CRAZY GAUGES, A GASSY GARAGE AND MORE Got a problem with your stock Harley 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 American Iron Magazine.
We begin with Scott in upstate New York, who’s got a 2001 Super Glide with a speedo that isn’t up to speed. Curtis Messer over yonder in Illinois writes in about his 2001 Ultra Classic and the power failures he’s been experiencing. Sounds like there may be a safety recall to check out with this one. Next, Missouri’s own Tom Liddle inquires about the excessive fuel aroma his 2005 FLHTI is giving off after a ride. Dave Vierra in North Carolina has a 2004 Road Glide with a Power Commander that’s neither powerful nor commanding. And we close things out with Jonathan Belshaw from Massachusetts, who enjoyed our previous write-up on the Street Bob so much that he went and bought himself one. J.B.’s curious about the mapping issue and how it affects his factory bobber.
Anyone wishing to submit a question to our Harley 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 ride a 2001 Super Glide that seems to have gremlins in the speedo. Last year, I'd be riding and the needle would freeze at whatever speed I was at, and the check engine light would come on. Riding at night, I also noticed the front turn/marker lamps would get really bright prior to the needle and check engine light acting up. The odometer also went blank when all this happened. After a minute or so, the needle dropped to zero (while still at speed), popped up to whatever speed I was at, and then the check engine lamp cleared.
This spring it's different. The speedo usually freezes at the 10-15 mph mark, and the check engine lamp comes on. The only time it clears up is while coming to a stop. I rode a good 70 miles recently, and the odometer only registered a little over six miles.
I had my Harley dealership check it out but with no fix. And I’ve cleaned the speed sensor with no change. So, do you think it’s the speedo, regulator, or stator?
Scott
Elmira, New York
A: The first thing I would check is the voltage output from the charging system. If the regulator isn’t regulating, the voltage will keep climbing as the engine speed increases. The electronics in the speedometer don’t work well at these high voltages. This would also explain the bright marker lamps. You should be able to see this with a simple voltmeter across the battery terminals. Q: My 2001 Ultra Classic has a stock engine, pipes, and air cleaner with about 24,000 miles on it. For the past 18 months, I’ve had the problem of the bike shutting down while riding … no gauges, no lights, no anything. (The speedo drops like a rock.) Then it just comes back on like nothing happened. The first time it happened was in Kentucky. I took it to the nearest dealer, who found a slightly pinched wire under the seat. The pinch was cut out and the wire rerouted. I drove another 2,500 miles before it happened again. I took it to a local dealer who found nothing wrong. I don't have a clue what to do now. I love the bike and don't want to get rid of it, but the problem occurs more often now. The last time was in the middle of the intersection of a four-lane highway. I’m afraid to ride it. Please help!
Curtis Messer
Naperville, Illinois
A: Have you had your motorcycle checked for safety recalls? Your model is involved in one that concerns the main circuit breaker. If the breaker opens, everything goes dead just like you’re describing. Your dealer can check your VIN and see if the recall is still open. I would suggest changing the circuit breaker in any event. It makes a mechanical connection that can weaken over time and mileage. Also, change the ring terminals that are connected to it. The originals may have been made with a coating on them that can add resistance to the connection and cause the breaker to overheat and open up. Q: I've got a 2005 FLHTI with a run-of-the mill Stage One setup, including Screamin’ Eagle air cleaner, H-D ECM download, and SE Pro slip-ons. My problem is this: If I move my bike straight into the garage and close the garage door after a ride, within 15 minutes, the garage and basement reek of gasoline. It doesn't happen every time but often enough to be troublesome. It doesn't seem to matter whether I top off the tank after riding. I've never found any puddles on the floor, and the bike runs well. I've had it over to my local dealer twice for this and was told the problem can’t be duplicated. The dealer checked out the fuel system using Harley's canned troubleshooting procedures and can't find anything wrong. Is this a common problem? I'm kind of nervous about having a chromed fuel/air bomb in my garage.
