Trouble in paradise...
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 119
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From: Silver City, NM
Trouble in paradise...
Ok so a week ago I get off work in the morning and go to start my '01 Wide Glide to ride home and it wouldn’t start. It was getting fuel no problem there but it just seemingly wouldn’t fire, just a dead cranking. I bought and swapped a Coil pack thinking that could be it... No of course not...lol.
So I left it at work for the day and went back with my trailer and took it to a local shop that claims to have the only Official Harley Davidson diagnostic machine in the state other than the dealerships. They told me it was the Ignition Module and want $368 bucks for the module alone (also tried to make me pay for a battery I didn’t need, got mine home charged it and it’s all the way good).
Any way they told me that I needed a module so I got one online from an, '01 Softtail, for pretty cheap and put it in. Well it would crank and I could tell now that it was trying to fire (we all know how different that sounds) but wouldn’t start. So I guessed the timing of the module I got must be different so I bought the Screamin' Eagle programmable module for the Carbed Twin 88 as I do have the other Screamin" eagle stuff on my bike as well.
I went out to the garage to install the new module and program it. Just for the hell of it I tried to start it again with the cheap used module and after a few cranks it Started and was idling and sounded very normal. I'm thinking wow that great. Well it idles for about 3-4 min and dies, then nothing... no longer even sounding like it wants to fire, just back to the dead cranking again. So I'm thinking that it might have toasted that module also.
I installed the new SE programming one and went through the instructions (which are very strait forward) and when I tried to start it, it was the same dead cranking.
What can make it seem like or read that the module is bad when or if its not? I think there has to be something other than the module here that is keeping it from firing. Its like what ever it is allowed it to get "jogged" or something, let start with the cheap module and then stopped again and doesn’t let it fire now with either one, new or used????
Sorry for the really long tale but I thought the info pertinent in the trouble shooting process. Thank you very much.
So I left it at work for the day and went back with my trailer and took it to a local shop that claims to have the only Official Harley Davidson diagnostic machine in the state other than the dealerships. They told me it was the Ignition Module and want $368 bucks for the module alone (also tried to make me pay for a battery I didn’t need, got mine home charged it and it’s all the way good).
Any way they told me that I needed a module so I got one online from an, '01 Softtail, for pretty cheap and put it in. Well it would crank and I could tell now that it was trying to fire (we all know how different that sounds) but wouldn’t start. So I guessed the timing of the module I got must be different so I bought the Screamin' Eagle programmable module for the Carbed Twin 88 as I do have the other Screamin" eagle stuff on my bike as well.
I went out to the garage to install the new module and program it. Just for the hell of it I tried to start it again with the cheap used module and after a few cranks it Started and was idling and sounded very normal. I'm thinking wow that great. Well it idles for about 3-4 min and dies, then nothing... no longer even sounding like it wants to fire, just back to the dead cranking again. So I'm thinking that it might have toasted that module also.
I installed the new SE programming one and went through the instructions (which are very strait forward) and when I tried to start it, it was the same dead cranking.
What can make it seem like or read that the module is bad when or if its not? I think there has to be something other than the module here that is keeping it from firing. Its like what ever it is allowed it to get "jogged" or something, let start with the cheap module and then stopped again and doesn’t let it fire now with either one, new or used????
Sorry for the really long tale but I thought the info pertinent in the trouble shooting process. Thank you very much.
Last edited by 1badcj8; Mar 17, 2009 at 10:54 AM.
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 159
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From: SE Kansas
I just had a similar problem with my 00 Buell X1 this weekend. I went through the manual testing what they told me to and found the ignition relay to be the problem. $5.50 for the part. Hopefully that will help you out. If not, get a multimeter and follow the manual. Both the ignition relay and starter relay are the same part number on my buell. Mine just kept on cranking but I didn't have spark. I put a nail in the plug wire and touched it to the spark plug to check it, not very professional but on the side of the highway you have to use what you find.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 119
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From: Silver City, NM
Thanks for the suggestion, that seems feasible sine yours did the same thing. When I search google for a Harley ignition relay it only pulls up a starter relay and all I have found says that if that is bad it wont crank at all.
But mine is the same as you say yours is, it cranks but wont fire. Any one have a part number for this relay?
I also pulled a plug, put it back in the wire and cranked it, no spark.
But mine is the same as you say yours is, it cranks but wont fire. Any one have a part number for this relay?
I also pulled a plug, put it back in the wire and cranked it, no spark.
Last edited by 1badcj8; Mar 17, 2009 at 12:51 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 643
Likes: 0
From: Sioux Falls, SD
I bet its your battery. I had a cell go bad on my battery and it had very similar symptoms. The ignition would click like hell, and occasionally it would turn over and either fire or not. So I was concerned about my ignition also. But, I had the battery checked and even though it was putting out power it had 2 bad cells.
Replaced the battery. It fired right up.
Replaced the battery. It fired right up.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,456
Likes: 11
From: PacNW; Beacon of Conservatism in a Sea of Liberals.......AZ Snowbird; Just another Conservative
Sure sounds symptomatic of a flaky Crank Position Sensor. I haven't had bike problems with one, but two Jeeps of mine have had problems with 'em...same symptoms, and "comes-'n-goes" issue. Let us know what you find.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 119
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From: Silver City, NM
OK every one line up to tell me how stupid I am...
My wife gets home from work this afternoon and says "is your gas turned off"... Sure was I turned it on and now after programing the new module its running better than ever.
Thank every one but I sure feel stupid. My daughter just asked me why I'm fessing up to all you guys... Because you all tried to help and I appreciate it big time.
Dan
My wife gets home from work this afternoon and says "is your gas turned off"... Sure was I turned it on and now after programing the new module its running better than ever.
Thank every one but I sure feel stupid. My daughter just asked me why I'm fessing up to all you guys... Because you all tried to help and I appreciate it big time.
Dan
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Club Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 11,483
Likes: 39
From: Passaic County, NJ
So the end result was you had the gas turned off? I've done that too, when I had a bike with petcocks.
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