[singhg5]

On my last ride it started to rain heavily, badly soaking my G5 and me. I stopped at a coffee place for some time. When I was driving back, the engine just died at red traffic light as bike was idling in neutral. I was able to start it easily but it happened again at least 3 times. Later I kept the throttle a little bit more open at traffic lights and made it home.

Nothing was changed in the last week as I have taken it out almost every day or every other day.

[Arizoni]

The most obvious suspects are in the high tension (voltage) area of the spark plug circuit.
It takes very little water to cause the 12000+ volts to find a escape that's easier than jumping the spark plug gap when the cylinder pressure is over 140 psi.

Is your spark plugs metal cap on the plug nice and snug?
Where the spark plug high tension wire screws into that metal cap is the joint nice and tight?  Putting a small fillet of silicone rubber at that junction will seal it against any water that might migrate down the wire.

The other areas that might cause a  problem deal with the ECU and its sensors.
Although these run on such a small amount of power they shouldn't be bothered by water I'm guessing that any change at all in the voltage/current flow due to the presence of water could be interpreted by the ECU as a significant change?

[gashousegorilla]

  Could be moisture in your right handlebar switch control.  The kill switch may be shorting out between the contacts... That WAS a crazy heavy rain.

 May also be a moisture problem in your ignition switch (keyed), i've seen both of these issues cause intermittent shorts that will stop a bike in it's tracks. Particularly on bikes that are exposed to some weather.

[Guaire]

Singh - How's the battery ground terminal? If there's resistance or a current bleed, it's hard for the electrical system to fire the ignition. So, you have to rev it more to get the voltage high enough. The cure would be to check the ground lead, clean it and bolt it down. Dielectric will protect the circuit like an insulator.

[hocko]

Singh5 Hi again, I had the same thing occur last year I was riding from Far North Qld back home, some 700 km's, I rode through sustained monsonal rain for the majority of the distance. About half way into the trip I slowed as I came into a town area. The motor just died and would not restart. I pushed it under cover and sprayed everything I could see with WD50. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and it started up straight away and never missed another beat the rest of the way home. I didn't spray anything specific just everything I could see. Hope your problem is as simply solved.

Cheers hocko

[singhg5]

I went through the suggestions one by one on my motorcycle.

Pulled the spark plug cap and looked for anything inside - it was clean, applied some dielectric grease and put it back firmly on spark plug.

Wiped and dried switches for ignition, starter button, kill switch as water can easily go in there.

Saw a little bit of green crystals on the ground terminal, nothing big - cleaned, reconnected and sprayed ACF50 to repel moisture in future.

Out of hunch, I checked the battery voltage - it was 12.65V, not the worst.

The bike started in first crank and I rode.  After a stop, it started again without problem. About walking distance from my place, as I slowed down for a traffic light the engine died again. I pushed bike to a side and thought I will have to drag it to my place.  But hey, G5 has a kick start !! Came to rescue and bike started first kick.
 
Got home, checked battery voltage - it was dying at 11.6V. 

Recharged battery overnight (it did take long time for it to come back), it came to 12.8V, it started bike no problem a few times and the voltage dropped to 12.3V. As I opened the throttle, there was no change in voltage at all. Repeated the test again but the battery was not charging at idle nor at higher engine rpms.

Checked the alternator, it was putting out lots of volts.

So I suspect it is Regulator/Rectifier which will take a few days to get to me as dealer is ordering it from CMW.

EDIT - Thought there may be water in gas tank, so I had also added fuel additive to absorb water. Obviously, the bike still stalled ! It was not water in gas problem.

[Rich Mintz]

Alternative possibility: remember that my problem turned out to be not the regulator itself, but torn wiring leading into the rectifier from the 6-pin connector (with 3 yellow + 1 red + 1 black):

http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/index.php/topic,16344.msg178065.html#msg178065

Good luck! These problems are exhausting to find and fix.

 

[sparklow]

I use one of these battery/alternator condition indicators on my bike. I'll post a pic later of the unit installed on my Bulltet if anyone is interested. With this unit in place you can see the battery condition a the press of a button, also shows if alternator is charging if pressed at 2000 rpm or so. I like to have one on my bikes for the peace of mind they provide.

[gashousegorilla]

  A good video on checking a bikes R/R unit.
These guys also make very good after market units. They may have a universal deal for our bikes if you can't source a OEM on.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDx3zgOLShY

[GreenMachine]

gashousegorilla: Great video and doesn't get any easier does it...That should be a keeper for all of us..Thanks..GM

[Gypsyjon]

I use one of these battery/alternator condition indicators on my bike. I'll post a pic later of the unit installed on my Bulltet if anyone is interested. With this unit in place you can see the battery condition a the press of a button, also shows if alternator is charging if pressed at 2000 rpm or so. I like to have one on my bikes for the peace of mind they provide.

You bet..lets see it.

[Arizoni]

It sounds a bit like the voltage guage sold by Nfieldgear that I installed on my G5.

I don't have to press any buttons or rev the engine to see what the voltage is though.  If I turn on my parking lights or headlight the guage comes on and tells me instantly what the system voltage is.

[sparklow]

Gypsyjon - here is a pic of the installed unit. Just needs to be connected to your battery leads. It comes with large ring terminals for a car battery which I cut off and replace with bike size ring terminals. From there you just position it with heavy duty velcro where you want it. Pic is a unit on my Bullet, on the right side. I used to get these at Harbor Freight for about $5 but the last one I bought on Amazon for approx. $10.
                                                                                                       Arizoni - the only advantage to this unit is low price, and it does tell you if your alternator is charging. I currently have these on three bikes.

[Ducati Scotty]

I've got the same setup as Arizoni but the switched model is nice too.  Then you don't have to find a switched power source, you can go right to the battery.  And that is cheap!

Scott

[Gypsyjon]

Thanks Spark.