Tom Liddle
Imperial, Missouri
A: Your high-flow air cleaner may be contributing to the situation. Being wide open, it will allow the fumes to escape into the room easier. Do you have to drive the bike up into the garage? If you’re using a lot of throttle to get into the garage, there may be excess raw fuel in the throttle body when you shut it off inside. Try shutting the bike down and leave it outside for a few minutes, and then push it in. It’s also possible that your fuel injectors are leaking. Remove the air filter and open the throttle fully. Turn the ignition on for about 10 seconds. Then shut it off for 10 seconds. Repeat this three times. You shouldn’t see any raw fuel in the intake tract. Q: My 2004 Road Glide has a problem that has baffled me and many a mechanic. I had my local dealer install the 95” flattop pistons, Screamin’ Eagle heads, Harley's 211 cams, and a 2-into-1 Pro pipe. The stock throttle body was left alone. Also, my dealer later downloaded the 1550 high-output into the bike’s computer. Before the download, the bike ran horribly (as expected) because of the stock map settings. Afterward, it ran well, but I've read that a Power Commander helps drivability due to Harley’s map settings being a little lean. So I had a Power Commander installed, and after a few hours of tuning, I ended up with 97 hp and 100 ft-lbs. of torque. The problem that I've had ever since the engine work was done is that between 1800-2200 rpm (at part-throttle or very little load) the bike misses. I went back to the shop that did the Power Commander tuning, and after a couple of hours of enrichening or leaning the mixture, and advancing or retarding the timing settings in the rpm, nothing indicated any difference. The missing is always the same and at times bad enough to cause the check engine light to illuminate with the code "Cylinder misfire." The plugs look fine, and all other aspects of engine performance are good, too. But this problem is annoying, especially when cruising around town. What have I missed checking to solve this problem?
Dave Vierra
Newton Grove, North Carolina
A: What kind of spark plugs and plug wires are you using, Dave? Anything but stock can cause the symptoms you’re describing. Even Screamin’ Eagle parts can cause the problem. Do you put Never Seize on the threads of your spark plugs? This can also cause problems due to the change in continuity to ground in the secondary circuit. You might also try disconnecting the Power Commander and running the engine briefly. Does the misfire at that rpm change or get better? It’s possible the Power Commander is faulty or has a bad connection. Q: I recently purchased a 2006 Dyna FXDBI Street Bob after reading the September 2005 issue of American Iron Magazine (which featured the bike on the front cover). It's my first new Harley, and I’m extremely pleased with my purchase. I added the Screamin’ Eagle slip-on mufflers and an aftermarket high-flow air filter, but I'm confused about the whole issue of EFI mapping when making such changes. The dealer, as well as the Harley parts catalog, claims that when installing a high-flow filter, I need to have the dealer-installed mapping to compensate for these new parts. However, in your September issue, the article states that because the FXDBI has oxygen sensors in the head pipes, mapping changes aren't needed. The whole idea of the sensors is to constantly monitor what's coming out of the exhaust and change the fuel/air mixture, isn’t it? Also, while at the dealership on an unrelated visit, I overheard the service manager complain to a service tech that there were no maps yet available for some of the 2006 models. I understand rejetting a carb, but what’s the answer for the new EFI with oxygen sensors?
Jonathan Belshaw
Belmont, Massachusetts
A: You are correct, Jonathan … partially. The ECM monitors the O2 sensors to keep the fuel/air ratio at around 14.7:1. This happens only at cruising speeds or light engine loads above idle. At wide-open throttle, the sensors are not being monitored. When you change the intake or exhaust tracts, you need to change the fuel mapping at wide-open throttle and possibly at idle. In between, the O2 sensors will keep the fuel/air ratio at the 14.7 range. This may or may not be the best for your engine package and riding requirements. Power Commander has what you need to make it right. You can use the O2 sensor eliminators and adjust the fuel/air throughout the rpm range or just tweak the top end at wide-open throttle. 
HOG Helpline - Sept 2008 
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