84 fj1100 cutting out

[1outlaw]

Hi everyone, this started last summer it got left in the rain at the cottage one weekend and now it starts up and runs fine it accelerates up speed perfect but when I back off on the throttle to stay at a steady speed it starts cutting out like I hit the kill switch but if I put either upward or downward pressure on the gear shift it runs fine. Once it warms up after about ten minutes of riding it runs normal. I've replaced the neutral switch and tried disabling the kick satnd switch but still does it everytime. Anybody have any thoughts ?

[Flying Scotsman]

Check fuses and connections.Check connection at coils.

[FJ_Hooligan]

Check the main ground cable on the rear of the engine case.  Sounds like the engine is trying to find ground through the shifter shaft.

Or, run a separate wire from a bolt on the engine to the battery negative terminal to see if that helps any.

Hooligan

[Flying Scotsman]

Yes engine ground and make sure battery connection's are 100%.

[1outlaw]

Thanks for the help, I will check the ground tonight !

[1outlaw]

Well, I pulled the ground off and cleaned it all up and still the same thing it starts bucking and carrying on unless I put a little pressure on the gear shift then it clears right up. After about 10 minutes it works perfectly. something seems to be breaking down until it gets warmed up but I don't understand what the gear shift has to do with it.

[Dads_FJ]

There is a Black wire with white tracer from your TCI unit (igniter, CDI, Black box... whatever you may call it).  Ground it and see if that helps.  That will bypass your neutral switch, side stand switch, and clutch switch. 

http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=6477.0

[movenon]

Well, I pulled the ground off and cleaned it all up and still the same thing it starts bucking and carrying on unless I put a little pressure on the gear shift then it clears right up. After about 10 minutes it works perfectly. something seems to be breaking down until it gets warmed up but I don't understand what the gear shift has to do with it.

Boy I don't know. I am just throwing out crap here so someone with more knowledge can chip in. There is a neutral safety switch located down in that shift area. I do not know the symptom that would show if it was open or shorted.
George

[movenon]

OOPs sorry John  You got it 
George

[1outlaw]

Ok thanks, I will give that a try !

[FJ_Hooligan]

Does pushing down on the shifter make it better, or pulling up on it?

If pushing down makes it work, then it may be the kickstand switch because the shifter is contacting the sidestand when pushing down.  Try shorting the sidestand switch.

Hooligan

[IceFJ]

Well, I pulled the ground off and cleaned it all up......

Do I understand you correctly that you have ONLY cleaned the battery terminal?
From previous posts regarding issues with ground connections i think there is a seperate wire/connector going from the engine to the frame that may at fault, correct me if i am wrong.
you need to be 100% that the engine and frame have good connection (both ends) otherwise you can have all kinds of electrical issues.

....just a thought   

[RichBaker]

You also need to check continuity through the ground wire, they are known to open internally....  Last bike with the same issue had an open ground wire inside the insulation.

[1outlaw]

Both down pressure or up pressure cause it to clear up. and yes i have only taken the ground wire off at the battery and the bolt at the back of the engine and cleaned it up. Does anyone know where the wire would be that grounds the frame ?I also was wondering if maybe the diodes might be going bad and once they get warmed up they start working ? I also didn't get a chance to try grounding that black/white wire from the TCI yet but I will try that tonight.

[FJ_Hooligan]

Start the engine in a dark garage and jiggle the shifter shaft.  If you see sparks between the shifter and the shaft, then it's a grounding problem.  Try running a separate wire from the motor back to the battery or the frame (must be a good connection on both ends).  If don't see any sparks, then it's probably something else.

Hooligan