Water proofing GL1100I sparkplugs

imported post

Used to have the same problem with my old 76 1000 with points but nothing so far for my 1100 and it's seen plenty of rain. Silicon spray on the plug boots may help.

imported post

When you say the plugs short out, what exactly happens? Does a fuse blow, melts a wire...

imported post

my does the same thing, i have to be careful when i wash it as well, once i dry it off with an airhose it is all good. mine basically arcs through the water, no damage, just not a functioning cylender.

Barry

imported post

That's what WD-40 is for. Water Displacement

imported post

I had the same issue with my xs850 triple...used to carry a roll of electrical tape in the vetter just for rainy days. I think the issue was with my plug wires..could be way off but when I would grab the wire I would get the crap shocked out of me.

imported post

Do you have the original boots? Maybe they have some hairline cracks. I ended up buying some used ones off ebay for about $10 and that solved my problem. When I wash it, I get a bit of misfire when I first start it but as soon as it is barely warm, the water vaporizes and I am fine. Riding in the rain is no problem because the bike is already warm. I also use boot grease or dielectric grease on the connections to seal them.

imported post

I think Andy has it on this one. Old(original) plug boots will deteriorate and crack, you could try some womens hair spray for a short term fix, but new boots/wires are the wayto go... :gunhead:

imported post

WOO, lots of replys. Well, it does not blow fuse chris, I think the wires short out when wet. I have used WD-40 on the wires. But it will wash off too. I was looking for a better solution than WD-40.
I guess I will check around for some plug wires and boots.
Thanks for the help guys.

imported post

If you want to find the real problem, wait until a very dark, cloudy or moonless night. Turn all the lights off. Pull the fuse for your headlight, so it won't turn on. Then start the bike. Run it up to around 2,000 RPM or so, so that you have good, strong sparks going on the plugs.

While holding it at 2,000 RPM, gently start spraying the plug boots and wires with a mist of water from a spray bottle. When things get wet enough that you start losing cylinders, you should be able to see blue sparks, which will identify exactly where your problem is occurring.

imported post

ok.. i'm seeing this as a way to find the problem. but if the cables are ran correctly, and it isn't coming from a crack in an old boot... what is the solution? new cables? or just to know that it is arcing. i will try this myself to find where it is happening as my "monsoon" season is coming and it will definitely get wet.

Barry

imported post

I will have to give that a try. I am sure my granddaughter will let me use her spray bottle . To try it, will let you know what happens.

imported post

Shooter wrote:

you could try some womens hair spray for a short term fix, :gunhead:

Click to expand...

Hair spray?????????
How about mens hairspray??????

imported post

My wires were very stiff and the boots onto the coils were broken. I got a set of 7mm wires (non resistance) from NAPA. They said it is the set they sell to people that come in asking for a wire set for a forklift or whatever. I used the boots that came with the new set. The boots don't screw on the coils like the old ones did, but they stay on just fine.
I ride in the rain A LOT, and I don't usually have a problem now that I deflected rain water from the coil area. If it is REALLY pouring rain, I lose power, I think my coils might be cracked a little. I have to check it out when I take the false tank off again.
There are only a few things it can be, right?