It's the fuking tune!

 

100% of the time? If that's the case, how come a tune or an adjustment to mine wasn't required to fix my starting issue?

 

We have different motors, just to say.

Harley's have been having hard starts since before the newer motors. It seems that there are a few different causes. In my case, I don't think it was the tuner I used that caused it, but I used the tuner to resolve it. As I said, the stock tune (stock, as in straight from HD) had a 4 deg advance at the starting areas. I retarded it quite a bit on my current tune and that seemed to work for me, and for some others. However ppl are having the same issue on stock bikes, so you can't blame the aftermarket tunes then, can you?

 

That was the point of my post, I noted that it is my opinion that what I believe could be one of the many possible issues that have lead to the hard start problem is pure component failure of the compensator spring pack. I wasn't saying it was your issue, only mentioning it for others to research off of as a possible issue that could be causing their problem, we all use these threads to learn from. One could have the perfect tune and miles down the road the spring pack stops doing its job, it wasn't the tune that went bad it was the hardware.


My bike had the hard start with the kick back and spitting of smoke out the AC for a good while starting at the stock configuration and over time it got worse and worse. I went from stock tune to Xied's then to Superchips and this past fall to the PCV w/ a dyno hoping it was just a tune (fuel/air mixture flooding) issue. After continuing to have the issue I decided to start researching possible hardware issues. I read and read more about the compensator issue and how HD decided not to upgrade the performance or quality of the product even after adding more power and compression to the mix of starting, they did change the stack up process, but not so much the actual hardware with the 88" and 96", pretty much the same design all the way back to the 1980 FLT with the 81.5" engine. Then when the 103" and 110" were introduced HD attempted to fix the poor design with the newer SE hardware use of larger springs. This is an improvement when it comes to repairs because one no longer has to replace the whole stator rotor to change the spring pack out. Although, I don't feel the stator rotor or the compensator ramps are the problem, I do feel it's the poor quality (bad manufacturing quality or poor material quality) of the spring pack in between them that they use because I think they don't retain their spring shape as they should, otherwise saying they get flatter over time.


Although your success with the tune has achieved the goal of your starting issue, only time will tell if it will maintain the results. Knowing that you have a good tune now will let you know down the road that if you start to have the issues again that there are other possible issue that are causing it and not the tune.


I have put about a 1000 miles on the bike and started it a multitude of times since changing the comp sprocket out and the hard start hasn't shown it ugly head as of yet (knock on wood).


Again, this is all my opinion based on my experiences. I am not an mechanical engineer and can't prove that it the fix everyone, but it is something that others can get an idea of and research for themselves.

 

Agree, usually not one solution to all starting issues.
Pulling timing of course takes a load off the motor for easier starting, but a mega strong battery also does it, strong starter, comp improvement as in post above, and quality cables and grounds are all in the mix-

OP,
Thanks for posting your results, and hope it continues to work well in the true testing ground on the street in a few months. The 90-100 degree days of the summer-riding hard, pulling in for a refill, and hitting that starter button.

 

Don't want to jinx nothing but sounds Mchad found a fix, hope it continues into the warm with no starting issues. It's been a long time and a lot of brain storming.

 

Glad you got it figured out Mchad, happy riding.

 

Thanks fellas. Looking forward to the summer for sure. If you don't see this thread resurface (from my post at least) then assume all is well!

 

yeah I won't say my issues is fixed till December-Feburary here, that's when it feels like you are melting.

Winter here is fine, can ride every day of the year no problems.

Does anyone have a .pvt of the stock tune? I would really like to see that! Mchad?

 

Mchad, I have an 09 fatbob and have intermitten hot start issues too I sort of gave up on and just manage... But to truly test out what you think fixed it, I'd park outside a bar with the bike hot, have 3 good looking ladies come out and a couple buddies watch you start it - this scenario almost guarantee's mine will do it! hahaha.