whats up with dual star

[Jefferson Johnson]

Last weekend I was riding with 2 other KLRs in the surf off Galveston. We got hit by some waves and the engines drowned out. One or more of the bikes were in danger of being lost if they could not be re-started and actually one had to be towed out. After waiting a few minutes, all started and ran fine. It seems to be due to water shorting out the spark plug. After sitting a few minutes, the heat dries out the water and everything is OK again. One remedy that was tried was to fill around the plug with dielectric grease. It seemed to help but it failed as well. Any fixes from this group would be welcome as we really had a good time and want to go back. I now have the bike apart to make sure I get all the salt out of the nooks and crannies and spray down with WD40. This would be a good time to install any fixes. Thanks Jeff [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Mike Frey]

Did you do the carburetor vent tube T Mod? That's one of the first cheap "fixes" for the KLR. Jefferson Johnson wrote:

> > Last weekend I was riding with 2 other KLRs in the surf off Galveston. We > got hit by some waves and the engines drowned out. One or more of the > bikes > were in danger of being lost if they could not be re-started and actually > one had to be towed out. After waiting a few minutes, all started and ran > fine. It seems to be due to water shorting out the spark plug. After > sitting a few minutes, the heat dries out the water and everything is OK > again. > > One remedy that was tried was to fill around the plug with dielectric > grease. It seemed to help but it failed as well. Any fixes from this group > would be welcome as we really had a good time and want to go back. I now > have the bike apart to make sure I get all the salt out of the nooks and > crannies and spray down with WD40. This would be a good time to > install any > fixes. > > Thanks > > Jeff > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > >

[Jefferson Johnson]

Yes, that mod has been done. This is definitely an electrical issue not fuel, and is almost certainly shorting out the plug. The Suzuki SV650's have the same problem with their forward cylinder in the rain. There is an aftermarket rubber boot for that bike. Was wondering if something like that (or other homemade fix) was available for the KLR. Thx Jeff

On Wed, Jun 11, 2008 at 9:40 AM, Mike Frey wrote: > Did you do the carburetor vent tube T Mod? That's one of the first cheap > "fixes" for the KLR. > > Jefferson Johnson wrote: > >> >> Last weekend I was riding with 2 other KLRs in the surf off Galveston. We >> got hit by some waves and the engines drowned out. One or more of the >> bikes >> were in danger of being lost if they could not be re-started and actually >> one had to be towed out. After waiting a few minutes, all started and ran >> fine. It seems to be due to water shorting out the spark plug. After >> sitting a few minutes, the heat dries out the water and everything is OK >> again. >> >> One remedy that was tried was to fill around the plug with dielectric >> grease. It seemed to help but it failed as well. Any fixes from this group >> would be welcome as we really had a good time and want to go back. I now >> have the bike apart to make sure I get all the salt out of the nooks and >> crannies and spray down with WD40. This would be a good time to install >> any >> fixes. >> >> Thanks >> >> Jeff >> >> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >> >> >> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[roncriswell@sbcglobal.net]

If it were me, I wouldn't be riding in surf on the Texas coast. Pretty salty water. The salt air is bad enough down there. I'd spray it down real good with WD 40 or something stronger .... maybe dip it in Vasaline or gear oil. Criswell

On Jun 11, 2008, at 9:31 AM, Jefferson Johnson wrote: > Last weekend I was riding with 2 other KLRs in the surf off > Galveston. We > got hit by some waves and the engines drowned out. One or more of > the bikes > were in danger of being lost if they could not be re-started and > actually > one had to be towed out. After waiting a few minutes, all started > and ran > fine. It seems to be due to water shorting out the spark plug. After > sitting a few minutes, the heat dries out the water and everything > is OK > again. > > One remedy that was tried was to fill around the plug with dielectric > grease. It seemed to help but it failed as well. Any fixes from > this group > would be welcome as we really had a good time and want to go back. > I now > have the bike apart to make sure I get all the salt out of the > nooks and > crannies and spray down with WD40. This would be a good time to > install any > fixes. > > Thanks > > Jeff > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Chris Norloff]

Is the drain hole below the spark plug, through the cooling fins, clear? Mine wasn't, and the bike died when I stopped after riding in frog-strangling rain, then was okay once the water drained out. Reamed it out with a piece of safety wire. Salt water? Ugh. Amazingly corrosive. best, Chris -----Original Message----- From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Jefferson Johnson Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:48 AM To: Mike Frey; KLR Group Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Waterproofing the KLR for surfing Yes, that mod has been done. This is definitely an electrical issue not fuel, and is almost certainly shorting out the plug. The Suzuki SV650's have the same problem with their forward cylinder in the rain. There is an aftermarket rubber boot for that bike. Was wondering if something like that (or other homemade fix) was available for the KLR. Thx Jeff

