DEAD ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD

[BIGPOPPALUMP]

OK, HERE IS A NEW ONE!  I LEFT FROM THE HOUSE THIS MORNING AND ABOUT A MILE DOWN THE ROAD IT FELT LIKE I WAS RUNNING OUT OF GAS.  YES IT HAD GAS!  I LET IT SIT FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES BEFORE I TRIED IT AGAIN.  IT CRANKED UP FINE AND I HEADED HOME.  BEFORE I GOT TO THE HOUSE IT DID IT AGAIN.  ONCE AGAIN IT SAT FOR A FEW MINUTES AND FIRED RIGHT UP.  THE ONLY THING I CAN FIGURE IS THAT THERE IS SOMETHING FOREIGN IN THE TANK CLOGGING UP THE DRAIN COCK.  WHEN I RELACED MY PLUGS I PULLED THE TANK AND DRAINED THE GAS INTO A GAS CAN.  I'M THINKING THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME CRAP IN THE CAN THAT I DIDN'T SEE WHEN I WAS PUTTING IT BACK IN.  ANY INFO WILL HELP!

THANKS JEREMY

[roboto65]

How old is the battery the 3rd gens are finicky about batterys. What has been done to the bike I.E what have you worked on since you have had it in the past couple of weeks....

[Curtis_Valk]

When you put the tank back on you may have pinched or kinked your vent hose shut.  To test this theory open the gas cap when it dies.  If it runs right away without letting it sit like before, your vent line is probably kinked.

Take the tank off again, being sure on the reinstall to route the vent line to where it is not pinched or kinked.  This is a common problem after pulling the tank, so there's a good chance that it is your problem.

Curtis

[BIGPOPPALUMP]

I BET THE LINE IS PINCHED!  IF THAT IS WHAT IT IS I WILL FEEL VERY STUPID.  THANKS GUYS!!!!!!

[greg_o]

Heres another related possibility : from another MOOTster's prior listserv posting :

----------------------------------------
Hi Gang
Just a quick follow up to the mechanical problem I was having.  It was
indeed the vacuum-operated fuel diaphram.  The dealer pulled the petcock
assembly and the diaphram was broken and failing intermittently.  They
replaced it ... bike is running fine now!

(snip)

***********
Hi gang
My '96 has developed a problem -- several times in the last 4 weeks
it's stalled while I was riding.... losing power as though the bike was
running out of gas. =20
Switching to reserve had no effect. I had the dealership drain and clean
the tank and carbs, and at their suggestion installed an in-line fuel
filter. We checked out all the electrical...but the problem is not fixed
yet...
(snip)

[BIGPOPPALUMP]

i will try that if the line isn't pinched

thanks guys!!!!

jeremy

[Greg Cothern]

Greg O hit a great point, the auto fuel shut off diaphragm will cause symptoms such as this.  The vacuum line going to the diaphragm is cracked or such will cause the it to shut off.
IF the vent line is not kinked as Curtis suggested then I would look this direction.

[Charles S Otwell]

I accidently knocked the vacuum line loose and that is exactlly how it acted! I would for sure check the vacuum line. I learned another important lesson,  if you have been messing with or working on your bike, it's best to test drive it before dark, I was sitting in the middle of a dark road with a flashlight.  I don't work better in the dark, but I sure work faster  

[BIGPOPPALUMP]

WELL I FINALLY GOT A DAY OFF FROM WORK!  I WENT OUTSIDE AND PULLED THE SEAT OFF OF THE BIKE.  I LIFTED UP THE TANK AND IT GAVE A TERRIBLE HISSSSSSSS!!!!!  I HAD THE VENT LINE KINKED LIKE CRAZY!  THANKS GUYS FOR GIVING ME SOME LIGHT!  MAYBE IT WON'T BREAK DOWN ANYMORE!  GOD KNOWS IT ISNT A HARLEY!  I SHOULDN'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM

THANKS JEREMY

[Greg Cothern]

Just glad to know you are back on the road again!!  
(ps all caps is considered yelling)

[BIGPOPPALUMP]

I AM YELLING!   I'm happy!

[Curtis_Valk]

LOL, congrats!

Curtis

[Greg Cothern]

I guess I WOULD YELL TOO!!!!!