Hello to all!
I'm a newbe here, but been riding for over 40 years. This is a 'strange' problem... It might be a little long, so please bear with me....
First, I am a retired Electrical Engineer (IBM)
Second, the Harley is a 2007 Dyna I bought new. It was a 'showpiece' at the Gainesville dealership and had a lot of chrome and the dealer installed 103 engine.
Third, the bike is on it's 5th battery (Harley battery)

Specifics:
The scooter has 1400 miles on it. No typo, 1400 miles. It has always been stored indoors and has always had a 'Battery Tender' on it. In fact, several, since I get them for free (legally, ha ha) The starter engages the flywheel OK, just almost impossible to turn over. Oil (Syn) has already been changed 2X.

Today, I went out to start it (headlights normal, etc) and the battery cranked it about 1/2 revolution and that was that. The battery will go to the shop tomorrow for a load test, but I suspect it's OK. At the farm, we have one of those portable battery jumpers, that will start anything including some big John Deere tractors. IT won't turn the Dyna over. It tries but it just can't. So, next, I took an old auto battery that's been in my shop and with some huge, short, welding cable type jumper cables I made to start my hot rods, it started the Dyna OK.
Luckily, the bike fires instantly (once turning over!) and idles perfect and runs perfect. However, even with the car battery, the head light dims to almost nothing while it's cranking. I cannot vouch for the car battery, but it was on a charger all night and it seems OK.
If it had a lot of miles on it, I could understand. But 1400? I have 2 hot rods with high compression engines and I can crank them for a long time compared to the Dyna. I just can't fit an Optima battery to my HD... ha ha
It left me stranded once, and it is hard to trust.
Any thoughts??? The engine cannot be that tight. New starter time?

thank you!!
ron

 

Compression releases

 

The bikes pissed off at you for not riding her.

I would start with the battery cables. Take them apart on both ends, clean them up, and retighten them. Also go through every fuse and clean and put deelectric grease on them.

I doubt very much it is the starter...if it still gives you problems try replacing the starter relays. I have a feeling there is some corrosion somewhere.

Once you fix it, ride it...move it or lose it. Dyna's can't stand sitting in one place for too long

 

Craig might be on to something. The factory 103s have an ACR (auto compression release) built in to them. Even then, they crank hard.

 

 

Thanks for the replys..... I will go back over the cables. However, the fact that the cables get hot to the point of slight smoking, means that there is plenty (!!) of current being drawn. Ohm's law. So, there can't be a bad connection.
This bike went back to the dealer for a 'check-up' before the warranty expired. It also received a new battery (#2) at that time.
This is NOT a factory 103, but the dealer installed version. I'm beginning to think it's timing related...... this engine seems harder to turn over than the Super Gas Camaro I had, and that was a 12.5:1 compression 427 BB Chevy. ha ha
Once running (love the FI) it just purrs.....The only modification has been a small opening of the exhaust baffles. Certainly this shouldn't affect it's cranking, right???

any thoughts? Thanks again,
ron

 

SE255 cams?

 

if the cables are gettig nthat hot i suspect a bad ground or starter as they should NOT be drawing that much power just to spin it up. pull your positive and negative cables clen both the cable terminal and the surface it connects to and reinstal with soem die electric grease or vasilene in a pinch. whiel you have it apart have your starter checked out