July 2008

[Buzz Kanter]

Got a problem with your stock H-D that your local dealer can’t fix? Well, put away that hammer, grab a pen, and let our resident pro get you back on the road! That’s right, frustrated ones. You can now get your perplexing problem answered with a simple snail mail or e-mail to AIM the #1 selling Harley magazine www.aimag.com.

A full helping of Helpline this month, starting off with Dave Harris from the great state of Mississippi writing in with an inquiry about a new rear end configuration for his 2006 FXSTDI. Next, we have John Sullivan up in Maine. Seems that John’s 1991 FXSTC has an issue with oil temperature that requires a professional opinion. No worries, you’ve come to the right place, John! Vicki Lindsey follows, describing the speedo problem on her 2003 Low Rider. Tom Anguish up yonder Canada-way is, you guessed it, anguishing over the tear in the drive belt of his ’05 Super Glide Custom. And we close things out with Alexander Drapela from Switzerland who’s got a 1993 FXSTS with a bad case of indigestion.

Anyone wishing to submit a question to our H-D expert should send in as much info about the problem and bike as possible, which definitely includes the bike’s year, model, and mileage, to Hog Helpline, c/o American Iron Magazine, 1010 Summer Street, Stamford, CT 06905, or e-mail it to ChrisM@AmericanIronMag.com. Ready for the disclaimer? Unfortunately, we can’t answer all of the questions that we receive or respond directly to the submitter, owing to volume. Select questions will be answered only through this monthly column.

Q: I own a 2006 FXSTDI. So far, I’ve put a Stage I air cleaner kit, Vance & Hines Big Shot Short staggers and a Power Commander. The bike runs great. I have also, like so many others, put on several add-on chrome pieces, including belt guards, lights, swept-back bars, chrome braided cables, forward controls, just to name a few. I’ve been trying to find out if a swingarm, rear wheel, and 200 tire from a standard Softail or a Springer will fit on my Deuce. All I’ve been told is that the swingarm has a different part number and that the frame is different on my Deuce. Different part numbers on these parts doesn’t surprise me, but I haven’t been given an explanation as to why they would not fit. Any information on this would be greatly appreciated.
Dave Harris
Biloxi, Mississippi

A: The frame is different on the big tire models, and the fender strut mounts on the frame differently. The struts themselves are also different. All this is done for clearance of the fat tire. There are aftermarket kits available to make this change, but you’ll have to modify your frame. Aftermarket frames are also available for the 200 tire. Personally, I would go with another frame to preserve the value of the stock, numbered frame and complete vehicle.


Q: Based upon recent letters to AIM, owners of newer models have concerns about heat. I may have the opposite problem with my ’91 FXSTC, which I picked up in ’06 with 40,000 miles. It now has 50,000 miles showing. The original owner passed away, so I don’t know if the motor has had any internal mods, or if it has been taken apart, but it has the following bolt-on changes: S&S Super E carb, V&H pipes, Screamin’ Eagle ignition, and Lockhart oil cooler with thermostat (BP180). Here’s the deal: no matter how hot it is, the oil temp dipstick never reads over 165 degrees. I’ve blocked off the cooler, and tried a new thermostat -- no difference. I’ve tried different oil temp gauges including a meat thermometer, and all read the same. A letter to Harley Tech was answered on my voice mail. That message and another source say that the ideal temp range for an Evo is 180-220 degrees. My concern is that the oil is not hot enough to burn off condensation or other harmful byproducts. Should I ditch the oil cooler or just keep riding? By the way, I use Rev Tech Pure (non-synthetic), and the bike runs great, plugs look normal, and gas mileage is correct. There is no stalling, popping, coughing, etc. My last ride of the season was in 20-30 degree weather. The temp gauge showed the oil at under 150 degrees even after one hour of riding.
John Sullivan
South Berwick, Maine

A: Judging by all the good things you have to say about this motorcycle I think I’d pitch the temp gauge and keep riding. Remember that the oil tank gets a lot of air across it, so the dipstick is not the best way to monitor engine temperature. That engine temp the Tech talked about is just that, engine temp not oil temp. As long as you ride the bike far enough to get the whole engine and tranny assemblies fully warm, the condensation will burn off. If the plugs look good, there’s no pinging, and the oil consumption is normal, don’t worry.


