Gremlins & or pressure washer

[Mike Saunders]

Bike serviced last friday, no problems

Sunday ride out with T V A M , indicator packed/played up (sort of gremlin inspired attack), to complicated to explain,

Spoke with Rob, as one of his switches wired to indicator cancel to control spots, ( neat) visions of its your non standard switch v BMW indicator relay warantee claim dispute looming

Rob very helpful, suggested various scenarios and helpfull hints also mentioned damp connections following pressure wash etc

tried indicators after speaking with Rob, all ok, ( they were'n't before) but no spot lights, switch not 'firing relay'

Left seat, fuse cover off overnight, tried again this morning, indicators ok, spots ok,switch firing from cancel signal

Guess its the pressure wash sindrome leading to damp connections, bike serviced last friday, Coopers do so like to return a 'clean' machine. Note that hand book recommends no pressure washing !!!, suppose it does'nt count if dealers do it, bit like overfilling with oil !!!!.

Anybody suffered any similar 'gremlins', or is it a case of they all do that sir


Mike

 

[rocks]

Pressure was no no!

I have never used a pressure washer on a bike.
I was told early on that they were not good. They got the crap off really well, but they can do major damage to electrical kit.

I heard of a guy who used a pressure wash on a Mille R, the results being, he blasted the clocks and killed the LED and LCD displays.. £700 to fix..

I know its hard work, but i stick with car wax, and sponge and warm water. Bucket it down and then wash with sponge..

I have used this on all my previous bikes and apart from having to now find a way of getting the bugs out of the engine fins on my GS, i will continue to do so, and so far,, touch wood!
I have not had any electrical problems on my bikes and i ride most of the year.

 

[iletts]

I too had some weird leccy gremlins after a pressure wash - oil light, gear indicator, engine died briefly............won't be doing that again!!

 

[(RIP) willstatt]

Take care!

I always pressure wash mine and have never had any problems. I think it's a case of being careful what you point at!

I give the wheels, engine fins, underside, plastics, screen exhaust etc, a real blast, and it works a treat... but I don't blast the instruments, or up under the seat or tank, or anwhere where rain and road water doesn't get anyway. Those bits are best cleaned with a sponge and warm water I reckon. After all, my thinking is that the bits that get REALLY dirty, are the bits that are intended to be able to stand up to some serious wet and weather, and if in doubt, just stand back a bit further!!!!

I always try to do the big washes on a warm or windy day, and then leave the bike out to dry..... seems to work ok.

The chap who blasted his clocks on the Mille was asking for trouble wasn't he? I mean how dirty could they have been?!

 

[toucan]

washing????

a clean bike is a sign of a sick mind.

 

[Jimb]

I use a pressure washer on mine all the time but keep it low down and not in the wheel bearings or round the power socket with no problems.

 

[nud1e]

Wheel bearings

Pressure washer is a big NO NO for wheel bearings.
If you must use a pressure washer, best to stand at least a metre or more from the bike to reduce the pressure.
Found that one of the commercial hot washes is best as they use low pressure for the shampoo and wax, with high pressure blast on the rinse to knock of the paint.
Once, twice a year is more than enough for any bike