My bike really hates the wet now..

Vagabond · Post by **Vagabond** » Tue Apr 01, 2014 8:03 am

Ever since I took the fairings off the bike it never liked sitting out in the rain, cyclinder 3 would play up due to the drain hole arrangment so everytime I stayed at my gf house I'd bring a bike cover.

Got caught out last night, woke up at hers, it had rained, heavy mist, bike would turn over and not fire. Usually it would fire on 3 cylinders and eventually clear itself on the way to work. It turned over and turned over and eventaully fired on 3 cylinders.

Bike was ok on high revs, got 2 miles from work, had to slow for a corner and bike died. She was turning over and turning over but not firing, very strange that she'd not at least fire on the 3 cylinders that were warmish and had been firing for 4 miles.

Anyway, phoned gf up and she left me to work in the car, bike is left at a less desirable area but hopefully I'll get there at lunch time to see if she fires up.

So question is, what is the common denominator that will stop all 4 cyclinders from firing due to moisture? I guess it'll be a night in the garage for me I got to admit after 8 years me and the bike are falling out...

YAMAEXUP · Post by **YAMAEXUP** » Tue Apr 01, 2014 9:33 pm

I've recently had similar problems. When I remove plug #3 it's rusty around the part above the threaded part. All that I can think of is that when the bike's on its sidestand the collected water turns to steam & shorts out inside of the plug cap. I looked at it carefully & couldn't see how water would get past the orange coloured plug cap seal.

So i've recently changed the plug caps for a set that I had about from an old Gixer 750. It runs ok until hot, but that's another fault. What i'm hoping is that the replacement plug caps will allow the engine to run when wet, which will point the finger at plug caps that may well be breaking down when hot. Maybe the energy is finding a way out of the plug cap & shorting to the engine cylinder head. Maybe this is visible when in the dark. Not sure but it's feasible...

Vagabond · Post by **Vagabond** » Wed Apr 02, 2014 8:02 am

Thanks YAMAEXUP, I got to agree with you.

I've been researching silicon grease as an insulator, it might help with the arcing problem, it's worth a try

Thanks for your reply

exupbloke · Post by **exupbloke** » Wed Apr 02, 2014 10:14 am

coil stick mod, best thing you can do, no more 3 pot scenarios

oldskoolexup · Post by **oldskoolexup** » Wed Apr 02, 2014 12:39 pm

exupbloke wrote:coil stick

Is this common on new machines?

Newest bike I've ever had is 1992 Exup!

exupbloke · Post by **exupbloke** » Wed Apr 02, 2014 3:37 pm

think most new bikes have coil sticks, there is a guide on fzronline.com how to do it. i have and bike starts and runs so much better now

Vagabond · Post by **Vagabond** » Wed Apr 02, 2014 3:56 pm

Thanks guys, I've just purchased some stick coils and a loom from the Bay of Evil so hopefully that'll bring the smile back to my face coz i actually like riding the bike in the wet.

YAMAEXUP · Post by **YAMAEXUP** » Wed Apr 02, 2014 10:49 pm

Keep us up to date on this mod as i'd consider doing it myself (even though i've got Dyna coils fitted)

Vagabond · Post by **Vagabond** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 10:07 pm

Just finished the stick coil conversion, started up first time, now to see how it runs after getting wet.....

Hopefully no time soon.....

YAMAEXUP · Post by **YAMAEXUP** » Sat Apr 19, 2014 11:56 pm

I changed the original spark plug caps for some spare GSXR750L ones that I had in a spares box...& i'm amazed by the differance. It now pulls cleanly from 5th from as low as 2,000 rpm, starts easier & sounds like it's actually firing on all 4 pots.

Al that I can assume is that #3 plug cap was breaking down & much of the energy from the relevant coil was escaping via a small crack in the plastic of the plug cap. This would also explain why there was water UNDER the orange seal & why the bike ran so badly in the heavy rain while going to/from Boulogne last August