Problem

[Deathstar88]

I have been having an ongoing problem with starting my pitbull. Sometimes it starts fine....other times, it just clicks. i replaced the gear / starter clutch...and it still does it once in a while. Now...when im riding....the bike loses power....almost like it is running out of gas....then eventually stalls. after waiting a bit...i popped started it...and got it home. it started fine for a bit....then keeps doing the same thing. anyone have a clue what would cause this?

 

[BadBrad]

A faulty voltage regulator will cause the battery to die and you will lose power when your battery drains. Have you checked the voltage going to your battery while the bike is running? Should be somewhere from 13.5 to 14.5. Could also be your battery taking a dump. If you're getting proper voltage to your battery, then I would suspect the battery.

 

[Deathstar88]

weird thing is.....when i let the bike sit for a little while...then try starting her again.......it starts! and idles fine. but when i start riding...i lose power within a few minutes. If the battery is draining.....why does it start up after sitting for a while?

 

[Deathstar88]

and i currently have a compufire voltage regulator. and the lights , horn, and everything works fine when the bike dies out.

 

[erldawg]

Check your gas cap vent. While riding and it starts to die loosen the gas cap and see it makes a difference.

 

[Deathstar88]

why? what does that do? will a gas cap cause the bike to lose power like that?

 

[HMAN]

The caps are vented. When they plug up you have no more venting, restricted gas flow. Common issue. Check it n see if it helps. Also make sure your tank liner hasnt come apart or that you dont have pieces floating aroung clogging up the petcock.

 

[Deathstar88]

how do i check? what am i looking for? im fairly new to motorcycle mechanics. do i look under the gas cap? in the tank? and if it is clogged....how do i unclog it? i cant just reach my hand into the gas tank. o looked into the gas tank with aflashlight. nothing seems to be clogged. i see a filter type peice sticking up inside the gas tank... everything seems free and clear of any clogs or blockage. does the gas have to be above the top of the filter inside the tank? because the gas line is below the top of the filter head.

 

[HMAN]

Filter is part of your petcock. Gas does not have to be above it. The tank liner is usually green or some other bright color. If you dont see any pieces bouncing around your probably safe. Try a ride n see if loosening the gas cap helps when you start to stall out. It could be a heat related issue too. Troubleshoot till you can narrow down the cause. We'll help till you get it solved so keep plugging away at it......

 

[Deathstar88]

i was thinking it could be some kind of over heating issue....since it starts cold perfectly.

 

[HMAN]

Well try this...try to pick a cooler morning or day an before you start it up use a hair dryer on your ignition module under the seat. See if that gives u the same problem. If not try the voltage reg. Try to narrow down where the fault is coming from. By gently heating up different components you may be able to pinpoint a heat related prob. Check the ehc plug as well to make sure u have a good connection. Dielectric grease in the plug will help to keep moisture out as well as give you a better connection. It may take you some time but you'll figure it out....

 

[Deathstar88]

ok..thanks guys. i will let you know what i find

 

[Deathstar88]

one more thing....i never use a tender. NEVER ! and the battery is atleast a year old. Should i buy a tender, and let this thing charge for a few days...and see what happens? I have a deka battery..

 

[HMAN]

Yes. That should be SOP! Got to have a good battery. These bikes MUST have a constant voltage or they will exhibit some strange problems. Do a good connection check on the entire bike if possible and have your battery load tested. You'll know if the battery needs replacing.

 

[BadBrad]

Like I said, check to make sure you're getting propper voltage to the battery. If so, I would suspect the battery. Never go cheap when buying a new battery. Braille, Harley AGM and a couple of others are highly recommended. Deka ain't on the list. You will save yourself a lot of headache by getting a premium battery. A lot cheaper than a towing fee too.

 

[Staffy]

Check this thread out - pretty well written and will help remove the guess work.....
http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/how/24664-stator-check-out.html

 

[Wills67]

I had a VERY similar issue on my 04 Mastiff and it turned out to be the ignition switch in the nose cone. It's an optical switch with some conditioning electronics. When it heats up, one of the conacts on the PCB starts opening causing the intermittent then finally open and it dies. Mine would start chugging/missing and eventually just die. Once it cooled down it would start. Just a thought.

 

[Deathstar88]

well...i just got home from work.....and connected the voltage meter. it came back weak. the battery seems to be very low. I tried to start it....it tried to turn over a few times.....then...click...click. The battery is charging now. Im hoping its just the battery....and not the stator or voltage regulator. The battery is atleast a year old....and its never been charged, or hooked up to a tender.

 

[Deathstar88]

i am using a schumacher load tester, and charging system analyzer. It says the charging system is fine...but battery is weak

 

[Brew]

If I were you, I'd get that dang thing started and once started put a multi-meter on the battery terminals while it's running and check out what kind of volts are going to your battery. This will rule out your charging system. You should see a DC value 13.8 to 14.0 volts DC. If your battery's as weak as you say, you should see more closer to 14.0 volts DC. If you see lower volts, then I would suspect your charging system!