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.
It’s a new issue, and a huge batch of new questions to address in this installment of Helpline. Starting us off is Internet Al, and the sad news that his bike is missing. Well, Al, you can contact the Lost and Found Department, or perform a simple sensor check. Next up is Gene Holt admitting that his Ultra Glide Deluxe has a drinking problem. Jeff Zlotnick from Easton, Pennsylvania, sits idling on his 1998 Electra Glide, followed by Doug Brooks in Clayton, North Carolina, whose 2007 Road King might be on life support. Roger Niemiec is lean and mean aboard his 2008 RK Classic, while Jim Montgomery inquires about lowers for his 2002 Ultra. And closing the show is Nick Smith who elaborates on a serious noise pollution situation.
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’ve been having a problem with my 2007 FLSTSC Springer Softail. About three months ago, I started experiencing a miss in my bike. It happens after a cold start, going into high idle, and as soon as the motor goes back into low idle. If I don’t work the throttle, it will die. However, after a few seconds of twisting the throttle, the motor will idle normally. The bike will run fine unless I start the motor when it’s cold. My dealer replaced the ECM unit, and the intake manifold seals, but the bike still misses. I’m thinking the problem could be with a bad idle air valve, fuel pump pressure regulator, or throttle position switch. Any ideas?
Al
Via Internet
A:What you need to know, Al, is this: what the engine sensors on the bike are seeing when it’s cold and first started. If the ECM is getting bad data from any of the sensors, the engine won’t run properly. Easy, right? Your dealer can see if the correct data is there with his digital tech computer. For example, if he sees the engine temperature sensor at 195 degrees Fahrenheit when you start a cold engine, it’s a good bet the sensor is not accurate. The intake air temperature sensor or the MAP sensor could cause the same thing. If the sensor is inaccurate within its operating range, you won’t get a fault code. You need to see exactly what the sensors are reading to know which sensor to go to. I don’t think you have a fuel pressure issue, as you say the bike runs fine when warmed up, but your dealer’s tech can easily check the pressure. Did you make any changes that could affect the cold idle enrichment? Power Commander with pipes that needs a little adjustment? A different air filter? Are the spark plugs worn or dirty?
Q:I’m a new H-D rider, in fact a new rider altogether. In December 2007, I bought an Ultra Glide Deluxe. It took me some time to get over the old reputation of H-Ds always breaking down. I thought I had all my research done until I purchased this bike. Here is the situation: I had the first service at approximately 1,800 miles, instead of 1,500. One morning, I noticed that my oil light was staying on longer than it should have. I checked it when I filled up with gas, and the oil level was barely there.
When I got to work, and throughout the day, I checked the oil with the bike leaning every which way. There were times that I barely saw the level, and even times that I didn’t see any oil. After work, I took my Ultra back to the garage that had performed the service, and it took almost 3 quarts of oil! There were no leaks, and there was no oil on the plugs, engine, or underneath. I also took the bike to the H-D dealership, and it was given a clean bill of health. All the dealership techs could say was that since I was at the end of the break-in period, more oil was used than normal. I have asked numerous riders for advice, and they all say that their bikes do not use oil. Since I’ve reached the 10,000-mile mark, I’ve added 4 quarts of oil. I think that there’s something wrong, and I’m afraid that my original concern about H-Ds always breaking down has become a reality. I use synthetic oil, and my mechanic is reputable. He’s been in service for over 20 years, and I don’t believe he shortchanged me. Can you please provide some explanation and directions so that I can get rid of my fears?
Gene Holt
Via Internet
A:First off, Gene, have you changed the oil at all in 10,000 miles, or just added 4 quarts? The Motor Company says you should have changed your oil three times by now, first at 1,000 miles, then at 5,000 and 10,000. I would have changed my own oil five times, 1,000 miles then every 2,500. If you haven’t changed the oil at all, I wouldn’t be surprised if you did use 4 quarts. How far did you ride after the first service before you checked the oil level? I hate to ask this, but is it possible the tech didn’t put the correct amount of oil back in the tank? If you ran the bike any distance with the oil that low, the piston rings may be worn out or the cylinders glazed, contributing to the oil consumption. Have your tech do a cylinder leak down test to check the condition of the ring-to-cylinder seal.
Q:I was thumbing through the shelves at the bookstore and saw your mag with an article about Harley rebuilding Evos. I just had my ’98 Electra Glide Ultra’s motor rebuilt, and while the new motor is running great, I’m having one pesky problem with it. After the bike gets nice and hot, the idle speed creeps up to 1200-1300 rpm. It starts at about 900, but once it gets warm, the speed goes up rather than down. I’ve had it to the dealer a few times where he’s tried doing the regulation setup, and it still comes back. Someone suggested fiddling with the throttle screw behind the air filter (the bike has a Screamin’ Eagle air filter on it). It just seems to me that the bike should idle at 900 or so, rather than getting faster once it warms up.
