I need to waterproof the Nomad

[Idaho]

That's right, something is not happy with water. I wash it at a car wash. Always carefull not to spray high pressure water on the engine but, the last few times I've washed it the bike started hard everytime. I checked today when I got home to see if there was any water in the spark plug tubes. None found. Of course it could have dried out on the way home. Plug tips and the clips look clean. I suspect that I may have a leak around one of the coils so I will take the bike apart and make sure those are clean and tight with waterproof grease around the rubber boots.

I need to fix this before my trip to Ohio this summer. Don't want to have the bike die in an Ohio frog strangler.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Just one of the reasons I never ride in the rain unless it is absolutely necessary. Don't think bikes and water mix real good. Good luck on finding the problem Bud.

[Idaho]

I'll find it Gene, can't be too tough.

[schoeney]

I only wash my wheels with water. Everything else gets cleaned with Pledge or Plexus.

I have only ridden in 1 long rain for a couple hours but no ill effects in it's performance.

Good Luck.

[MAS Tequila]

Pull the fake primary cover and check the rectifier connections. It sounds like water is getting in one of them.

I was told by another Nomad owner that he had a stator winding go bad and the bike wouldn't start. They switched the two rectifier connections, supposedly only one works the ignition system, and he was able to continue his trip.

After getting home he had the wining rewound and the shop that did it confirmed the theory that only one half of the system will work the ignition.

That was on an 02 1500.

MT

[Idaho]

Originally Posted by MAS Tequila

Pull the fake primary cover and check the rectifier connections. It sounds like water is getting in one of them.

I was told by another Nomad owner that he had a stator winding go bad and the bike wouldn't start. They switched the two rectifier connections, supposedly only one works the ignition system, and he was able to continue his trip.

After getting home he had the wining rewound and the shop that did it confirmed the theory that only one half of the system will work the ignition.

That was on an 02 1500.

MT

MT, can you translate? What/where is the "fake primary cover"?

[MAS Tequila]

The chrome cover on the shifter side of the engine. You will need to pull the shifters and the floorboard to remove it.

Be very careful with the 4 allen head screws as they like to strip.

The two recifier connections should be just below the cylinders.

MT

[ringadingh]

I ride in the rain probably more than most, and the last couple seasons my bike will be hard to start in the rain as well, replacing the battery as weird as it sounds helped quite a bit. It used to crank over but not fire right away. Now it cranks and fires a lot better. Also I think in my case the plug wires may be leaking, I still have to test them but thats my suspicion.
On our bikes the plug wire is part of the ignition coil, as they are a molded unit. I was going to look into seeing if the plug wires could be cut off and new ones reconnected.

[Blueraven]

Really, you can't replace the wires off the ignition coil?

[Idaho]

Originally Posted by MAS Tequila

The chrome cover on the shifter side of the engine. You will need to pull the shifters and the floorboard to remove it.

Be very careful with the 4 allen head screws as they like to strip.

The two recifier connections should be just below the cylinders.

MT

Thanks MT. I've been in there before for something else that I don't recall. I will get it done.

Ring, I still have the original battery in my Nad with 40,000 miles on it. No signs yet of a failing battery; clock resets etc. If I can't find this I may just go ahead and replace the battery.