April 09-Hog Helpline-Starts, Stops, and Noises

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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.

Just in time for the big Daytona gathering, we’ve got a mailbag filled with new questions to answer. First up is Al Rosse and his 2003 FLHR. Al writes in about a stopping problem he’s been having, and all we can say is, them’s the brakes, Al. Next comes Doug Bateham popping along on his 2000 Road King Classic, followed by Dan Hensley idling away on his “can’t miss” 2003 Heritage Classic. Ya think these two have problems? Read on. Jay needs to check the fuses and wiring on his ’02 Fat Boy, while Leonard Thomson best get his 2005 Softail’s modules attended to. Jim Montgomery asks about lowers on his 2002 Ultra, and Nick Smith closes the show with an inquiry about a mysterious ticking sound on his current ride.

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 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 the questions 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 2003 FLHR, and when I apply the front brakes, there’s no effect until the lever is almost touching the throttle grip. I’ve changed to floating rotors, rebuilt the master cylinder, and bled the brakes with a mighty vac (a reverse pressure system) and still no luck. I talked to Harley Technical Support and was sent a very nice letter stating that if the bike stops, there’s no problem. I noticed the same problem on other 2003 Road Kings, and I had a chance to talk to a Harley rep at Daytona. He said, off the record, that the 2003 front brakes are bad news. Any suggestions? I have not rebuilt the calipers, they’re not leaking. Should I just buy aftermarket calipers and use the stock master cylinder?

Al Rosse
Via Internet

A:The dual-disc brakes in 2003 were notorious for having a lot of lever travel. Many riders weren’t comfortable with the “low” lever, though I wouldn’t call them bad news. I believe it has to do with the size and position of the bleed holes in the master cylinder. The holes were changed in subsequent years to give better lever feel. Replace the master cylinder with the latest superseding part.

Q:I have a 2000 Road King Classic with 67,000 miles. It has a Stage I chip, K&N air filter, S&S gear-drive cams, Arlen Ness fuel tuner, and Rush Fuel Moto mufflers with 2-1/2" baffles. No matter how I adjust the fuel tuner, I can’t eliminate the exhaust pop when I decelerate. Can you help me?

Doug Bateham
Via Internet

A:Doug, have you tried changing the mufflers to something with a little more baffling? Usually the large open pipe will draw some air in from the open end when the throttle is closed. The air mixes with unburned fuel
exiting the head, and the hot pipe ignites the mixture, causing the pop or bang. A leak in the exhaust system can cause the same thing. Your fuel tuner will let you alter the injector pulse width at low, medium, and high rpm ranges but won’t allow you to change the amount of fuel delivered at zero throttle position. You need to change the amount of air or fuel in the pipe when the throttle is closed and the engine is slowing down. This can be done with more restrictive mufflers or a different EFI tuner. I’ve had a lot of good luck with the Power Commander. Adding fuel to the zero throttle position column at and around the rpm where the popping is occurring should quiet it down considerably.

Q:I’m afraid this is the second time I’ve written about this problem. I own a 2003 Heritage Classic with 17,500 miles on it. It’s an EFI model, with Vance & Hines Longshots, Screamin’ Eagle air cleaner, and Power Commander. I’m running the map in the Power Commander from Dynojet’s web site. Those are the only mods on the bike. The problem is that the bike will miss at idle, sometimes just once, other times up to four times in a row. It sounds like it might be only one cylinder that is missing, because the bike won’t quit, it just sort of stumbles. I would think that if it were both cylinders, it would stop completely. Your advice when I first wrote was to check the plugs and wires, intake seals, and make sure the air cleaner was clean. I replaced the intake seals, and the plugs and wires are new. The air cleaner is fine. I did have a stator burn out a couple hundred miles ago, which I replaced, along with a new rotor and voltage regulator. I also put a new battery in because the old one was five years old. The bike didn’t miss for awhile after I did the stator, so I thought the problem was solved. But now it’s back. There is no check engine light on, and other than this problem, the bike runs really well. Gas consumption is normal (43 mpg), and I know there’s a way to check for codes by using the mileage readout, trip switch, and turn signals, but I don’t know the right sequence. Could I possibly have a coil breaking down when it gets hot? I have the electric diagnostic manual for the bike, hoping I could do some troubleshooting on my own, but it takes some special tools. I don’t want to take advantage of this service, since this is the second time I’ve written in, but I don’t want to throw expensive electrical parts at the problem either. Any additional help or guidance would be greatly
appreciated!

Dan Hensley
Via Internet

A:Sounds to me like a lean situation at idle. You’ll need to get the bike on a dyno with an air/fuel meter to verify and correct it accurately. That said, if you still have the Power Commander software on your computer, you should try richening the mixture at the zero throttle position at the idle rpm. Without the A/F meter, you’ll be guessing where you’re at, but by making small changes you should be able to feel any improvements. A few small changes at a time is the key.

Q:I have a 2002 Fat Boy with stock Vance & Hines Big Shots and EFI. The bike will turn over, but the switch to cut fuel off stays on. It also has a factory security system and 8,600 miles. The battery runs down, so I have the fuse out on the ECM. What do I need to do?

Jay
Via Internet

A:Are you referring to the system relay not turning on the fuel pump? If so, check the fuel pump fuse. Also check the wiring under the dash panel that powers the pump. There is an orange wire with a gray tracer that powers the pump. Make sure the plug is connected and the wire isn’t pinched or broken.

Q:I have a 2005 carbureted Softail and just installed an SE ignition. The bike will not start, and my dealer said I had to bring it in for remapping. At $75 an hour, is this something I can do myself? The instructions that came with the SE module have no info on remapping.

Leonard Thompson
Via Internet

A:Does your bike have security, Leonard? If so, the bike won’t start until the new ignition module is mated with the security module. This will have to be done by the dealer. I think this is what he’s referring to as remapping the module. There is a procedure for doing this manually in your service manual. It involves switch on-off sequences, turn signal buttons, and some time. Check with your dealer to see how much he will charge. I’d say it’s well worth a half hour or so of labor and the hair you’ll most likely pull out trying to get it done at home, not to mention the cost of the manual. AIM