Okay, here's the deal. I have a 96 FLHRI. It's a daily rider with over 95K on it. Ity's been the best scoot I've ever owned...EXCEPT....periodically (mostly on longer rides in warmer weather) the idle will work it's way up to where I can practically cruise without using the throttle. For whatever reason, the fast idle solenoid kicks in and stays there. I'll finally pull over and maually push the solenoid plunger back in. Then it'll be fine for a while...then without rhyme or reason, it does it again.

I've checked the harley manual and it seems as though there are about 35 different things that could cause this. I've heard that 96 was the first year for FI on the Road King. Is this a factory defect? Should I just replace the fast idle solenoid? I really don't want to get into r&r-ing HD parts. Any and all help appreciated.

 

My '00 bike has the same Marelli injection as your's. My fast idle solenoid has gone bad twice doing exactly what your's does. I replaced it the first time. The second time, I just turn the set screw back so that the solenoid didn't do anything no matter what position it was in. Now, I just crack the throttle a bit when starting the bike cold and let the throttle friction screw hold it in place. I don't miss the solenoid a bit.

 

The Marelli bikes have two air bleeds which plug up from time to time in the throttle body, especially if the crankcase breathers vent to the air filter. It will effect both cold and hot idle when this happens.
They need to be cleaned with some gumout or or something similar (spray). Look in the bores and locate two little holes at 10:00 for the front and 2:00 for the rear. Use the little red tube that comes with the gumout to reach in there without overdoing it.
Always do this first when you have any idle problems before pulling your hair out

 

Plugged air bleeds would cut air thus lowring the idle, not raising it. If you have pushed the ISC back manually several times, it's now most likely damaged internally. Many times when they fail, they stay in one spot and you get a high or low idle.

 

It could be the IAC (Idle Air Controller), you are referring to it as the fast idle..... As 1_S_E stated, some people do decide to push it in, and it is a gear operated Stepper motor....

Plastic gears can only take a small amount of force..... And you blew that out of the water when you pushed it in the first time.....

If you do decide to replace the stepper motor, be very careful in how you choose to reset all of the screws.....

The best and most accurate way is with a DigiTech/SERT Datamode or Twinscan, so you can see and monitor stepper position to reset as well as the TP Voltage, as this is the most critical (0.61-0.64 vdc) on initial set-up for IAC.....

There are 2 Service bulletins on this procedure.... 1 for Stock ECM configs and another for Stage Configs.....

 

Be careful when reading the data. The Marelli ECM does not report the true position of the Idle Speed Control motor (ISC), rather it reports the position it is telling it to go to. Therefore it is very important to check the physical operation of the ISC. The ISC motor moves the throttle blades to control idle. When these motors fail stuck out, many times the bike starts and idles good cold, but as it warms up the idle gets higher and higher. This is because as it warms up it is becoming more efficient, the oil is thinning etc and the throttle plate is hed just slightly open by the stuch ISC. This is because the ISC is not moving even though the ECM is reporting where it wants it to be.

This data reporting is also true for the Idle Air Control (IAC) motor found on the Delphi ECM controlled bikes. However, the IAC is actually a stepper motor that controls an air passage rather than the throttle plate to control idle. One nice thing about Delphi ECM's is that after the idle cannot be controlled within 200 rpm for 1 min, they throw a loss of idle speed control code. However, IAC's need to be physically watched to see that they are moving properly at power down, power up as well.

PS - I would like to say that ShovelHead Bob and I weigh in on many posts. Sometimes we agree, and sometimes we are on certain points. HOWEVER, I appreciate all he does and contributes as it takes a lot of effort and patience. I do not want it to appear to anyone that we are trying to sink each other's ships because this is certainly not the case.

 

searching old post about isc modules. i have a 2000 flhtci, you did me a big favor, thanks, and i dont think i'll miss the solenoid either , thanks again, don

 

Its simple to reset up the MM if you know exactly how to do it and have the patience. I struggled with mine for a whole summer after my engine build and became so frustrated with it I finally called Milwaukee and can you belive it actually talked to an engineer who worked on it. He gave me step by step instructions on how to set it up:

1) warm your bike to full operating temp. So it reads over 180deg or just ride it for a half hour or so.

2) Shut the bike off and take of the air cleaner, all of it,I have a K&N so it is fairly easy.

3) turn the bike back on and let it idle for a few minutes. take off the sensor located on top of the throttle body with the bike still running. Your rpms may go up and then come back down, if it just goes up and stays there like it does on my bike thats cool tool

4) Ok every thing is off and disconnected, now on the right side back of the TB there is a 10mm set screw. This willl set your cold high speed idle. Screw it up or down depending on your bike is idling. This acts as a choke when your engine is cold so with my build I like the rpms to warm the bike up at about 1700-1800 rpms so this is where I set it. After that is done you can move on to your warm idle slow speed adjustment.

5) this screw is the same size as the above and is located on the right front of the TB. Plug the top sensor plug back in and your bike will go down to normal idle. If it is low turn the screw clockwise, it is high counter clock wise til you hit the correct rpm range. For my build I use 1100 rpms.

6) Now that this done put every thing back together and let the bike cool off completely. When it is cool to touch, turn the igninition on and hit the thumb button for run to cycle the EFI system. You have to do this 5-10 times. You have to let it cycle up and down completely each time, so I just leave the inginition on and use the run button to do that. This will create a memory in the eprom of the brain for the bike. Hopefully it will be good to go after this.

I have had to do it a couple of times to make it work before but it does work, eventually. I ain't kiddin either. Hoope this helps everyone out and if it doesn't work well go to a Delphi I guess. keepem sharp

 

Do you close both screws or just the cold one? Do you leave the solenoid pluged in?

My '00 bike has the same Marelli injection as your's. My fast idle solenoid has gone bad twice doing exactly what your's does. I replaced it the first time. The second time, I just turn the set screw back so that the solenoid didn't do anything no matter what position it was in. Now, I just crack the throttle a bit when starting the bike cold and let the throttle friction screw hold it in place. I don't miss the solenoid a bit.
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2000 Road King Classic. Andrews 26G cams, SE Stage I, DFO, V&H True Duals with Samson Fishtail Mufflers.

1977 XLH, Nearly bone stock.

 

Ran diagnostic- got code P0107 & P0374. Replaced map & crank shaft position sensors. No codes coming back on diagnostic now, but bike still won’t idle. Anyone have any ideas??