason rig a light to it, and see if that light goes out.

That might not prove it is the pump, but i have no idea what else might be on that circuit.

It for sure would prove if this was electrical in nature or fuel itself..