Q: I own a 2003 Low Rider and I have a problem with the speedometer. The digital odometer will sometimes go blank, the speedo will quit working, and the check engine light will come on. This can happen when I’m going down the road or just turning on the ignition. I've tried a new speedo sensor and even a different speedo unit. I’ve checked as much of the connections and wiring as possible with no luck.
Vicki Lindsey
Via Internet

A: How about the charging system, Vicki? All these symptoms can point to a bad regulator that causes the system to overcharge. When the voltage gets too high, the speedo will shut down and a fault code is triggered. Have your dealer check for historic trouble codes and check the charging system output.


Q: I was hoping to never have to ask for help, but my ’05 Dyna Super Glide Custom has a small tear/hole in the middle of the drive belt, obviously from a stone. I’ve checked the pulleys, and they have no signs of damage. With only 54,000km on the bike, can I replace the belt and not the pulleys, or is the belt okay to run? I’d hate to have to replace the belt already. Considering that I don’t know how long the damage has been there, maybe I should just keep an eye on it?
Tom Anguish
Saint Thomas, Ontario, Canada

A: As long as the hole isn’t at the edge of the belt, you should be okay. To prevent more damage, make sure the stone is no longer in the pulley. You should still check it regularly, and if you decide to change it, change the pulleys also. Putting a new belt on worn pulleys will wear the new belt prematurely and could cause early failure.


Q: In January of this year, I bought a 1993 FXSTS with 65,000km (40,300 miles). The price here in Switzerland was a very good one ($10,500). I picked up the bike at my dealer (60 miles away) and wanted to ride it home. It was around 30 degrees F, and after 30 miles there was bad backfire, with coughing and spitting from exhaust and carb. The bike has the Big Sucker and Screamin’ Eagle exhaust, as well a Thunderslide kit in the carb. The dealer told me the carburetor has a 45 slow jet and a 180 main jet. The jet needle clip is in the fourth groove from top. As it was wet that day, and I didn't know the new bike, I thought the problem might come from the humidity. After another 20 miles, I heard a big noise coming from the right side. I pulled the clutch and immediately switched off the engine. This all happened on the highway at a speed around 75-80 mph. I was lucky because I stopped in front of a rest stop, from which I called the dealer. A truck was sent to pick up the bike.

Two days later, the dealer called me with the diagnosis of a broken cam gear bearing, and said the parts were distributed all over the engine. The bike was fixed with a long list of new parts (including a new Torrington bearing). The dealer also had to split the crankcase, and made new piston rings, among other repairs. After 10 days, I had my bike back, but I wasn’t happy for long. While I was riding on the highway at around 75-80 mph, the bike again began to cough and spit. I turned back home and called the dealer. This time, I was told the ignition sensor might be the problem. The dealer sent a technician out, and we changed the sensor in my garage. After this, nothing worked. We found some electrical problems at this time, and after three hours, the dealership picked my bike up a second time. The next call I received told me the new sensor was broken. A new unit was ordered, then installed, and some other small things were fixed. The bike was returned to me.

I was told that that the techs made a test ride of about 60 miles, and that the bike was running great. So, I went for a ride myself. As before, after roughly 20 miles of highway travel, the exact same problem occurred. The dealer was not too happy to hear from me, but he offered to give me my money back in exchange for the bike. I thought it over, and decided to keep the bike as I can’t believe that the problem is unsolvable. I told the dealer that there are only two more things to change, the ignition coil and the spark plugs. The dealer decided to send me the parts and I installed them myself. But soon after, I took a ride on the highway and the same coughing and spitting occurred. What do you think? Did you ever hear of a problem like this? The bike is back at the dealer, and I’m hopeful that the problem can be identified and fixed properly.
Alexander Drapela
Via Internet

A: The more I think about this, Alexander, the more I go back to the carburetor. The carb is operating off the needle when you’re running at highway speeds and rpm. If the needle is set too rich, the carb will deliver too much fuel at those rpm and foul the plugs. What do the spark plugs look like after you have the problem? Bring a plug wrench and a set of plugs with you. Pull over and change the plugs as soon as the bike starts backfiring. Does the bike run better for awhile immediately after you put in the new spark plugs? Are the plugs you took out black and sooty? If they are, you may have to lean the needle by moving the clip up one or two slots. A quick look at the plugs is the easiest thing to do, but a fuel/air meter will accurately show the fuel mixture at all throttle positions. You should also check the charging system output and ground connections at the battery and ignition module. Low charging output and bad grounds can mimic the symptoms of carburetor problems.