Stuck in Guerro Negro - the KLR Krapped out!

I'm stick in Guerro Negro eith a sick 09 KLR 685.

Left Tecate Saturday morning, through National park, Laguna Hansen and on to San Felipe, bike ran great. Sunday morning bike would not start. Plug fouled badly, black fouling. Changed plug and dropped jet from #142 to #140. Has KLX jet kit installed with needle and clip as recommended by EM.

Ran down the coast to B de LA, bike ran great all day. Started this morning on second attempt, ran ok after warm-up. Rode back towards MX I and dropped to put on rain gear about half way. Bike would not start, popped once or twice but wouldn't run. Pulled plug, clean. Checked spark, weak and orange, pulled plug cap from coil lead, checked spark, again weak and orange. A kind Ride Baja Go Desert Riding Tour sag wagon driver loaded bike on his trailer and hauled me South to Guerro Negro. Bike sat for 6 hours and wss cold. I thought I'd check voltage to the coil, bike started on the first try. Damn intermittent electrical problems!

My recollection is that when coils start to fail this is how they act? Scott Allen Rivera and Eagle Mike suggested wiring, wiring inspected, harness split and wires examined individually. Started bike, it starts easily when cold, ran for 15 minutes while inspecting and wiggling wires. While working near rectifier bike burped a few times then quit and would not start. Will try again with the local man who is helping in about an hour.Tech arrived, we worked for an hour inspecting wires and harness. No apparent rubs. Connected gas tank and started bike. Ran well until warm then either he wiggled a wire in the harness going to the rectifier, or something failed as bike sputtered once or twice, then quit running and would not start. Again. Definitely an electrical issue. Coil seems good, about 10 ohms resistance across primary on my crappy meter.

2 more hours, found nothing rubbing or rubbed. Separated harnesses, untaped and inspected wires, nothing visually wrong. Coil tests sat, primary, secondary and cap all within specs. Still has a weak spark, tried another coil but It was not a KLR coil and it didn't test good on the secondary side, it also got pretty hot.

The bike started and ran several times. Each time it ran for shorter periods of time before it quits, the last being about two minutes. Once it quits it is done. The funny thing is that after it quits if you lay a plug on the head and crank the bike there is always one or two string sparks after you release the starter button while the engine is still spinning.

Puzzled in Guerro Negro!

Good morning John,

I know you are leaning towards electrical but are you sure that fuel petcock is working okay? That vacuum design does fail from time to time.

Canadian FJR

Despite testing good, the quits when warm leads me to

think its a bad coil.

I had a similar problem with a 82 Yamaha.

Would start up fine but by the time I went around the block

it had dropped a cylinder.

Spent a lot of time pulling carbs, cleaning passages, etc.,

thinking it a a fuel problem. No joy.

Finally, someone smarter than me swapped out a coil and

it ran like a champ.

Internally, a gap opened up when it got warm resulting in

no hi-volt output.

Tank vacuum? Is there a hiss when you open the filler cap after it's cut out?

Have you tested the coil when it is hot, right after it quits?

Good luck finding your gremlin. Hope everything else is going good for ya

go over to Advrider, Lots lots of knowledgeable folks there.

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="Canadian FJR" data-cid="1390155" data-time="1519122140"><p>

Good morning John,<br />

<br />

I know you are leaning towards electrical but are you sure that fuel petcock is working okay? That vacuum design does fail from time to time.<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

Canadian FJR</p></blockquote>

Manual peacock installed

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="mcatrophy" data-cid="1390161" data-time="1519132757"><p>

Tank vacuum? Is there a hiss when you open the filler cap after it's cut out?</p></blockquote>

No fuel flowing freely

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="Pterodactyl" data-cid="1390169" data-time="1519141488"><p>

Have you tested the coil when it is hot, right after it quits?</p></blockquote>

Doesn't get hot, doesn't run long enough

I really wonder about the fuel flow, hope you can sort it out. At least it warmer there than at home or here. 22 this morning, blah.

Good luck John

I'm throwing in with the "Coil Is Bad" crowd.

The symptoms you report of starting when cold and then dying with weak spark make me think the coil is shorting internally when it gets warm.

The ohm meter test won't show too much because the current used by the meter is too low to cause the conditions that weaken the spark. I've seen this sort of thing on the original coil pack in my 1995 Ford Escort.

Others may be right about the coil, but electrical wiring-wise, I repaired a/c wiring harnesses for 25 years and numerous times found broken internal wiring without any visible outside chafing. Most times caused just by the engine vibration over time or technicians doing a lot of wiggling. Just another possibility. Checking continuity from one end to the other while wiggling is the only way to find out. Hope you find your gremlin and get back on the road.

https://www.facebook.com/manuel.merazobeso is the Man. Despite our inspection and cleaning connections he discovered the Ignition box connection had lots of Dempster Highway dirt in it. Connection cleaned, test run, finishing up the bodywork now. A great resource in Guerro Negro! Telephono 6151559801

Next stop Rice and Beans San Ignacio

Next stop Rice and Beans San Ignacio

Ah.... so you had a bad case of OIE (Operator Induced Error).

Good to hear you are back on the camino de Tierra

Funny thing, I just read on another page about a KLR broken down south of the border- when I saw this, I thought it was you, but that KLR had rear suspension failure IIRC.
Glad you got it sorted!!!

Glad it is sorted out. It could be worse, broke down down there is likely better than anywhere in the Western US right now. Like Bugs said it is 22 at his place in Grass Valley and about the same here in Seattle. Your next stop s/b Next stop Rice, Beans and a Margurita San Ignacio. Enjoy.

Glad you got it sorted out John. Nothing worse than having problems on the road.

Enjoy the rest of the trip!

--G

Jeez, what a place to break down. Glad it's running again Have fun, be careful!

Careful! I got food poisoning at Rice and Beans last year! That place is a shit hole!!

The rest of the story.

After continuing on to Rice and Beans the KLR ran fine, But, in the morning it was a struggle to get Beastia de Azul started. Once started she ran fine. Struggled to start again in Loreto, same story. The next morning, Friday, in Los Barilles, she refused to start. We had discussed the steps we needed to take and decided a carb inspection was warranted. Everything in the Carb checked out good jet, needle, spacer, clip position, float valve etc. While rotating the carb back into position I noticed that there was a missing vacuum cap on the vacuum port. Replaced missing cap and all has been well since. The 685 kit has really helped the bike. Very little oil consumption, much better power, less vibration. With my 16 tooth front sprocket (+1 tooth over stock) I can easily cruise at 75 mph and have achieved 85 mph whole passing. Glad she is fixed.

In Guerro Negro again tonight, sked to go Whale watching in the morning, then a 220 mile run up to El Rosario for the night. Monday a run through Mexican wine country between Ensenad and Tecate, lunch along the way cross the border around 2:00pm. Hope to get to Yuma AZ Monday night, Alamosa CO Tuesday and Home Wednesday. Abercrombie FJR is in charge of our ride report.