On Wed, Jun 11, 2008 at 9:40 AM, Mike Frey wrote: > Did you do the carburetor vent tube T Mod? That's one of the first > cheap "fixes" for the KLR. > > Jefferson Johnson wrote: > >> >> Last weekend I was riding with 2 other KLRs in the surf off >> Galveston. We got hit by some waves and the engines drowned out. One >> or more of the bikes were in danger of being lost if they could not >> be re-started and actually one had to be towed out. After waiting a >> few minutes, all started and ran fine. It seems to be due to water >> shorting out the spark plug. After sitting a few minutes, the heat >> dries out the water and everything is OK again. >> >> One remedy that was tried was to fill around the plug with dielectric >> grease. It seemed to help but it failed as well. Any fixes from this >> group would be welcome as we really had a good time and want to go >> back. I now have the bike apart to make sure I get all the salt out >> of the nooks and crannies and spray down with WD40. This would be a >> good time to install any fixes. >> >> Thanks >> >> Jeff >> >> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >> >> >> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650Yahoo! Groups Links

[Jefferson Johnson]

Good point. I didn't know the drain hole existed. I will check tonight. Thanks Jeff

On Wed, Jun 11, 2008 at 12:36 PM, Chris Norloff wrote: > Is the drain hole below the spark plug, through the cooling fins, clear? > Mine wasn't, and the bike died when I stopped after riding in > frog-strangling rain, then was okay once the water drained out. Reamed it > out with a piece of safety wire. > > Salt water? Ugh. Amazingly corrosive. > > best, > Chris > > > -----Original Message----- > From: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com [mailto: > DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com ] On > Behalf Of Jefferson Johnson > Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:48 AM > To: Mike Frey; KLR Group > Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Waterproofing the KLR for surfing > > Yes, that mod has been done. This is definitely an electrical issue not > fuel, and is almost certainly shorting out the plug. The Suzuki SV650's > have the same problem with their forward cylinder in the rain. There is an > aftermarket rubber boot for that bike. Was wondering if something like that > (or other homemade fix) was available for the KLR. > > Thx > > Jeff > > On Wed, Jun 11, 2008 at 9:40 AM, Mike Frey > > wrote: > > > Did you do the carburetor vent tube T Mod? That's one of the first > > cheap "fixes" for the KLR. > > > > Jefferson Johnson wrote: > > > >> > >> Last weekend I was riding with 2 other KLRs in the surf off > >> Galveston. We got hit by some waves and the engines drowned out. One > >> or more of the bikes were in danger of being lost if they could not > >> be re-started and actually one had to be towed out. After waiting a > >> few minutes, all started and ran fine. It seems to be due to water > >> shorting out the spark plug. After sitting a few minutes, the heat > >> dries out the water and everything is OK again. > >> > >> One remedy that was tried was to fill around the plug with dielectric > >> grease. It seemed to help but it failed as well. Any fixes from this > >> group would be welcome as we really had a good time and want to go > >> back. I now have the bike apart to make sure I get all the salt out > >> of the nooks and crannies and spray down with WD40. This would be a > >> good time to install any fixes. > >> > >> Thanks > >> > >> Jeff > >> > >> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > >> > >> > >> > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > ------------------------------------ > > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com List FAQ > courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Member Map at: > http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650Yahoo! Groups Links > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Jud Jones]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Jefferson Johnson" wrote:

> > Last weekend I was riding with 2 other KLRs in the surf off Galveston. We > got hit by some waves and the engines drowned out. One or more of the bikes > were in danger of being lost if they could not be re-started and actually > one had to be towed out. After waiting a few minutes, all started and ran > fine. It seems to be due to water shorting out the spark plug. After > sitting a few minutes, the heat dries out the water and everything is OK > again. > > One remedy that was tried was to fill around the plug with dielectric > grease. It seemed to help but it failed as well. Any fixes from this group > would be welcome as we really had a good time and want to go back. I now > have the bike apart to make sure I get all the salt out of the nooks and > crannies and spray down with WD40. This would be a good time to install any > fixes. >

In suggesting that sailing and KLRing might not be incompatible after all, I did not intend my concession to encompass surfing as well.

[John & Rosie Wong]

Hmmm... I ordered some IMS foot pegs on Thursday and they arrived yesterday. No problem here. John