Hitchcocks Forum

Hi all,

Got a problem with my wife's low mileage, completely stock, 500 Electra X.

When it gets hot, it cuts out, but only when I pull the clutch in. It's a re-creatable problem - I can run it up the street at 30mph in 1st, get to the end of the street, pull the clutch in and the bike will die. Wait say 30secs and it'll start.

We've removed the ignition switch, tried bypassing the ammeter, unplugged the reg/rec, remade the multiblock connectors under the seat with new ones from VWP. Swapped the coil for a new one, new spark plug, new battery, disconnected the side stand cut out...

Pulling the clutch cover off revealed the stator looking a bit nasty - the plastic around the ends of the coils has broken off in several places, and there is fine "metal paste" stuck to the magnets.

something// is getting hot, but I have no idea -what-

The carb has been fully cleaned several times, it's spotless in there.

Like the NHS, I don't do well on non-obvious problems. If it's clearly broken, I can fix it. When it's odd I get confused...


Heylp...?

Are you saying it is stalling because the clutch is dragging when hot, or is it the clutch switch causing it to cut out when operated i.e. electrical fault?

Can you tell us the year of the Electra eg 2005 or 2008 etc. Any modifications done from standard at all, albeit you say standard.

Hi,

It's a 2008 model, nothing changed from standard apart from a fly screen bolted to the handlebars.

I don't think it's the clutch switch, it doesn't do it from cold. You can feel the engine start to struggle a bit but only a little, and it will keep running until the clutch is pulled in. I don't think it's the clutch dragging, doesn't feel like that.

And what does the spark look like when you pull the plug immediately after the motor has cut out?


And what happens when you change gear; does the motor want to die while the clutch lever is engaged?

Something kills the motor when the clutch is pulled in. And. Something kills the motor when it is hot.



Does the bike idle in neutral and then die when you pull the clutch in?

An odd one because pulling the clutch in should free the motor from the gearbox allowing it to run more freely, not die.



Are you sure you are getting fuel through the petrol pipe, that the filter is not blocked?

This may occur after the bike has warmed up and used the initial glut of fuel.

A new clutch switch is £7.20p from our hosts, must be worth replacing this before you touch anything else ?.

What is a 'clutch switch' ?
WHere is it on the bike & how could it stop the engine when it's warm by pulling in the clutch?
Has my bike (2008 Electra EFI) got a clutch switch? - What's more, should I be worried?

Gaz, the clutch switch is a safety device designed to prevent a person pressing the starter button and turning over the engine whilst still in gear..

The switch is located in the clutch lever assy on the handle bars and provides the earth from the starter solenoid.

There is another switch on the gearbox which does the same thing i.e. the neutral switch.

Between them you cannot start the bike if its in gear without the clutch being pulled in..

Only Papa's bike will start as its wired differently to everyone else..

I doubt its the problem in this case as it has no bearing on the ignition circuit, just purely to activate or facilitate the electric start..

Two things happen when you pull in the clutch lever, The clutch switch operates and fitting a new switch would either cure the problem or prove that the switch is OK, The other thing that happens is the clutch cable outer moves slightly, follow the outer cable along its run thru the nacel and down the front frame tube, if the cable is hard up against any electrical cables it may have worn thru the sheathing and an electrical short may be occurring?.