Jeff Zlotnick
Easton, PA
A:You want that bike to idle at 1000-1050 rpm, Jeff. At 900 rpm, the charging system output won’t be adequate, and the oil pressure tends to drop off. If the idle speed is consistent, try backing out the fast idle adjusting screw until the speed is correct. If the idle speed changes after you adjust it, you’ll probably have to change the idle speed control. The control is a stepper motor that wears out and gets sticky over time.
Q:I have a 2007 Road King with 27,000 miles. The bike is basically stock, except for the Rinehart True-Duals, SE air filter, and a Power Commander. It has developed a problem with the motor dying. The lights don’t dim or anything like that, but the motor just cuts out as if the fuel has been shut off. If I let it sit for a little bit, it starts back up. I checked all the electrical connections I could find, but nothing seems to be out of place. This all started after I ran out of gas about a month ago. Some days it was a quick blurb, and the last time I rode it, it took about 10 minuets to restart. A friend said it could be the fuel pump was going bad. I talked to a mechanic at the local dealership, and he said it could be the Power Commander, as there have been problems with those units. He suggested that I unplug the unit and see what happens. Should I worry about running the bike without the O2 sensors while I do this?
Doug Brooks
Clayton, NC
A:I wouldn’t suggest running those pipes without the Power Commander for very long. Can you verify the problem in a short amount of time, or do you have to ride awhile before it happens? Does your mechanic have another unit you could try with your map installed? At the same time have him check the fuel pressure to eliminate any questions about the fuel pump. It’s a quick, easy job to hook up the gauge. Also, you might want to check the ignition kill switch and circuit. Does the check engine lamp come on after or just before the bike starts back up? This could indicate a temporary loss of power to the ECM, as if you moved the kill switch off, then back on. The kill switches can get corroded and lose contact intermittently.
Q: In October 2007, I purchased a new 2008 105th Anniversary Edition Road King Classic. The bike’s powertrain is totally stock except for a set of Rinehart slip-on mufflers. I noticed the bike must run lean since it turned the right muffler tip from black to a copper color in about 4,000 miles. My concern’s that the electronic throttle response on the ’08 Road King has a considerable lag, as compared to the cable throttle on my 2001 Road King with EFI. I also drove a new ’09 Road King, and it has a much better throttle response than my ’08. Is there anything I can do to the bike to improve its throttle response? In the current economic conditions, I’d like to avoid the Dyno Jet.
Roger Niemiec
Brighton, MI
A:Don’t attribute the muffler tip discoloration to fuel-air mixtures, Roger. I’ve seen a lot of Rinehart pipes do the same. I have one customer with a Black Cherry Street Glide. The paint matched the faded tip perfectly. I swapped the tips to the opposite sides and, sure enough, after a few more miles, they matched the paint and each other! I know that bike isn’t running lean, as I tuned it myself. As far as the throttle response is concerned, your dealer has a recalibration for the ECM to improve it.
Q:I have a 2002 Ultra with lowers. My question is whether I should run with the lowers on in summer? I’m from Canada, and where I live, the mid-70s is a hot day. I’ve not had any trouble yet, but the way the lowers are designed, it looks like airflow is directed toward the engine. Does the temperature run higher, lower, or the same with lowers on?
Jim Montgomery
Via Internet
A:The lowers are designed to keep the air off your legs while not impeding airflow to the engine. With the lowers installed, the engine may run a little cooler, but not enough to be a problem. Remember, these bikes are built and tested in Milwaukee, and I hear they run them through all the extremes in temperature and weather.
Q:At 2100-2200 rpm, there is a loud ticking sound when I’m riding and also when I’m parked. The sound goes away at all other rpm, but the bike makes this sound whether the engine is hot or cold. The sound decreases slightly when the outside temperature reaches the mid-80s and above. In other words, the sound is more pronounced with cooler outside temps. I use synthetic 20W-50 oil. The dealership tells me that this is a normal H-D sound and not to worry. My last three bikes (2000 TC 88, 1995 Evo, and 1987 Sportster) didn’t make this noise, and each had a windshield.
Nick Smith
Via Internet
A:Are you sure you don’t have something rattling at that rpm? Maybe a muffler clamp or hanger, the brake pedal on its pivot, loose shifter arms, or a linkage? How about the kickstand rattling against the primary cover? There could be something in the headlamp nacelle or a loose saddlebag on its support tube. Reproduce the noise with the bike parked and try holding or shaking any parts that could be rattling or vibrating. If you find it, the noise will stop or change.
AIM 
May09-Hog Helpline-Misses, Idles, Lowers, and Much More 
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