Well I've been bit by the wash bug!!!

[pqsqac]

Washed my bike on Sat blew it dry with my leaf blower started it twice no problem. Now this morning at 530 trying to leave for work it would not start. I smell plenty of gas but no light off. I had to forget it and drive the car in plus my battery was draining. Has anyone found or read a remedy for this issue?
Thanks

 

[colorider]

Bummer!!! Has not happened to me, but seems I read you deal with it as with any FI engine and open the throttle all the way and then crank until the engine clears the flooded fuel and fires off.

Good luck!!!

Rod

 

[rem]

All the more reason not to shower too often. R ::003::

 

[pqsqac]

Thanks for the tip Rod I will try it when I get home today, hopefully it will start without further issue. I hear you Rem no more or at least very seldom water washing from now on. I will use the spray can cleaners as much as possible. Not sure how a bike that is made to go off road and potentially get wet can fail to start after a hose wash? Maybe sitting in the garage from Sat afternoon to Tuesday morning in 50F temps had something to do with it. I guess some water got sprayed where it shouldn't have.

 

[rem]

Well, I was referring to myself but ..... ::025:: I recall washing mine several times during the brief period I had it ... never a problem. Might be bike specific or maybe each bike has a "sweet spot" that I happened to miss. I guess time will tell. R

 

[bloke]

Has anyone found or read a remedy for this issue?
Thanks

not washing my bike has worked great for me ::008::

 

[colorider]

I don't believe in the high pressure car washes, but have washed my SuperT several times with a bucket and garden house with no starting problems. Does seem to be a real fluke for some bikes though!

 

[rem]

Most of the commercial pressure washers now have the two speed spray. I only use the heavy spray on the wheels and frame. Anywhere near the engine, dash, controls ... I use the low pressure. I dunno .... maybe something. R

 

[Mike Sisson]

Vince, did you use a pressure washer or just regular hose?

Another thought might be the leaf blower forcing water into some wiring.

Also, did you turn the bike on and off a few times during the process? As you have probably noted there have been a few issues with flooding after this.

No lecturing here, just trying to come up with some possible causes.

 

[pqsqac]

Just hose and bucket at the house but my hose nozzle may have been on a semi high setting. I have one of those deals that you can rotate the head and get different flow rates and patterns. I did start the bike right after I finished rising and than again to ride it back in the garage which was after I finished blow drying and it ran fine of course the ride was like ten feet. It may be a good practice to ride it some and get everything heated up and dry.

Vince, did you use a pressure washer or just regular hose?

Another thought might be the leaf blower forcing water into some wiring.

Also, did you turn the bike on and off a few times during the process? As you have probably noted there have been a few issues with flooding after this.

No lecturing here, just trying to come up with some possible causes.

 

[Blue_eyes]

Washed my bike on Sat blew it dry with my leaf blower started it twice no problem. Now this morning at 530 trying to leave for work it would not start. I smell plenty of gas but no light off. I had to forget it and drive the car in plus my battery was draining. Has anyone found or read a remedy for this issue?
Thanks

There is another topic on this issue. They suspect that starting the engine and shutting it off after a (very) short while causes this behavior. So, did you start and stop the bike twice (without running/driving it for several minutes) after washing it?

Next time, do not start the bike without leaving it run for some time.

 

[pqsqac]

Hey Blue eyes that is exactly what I did two short starts than put it away. Thanks I will remember this from now on.

There is another topic on this issue. They suspect that starting the engine and shutting it off after a (very) short while causes this behavior. So, did you start and stop the bike twice (without running/driving it for several minutes) after washing it?

Next time, do not start the bike without leaving it run for some time.

 

[Kevhunts]

My proceedure has always been to dry by hand, ride around the block, and then dry some more while letting it idle until the cooling fan cycles a couple of times. ::008::

 

[pqsqac]

Hey Rem I didn't want to comment on your personal grooming habits, I just figured that's how you mountain guys live!

Well, I was referring to myself but ..... ::025:: I recall washing mine several times during the brief period I had it ... never a problem. Might be bike specific or maybe each bike has a "sweet spot" that I happened to miss. I guess time will tell. R

 

[spasm]

i wash mine weekly with a jet wash, not had any problems yet ???

 

[NoBreakie]

My proceedure has always been to dry by hand, ride around the block, and then dry some more while letting it idle until the cooling fan cycles a couple of times. ::008::

That's probably a good thing to do. I have experienced the same problem. And I agree with Blue_Eyes that it's most likely the start-stop thingy that makes the engine "flood". After a few hours mine still wouldn't start and in desperation I just kept on cranking it... ::002:: (until it finally (maybe 2 minutes) came alive...

 

[Mike Sisson]

i wash mine weekly with a jet wash, not had any problems yet ???

And not likely you will.... ::008::

 

[tomatocity]

Can't say I haven't used a spray washer but quit after a using one when I found hand/brush washing was better. I used to get ribbed alot for having a shiny KLR and took that as a compliment. Had trouble starting with my DL1000 once and discovered the problem was getting too much moisture near the electronics so I stopped doing that. Now I hand clean the upper half of the motorcycle and and hand/brush/hose wash the lower portion of the motorcycle. Hand wash makes a cleaner motorcycle with less negative impact.

Your motorcycle is designed to shed rain so don't spray it from behind. Keep water away from the electronic and air intake.

 

[Dirt_Dad]

I've experienced the hard to start issue, but not related to washing it. Mine was the result of turning on and off the key several times while installing a Hyper Light, and never once starting the bike during that process. Each time you turn the key with the kill switch in the run position it activates the fuel pump. My bike stayed flooded from Wednesday through Saturday and was a real PITA to get started.

The fix for that is to only turn on the key with the kill switch set to the non-running position. I made a mistake the other day and hit the key for about 2 seconds of fuel pump activation. Bike started no problem the next day. I think this problem requires several shots of fuel pump.

 

[pqsqac]

Finally got it started but it took awhile and many, many attempts. Rod your tip worked holding the throttle open fully and just holding the starter button in. Took it for a ride everything seems fine.