85 TourGlide engine just shuts off

[burnit]

85 TourGlide engine just shuts down, seem like a spark issue cause it has plentynog gas and if I'm
Riding it and it fires back up after it shuts down I get a big backfire out the exhaust - any thoughts on cause - this just started with no issue prior
Thanks
J

[guido4198]

 "Just shuts down " sounds electrical. The only time my '85 did that I found a small wire on the coil had pulled out of it's ring terminal. Wires and terminals on an '85 can be suspect, especially when it just shuts down.

[kd]

Sounds like a loose connection but could be a circuit breaker too. The backfire indicates a momentary re-ignition of raw fuel in the exhaust.  A heavy load can seem like a faulty breaker too when it kicks out but will re-start after cooling for a few moments.   With a carb it will continue to pull fuel in.

[rigidthumper]

Sounds like the sending unit in the nose cone is failing (Cam position sensor, PN32400-80B) - they get hot and quit, cool off and work again, pretty common.  Try riding with the points cover off, sometimes that's enough air to keep it cool, and you going. I used to carry a small can of keyboard cleaner (Its canned CO2, and will spray cold air). If the bike dies, cool the sending unit with the CO2, and if it fires right back up, that's proof the sending unit is failing.

[JW113]

My '91 was doing the exact same thing. As if a little gremlin flipped the Run/Kill switch while the bike was moving. Nice big backfire. Sounds like you have a fault in one of the Ignition wires. Check the connections at the ignition switch, then through the various connections until the coil. In my case, the factory had over-cripmed the main wire from battery at the ignition switch, and it broke at the terminal crimp.

-JW

[BKACHE]

One more thing to check is the wires to and from the battery. Is the battery on a tour glide rubba mounted? I had a similar issue when the wire at the connector broke. Vibration would cause it to breakup, but would idle fine. One more thing to check.

[Burnout]

Intermittent problems are the hardest to diagnose.
You have to catch it when it is happening.
Carry a test light and see if the coil is loosing power or if it is an ignition problem.

[Ironheadmike]

Is your tank getting proper venting ?

[JW113]

I just took note that this is a rubber mount! I think they are somewhat prone to loosing the ground wire from motor to frame, then the motor tries to make ground path how ever it can, which means not a good one. We had a friend who's FXR was grounding through the clutch cable!

-JW

[KatalogKarl]

As someone who has a 87 FLHTC and had experienced the problem also my cause as said by "rigidthumper" . the pickup unit in the nose cone can and will melt. The goop on the backside of the unit went liquid and it actually sparked from unit to cover. Intermittent yes and a problem until I figured it out. as long as power is present when cold is first step. Yes run with open cam cover will help but if your there look at backside of pickup unit. I have gone thru 2. And I only got 31k on scoot. Went to another type of ignition. Also within the ignition system my coil is setup just under the tank by the neck. Living in the Bnghole of FL it gets HOT. Check for cracks ,burn marks and test it.  Engine area gets hot and running 50-60w helps a bit. good luck. 

[thumper 823]

You have to have pwr to the coil to run, does it?
You have to have continuity to cone cover to whatever mechanism used to collapse the field.
As mentioned it is prolly one of the 30 yr old gizmos.
Ether in the cone cover or the module if you have one.
This is a GREAT time to replace it ALL with Daytona T.T, and be done with it all and have something better.

[BKACHE]

Does it die when running 70mph or above? The float could be set too low and you are running the bowl out of gas. Yes it should fire right back up.

Does the bike have a diaphragm petcock? Those would go down to half a tank and the 'pressure' of the gas would no longer bypass the spring loaded petcock that was opened by intake man suction/low pressure. I think the diaphragm was later models that '85 though.