98 Fuel Injected Road King

Bike doesn't want to start when cold. I have to open the throttle a little then hold it until it warms up. This gets it going no problem. Warm idle is fine. Bike runs fine under load and there are no fault codes. Replaced the ETS last summer. Bike displayed all the classic symptoms of a bad ETS before I replaced it.

I was playing around with the throttle cables and monkeyed with the lever that the idle speed control actuator pushes to open the butterflys. That lever is pretty hard to push. I think my idle speed control actuator is bad but I'm not sure. Should I be able to push the lever in and out easily?

If my problem isn't the idle speed control actuator I guess it could be the throttle position sensor but again, I've got no fault codes and it runs great except for a cold start. I did replace the battery a couple of weeks ago. The connections are tight on both ends. Is there a chance the ECM could have lost the idle settings?

I don't want to replace the ISC actuator if there is nothing wrong with it.


Carl

 

Your engine light should come on,as you're probably aware of,if the throttle position sensor was bad. Read this sticky...https://www.hdforums.com/forum/engin...m-systems.html

 

M&M EFI has a reputation for losing idle settings. When I first got mine last spring, it idled faster warm than it did when it was cold. When I adjusted the warm idle, I had to turn the screw the opposite direction that the service manual said (can't recall right now which direction). But since then, I haven't had a problem, though sometimes it starts easier with about a quarter twist of the throttle.

 

If the ISC actuator works, then it is working properly. Watch for actuator movement, if not working at all. Either replace or check the wiring/electrical connection. If you push the plunger of the actuator back in, then you ruined it. Make sure the acuator is working before going to idle speed adjustment.

The ECM does loose its idle speed memory from time to time. It usually only effects the cold idle speed. There are several different methods to setting the idle speed....so far, I've only found one way that works for me.

When you start a Magnetti Marelli.....start a cold engine and idle should go to about 1200 immediately. As the engine warms up, the idle should slowly lower back to about 1000 on its own.