2008 Dyna Low Rider starting characteristic
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2008 Dyna Low Rider starting characteristic
Ever since I bought my dyna new in 2008, the cold start is always with the engine turning over once...then silence...then roaring to life. It has almost never spun over several times and then fired. It has always resembled a car starting with a very low battery. It makes no difference if the battery is new or has some time on it. I think I have bought only 2 batteries since 2008. Now if the engine is warm, like restarting at a gas station after fill up, it will spin over a couple times before firing up. Would a battery with possible more cranking amps change this? In all this time it has never failed to start unless the battery is too low from neglect. Anyone else ever experience this? I guess I have just gotten used to it over the years!
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 523
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From: Vancouver, WA
Hold a voltmeter to the battery, it should read 12.5+ volts. You should be using a battery tender when not riding. If its low, does it hold a charge?
Have someone hold the probes on the battery while you start the bike...if the battery dips below 9.5 volts (assuming step 1 was 12.5V+), its toast.
Also, your bike is fuel injected, you should turn the ignition on then wait for the fuel pump to pressurize...(you should be able to hear it). Hit the starter and it should fire RIGHT up. You could be starting before the fuel pressure is all the way up, or maybe your fuel pump its going TU.
FYI, I recently had similar experience except it kept getting worse and worse and eventually I would get an error code while my bike struggled to start...did the test above, my battery dipped to 5.5V during cranking...replaced it and VROOOM! fires right up like new.
Have someone hold the probes on the battery while you start the bike...if the battery dips below 9.5 volts (assuming step 1 was 12.5V+), its toast.
Also, your bike is fuel injected, you should turn the ignition on then wait for the fuel pump to pressurize...(you should be able to hear it). Hit the starter and it should fire RIGHT up. You could be starting before the fuel pressure is all the way up, or maybe your fuel pump its going TU.
FYI, I recently had similar experience except it kept getting worse and worse and eventually I would get an error code while my bike struggled to start...did the test above, my battery dipped to 5.5V during cranking...replaced it and VROOOM! fires right up like new.
Last edited by JoshFXDL; Dec 5, 2017 at 12:32 PM.
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Thanks for the reply! Yes I wait for the whirr of the fuel pump and the engine lights to go off and hit the starter and it starts right up...but the engine only rolls over once, goes silent, then "bursts" into ignition. It has always done this since new, and I hear other bikes turn over and over before they start. When I am with other riders, that comment that my bike must have high compression pistons!
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 523
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From: Vancouver, WA
Funny enough the harley AGM and Duracel extreme AGMs are made in the same factory.
Found this out the other day when replacing my Battery for the same exact problem you described above. Although both the "Harley" and the Duracel come with 2 year warranty, there are many threads about how bad the "Harley" batteries are...I suspect they have some kind of cost reduction built in compared to the Duracel.
Get a $5 harbor freight multi meter and do the voltage test I explained above.
Also make sure you keep her plugged into an AGM compatible battery tender (not a cheap one that will shorten the life of the battery).
Found this out the other day when replacing my Battery for the same exact problem you described above. Although both the "Harley" and the Duracel come with 2 year warranty, there are many threads about how bad the "Harley" batteries are...I suspect they have some kind of cost reduction built in compared to the Duracel.
Get a $5 harbor freight multi meter and do the voltage test I explained above.
Also make sure you keep her plugged into an AGM compatible battery tender (not a cheap one that will shorten the life of the battery).
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 364
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From: Kansas City
My 2009 FXDL does the exact same thing Bill. I have had it for about a year now but it does start every time, even if its hooked up on the tender to a full charge, it still cranks, waits and then fires. Has yet to leave me stranded so far anyway lol.
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Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2016
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From: Vancouver, WA
Mine was the same way and progressively got worse and worse until finally it ALMOST left me out to dry haha.
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 364
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From: Kansas City
Yea, part of my winter time project is basically to get all fluids changed, take a deep look at the battery amongst other things. I was at a gas station and it didnt turn over once, but then immediately did after and been good since then. Thanks Josh.
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 523
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From: Vancouver, WA
Also check your battery terminal connections too, a little bit loose can cause intermittent issues as well.