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Technical Questions and Answers about Gold Wings and Valkyries
1998 GL1500 SE with
Symptoms of Vapor Lock
I bought a Black Gold Wing SE new in
1998. It now has 128,000 miles on the odometer.
I think I have a unique problem. Neither I,
nor any dealer, has been able to figure it out
yet. The Gold Wing runs great normally.
However, when the temperature gets above 97
degrees Fahrenheit the motor begins to sputter,
and it acts like it’s only running on two or three
cylinders until it quits all together. In cooler
weather the Gold Wing runs great. Once I pull
to the side of the road and sit there for a few
minutes it seems to run okay for another 30 to
40 miles or so—then it repeats the symptoms.
I have found that if I top off the fuel tank, it
recovers right away and will run until the fuel
gauge begins to drop, then it repeats the sputtering
and dying.
I have already replaced the timing belts and
the automatic fuel shut off valve. The fuel filter
and air cleaners have also been replaced
without correcting the problem. The problem
also seems to be more prevalent at altitudes
above 3500 feet above sea level. I’m considering
having all the vacuum lines replaced and
the carburetors cleaned or rebuilt. The fuel cap
vent line is also clear. It has the symptoms of a
vapor lock on some of the older 1960 vehicles
I drove as a teenager.
Any suggestions you have to steer me to the
right fix will be greatly appreciated. I love the
bike and love riding, but this problem is very
frustrating when I’m in the middle of the
desert somewhere limping along until the
weather cools down.
Scott Hamilton
GWRRA #115647
Anaheim, California
Answers to the technical questions in this month’s “Workbench” were provided by
Stu Oltman, Wing World’s Senior Technical Editor. Please submit your technical questions
about Gold Wings or Valkyries by e-mail to workbench@gwrra.org or by mail to
“Workbench,” GWRRA, 21423 North 11th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85027. Please include
your full name, city, state and GWRRA membership number.
Scott, I’ve seen this exact set of symptoms
several times, and it drove me nuts—until one
day I connected an oscilloscope to the fuel
pump wire on one of the miscreant bikes and
observed the current flow as the bike warmed
to full operating temperature. As the gasoline
in the fuel tank absorbed engine heat, that particular
fuel pump (it’s inside the tank) began to
draw more current and behave erratically,
then it quit altogether. Functionally, the bike
was running out of fuel, even though the tank
was half full.
Topping up the tank with cooler fuel
reduced the pump’s temperature, at which
point it began working again. A new pump
resolved the issue. Because this was a heatrelated
failure, it was naturally more likely to
occur in warm weather and also as the fuel
level in the tank dropped—less fuel warmed
more quickly and to a higher temperature.
The first thing I suggest you try is to actually
remove the fuel cap when the symptoms
occur to eliminate the possibility of a plugged
vent valve. If that doesn’t provide any relief,
and considering the things you’ve already
tried, my hunch is that replacing your fuel
pump will be more productive than replacement
of all the vacuum hoses and a complete
carburetor overhaul; carb faults and vacuum
hose leaks don’t come and go as a result of
ambient temperature, fuel level, or short rest
periods.
Sticking GL1800 Starter Motor
My bike’s problem was that the starter
motor locked in during a ride and wouldn’t
unlock even when the key was turned off, and
neither would the lights or the ignition turn off.
It burned up the starter motor and I replaced
the starter; so far, the problem hasn’t reappeared,
but I’m uneasy. The cost of the starter
motor was $567 plus shipping!
Trence McCoy
GWRRA #156551
Shreveport, Louisiana
Trence, your problem occurred when the
contacts in your starter solenoid stuck together.
That resulted in a direct connection
between the battery and the starter, even without
the start button pressed. And turning off
the key provides no relief, because this connection
no longer relies on the solenoid being
electrically activated. Once this happens, that
solenoid is prone to do the same thing again,
so I’d advise you to replace the solenoid (A) to
avoid burning up another starter.
Intermittent Starter Button
Recently, during cold or hot start-ups, the
starter on my ’99 GL1500 Aspencade, with
33k miles, doesn’t catch when I hit the button.
When I release it, there is a click as though it
almost engaged. Five or six more tries and she
fires up. It might happen today, or not for a
couple of days. Is this somewhat common and
fixable with my average mechanical skills, or
is it better left to the pros You do us all a
great service. Keep up the great work!
Reggie Sheppard
GWRRA #181012
Pompano Beach, Florida
Reggie, the clicking when you release the
start button tells me the button is okay. And
the fact that it fires right up after a few stabs
at the button indicates that your battery most
likely isn’t the culprit, either.
My hunch is that the main contacts in your
starter relay A or relay B are either burned or
dirty, and banging them together several
times using the start button cleans a new path
for current flow. However, you may be hearing
only one of these two relays click. Check the
connections at the red connector for relay A
and the white connector for relay B, and feel
each relay with your hand as someone else
presses your start button. Each relay should
click. If each does, and if you can get that to
happen without the starter engaging, have
your assistant continue holding the start button
while you test for the presence of battery
voltage between each of the two nuts on the
relays and a good chassis ground point. If you
find voltage at only one nut on either of those
relays, you’ve found the culprit—replace that
relay.
GL1800 CB Problem
I own a 2004 Gold Wing and have had CB
problems since it was new. Occasionally when
I transmit, I get cut off before my transmission
is complete. The dealer replaced the
entire radio unit and the system worked fine
for about a year.
Last summer I noticed it was doing it
again. My wife has the push-to-talk button
added and I had her try transmitting, which
worked fine, so the problem seems to be with
my transmit only.
Continued on page 32.
28 Wing World